Review of Mistake of Identity

[PeterRabitt20]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mistake of Identity" by A. Darius Kamali.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Occasionally, I come across a book that stirs my curiosity. It may be the title, the cover page, or the blurb; either way, I take the plunge into uncertainty. Mistake of Identity is one of those dives.

The black lettering and the red Sanskrit term, stamped across the top, give the cover art a clean look; its simplicity worked on me. Only 76 pages long, A. Darius Kamali’s book could be shorter since it contains only a few lines per page. Oddly, the title raises a list of questions about the content.

At first, the freeform writing style and unconventional ideas made me consider putting the book in the drawer. Clearly, this was going to be a “curiosity killed the cat” moment. Admittedly, those same reasons made this book stand out.

Kamali mulls over our postmodern identity and groupism by asking rhetorical questions on racism, politics, and religion—to name a few. Sometimes, these muses are followed by hashtags. The book discusses a cornucopia of issues, such as enculturation, celebrity propaganda, and gender identity. The author also alludes to current events, such as the tweets between former President Trump and New York Governor Cuomo. One musing about the reality of life reminded me of the movie, The Matrix. Kamali even takes a jab at Hollywood when he writes about the casting controversy—the author has spent years in the human rights and film industry.

Despite the brain Olympics, his aphorisms are conversation starters—this is a positive aspect. I did consider some of his views. For instance, is enculturation similar to brainwashing? In another example, he likens meat consumption to “geneticism”. Also, I found the suggestion that “poor people” complain less thought-provoking. Overall, not all of Kamali's ideas are agreeable; nonetheless, I appreciated the challenge they instigate.

The downside of this book is the lack of clarity. Words are used for their rhyming quality, such as “fault” and “default”; however, their definitions didn’t fit the context. Despite re-reading, there were aphorisms that I could not understand. They could be re-written or omitted altogether. I also had trouble with repeated words since they muddled the ideas. Precise terms would have improved the quality of the content.

I rate Mistake of Identity 3 out of 4 stars. The one-star deduction was due to grammar issues. Otherwise, Kamali’s writing style is unique, and his ideas are absorbing and provocative.

Anyone looking for an enigmatic experience should try this book. Also, readers not afraid of new philosophies and postmodern identity will relish this book. However, readers who prefer a traditionally structured text may be bothered by the writing style; therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it for them.

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Mistake of Identity
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[Kaushiki Parihar]

The grammar issues and writing style of the book doesn't appeal me at all. Great review though!

[Maliha Naveed]

Only a few pages long, discussing the much publicized issues of the day in a different and unconventional way sound interesting. I might grab this one. Nice review. Very good choice of words. Keep it up.

[Adaeze Joan]

From your well-detailed review, it is quite obvious that you enjoyed this book. But not all books are meant for everyone as I couldn't find reasons to read this book.

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

One can tell from the book cover that the author is no ordinary individual. This is also confirmed by the manner in which he tackles various societal challenges and norms. Your review has definitely shed some light. Thanks.

[Kavita Shah]

The Sanskrit term is Om and the title is very interesting. I like that it's short and it speaks on a variety of topics. Thank you for a nice review!

[PeterRabitt20]

The grammar issues and writing style of the book doesn't appeal me at all. Great review though!

Thanks for stopping by!

[PeterRabitt20]

The Sanskrit term is Om and the title is very interesting. I like that it's short and it speaks on a variety of topics. Thank you for a nice review!

I wasn't sure at first what it meant and had to research it. Thank you stopping by!

[Ntombifuthi Londi]

This book appears to have alot of spelling problems and the use of words that don't seem to fit the context, which was enough for me to decide it wasn't a book I wanted to read. Great review

[Astral Magi]

I think I want to read the book simply because I agree with some of the statements you mention. I do believe that poor people complain less. Thank you for a lovely review.