Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: Beautiful craft but can't get involved with the characters

This is a very thought provoking book. It is fluid, and so carefully crafted. However, I was unable to really get into the characters themselves. Many reviewers have commented that the book made them examine their ownselves, but very few are bursting to know what happens to Gogol, Moushimi and the rest. It's too bad because the author Nikolai Gogol (who plays a significant role in Namesake) certainly has the power to make you live his characters' lives, even temporarily. Jhumpa Lahiri is analytical, thoughtful, introspective in her writing...with a little more warmth, she could be really brilliant.