logo

45 pages 1 hour read

The Last White Man: A Novel

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Mohsin Hamid

The Last White Man

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022
Book Details
Pages

208

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Contemporary

Theme
Publication Year

2022

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Mohsin Hamid’s The Last White Man, Anders wakes up to find his skin color has changed from white to brown, prompting a transformation in his identity and perceptions. As more people in his town undergo similar changes, societal tensions rise, leading to violence and fear. Anders navigates this new reality while reconnecting with his former girlfriend, Oona, and reckoning with his past behaviors and attitudes toward people of color. The town grapples with its evolving identity, mourning its losses but also finding a sense of rebirth and adaptation. The narrative culminates in a future where the memories of whiteness begin to fade except for a few who still hold on to the past. The text discusses racism, suicide, substance use disorder, and violence.

Mysterious

Contemplative

Melancholic

Emotional

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

3.7

19,154 ratings

50%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Mohsin Hamid's The Last White Man explores themes of identity and societal transformation through an inventive premise. Reviewers praise its lyrical prose and timely commentary on race. However, some criticize its allegorical nature for lack of depth in character development. Though divisive, the novel's thought-provoking narrative earns it commendation.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Last White Man?

Readers who appreciate The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid likely enjoy thought-provoking explorations of race and identity. Fans of Exit West by Hamid or Beloved by Toni Morrison, who value nuanced narratives around societal changes, will find this book compelling. It combines social commentary with personal transformation.

3.7

19,154 ratings

50%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

Character List

Anders

The protagonist, a young man who experiences a dramatic change in appearance, leading him to reassess his relationships and life in an altered society.

A yoga instructor and Anders's romantic interest, who undergoes her own transformation and adapts to the resulting changes in her personal and family life.

An omniscient, third-person narrator who reports on the events and characters without direct interaction, occasionally breaking the fourth wall to engage the reader.

A secondary character who struggles with her beliefs and online conspiracies but eventually faces changes in her family dynamics.

A traditionally masculine figure who faces his own mortality and a changing relationship with his son.

Book Details
Pages

208

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Contemporary

Theme
Publication Year

2022

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.