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deedireads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I read Western Lane because it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and I enjoyed it. It’s a very quiet, interior novel that packs a punch much bigger than its slim size might suggest. At first glance, this is a coming of age novel about a girl named Gopi who plays squash, but really, it’s much more about a family dealing with grief as told through that girl’s eyes.
The emotional power of the book comes not from what is said by the characters, but by their silences, their unfinished sentences. On the one hand, I found this to be really impressive (and effective) from a craft perspective; on the other, I thought Gopi’s powers of observation made her feel much older than she was supposed to be (eleven years old). Sure, she was only noticing limited interactions, but her gaze was also focused enough that it led the audience to understand a great deal. In the end, though, this was a minor complaint; there’s no denying that Maroo is an ultra-talented writer and I’ll be interested to see what she does next.
The emotional power of the book comes not from what is said by the characters, but by their silences, their unfinished sentences. On the one hand, I found this to be really impressive (and effective) from a craft perspective; on the other, I thought Gopi’s powers of observation made her feel much older than she was supposed to be (eleven years old). Sure, she was only noticing limited interactions, but her gaze was also focused enough that it led the audience to understand a great deal. In the end, though, this was a minor complaint; there’s no denying that Maroo is an ultra-talented writer and I’ll be interested to see what she does next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
sharanyav's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about grief. It revolves around the life of a father and three daughters after the death of their mother. It covers the discomfort that can be hardly even put into words in face of loss. It is a slow account about the struggles of a father to appropriately handle his own grief and that of his daughters. When he finds himself lost amidst a sadness that hovers over all of them, he resorts to the game of squash as an attempt to recuperate, heal and connect with his daughters. Chetna Maroo poignantly describes feelings of silence and how it differs in unfamiliar spaces. I thought the descriptions about the game of squash and the sense of purpose that it provides the family was done with brilliance. Her choice of words and the vastness of emotions covered in this short book is definitely a work of art.
Can't wait to see more from this author.
Can't wait to see more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
jouljet's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
tarajoy90's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
rei_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
mmccombs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
A quiet, reflective read! I’ve not read a book about squash before, but I thought the way the sport was described was incredibly impactful and helped me understand the weight of the game, it’s connection to our main character and her grief. Short and sweet, there was wonderfully complex character development. I think this will be a novel that continues to grow on me, a very solid story about grief and growth and family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Western Lane was my first pick from the Booker Prize longlist. It’s a quiet, subtle, understated novel with strong themes of grief, sisterhood and family. Gopi, the youngest daughter in a British Gujarati family, was just 11 when her mother died. Responding to questioning of his ability to raise daughters, her father opts to keep her and her two older sisters busy playing squash for hours every day at the Western Lane sports centre. Gopi shows real promise and squash becomes a key part of her identity. Although not a squash player I found myself really interested in this aspect of the book, the pluses and minuses of a strong focus on a particular sport at a comparatively young age - things like injuries and pushing through them, the pressure not to disappoint a parent-coach who is so invested in your success, the sense of power and freedom Gopi sometimes found on the squash court. I also appreciated the way squash functioned as a metaphor, the parallels between what happened on the court and what Gopi needed to help her navigate her life and grief. Gopi is a character who really tugged on my heartstrings and made me want to give her a hug especially when dealing with her blossoming feelings for Ged or when she feared being alienated from her family. I also found myself drawn to Mona. As an eldest daughter I could relate to her stepping in to the role of replacement mother, doing her best to cook and clean, to keep the family functioning and together. The writing style was sparse yet beautiful, with the author trusting that her readers - like Gopi - are astute observers, by showing not telling the story to us, for instance letting us see Pa’s behaviours rather than directly telling us he was struggling due to grief. The writing style was also effective at depicting the essence of the family who were all struggling with their grief, but mostly silently, rarely sharing their feelings or supporting each other verbally. While this book didn’t wow me I did find plenty to appreciate and enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
orla_h's review against another edition
emotional
sad
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
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