Reviews - The Inheritance of Loss

687 reviews for:

The Inheritance of Loss

Kiran Desai

3.31 AVERAGE

haddocks_eyes's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

roxyc's review against another edition

3.0

sad slow-paced

kristenesantos's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jay1412's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Made me reflect on the notes of colonization and globalization. Very well written with vivid descriptions and complex characters.

wilde_woolf's review against another edition

4.5

slow-paced

Every page drips with a still relevant lyrical poignancy as it meditates upon colonialism, unrest, turmoil, immigration, families, the heart and mind being at home as the body travels abroad where it is unwanted, in search of "better" opportunities

mayankshah's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous 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: Yes

This book does a great job of highlighting the situation and complicated emotions of people who are stuck between two cultures, countries or identities by placing different groups of these people together in the same story and having them interact with each other. It really shows the complicated and sometimes nonsensical emotions that can come up and how they can make people react to these situations, sometimes showing the worst in themselves.

The fact that the characters and stories span 3 generations across a complicated time in colonial history only highlights the excellent job the author has done in showing a wide variety of characters and emotions.

Not all the characters are lovable and some, in fact, are people that we might judge or look down upon but the author really delves into these characters to explain why they behave the way that they do and makes you understand their behaviour, but not necessarily endorse it. This is a tricky balance to achieve and one the author does in a nuanced manner, showing both sides of the story and how history and trauma causes these behaviours in people.

It is difficult to pin down a specific story across this book as it follows a group of characters, explains their histories and behaviours across a wide period of time and follows them as they react to a series of events and interact with each other. The book neither starts nor ends at any specific point in time, rather going back and forth and I think this emphasises how history continues to have an impact on the present and the future and how everything is entangled. Some people may feel that this detracts from the book but I think it shows the fact that everyone’s stories are continuous and don’t have neat beginnings or endings.

Ultimately, this book is one about history, trauma and the migrant experience from all sides of the story. The author ably weaves together a complex tapestry of characters, locations and situations and in doing so portrays things that many books aren’t able to. There seems to be a lack of definite story which some might find disconcerting but I think that’s on purpose and adds to the book. A good read for those interested in reading more about the migrant and diaspora experience and the complex enduring results of colonialism in India.