A review by sharanyav
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief