A review by rachelvardeman
Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I think I read Whereabouts at the right place and at the right time. It was on my list for a long time and I picked it up at the library when I was in a headspace similar to what the narrator often described. I loved that this book didn't include character names and used very little dialogue, but rather focused on one woman's internal monologue. I resonated with her thoughts, her ties to her parents and origin story, and her need and love for solitude. I loved her independence, her natural feminism, and the way she processes her grief and fears. The way she processes grief as an ever present part of life, a reminder that grief not only doesn't leave us but builds us into who we are. This was such an original idea for a novel with brilliant execution.