A review by booklywookly
Western Lane by Chetna Maroo

5.0

“I want you to become interested in something you can do your whole life” says the father to his three young daughters, Gopi, Khush and Mona, a few days after their mother’s funeral. 

And that’s how it began. An obsession bordering on fanaticism with a sport to cope with grief and loss. This is not a book about sports. This is a tender tale of a family mourning the loss of a loved one, beautifully capturing the nuances of grief. Everyone has got their own coping mechanism. And if it happens to be squash for some, so be it. 

The squash court at Western Lane becomes a sanctuary for the sisters, especially Gopi. It is where she channels her grief, frustration, and longing. The rhythmic thud of the ball against the wall mirrors the emotional turmoil within her. The intensity of the game parallels the intensity of her grief. The physicality of squash allows Gopi to release pent-up emotions and provides an escape from the heaviness of grief. I loved how Gopi was written and handled so delicately by Chetna. 

Squash also acts as a bridge between her and pa, who also shares her passion for the sport. The court at Western Lane becomes their shared refuge—a place where they communicate through the rhythm of the game.Discussing the game and feats of legendary Pakistani squash champion, Jahangir Khan becomes a language they both understand.

Pa is that “every south Asian dad” ever - emotionally distant, stoic, who struggles to communicate his love for his kids. The loss of his partner has left him numb, in a perpetual despair. A very nicely written tragic character. 

Beyond grief, themes of cultural identity and integration are also explored. This is an Indian family living in London. The lingering presence of ‘desi’ diaspora is felt throughout. There is this unsaid need for living in a community of people who look like you, trading off individuality with flock mentality, worth it for that extra sense of make belief (?) security. 

For such an emotionally rich subject, Chetna surprisingly writes in a very detached and unemotional style. Fast pacing with short and crisp sentences in a very ordinary but beautiful way. A bold stylistic choice. 

The only gripe? I would have loved for it to remain a story of the three sisters instead of taking a sharp turn to become Gopi’s story. I needed a little more of Mona and Khush. 

Special petition for Mira Nair to adapt this for a movie. How I wish Irrfan Khan was still alive. He would have been terrific as Pa.