Jhumpa Lahiri’s new tragic and memorable novel, The Lowland

The Mount Holyoke College common read last year was The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. I cannot say I was altogether enchanted by The Namesake, but it was intriguing, quick and a great way to discuss differences and identities with First-years during Orientation.

The massive build-up for Lahiri’s newest novel, The Lowland reached my ears in July. I started hearing about how fabulous, how well written and how beautifully composed it was. When I was invited to review it, I was thrilled to give Lahiri another chance to impress me. And she did just that.

The Lowland is an exceptional novel that begins with the tale of two young brothers, Subhash and Udayan Mitra, who grow up in a small village near Calcutta, India. 15 months apart, the two brothers act more like twins. They are inseperable—taking classes together, playing chess and sneaking into the British country club to explore new spaces.

After high school, the brothers enter separate universities and Udayan becomes fascinated by the idea of a communist party for India. During the 1960s, Udayan observes the beginnings of a rebellion to diminish poverty and create a better life for his people. He is entranced by the idea of self-determined liberty and begins plotting, joining the wave of political action.

Of an entirely different mindset, Subhash simply wants peace and prosperity. Made uneasy by the idea of Udayan’s violent political tendencies, Subhash leaves India for a graduate program in the United States. He moves to Rhode Island and learns to live away from his family in a new land.

Subhash spends years communicating with Udayan only by the occasional letter, words which never convey Udayan’s feelings about the political uprising in India. When he finds out Udayan has married, he wonders about the new life his brother leads.

But one day everything comes crashing down. Subhash learns that Udayan has been killed and he must return home. He goes back to his family home and experiences the depths of his family’s despair. Udayan is gone, and therefore a part of Subhash is gone as well.

While tragedy is an underlying theme throughout the novel, Lahiri’s beautiful prose creates a riveting story full of characters you come to love and sympathize with. It is a story about reflection and forgiveness. The novel moves back and forth from the present to the past, giving the reader ample perspectives from different characters. The men and women of the novel are broken by their loss, but they are not denied happiness. The Lowland teaches the reader that even as time passes, grief does not disappear but simply numbs the consciousness, forging a new way of living.

The Lowland is one of the best books I have read in a while. I will always be eager to pick it up again, and I found it to be a story that did not fade from my memory. I will miss passing each day with Subhash, learning to live as he does, wracked with sadness but filled with hope.

If you loved The Namesake, I have a feeling you will enjoy The Lowland just as much. If you weren’t crazy about Lahiri’s previous novel, I still recommend that you give her newest creation a try. It’s a damn good read.

BOOK PURCHASE INFORMATION:

The Lowland

Jhumpa Lahiri

Knopf

$27.95

352 pages