The Lowland

Two continents. Two brothers. Different ideologies. A love story. A country’s movement and lives spanning over decades, deciphering the map of the human heart. This could be in short the plot of The Lowland, the latest by Jhumpa Lahiri. And yet is a lot more than this. Jhumpa Lahiri’s books are never easy. They may seem an easy read on the surface, however a lot of complex emotions seethe underneath and that is just the case with “The Lowland”.

Jhumpa’s writing is not only surreal but also very high on the emotional factor. At the same time it isn’t overdone. The emotions are as subtle as the characters. The writing needs to be spoken more about – it is almost like every sentence had to be written or else the novel would be incomplete.

All one can say is that it is only befitting for her to be on the long and short list of the Booker Prize. If there is one book you must read this year, it has to be this one.

Subhash and Udhayan are brothers who were close as children, but begin to grow apart as they grow older. However, despite the fact that they end up living in two different countries across the globe, their lives are still somehow entwined to each other’s.

Summary of the Book
Brothers, Subhash and Udhayan, are inseparable during their childhood. Although, like in most cases, they start to go their separate ways as they grow older. Subhash goes on to pursue a PhD programme in the United States. His brother, however, becomes increasingly interested in the Naxal cause in West Bengal. Still, Subhash’s life abroad sways according to his brother’s acts in the political movement. Udhayan is determined to do all the he can do to shape a better future for his loved ones. In his attempt to do so, he does not realize the tragic consequences of his acts.

About the Author
Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian- American author born in Britain. She did her MA in English and a PhD in Renaissance studies from the Boston University. She has authored books such as: The Namesake in 2003 and Interpreter of Maladies in 1999 for which she has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.