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rieviolet's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Western Lane is very pared-down in terms of storytelling and language but, at the same time, it felt like the narration often veered into the nebulous and metaphorical. There was a lot left unsaid and I struggled to fill in those blanks; I think that I wasn't enough attuned to the characters to properly comprehend the way they interacted with each other, their dialogues and feelings. It was as if I was kept at a distance and I couldn't quite grasp the subtleties of the story, what was hidden below the surface of the words written on the page.
I also found the ending too abrupt, it left me perplexed as I was thinking "Are we really ending it here, like this? Is there no resolution? What am I supposed to take away from this story?".
I did enjoy the exploration of sisterhood and kind of wish that more time had been spent on the sisters and their relationship. Surprisingly (as I'm really not a sports person), I also liked the passages focused on squash.
Other reviews had built up my expectations of Western Lane as a very moving story, so I was anticipating to be engrossed and feel strong emotions; unfortunately, it all fell a bit flat for me.
I also found the ending too abrupt, it left me perplexed as I was thinking "Are we really ending it here, like this? Is there no resolution? What am I supposed to take away from this story?".
I did enjoy the exploration of sisterhood and kind of wish that more time had been spent on the sisters and their relationship. Surprisingly (as I'm really not a sports person), I also liked the passages focused on squash.
Other reviews had built up my expectations of Western Lane as a very moving story, so I was anticipating to be engrossed and feel strong emotions; unfortunately, it all fell a bit flat for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
bps's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
milliebrierley's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
tattedtrashreader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I kept this one as background and I found it tough to follow at times. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the themes around grief and family. I appreciated that friendship was diverse too.
Squash becomes our main character’s solace but grief doesn’t feel like the central theme of the book. It’s constantly in the background and influences the characters. It feels a bit more real in that sense.
This is short and more complex read and I wish I had read the text rather than listen to the audiobook.
Squash becomes our main character’s solace but grief doesn’t feel like the central theme of the book. It’s constantly in the background and influences the characters. It feels a bit more real in that sense.
This is short and more complex read and I wish I had read the text rather than listen to the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
emjbarnes's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Xenophobia
fkshg8465's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
What was the point of this book?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
notthatcosta's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I’ve never particularly had an interest in squash, nor do I know much about it, but the depictions of gameplay and its history in the book were a very interesting plot point.
I’m very much for any and all attempts at exploring grief in literature, and this was among the more touching and visceral I’ve read. Some of the more whimsical and obscure passages lost me, but ultimately I really enjoyed this book.
I’m very much for any and all attempts at exploring grief in literature, and this was among the more touching and visceral I’ve read. Some of the more whimsical and obscure passages lost me, but ultimately I really enjoyed this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
ncghammo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
amyvl93's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Chetna Maroo has had an amazing start to her career, with her debut novel longlisted for both the Booker and now the Women's Prize. Unfortunately, this means that expectations are typically raised for her novel, which in my case with <i>Western Lane</i> weren't quite met.
The novel follows Gopi, whose Mum has recently passed away, leaving her father and older sisters in something of a freefall. Her Dad throws her into an intense squash training regime, where Gopi begins to find a life outside of the roles she falls into within her family.
In terms of strengths, despite the short length of the novel the characters in its pages felt rounded and real; Maroo really manages to ground the reader in her settings. I felt like I could imagine the claustrophobia of her bedroom that she shares with her two sisters, the opening scene of the sisters helping their aunt with the cooking under critical gaze felt really fully rendered too. I also found the exploration of the migrant community and family that Gopi and her family lived within really interesting, particularly the combination of support and monitoring that impacts on all the characters in the novel.
Although marketed as a book about grief, I don't really feel like we delved that much into that feeling - we don't hear that much about Gopi's mother at all. In part this may be because it is a representation of individuals who are suppressing their grief, or have complicated feelings about this, but I didn't feel like there was much emotion explored here.
Also, whilst I learnt an awful lot about the history of squash and squash players, a little less squash recounting to focus more on Gopi and her family would have been appreciated!
I'll definitely look into Maroo's writing in the future, which will hopefully be given a little more space to breath for a writer early in their career.
The novel follows Gopi, whose Mum has recently passed away, leaving her father and older sisters in something of a freefall. Her Dad throws her into an intense squash training regime, where Gopi begins to find a life outside of the roles she falls into within her family.
In terms of strengths, despite the short length of the novel the characters in its pages felt rounded and real; Maroo really manages to ground the reader in her settings. I felt like I could imagine the claustrophobia of her bedroom that she shares with her two sisters, the opening scene of the sisters helping their aunt with the cooking under critical gaze felt really fully rendered too. I also found the exploration of the migrant community and family that Gopi and her family lived within really interesting, particularly the combination of support and monitoring that impacts on all the characters in the novel.
Although marketed as a book about grief, I don't really feel like we delved that much into that feeling - we don't hear that much about Gopi's mother at all. In part this may be because it is a representation of individuals who are suppressing their grief, or have complicated feelings about this, but I didn't feel like there was much emotion explored here.
Also, whilst I learnt an awful lot about the history of squash and squash players, a little less squash recounting to focus more on Gopi and her family would have been appreciated!
I'll definitely look into Maroo's writing in the future, which will hopefully be given a little more space to breath for a writer early in their career.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent