Western Lane (2022) by Chetna Maroo

 

Author Chetna Maroo

Book Review

Western Lane (2022)

by Chetna Maroo

   Western Lane is a 2023 Booker longlist title by debut author Chetna Maroo.  It is a tidy little debut about a young Jain girl coping with the loss of her mother through her love for the game of squash.  It's a small, vividly drawn novel that handles the distinct religion of the Jain with a light touch.  In fact, I believe there is only one direct mention of their religious situation, with most of the specific references to religion/ethnicity coming via the Gujarati language school Gopi and her sisters attend after school.

    The Audiobook, narrated by Maya Soroya was great because- there is no way I can do the accents in this book in my head.  Maroo doesn't try to do too much- there is no backstory besides the recent death of Gopi's mom and its impact on the immediate family.  We know that Gopi's dad is an independent electrician and that they are a part of some sort of Gujarati expatriate community but it remained unclear whether these were jain co-religionists or just people from the same part of India.

  There is also A LOT of squash, so be ready to learn about the game if you tackle Western Lane.