47/ the lowland by jhumpa lahiri

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by howto_

by howto_

read: 30.06.18 - 04.07.18

book: The Lowland

author: Jhumpa Lahiri

blurb: Subhash's earliest memories, at every point, his brother was there. In the suburban streets of Calcutta where they wandered before dusk and in the hyacinth-strewn ponds where they played for hours on end, Udayan was always in his older brother's sight. So close in age, they were inseparable in childhood and yet, as the years pass - as U.S tanks roll into Vietnam and riots sweep across India - their brotherly bond can do nothing to forestall the tragedy that will upend their lives.

review: This was another one of those books which has been sitting on my shelves for months (maybe even a year) and I would never look twice at it. So I decided to give it a read, see what it was about, as part of my trying to broaden my reading tastes this year.

I liked the book. It's not the best book I've ever read, nor will it ever be a favourite, but it was a really good read, and one I enjoyed a lot. The characters are all very vibrant and they feel intimate and personal. I liked the progression of the story which wove the past into the present very seamlessly, and the fact that it spanned multiple decades was also a very interesting point.

I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into a new culture and history which I knew nothing about before, and it's really made me want to diversify my reading even more now.

rating: 8/10