The story in ‘ The Lowland’ is primarily set in India before moving to America, and it amalgamates the Naxalbari movement and a divergent stream of aspirations of the educated Bengali Indian youth. Indeed, it is different from her previous works – ‘ Interpreter of Maladies’, ‘Namesake’ and ‘ Unaccustomed Earth’. This is Jhumpa Lahiri’s second novel, after the much acclaimed ‘ Namesake’. The book echoes a melancholic and somber tone as it presents the two conflicting perspectives – idealistic and pragmatic. ‘The Lowland’ is the story of two brothers and through them explores the themes of – love, identity, and family. In ‘ The Lowland’, the immigrant angle, a trademark of Lahiri’s style, is rather weighed down compared to her earlier works. Her characters are Indian, rooted in Bengali culture and lifestyle. ‘The Lowland’ has been a gripping read for me, taking me through the known writing landscape of Jhumpa Lahiri – which is both simple and lyrical.
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