The Lowland Review | Novelty Library

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Drama

Traits: Literary fiction, Historic fiction

Language: English 

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Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland is a novel steeped in quiet sorrow, layered metaphors, and the emotional aftermath of political upheaval. Set between 1960s Calcutta and coastal Rhode Island, it follows two brothers—Udayan, passionate and impulsive, and Subhash, dutiful and reserved—whose lives diverge dramatically. What begins as a story about rebellion and loss gradually unfolds into an exploration of family, exile, and emotional abandonment.

I have a mixed opinion about this book. Where The Lowland truly excels is in its metaphorical and thematic layers. Lahiri is at her strongest when she uses relationships and life events as quiet mirrors of larger ideas. One of the most compelling contrasts is that of Gauri’s relationships: an unarranged, passionate marriage to Udayan set against what feels like a might-as-well-be arranged marriage to Subhash—rooted in duty rather than desire. Their differing approaches to parenthood also serve as a powerful metaphor: Subhash chooses care and presence, while Gauri, distant and intellectual, detaches herself entirely.

Emotionally, I constantly felt for Subhash and his daughter, Bela. Their bond is tender and heartbreaking, and it’s hard not to ache for Subhash’s quiet sacrifices. Yet, despite understanding Gauri's inner turmoil on an intellectual level, I couldn’t empathize with her. Her choices, though perhaps believable, felt cold and unreachable. As a result, her character created a distance between me and the narrative that was hard to overcome.

R/W Rating: 7/10

Amazon Rating: 4.4/5

Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5
(As on date of publishing of post.)

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Please know that the R/W Ratings as provided in here is limited to the specific reviewer's opinion and doesn't reflect an accumulative briefing of the book. The book's impression may vary from reader to reader, and substantially so in certain cases. For an accumulative briefing, do refer the Goodreads rating as provided herein.

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