Review: Western Lane by Chetna Maroo
Longlisted for the Booker Prize this year, Western Lane explores both bereavement and the immigrant experience in Britain
After the inclusion on the 2022 Booker shortlist of Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These, the shortest novel ever to be recognized in the history of the prize, this year’s jury has once again included some brilliant short works on the longlist of 13 books, also known as the Booker dozen. Chetna Maroo’s Western Lane, which runs to 160 pages, follows the tale of a Gujarati family in 1980s London. Recounted through the eyes of the youngest child, eleven-year-old Gopi, it captures a household comprising a man and his three daughters descending into a state of emotional distance after the death of the girl’s mother. To overcome his grief, the father enlists the sisters in a training regime to play squash at the local Western Lane sports court. Her elder sisters lose interest but Gopi strives to achieve perfection in the game.
Writing from a child’s point of view is always challenging as the voice could emerge sounding overly sophisticated. Chetna Maroo’s novel, however, does not suffer from this shortcoming. Gopi, who observes the minute particulars of daily life and understands the sadness of the world, is always trying to find the proper words to describe herself.
The prose is succinct. Here’s the description of Mona, the eldest sibling, taking on the role of mother: “Mona sat in the front of the dressing table mirror for long stretches of time. She developed a placid expression, which made her look older… She served me extra dal and rice and took less for herself. She asked me if I had changed out of my damp clothes after training, and she asked Khush about her homework. She was attentive to us, even kind. Sometimes we would feel the strain in her, the mental and physical burden of being something she was not.”
The father, an electrician, has stopped going to work after becoming depressed at the loss, making it difficult to manage household finances. One day, Mona shocks everyone by accepting a position as a helper at a local salon. With marvellous brevity, the book accurately depicts the family’s financial situation and the pressures they face.
Western Lane is also a nuanced exploration of the immigrant experience and of the antagonism between the native white population and brown newcomers in 1980s Britain. Gopi describes the fort behind their house where she and her sisters go to practice squash: “It was amazing to us that none of the children nearby went in there. We were the only ones. No one spat on us from a height or told us to go home. No one ran us out of there. No one came near.” When her father becomes friendly with a white woman, who works at the local pub, the neighbourhood appears to be opposed to the developing bond.
The sport of squash is a strong backdrop. The protagonist’s father is preoccupied by Jahangir Khan, widely regarded as the greatest squash player ever, who began playing as a result of his own brother’s death. Gopi and her dad begin practising the game and studying Jahangir’s tactics after staying up late watching tapes of his matches. Squash acts as a diversion as they struggle to come to terms with their loss.
Gopi’s growing bond with thirteen-year-old Ged, as they both train diligently and become driven to succeed at the game, also helps her to combat loneliness. Maroo ably illustrates how genuine human connection can fill the void within.
Written with tenderness, this impressive debut novel grounds a family’s loss in an honest examination of the workings of the world. Following a young girl as she grieves for her dead mother, pursuing sporting perfection to eclipse her pain, Western Lane fills the reader’s heart and leaves it permanently altered.
Hritik Verma is an independent reviewer. He blogs at allayingart.wordpress.com. He is @Hritik38233434 on Twitter and @allayingart on Instagram
Continue reading with HT Premium Subscription
