The Lowland

By: Jhumpa Lahiri

Narrated by: Sunil Malhotra

National Book Award Finalist
Shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, best-selling author of The Namesake comes an extraordinary new novel, set in both India and America, that expands the scope and range of one of our most dazzling storytellers: a tale of two brothers bound by tragedy, a fiercely brilliant woman haunted by her past, a country torn by revolution, and a love that lasts long past death.

Born just fifteen months apart, Subhash and Udayan Mitra are inseparable brothers, one often mistaken for the other in the Calcutta neighborhood where they grow up. But they are also opposites, with gravely different futures ahead. It is the 1960s, and Udayan—charismatic and impulsive—finds himself drawn to the Naxalite movement, a rebellion waged to eradicate inequity and poverty; he will give everything, risk all, for what he believes. Subhash, the dutiful son, does not share his brother’s political passion; he leaves home to pursue a life of scientific research in a quiet, coastal corner of America.

But when Subhash learns what happened to his brother in the lowland outside their family’s home, he goes back to India, hoping to pick up the pieces of a shattered family, and to heal the wounds Udayan left behind—including those seared in the heart of his brother’s wife.

Masterly suspenseful, sweeping, piercingly intimate, The Lowland is a work of great beauty and complex emotion; an engrossing family saga and a story steeped in history that spans generations and geographies with seamless authenticity. It is Jhumpa Lahiri at the height of her considerable powers.

©2013 Jhumpa Lahiri (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Haunting... A novel that crosses generations, oceans, and the chasms within families... Lahiri’s skill is reflected not only in her restrained and lyric prose, but also in her moving forward chronological time while simultaneously unfolding memory, which does not fade in spite of the years. A formidable and beautiful book." (Publishers Weekly)

"An absolute triumph. Lahiri uses a gorgeously rendered Calcutta landscape to profound effect.... As shocking complexities tragedies, and revelations multiply, Lahiri astutely examines the psychological nuances of conviction, guilt, grief, marriage, and parenthood, and delicately but firmly dissects the moral conundrums inherent in violent revolution. Renowned for her exquisite prose and penetrating insights, Lahiri attains new heights of artistry - flawless transparency, immersive intimacy with characters and place - in her spellbinding fourth book and second novel. A magnificent, universal, and indelible work of literature... Lahiri’s standing increases with each book, and this is her most compelling yet." (Donna Seaman, Booklist)

“Compelling . . . beautiful. A family saga that finds its roots in a 1967 Calcutta rebellion [but] extends its reach to present-day Rhode Island. The long-awaited follow-up to her ravishing first novel, The Namesake, justifies its lengthy gestation. The story develops like a rip in a piece of fabric that keeps tearing: a gripping meditation on absence, alienation and loss . . . Exquisitely written and deeply moving.” (Sophie Harris, Time Out New York)

Not the best book this year, but up there

What made the experience of listening to The Lowland the most enjoyable?

I was glad I listened to the book, for foreign language books have terms I can't pronounce and it makes a difficult read for me.

What did you like best about this story?

the back and forth nature of the story

What does Sunil Malhotra bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

pronunciation for sure!

If you could rename The Lowland, what would you call it?

wouldn't--the name was perfect for the area.

unforgettable epic story

brilliant writing and an unforgettable read. excellent aural performance. you are carried along with each twist and turn.

Jhumpa Lahiry is a genius.

One Man's Influence

This book spans 50 years in the lives of three people. The journey these people take through life are the result of one man's actions. Part of the book is set in India and then the US. The events in India in the late 50's early 60's are not taught in the US. It sparked me to do some research into the violent birth of the Indian nation at the end of British rule. The Indian culture was something else I know little about and it made me appreciate some of the customs I see here. The characters and places are brought to life with a gentle soothing narrative and the reader with is subtle Indian accent brings the even more authenticity to the story.

Beautiful, sad, beguiling

Beautifully written and masterfully crafted. A slow start, but she brings you in. Great narrator, who effortlessly shifts between characters and the story's pov changes.

Conveys the powerful pull of personal history

A bit of a tentative start for me but soon I was captured into this complex generational story, well supported by its narrator and framed with metaphor. A good read!

An amazing storyteller.

Jumpha Lahiri has the incredible skill of a writer who can bounce around between characters and time creating a complete inner and outer world for each life presented. Her writing is filled with honesty compassion clarity and deep understanding of what it is to be human. I adore her style. In my mind she is like a modern day Charles Dickens, William Thackery and George Eliot.

Beautiful thoughtful story filled with melancholy but also hope.

Another rich and rewarding tale from Jahumpa Lahiri

Wen I was younger, I loved books of travel, adventure and suspense with fast moving plots. Now I love the books which depict complicated relationships, stories in which people grow, develop and change from year to year. So for me, this book is perfect!

Distractingly Poor Performance

Any additional comments?

I usually don't think too hard about the narration. I think the best narration should recede into the background and allow you to enjoy the story. But Sunil Malhotra had an irritatingly morose delivery at all times. This is not the world's most cheerful book, but he read the entire thing as if he were speaking at a funeral, even at the book's happy moments. He also paused at weird times in the text. I found myself thinking more about the narration than about the book itself. Not a good experience.

Disappointing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I wouldn't recommend this book. I usually love her writing. The characters in this book were not particularly interesting. The characters all seemed one dimensional, never developed or surprising in any way. The story was a multi-generational study of an Indian family in Calcutta and the United States. It includes discussion of political unrest in India and how it affects the family.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was the most interesting part of the book.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The performance was ok.

Was The Lowland worth the listening time?

One of my favorite authors but not one of my favorite books.

Deeply felt, beautifully written

This is a lovely and intense book about (among other things) the consequences of our actions for those we love . . . the two brothers at the center of the book have profound effects on each others' lives, and, rippling outward, on the lives of their parents, spouses, children. Jhumpa Lahiri does a beautiful job of drawing us into the relationship between the brothers and then into the lives of their families.

The narrator is generally excellent; I gave him four stars rather than five because I felt his women sounded a little insipid, but this is a quibble. I will keep an eye out for more of his narration; it was moving without being overbearing.

Highly recommended!