Western Lane is a short debut novel by Chetna Maroo, winner of The Paris Review’s Plimpton Prize for Fiction in 2022. Eleven-year-old Gopi has been trained by her father to be an excellent squash player. When her mother dies, her father ramps up the training, and the absence of her mother is ever-present. Other characters include Gopi’s two sisters and extended family members, as well as Ged, a boy who plays squash (upon whom Gopi has a crush), and Ged’s mother (upon whom the father may have a crush). The interactions between the characters is so understated that the nuances of it become overwhelming. Delicate, powerful writing in this coming-of-age story that culminates in a squash tournament. I recommend it. Here’s what Kirkus Reviews says:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/chetna-maroo/western-lane
