Ok so for all of you who have finished reading the book, lets start with the discussion
What did you think of the book? Any certain character(s) that jumped out in any way?
What did you think about the authors style of writing and the whole concept of the short stories? Did you like it?
Which story did you like the best? Why?
Your more than welcome to add in your own questions etc!
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
**Although I don’t read anything other than mystery, thriller and fiction .. but I read this one …
I don’t think short drama stories are my type … :hinna:
**
im not usually into short story books either, i like the process of getting into a story and with short stories i find that by the time this has happened,the story's over! a lot of short stories have either sad or unclear endings too i find.
that said, i can still appreciate a good and well written story, and all of the stories in Unaccustomed Earth had me absorbed after a few pages.
In particular i liked Only Goodness and part 2 of the book Hema And Kaushik. but i really didnt like the end to the hema and kaushik story, im a sucker for happy endings and i felt a lot of the endings in this book left me feeling a bit disappointed and dissatisfied.
As the book juxtaposed 2 cultures,and every story was about someone with immigrant parents to the west, i felt i could related to some of the themes and feelings in the various stories which was nice lol.
thats all i can think of right now,but i'll be back if more stuff pops into my head!
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What did you think of the book?
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Overall it was a light, enjoyable read.
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Any certain character(s) that jumped out in any way?
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Lahiri possesses the ability to make her characters feel real, even the side characters are well realized. It's partly why it's difficult to pick out characters that jump out or attract notice; none of them are particularly memorable, they come across as ordinary - I think this is a difficult thing to achieve; its easy to write flamboyant characters who are witty enough to grab attention and claim space in our memories, but to create an ordinary character and make us be able to empathise with them, is an admirable skill.
The brother in Only goodness was interestingly done. I liked Kaushik, he resonated the most for me. The father in Unaccustomed Earth felt really real.
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What did you think about the authors style of writing and the whole concept of the short stories? Did you like it?
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I like short stories. A well written short story has the ability to say just as much about the human condition as a novel. Joyce's The Dead, Gogol's The Cloak, Kafka's Metamorphosis, some of Maupassant's work, amongst others, are amazingly effective. Even Poe's The tell-tale Heart, and some of M.R.James ghost stories use their length to their utmost advantage.
Jhumpa Lahiri's writing has definitely improved since the Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake. She doesn't overwrite, her references paint the picture for her. She has some interesting turns of phrase and because she doesn't overdo the pathos, it does at times make it that much more powerful. However,
while I will continue to look out for any new work she puts out, I doubt she'll become a favourite; she's good rather than brilliant. But then, I had just finished Daniel Mueenuddin's In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, and the brilliance of his stories may have made me judge Lahiri's a little more harshly than I otherwise would have done.
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Which story did you like the best? Why?
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Unaccustomed Earth, for the insight into misunderstandings; the daughter feels guilty about not having asked the father to move in/the father not actually wanting to move in. Plus the whole lost feeling the daughter is undergoing.
Hema & Kaushik - This one had so much going for it, it was rather moving.
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Your more than welcome to add in your own questions etc!
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Were there any stories that you particularly disliked?
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
I loved Interpreter of Maladies. I found Namesake very frustrating, and I felt similarly about Unaccustomed Earth. Just a lot of characters that made me angry, and with little to redeem them. I also found the last longer story oddly placed in this collection. I felt it could have been better as a longer story on it's own.
Her writing is always very interesting and insightful. The first story in particular seemed at times to be perfectly describing my life. But it just didn't add anything new.
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Sahar, if I may ask a question; is it important for us to like characters?
Other than that, I get what you mean about the nothing new bit.
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Nope, it's not. In fact, it takes a powerful writer to make you so strongly dislike characters. Still, I personally like to feel attached to characters. They shouldn't be perfect, but their flaws should be something to help me relate to the and deepen my understanding because I can empathize.
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Thanks. I think when a writer is able to make you empathize with the characters without liking them, then that's a mark of brilliance. Lahiri is good, but not brilliant - at least not yet.
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
I really enjoyed the book! I don't normally like short stories but this one i really enjoyed as i really liked most characters. I was always expecting all the stories to interwine all together at the end but then i always get confused by short stories!
I was sad at the end when hema and kaushik didn't have the happy endings as i love happy endings and romance. I think their parts of the story were my favourite. I'm still going to think that the baby was kaushik's tho! I was really sad that he died in the Tsunami and recently i watched a programme about it and it made the story more real! I just wanted them to get together! :(
I hated the Frouk characted! :@ for how he led on sang and she really loved him. It was a good story too!
I really liked this author as i could really understand everything in the book without there being heavy long descriptions!
I like this writer and would happily read other stories by him. All in all a good read!
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
I agree Cupcake, I loved the book too - I think it was more relative to how culturally different things are.. and the kind of struggles people go through to adjust themselves to this country and its traditions without parting with their own.
I loved Hema & Kaushiks' story.. I think it was really endearing and the way they meet and have a whirlwind romance and not end up together was kinda like a real life story.. sometimes we might meet our soulmates but we might not be with them -
All in all Jhumpa lahiri didnt fail to impress.. her concept of short stories was good! Very different from the usual style of writing of indian/south-asian writers.
Re: Discussion: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
I liked it......but I liked Interpreter of Maladies much more.