Comments on: “Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206 Reading, Writing, Movies and Mothering in Minneapolis, Mostly Tue, 12 May 2026 01:59:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mindy Withrow http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206&cpage=1#comment-16686 Mindy Withrow Sat, 16 May 2009 20:18:38 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206#comment-16686 I've read both of Lahiri's previous books but haven't got Unaccustomed Earth yet. But if you liked it, I predict you will LOVE Interpreter. I read those stories several years ago (see my review at http://mindywithrow.com/?p=203) and can still tell you about most of them, as they really got under my skin (in the best way). Thanks for this review! I’ve read both of Lahiri’s previous books but haven’t got Unaccustomed Earth yet. But if you liked it, I predict you will LOVE Interpreter. I read those stories several years ago (see my review at http://mindywithrow.com/?p=203) and can still tell you about most of them, as they really got under my skin (in the best way). Thanks for this review!

]]> By: Kacie http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206&cpage=1#comment-16685 Kacie Sat, 16 May 2009 19:41:08 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206#comment-16685 You know, Lahiri's writing about marriage intrigues me. She usually paints quite a bleak picture - even if it is catching the tenderness of a new marriage, it points to a bleak future. And yet - most of her work that I read was written before she was married or right afterward. I wonder if her own parents had a rather cold marriage. You know, Lahiri’s writing about marriage intrigues me. She usually paints quite a bleak picture - even if it is catching the tenderness of a new marriage, it points to a bleak future. And yet - most of her work that I read was written before she was married or right afterward. I wonder if her own parents had a rather cold marriage.

]]> By: Steph http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206&cpage=1#comment-16682 Steph Sat, 16 May 2009 19:08:37 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=2206#comment-16682 I'm glad this one worked for you, although I would say that it largely did not work for me. I found the stories far too repetitive and, ironically, treading the same ground (might as well call the book "Accustomed Earth", in my opinion), down to basic details. I think it's all well and good to conceptually link your stories in a collection, but with each passing story, I felt they detracted more and more from one another, because I felt Lahiri had nothing new to say. Rather than a multi-layered collection, I felt she told the same story over and over again. But I did think the writing was quite nice and I certainly had not trouble actually identifying with her characters. Whereas certain fiction involving immigrants has been hard for me to connect with in the past, I had a very clear idea of who Lahiri's characters were as well as their struggles. I’m glad this one worked for you, although I would say that it largely did not work for me. I found the stories far too repetitive and, ironically, treading the same ground (might as well call the book “Accustomed Earth”, in my opinion), down to basic details. I think it’s all well and good to conceptually link your stories in a collection, but with each passing story, I felt they detracted more and more from one another, because I felt Lahiri had nothing new to say. Rather than a multi-layered collection, I felt she told the same story over and over again.

But I did think the writing was quite nice and I certainly had not trouble actually identifying with her characters. Whereas certain fiction involving immigrants has been hard for me to connect with in the past, I had a very clear idea of who Lahiri’s characters were as well as their struggles.

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