I never knew that a chopping blade could be described in such lively detail. I never imagined that the activity of slicing fish deserved such eloquent attention. I had never seen a reed broom in such vivid light before.
An earthy melody flows through all the stories and Lahiri does an impeccable job of interpretation--of melodies. Her language is simple and never draws undue attention to itself--a skill that many writers take years to achieve and some never do. Ordinary characters become extraordinary human beings when seen through the author’s eyes. Being an Indian and a Bengali myself, the stories probably struck some chords very close to my heart, but there’s no reason why anybody else should find it difficult to relish the tunes that underlie each story.
One of the featured reviews on the back cover says - Jhumpa Lahiri is the kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person you see and say ’Read this!’
You bet, the reviewer is right.