In a crumbling, isolated house at the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas lives an embittered judge who wants only to retire in peace, when his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, arrives on his doorstep. The judge's cook watches over her distractedly, for his thoughts are often on his son, Biju, who is in New York working in one gritty restaurant after another. Kiran Desai's brilliant novel, published to huge acclaim, is a story of joy and despair. Her characters face numerous choices that majestically illuminate the consequences of colonialism as it collides with the modern world. The novel is set in a crumbling grand house in the hills below Kangchenjunga, covering poverty, wealth, and inequality in both India and the US, where the cook's son emigrates illegally to and has exploitative jobs, illustrating constant loss of dignity, love, possessions, and freedom in India.

Characters:

The characters are deeply flawed and multifaceted, each struggling with their own sense of identity and loss in a changing world.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is evocative and rich, with beautiful language that paints the emotional landscape of the characters and their surroundings.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot weaves together the lives of characters facing struggles with identity, colonialism, and modernity, against the backdrop of social unrest.

Setting:

The setting is rich and immersive, taking place in both India's mountainous regions and urban America during a tumultuous period.

Pacing:

The pacing can be slow and meandering, which affects the engagement level for some readers.

All day, the colors had been those of dusk, mist moving like a water creature across the great flanks of mountains possessed of ocean shadows and depths. Briefly visible above the vapor, Kanchenjunga ...

Notes:

The Inheritance of Loss is set in the foothills of the Himalayas, specifically around Mount Kanchenjunga.

The novel features a retired judge, his orphaned granddaughter Sai, and their cook living in a decaying house.

Sai grew up in a convent and was brought to live with her grandfather after her parents died in Russia.

The cook's son, Biju, has immigrated to the United States, where he experiences the harsh realities of being an illegal immigrant.

The narrative explores themes of globalization, identity, nationality, and the struggles of immigrants.

The book's events coincide with the Indian Nepali insurgency in the 1980s, which impacts the characters' lives.

Desai interweaves various storylines, portraying how different characters deal with loss and dislocation.

Many reviewers noted the lyrical and beautiful prose, even if the story felt slow or disjointed at times.

The characters often reflect on their pasts, dealing with issues of colonialism and its lingering effects on modern India.

The novel emphasizes the bittersweet nature of life, where moments of happiness are often overshadowed by struggles.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The novel deals with themes of loss, cultural identity struggles, economic hardship, political unrest, immigration challenges, and references to violence, which may be distressing for some readers.

Has Romance?

The novel has a medium level of romance, primarily focused on the relationship between Sai and Gyan, which is fraught with social and cultural tensions.

From The Publisher:

Published to extraordinary acclaim, The Inheritance of Loss heralds Kiran Desai as one of our most insightful novelists. She illuminates the pain of exile and the ambiguities of postcolonialism with a tapestry of colorful characters: an embittered old judge; Sai, his sixteen-year-old orphaned grand-daughter; a chatty cook; and the cook's son, Biju, who is hopscotching from one miserable New York restaurant to another, trying to stay a step ahead of the INS.

When a Nepalese insurgency in the mountains threatens Sai's new-sprung romance with her handsome tutor, their lives descend into chaos. The cook wit-nesses India's hierarchy being overturned and discarded. The judge revisits his past and his role in Sai and Biju's intertwining lives. A story of depth and emotion, hilarity and imagination, The Inheritance of Loss tells "of love, longing, futility, and loss that is Desai's true territory" (O: The Oprah Magazine).

Ratings (4)

Loved It (1)
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Reader Stats (23):

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Want To Read (15)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

Pallavi

Loved It

5 months

One can enjoy this book only he knows India and its culture. Very nice narration... worth reading..

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About the Author:

Kiran Desai was born in India in 1971. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard and the Man Booker Prize winning novel, The Inheritance of Loss. Educated in India, England, and the United States, she received her M.F.A. from Columbia University.

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The Inheritance of Loss

Kiran Desai