The novel ‘Western Lane,’ authored by Chetna Maroo, a London-based writer of Indian descent, has secured a place on the 2023 Booker Prize longlist, which includes 13 books. Among these, ‘Western Lane’ stands out as one of four debut novels in this year’s ‘Booker Dozen’ selection.
Described by the Booker Prize judging panel, headed by Esi Edugyan, a twice Booker-shortlisted Canadian novelist, as a work that deftly employs the sport of squash as both a backdrop and a symbol, ‘Western Lane’ emerges as a profoundly evocative first offering. The narrative delves into a family’s struggle with grief, conveyed through the precise and resonant language that echoes like the distinct sound “of a ball hit clean and hard… with a close echo.”
Chetna Maroo, originally from Kenya and now based in London, crafts her debut novel within the intricate context of the British Gujarati community. This unique setting earned accolades from the Booker judges for Maroo’s skillful use of squash as a metaphor to illuminate complex human emotions. The story revolves around an 11-year-old girl named Gopi and her intricate connections with her family.
Esi Edugyan led the judging panel, which also included Adjoa Andoh, a British actor, writer, and director; Mary Jean Chan, a Hong Kong Chinese poet, lecturer, editor, and critic; James Shapiro, an American author and professor; and Robert Webb, a British actor and writer. The ‘Booker Dozen’ selection was chosen from a pool of 163 books published between October 2022 and September 2023, all of which were submitted by various publishers.
