Chetna Maroo Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Chetna Maroo is a Kenyan-born British-Indian author best known for her 2022 debut novel, Western Lane. The novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2023. Before transitioning to writing books, Chetna worked as an accountant.

Chetna’s debut novel Western Lane has received positive criticism. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review, calling it “a debut novel full of poise and promise.” Ivy Pochoda, a novelist and squash player for The New York Times Book Review, described it as “polished and disciplined.” She highlighted the beauty of Maroo’s storytelling, noting how the narrative unfolds with what’s said and what’s left unsaid.

Shahina Piyarali from Shelf Awareness called Maroo “a marvelous and restrained storyteller.” Booklist also reviewed the novel and its audiobook, noting Maya Saroya’s performance. Saroya seamlessly switched between British English and South Asian accents, capturing the novel’s lyrical and diverse tones with unhurried grace, leaving room for the unspoken and hopeful potential.

Chetna Maroo’s debut novel begins with Gopi, an 11-year-old Jain girl coping with the recent loss of her mother. Instead of playing, she listens to the sharp sound of the ball hitting the adjacent wall, a quick and echoing noise that resonates deeply with her. This sound isn’t just about the shot itself; it symbolizes the fleeting moment of retreat and preparation in the game of squash.

As a retired national champion player in squash, I had never contemplated the significance of that echo until I discovered Maroo’s vivid portrayal. This juxtaposition made me realize how much of the game’s essence lies within that solitary sound. It reflects the inherent solitude of this intimate sport.

Maroo’s novel beautifully and carefully unfolds around this theme. This helps shape the narrative not only through explicit words but also through unspoken emotions and silences. Following their mother’s death, Gopi and her older sisters, Mona and Khush, navigate a household engulfed in stifling silence. They grapple with grief under the watchful eyes of their tight-knit Gujarati community. They get very little support from their distant father. Conversations stall before they begin, hindered by stammers, cultural barriers, and unspoken fears too daunting to articulate.

Cautioned by a concerned relative to finding a positive outlet for his daughters, Pa transforms their casual weekly squash games at a local sports center into rigorous daily training sessions. This decision arises from Pa’s desire to channel his grief and anxiety after losing his wife. He also wants to hone Gopi’s talent. Gopi soon discovers her skill catches the eye of Ged, the club manager’s son, who becomes her dedicated training partner. Additionally, Maqsud, a Pakistani businessman and squash enthusiast, persuades Pa to enrol Gopi in tournaments.

As Gopi’s training intensifies, Pa becomes increasingly absorbed in her progress. He neglects his job as an electrician and overlooks the family’s financial and emotional strains. Their bonding moments include watching videos of squash legends like Geoff Hunt, Jahangir Khan, and Hiddy Jahan. This also helps deepen their connection through the sport further.

Amidst her training, Gopi encounters barriers rooted in class and culture. This includes her growing but forbidden attraction to Ged. Pa’s interactions with Ged’s white mother outside the sports center stir tensions within their Gujarati community. However, these tensions remain unspoken in the book.

As the silences within the family deepen, so does the strain. Gopi increasingly finds solace in squash, particularly in the vast gaps between points. On the practice court, she and Ged collaborate like dance partners, refining their shots and skills, offering each other support in a realm where they control what seems uncontrollable elsewhere- like outcomes and inhibitions.

However, in competition, Gopi understands the stark reality: “You are alone.” This solitude is essential; she must navigate her path without external aid. She also must confront her fears and concentrate on her own performance. This mirrors the grieving process subtly explored by Maroo in the novel. Squash becomes Gopi’s medium for processing grief and provides her with a solitary space to confront her emotions independently of her sisters. Here, she can confront the void and discover stability within it.

Although the book promises a deep dive into sports obsession, it falls short of Gopi’s minor struggles in matches and her father’s admiration of the squash legend Jahangir Khan. This theme could have been explored much more extensively. For instance, in Jade Song’s novel “Chlorine,” a competitive swimmer’s delusion about being a mermaid leads her to extreme measures: sewing her legs together to emulate a tail. Despite the bloodshed and hospitalization, she remains fixated on proving her mermaid prowess.

Similarly, Andre Agassi’s memoir “Open” offers an unfiltered look at his turbulent tennis career. It details controversies and personal challenges both on and off the court. These examples show how deeply athletes can be consumed by their sports, a dimension that could have enriched Gopi’s story in Western Lane.

Western Lane falls shot off the mark on delivering a gripping narrative that could have intertwined nerve, talent, family, and identity into something genuinely fascinating. Instead, it feels more like a partial memoir than a fresh and inventive story. At the start of many chapters, there’s a paragraph intended to impart a tennis-related lesson, presumably to draw parallels to real life. However, these passages often fall flat and somehow come across as preachy and unnecessary. This is especially true when voiced by an 11-year-old character.
In one instance, Western Lane presents an apparent contradiction that emphasizes its experimental rather than narrative-focused approach. The author initially asserts, “When you are on the court, in the middle of the game, in a way, you are alone. No one can help you. No one can concentrate for you or fear losing on your behalf.” This statement emphasizes the solitude and personal responsibility in sports. However, in the very next sentence, Maroo suggests, “But sometimes it seems the opposite is true. It seems that, on the court, you are not alone at all.” This abrupt shift in perspective undermines the initial assertion. This adds to the sense that the book prioritizes exploring ideas over crafting a cohesive narrative.