Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of nine stories is set in Rome and written first in Italian, then translated by the author. The characters include foreigners, immigrants, and Italians living in the city, and the stories deal with belonging, language, and the feeling of being an outsider. A family's changing situation, a woman's sense of strangeness, and glimpses of local life form the material.
Readers who liked Lahiri's earlier fiction, or are interested in questions of identity and language, will find a quieter, more spare style. The stories are good for readers who like Rome as a setting.
Inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2023
- Language
- EN
