Western LaneWestern Lane
What it's about
When her mother dies, eleven-year-old Gopi's father puts her through a quietly brutal squash training regimen. The game becomes her world, and she slowly grows apart from her sisters.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Booker Prize. It's a taut debut about grief, sisterhood and an athlete's struggle to transcend herself.
You'll love it if you liked
The Fishermen
A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing
The Turner HouseGood to know
It's a short first novel.
By the numbers
- Readers16 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller3 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz37 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
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Is Western Lane worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Booker Prize. It ranks #2,727 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Western Lane about?
When her mother dies, eleven-year-old Gopi's father puts her through a quietly brutal squash training regimen. The game becomes her world, and she slowly grows apart from her sisters.
How long does it take to read Western Lane?
About 3 hours (109 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Western Lane?
If you liked it, try The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma, A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride or The Turner House by Angela Flournoy.