THE LOWLANDS by Jhumpa Lahiri

Pulitizer Prize winning author, Lahiri's latest novel, THE LOWLANDS, begins in India with 2 inseparable but very different brothers whose lives diverge yet remain entwined.  Born in Calcutta, Subash & Udayan come of age during the 1960's, a time when the Naxalite movement sprung up as an idealistic rebellion to alleviate poverty & the prevailing class structure.   Little is learned about the Naxalites & their movement to which Udayan aligns.  Udayan is killed by state police for his activities leaving behind his pregnant bride, Guari.  Meanwhile, Subash had moved to the U.S. to pursue his education.  He returns home to mourn his brother's death.  Dismayed by the oppressive life Guari will have under his parent's roof, he proposes marriage to Guari.  Subash intends to provide a home for his brother's child and an escape for Guari.  Guari consents to this arrangement & moves to America to  raise the child with Subash as the father.  The Lowlands refers to the muddy flat terrain that surround Subash's family in India.  In the States, Subash & Gauri make their home in R.I. near the ocean.  Gauri remains untethered to both her native homeland and her new family, chosing to abandon both.  Subash dutifully goes back to visit his parents & care for their daughter.  The novel is turgid and the plot  sluggish.  For such an accomplished writer, Lahiri's THE LOWLANDS offers little in terms of India's culture; never elevating above a maudlin family drama.  LOWLANDs remains stuck in mud.