Western Lane, the debut novel by Chetna Maroo, is a gentle, captivating work about grief and the growing pains of a teenage girl. It could also be described as a sports novel since the narrative unfolds on the squash courts of Western Lane, a sports centre in a London suburb,
The courts become both a refuge and a battleground for Gopi, the youngest daughter of a British Gujerati family. She’s played squash since she was old enough to hold a racket, taking to the court each week for a game with her two sisters. This relaxed approach changes when her mother dies. “Pa” decides that squash will provide an outlet for his family’s grief, introducing a full-blown daily training programme for all three daughters.
Gopi proves to be the most talented of the trio and the most committed. Her nimbleness around the court attracts the attention of the centre’s manager and Maqsud, a Pakistani businessman and avid squash player. Together they convince Pa that Gopi should compete in a major league tournament in the north of England. The novel ends with Gopi playing in the final against a much stronger player, the tournament favourite.
As you’d expect, there’s a lot of squash in this novel but you don’t really need to know the ins and outs of the game to appreciate the human drama that plays out within the four walls of the court.
Squash comes to represent the entirety of Gopi’s world. Her father’s drills are exhausting yet she can’t stay away from the court, letting the rhythms and demands of the game fill in the gap left by her mother’s death. The game also brings her closer to her father, sitting for hours with him watching videos of legendary squash players, to understand their techniques and what made them special.
When you are on the court, in the middle of a game, in a way you are alone. That is how it’s supposed to be. You are supposed to find your own way out. You have to find the shots and make the space you need. You have to hold the T. No one can help you. No one can concentrate for you or fear losing on your behalf. But sometimes it seems the opposite is true. It seems that, on the court, you are not alone at all.
For Pa, the hours he spends at Western Lane are a diversion away from the pain of his loss. But in his increasing obsession with Gopi’s form and performance, he fails to notice what’s happening within his family. His two elder daughter need just as much of his love and attention but it doesn’t materialise. He neglects his job, household chores get overlooked and the family finances suffer. Only the intervention of two of his relatives offer a way for the family to get back on track.
Western Lane is an understated novel. We get the trials, triumphs and failures you’d expect in any novel where the lead character is a sports player but alongside we also get a portrait of individuals, who have to find their own way to cope with loss.