Super Short Summary

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri follows the lives of brothers Subhash and Udayan Mitra as they navigate diverging paths from childhood in Calcutta to adulthood. Udayan's deep involvement in the Naxalite movement contrasts with Subhash's academic journey in the United States. After Udayan's untimely death, Subhash marries Udayan’s widow, Gauri, and raises her daughter, Bela, as his own, while Gauri, struggling with her past, leaves them. The novel explores themes of family, identity, and the far-reaching effects of political unrest and personal decisions across generations. The book includes depictions of violence and loss related to political activism.