Whereabouts, published in 2021, is a quietly stunning novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. I chanced upon this novel at the bookstore, having missed its original publication even though I’m a big fan of Lahiri (The Namesake is one of my favorites). And then, I found out that she also recently released a new book of essays about her translating work, called Translating Myself and Others. An exciting abundance of things to read! But first, Whereabouts. This lovely novel, so slim that you could easily read it in a day or two, examines the life of a nameless female narrator in Italy. Our narrator is a professor of writing, a distinguished and tasteful woman in her forties who loves art and travel, has love affairs and maintains friendships, but mainly leads a life of solitude. As she phrases it, “Solitude: it’s become my trade. As it requires a certain discipline, it’s a condition I try to perfect.” Whereabouts is a full immersion into one character’s life and mind, so much so that it takes on the tone of a journal. Our narrator keeps herself on the perimeter of things, observing rather than experiencing, and staying within her tidy boundaries, but there’s a sense that she secretly yearns for change, no matter how much it scares her. There’s little in the way of plot, but the character development is plenty engrossing.

Originally written in Italian, and translated by Lahiri herself into English, Whereabouts gives the sense that every word has been selected with care. There’s no excess, no filling; every sentence has a purpose. Because of this, the novel felt like a palate cleanser — this would be the perfect book to read in between big, immersive novels. I loved the short chapters that felt like vignettes, and the snapshots of Italy and its everyday beauty. Lahiri creates such a realistic sense of place with her detailed descriptions that I felt transported to the narrator’s local coffeeshop and sun-drenched piazza. The thing that most struck me while reading, though, was the way Lahiri so accurately captures the feeling of solitude. I loved this refreshing, revelatory novel, and am even more in awe of Lahiri than I was before.

I’d recommend this novel to…

• Anyone who loves a novel steeped in quietude… it’s similar in tone to Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
• Anyone who likes to focus in on one carefully crafted character… it’s similar in style to A Big Storm Knocked it Over by Laurie Colwin
• Anyone who loves a protagonist at a crossroads in life… it’s similar in theme to Writers and Lovers by Lily King