Desai, Kiran. The inheritance of loss.

DESAI, Kiran. The inheritance of loss. Read by Meera Simhan. 10 cds. 12.25 hrs. Books on Tape. 2006/2007 978-1-4159-3968-0. $80.00. Vinyl; plot notes. SA

From the KLIATT review of the book, January 2007: "The theme of loss is explored in this novel through the lives of three characters: a retired judge who went to Cambridge and is now living in Kalimpong, a remote town isolated on the edge of the Himalayas; his orphaned teenage granddaughter, Sai, who lives with him; and her math tutor, Gyan, who soon becomes involved with revolutionaries. Another character, Biju, whose story is told as if he lives in a parallel universe, is an illegal immigrant in New York City, going from one job to another, trying to find a place for himself. Desai's descriptions and her humor make this intensely dense novel of national and personal identity fascinating. (Winner of the 2006 Man Booker Prize.)"

This novel lends itself well to the audiobook format, because the exotic background of Indian/Nepalese culture is enhanced by the Indian dialects. The narrator's voice paints detailed word pictures of each unique character and setting. Simhan's versatility and skill bring life to the dense prose and pessimistic overtones of this novel. Simhan represents 16-year-old Sai's youthful, sometimes romantic, perceptive outlook, while her acerbic rendering of the judge characterizes him well as both a tyrant and a bigot. The cook's faithful yet simpering voice is reflected in that of his only son, Bijou, an immigrant kitchen worker taken advantage of in "big city" New York. Susan Allison, Libn. (retired), Lewiston, ME

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.