"Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai

Can somebody INHERIT LOSS??
lets see

ya! since the book is named "The Inheritance of Loss". First time when my twin eyeballs caught these words, it gave me a different feel all other; a feel of hallucination. "How can one inherit LOSS", a more intriguing question "Why would one inherit LOSS"...and then why would one infact write a book on this topic ??

Many questions embedded in this search and I am glad to inform to all readers that the quest to their answers through the book is adventurous, dark, funny, tragic, honest and best part, it narrates you the true world.

...absolutely WORTH it stuff from Kiran Desai...You don't get a Booker so easily !!

The story is about of a lot of people who some or the other way are related to each other. The plot is set up near the footsteps of Mt. Kanchenjunga (Kalimpong) where an old judge (Jemubhai Patel) lives along with his teen granddaughter, Sai. Also present in the scene are characters of judge's cook, Lola and Noni (two female oldies), Gyan (the Nepalese tutor), Uncle Potty, Father Booty and a female doggy (Mutt). And far way in US, lies one more character, cook's son Biju (who work as a cook as an illegal immigrant).

Hence, you can easily guess, the book is not about a story, rather it is a story of different stories. The USP of the book lies it the style of writing. The book has a positive connotation at the beginning and through the journey of reading it, you will find sad losing tales, written in an exemplary way. This transformation truly deserves a Booker.

A brief sketch of different tales. Jemubhai, the judge who loses the enjoyment of his life in order to achieve success. Sai, a teenage who discovers a girl in her and falls in love with her tutor, Gyan. Gyan, a Nepalese unemployed youth who teaches Sai for a living and later finds himself as a rebel leaving behind her love. Judge's cook, a lonely man anxious to meet his son, Biju. Biju, who has left his country and his father in search of a good respectable job but that search never fetches him good.....and many more.

The best part of the book is the witty humour used...sometimes sarcastic, sometimes slapstick, sometimes comical hardcore stuff. Kiran Desai has managed to narrate the tragic storyline in very easy manner. To soften the scenes, she has used various tools like 'Saas-Bahu' sarcasm and usage of hindi words in the actual manuscript (proud that the author is an INDIAN).
Some lines from the book :-

“Tea is too weak,” they said in the manner of mothers-in-law.

A mad lady with tin cans hanging from her ears and dressed in tailor scraps, who had been roasting a dead bird on some coals by the side of the road, waved to the procession like a queen”

“O, yeh ladki zara si deewani lagti hai....” Old songs, best songs.

Through her book, she has managed to narrate different aspects of the current world – illegal human trafficking, fundamentalism, growing influence of terrorism, the disparity b/t standards of living of various classes, different perception of different generation, etc. The book also mentions about colonialism + imperialism and there current global effects. The only irritating thing in the book is the formation of chapters. No character is given one full chapter. Rather each chapter is a parajumble of various characters. This might cause some connection problems of recollecting and understanding the characters :P
Some lines from the book :-

The solitude became a habit, the habit became the man, and it crushed him into a shadow.

“Each day a thousand new ones were born...Entire nations appeared boldly overnight”

“Your father came to my country and took my bread and now I have come to your country to get my bread back.”

“An Indian girl could never be as beautiful as an English one but still..."

And these two very special lines which symbolize the title “Inheritance Of Loss” :-

“the feeling they created was so exquisite, the desire so painful”

“Looking at a dead insect in the sack of basmati that had come all the way from Dehra Dun, he almost wept in sorrow and marvel at its journey, which was tenderness for his own journey.”

So, Still...Can somebody INHERIT LOSS??
Ask yourself, and you will find YES percentage in your answer for sure.