I'm not usually a big fan of the short story genre but to me,
"Unaccustomed Earth" is definitely one of the better collections
out there. The stories are generally set around middle-class Indian
families living in North America. To me, I found the stories to be
genuine and relatable. There tends to be an Orientalist view of
every immigrant coming from the East or Latin America or Africa as
poor and destitute. That is obviously not the case, and Lahiri
accurately captures their lives with great lucidity.
As for the writing itself, Lahiri is one of those writers that uses
the power of suggestion. It is precisely what is not said, but
implied, which forces the audience to confront their own emotions
of reacting to the situations. The last story, "Going Ashore" is
perhaps the best example of this style. It definitely requires a
sharp eye, and a keen sense, to unravel what is being 'suggested',
but that is what is so enjoyable about the stories in this book.