Rating: 
Summary: Interpreter of Maladies: Stories
Review: I found Lahiri's atmospheric writing dazzling. She aces style. However, the characters remained at an emotional distance. It's as though the style became a barrier to emotion substance. I would not level this criticizm at Lahiri alone. Unfortunately, I find that many "modern" writers are more interested in dazzling style than emotional substance. In the end, all the work begins to look the same, feel the same--one note and gray.
Rating: 
Summary: Language, Language, Language
Review: When I picked up this book, I knew it had won the Pulitzer Prize, so I assumed that I would read a few pages and put it down in frustration with it's complexity. No Way! In fact the genius of this book is that it explores so many complex themes of displacement, lonliness, adultery, marital discourse, cultural identity/assimilation, the effects of war, sexism, and myth with such a brevity of language so as to make it highly accessible. I think the subtle suspense driving each story, that makes you want to turn the page, even when all pages have been turned, would not have worked as well had the story been bogged down in heavy metaphor. Anyone who wants to be transported to another place (India) while feeling like they are at home, among family members or friends would enjoy this novel. In one way you feel like you are learning about another culture, Indian society, traditions, beliefs, etc., people so different from yourself with so different experiences, but you are tied by the sameness of human desires, mainly to be loved and appreciated for who you are. People will argue over their favorite story, some will think the title story, a poignant story of a yearning heart, but I have a very quirky sense of humor and "This Blessed House" had me laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of it all, especially since it had a "happy" ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Insubstantial and safe
Review: There are no challenges here. The book does not breathe. I feel that I have found a truly great written work when, as I read the work, I can feel the pulse of the author and the creation in my fingers and palms when I hold the book. That this collection of mild, uninspired stories won the Pulitzer Prize says something about me, I am sure, but even more about the Pulitzer Committee and the state of fiction at this time. Even the tragedies uncovered by the author in this case are neatly tied down, like the carcasses of cattle after being slaughtered. The language is timid, delicate, lace-like, instead of calm, clear, and solid. The pages seem to fear being touched and possibly soiled. The tone of the book, in my opinion, is that of a song played on one piano in one octave with no variation in tempo. Basically, the book bored me, though I know the stories were worth telling. I would only recommend this book to the calm, centered, directed beings who, like the readers who have been giving this work very high marks, and the Pulitzer. However, if you like to be challenged, if you like words to vibrate off the page with emotion and ideas and hopes and dreams and failures, then I would not waste my time reading these stories.
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars For Character Development but stories a mixed bag
Review: If you have an appreciation of well written characters, its hard to go past Lahiri's collections of short stories. This lady understands people, and brings then to life with style and skill. My only criticism is that a number of the stories were a little flat, despite the great character development. Some in the middle of the collection especially left me with a feeling of "so what?". But the collection its worth a read, because when her stories do hit a home run, they are simply wonderful. The first story represents everything that is great about writing, in my humble opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful vision
Review: Each of Lahiri's stories are sincere, graceful and smart. Her characters are flawed in interesting and careful ways which allow the reader to embrace not only the persons but the struggles that present themselves to them. Her women are direct and intelligent, witty and clever. With her brilliant charaters who seem to sing their stories in your ear, Lahiri has bridged many gaps - gender, race, religion...bravo.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I have ever read
Review: I am no good reader. Actually this is the first book that I ever completed reading, with great interest. These stories are so simple, real to life and bringing forth all those small and subtle feelings that I guess everyone gets but are so hard to understand or inform to anyone when you want to. Just Awesome!
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Summary: The thread that binds all of us... love
Review: Oh, I disagree with those who believe this young author did not deserve the Pulitzer for this collection. Each story is perfectly packaged, so clean, so neat, there are no strings left. The reader will finish each story without the feeling that something has been left unsaid, or unexplained. These tales are full of Indians who either in the States or in India are living lives that touch others in an unusual or special way. Each of Lahiri's protagonists is learning to live a life they may not have expected nor wanted - but each works to their best ability to live that life - honorably and tranquilly. Lahiri has deftly managed to take some of the most common experiences in life (the loss of a child, the separation of family members, an adulterous affair, an aging parent, etc) and subtly demonstrate that the thread that strings them all together is the search for, need for, and healing powers of, love. The fact that her protagonists are of a non-WASP (American) culture makes these works only that much more powerful because the secondary message is not only an education for the American reader about how people of another culture 'think' - but to note how much alike human beings are in their capacity to love and care for others. This was a marvelous collection and I encourage everyone to absorb these eminently readable tales.
Rating:
Summary: Writing what you know
Review: I resent people who try to put literture that is written by "ethnic" writer into a genre of "ethnic" writing. Writer usually write about what they know, what is familliar to them. Which is not ethnic, it's just how things are. Placing this book in the "ethnic" genre draws attention away from the unique way that Lahiri deals with complexities of human interaction. For example the "A Temporary Matter," is compelling because of the unexpressed sorrow that lingers between Shoba and Shukumar. The succes of the prose lies less in the descriptions of the "Indian" elements, but in their relationship, their inability to communicate to each other. There names could be replaced with western ones, their plight is one that is not so unique. These set of stories seem to imply that there is a fundametality to humanity that is not bound by ethnic lines. That things that happen to you happen to others, that saddness, dispair are things that are universal. Lahiri's book eloquently present this, presents the relationship of people to each other. Placing it in a a genre other than "good" fiction is definately an injustice.
Rating:
Summary: A joy to read. I never wanted to put the book down.
Review: She has a way to draw you into the characters from all the stories. She is a terrific storyteller... I can't wait for her next book.
Rating: 
Summary: So young, and yet so sensitive and talented.
Review: I was astonished that a woman as young as Ms. Lahiri was able to write so eloquently and sensitively about people of such different ages and experiences. I see some readers question whether this book should have won the Pulitzer prize. I have no comment on that. I chose to read it not because of the prize but because there has been some interesting writing coming out of India lately and becasue as an American I am always intrigued by the clash and interaction of cultures. I may not have enjoyed all the stories equally, but three of them - The Third and Final Continent, Mrs. Sens, and Mr Pirzada Comes to Dinner - moved me deeply, to tears.
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