Reviews with content warning for Racism - Funny Boy: A Novel

there was a lot going on and it felt a bit disjointed at times as storylines were picked up and dropped, but overall I enjoyed it! very accessible as someone who went in knowing practically nothing about sri lankan politics

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naomireading's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Stunning

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daniellekat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I'm honestly still processing. This book was so good. Arjie was the perfect lens for the greater political and societal storytelling. I thought the format of the book was unique and the author perfectly timed when to cut the reader out of the narrative. The chapters flowed well together and the writing was powerful and emotional. I know I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

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islayfraser's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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tamara_davey's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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andsoitgoes's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Really enjoyed this book. It was written well and every scene felt necessary or interesting. I felt like I was in the mind of the main character in a very realistic way.

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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

tender and sad with a childlike yet wise narrative voice, funny boy is the coming-of-age of a main character marginalized by his queerness and ethnicity, while also offering an enlightening look into sri lankan history and society.

a sense of melancholy borne from bittersweet end of innocence or realization of stark reality permeates throughout all 6 of the novel's sizable, chunky chapters - each of which rly functions like short stories - and things only get more serious as the story goes on. as the narrator, arjie maintains a childlike yet strangely wise voice, and it's satisfying yet a lil sad to see him mature - or being forced to as a result of circumstances - through the events in his life, but his eventual acceptance and embrace of his identity is quite precious.

i learn so much about its sri lanka and its culture, society, politics and history through this book. things ive only previously known of in passing w/o any context or deeper understanding are shed greater light here through selvadurai's complex and nuanced portrayal through not only larger societal and historical events but also - perhaps to an even more impactful extent - the characters, their relationships, and how they grapple w/ their place in the world, which are explored in numerous aspects. while reading, i couldnt help but think how important historical novels are, for they render more serious or seemingly uninteresting subjects tangible and approachable, even human.

this is a revelatory, sad yet tender novel w/ a sense of inevitability and complex, nuanced portrayal of both its characters and the world they inhabit, and i look forward to reading more of the author's works.

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tina94's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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