lizzillia's review against another edition
5.0
Another excellent read from this year's Booker Prize longlist.
This novel is set in Colombo and our main man, Maali Almedia is dead. He describes himself as a photographer, gambler and slut and the book opens with him finding himself in a kind of waiting room in the afterlife where white-coated Helpers assist the newly deceased to move to The Light - a strange place for him to find himself as he has never believed in anything. He is told that he has seven moons - seven days - to sort out anything that might prevent him from getting to The Light. Maali has no memory of his death, how he came to die, who killed him. As a photographer who worked for whoever paid him - the army, the government, the warring factions - he has kept hidden as insurance a set of photographs and negatives, proof of double-dealing, proof of torture, proof of murder. He needs these photographs to be put out into the public domain, something that he hopes might bring about the end of the war. But he is dead. There are ways to contact the living, he finds, legitimate ways with the guidance of the Helpers and other ways. He is approached by a 'spirit', Sena, who asks him to join with him instead of going to The Light. he asks him to stay in The Inbetween and seek to destroy those who killed him. A tempting offer, espsecially as Sena tells him there are ways to whisper to the living.
There is a murder mystery element to this novel as Maali tries to find out who killed him and tries to get his photographs into the right hands. In his life, Maali lived with Jaki and her cousin DD. DD is the son of a government minister and is Maali's lover. A fact they both keep secret from Jaki, who herself wanted a relationship with Maali and who to the outside world is his girlfriend, and DD's father as such a relationship was still taboo. Maali also had other secrets, he didn't tell DD about the 'pick-ups' that he had whenever he was on assignments. He also had a difficult relationship with his mother. However, he realises that if the photographs are found then not only might Jaki and DD be in danger, but the secrets that he had kept hidden from DD might also see the light.
I was worried that my lack of knowledge about the civil war in Sri Lanka would hinder my progress through this book, but it didn't. The atrocities that are described in grisly detail and the corruption that exists in any conflict is highlighted. My lack of knowledge of Sri Lankan folklore didn't stop my enjoyment and I believe, though you can prove me wrong that there is something about the first seven days after death being important which would tie in to the seven moons. Nevertheless, I loved this - the way that we learn more about Maali as we meet the people that he tries to haunt, and as he remembers the stories behind the photographs that he took. And as for the ending - so well written. A super, super book.
This novel is set in Colombo and our main man, Maali Almedia is dead. He describes himself as a photographer, gambler and slut and the book opens with him finding himself in a kind of waiting room in the afterlife where white-coated Helpers assist the newly deceased to move to The Light - a strange place for him to find himself as he has never believed in anything. He is told that he has seven moons - seven days - to sort out anything that might prevent him from getting to The Light. Maali has no memory of his death, how he came to die, who killed him. As a photographer who worked for whoever paid him - the army, the government, the warring factions - he has kept hidden as insurance a set of photographs and negatives, proof of double-dealing, proof of torture, proof of murder. He needs these photographs to be put out into the public domain, something that he hopes might bring about the end of the war. But he is dead. There are ways to contact the living, he finds, legitimate ways with the guidance of the Helpers and other ways. He is approached by a 'spirit', Sena, who asks him to join with him instead of going to The Light. he asks him to stay in The Inbetween and seek to destroy those who killed him. A tempting offer, espsecially as Sena tells him there are ways to whisper to the living.
There is a murder mystery element to this novel as Maali tries to find out who killed him and tries to get his photographs into the right hands. In his life, Maali lived with Jaki and her cousin DD. DD is the son of a government minister and is Maali's lover. A fact they both keep secret from Jaki, who herself wanted a relationship with Maali and who to the outside world is his girlfriend, and DD's father as such a relationship was still taboo. Maali also had other secrets, he didn't tell DD about the 'pick-ups' that he had whenever he was on assignments. He also had a difficult relationship with his mother. However, he realises that if the photographs are found then not only might Jaki and DD be in danger, but the secrets that he had kept hidden from DD might also see the light.
I was worried that my lack of knowledge about the civil war in Sri Lanka would hinder my progress through this book, but it didn't. The atrocities that are described in grisly detail and the corruption that exists in any conflict is highlighted. My lack of knowledge of Sri Lankan folklore didn't stop my enjoyment and I believe, though you can prove me wrong that there is something about the first seven days after death being important which would tie in to the seven moons. Nevertheless, I loved this - the way that we learn more about Maali as we meet the people that he tries to haunt, and as he remembers the stories behind the photographs that he took. And as for the ending - so well written. A super, super book.
heathssm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gargyjiothis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
alonsonm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This novel is so good and smart and unique. It blew my mind. The book has the structure of a thriller but it’s also a historical novel about Sri Lank but also an exploration of the afterlife. A true literary gem
phoebe24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
twoquills's review against another edition
I found the book very hard to follow. Its deep, drawn out, repetitive and a chore to get through. Beautiful cover though
augureader's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
I waited AGES for this book to be available from my library after I requested it back in August. It was worth the wait, and I get why this won the 2022 Booker Prize. It was an incredibly strange book (in the best ways). Written in 2nd person, this visa-office inspired purgatory set in a politically violent landscape tells the story of Maali Almeida who needs to figure out who killed him, and what he wants to do with his afterlife. Maali is not like me at all, so to read in 2nd person all about his shenanigans was VERY interesting indeed. The Sri Lankan civil war isn’t well represented in international fiction, which results in lack of widespread knowledge about its atrocities (or timelines… sadly, it is in our lifetime). This well-written book tells you a lot of truth in its fiction, and weaves multiple plotlines into a delightfully confusing book perfectly. Personally, I thought it suffered some pacing issues in the middle, but otherwise, worth the read and, perhaps, a reread.