Reviews

Reef by Romesh Gunesekera

sunibooni's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

rpapaluca's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

coppercrane2's review

reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

dude_yikes's review

3.0

This book has such a unique perspective regarding a soon to be war torn country.
I wish the only thing that would bother me was a fish I didn’t know how to prepare.
It was a mix of caring too little and too much.
Probs wouldn’t read again

kamna's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

shrutisri's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

rubenfdez21's review

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

mj_trearty's review

slow-paced

2.25

This was a difficult read and despite being less than 200 pages took me a while to accomplish.

Basic plot is a Sri Lankan teenager, Triton, works as a butler/cook/maid for a white guy. He is devoted to making his master happy and reports on this and the goings on around the house.

This has Remains of the Day vibes but lacks the nuance. There are interesting moments and points made of colonialism and relationships, but essentially it is a less good Remains of the Day. 

I was bored of it for a lot of the book, there are elements of high literature but it is not to the level it strives for.

The historical and cultural aspect of Sri Lanka could be interesting but again we only see it through the white man's eye because Triton cannot see things from any point of view other than his master's. That is interesting of itself but there needs to be a differing opinion, someone to point out the problems, whether Triton listens or not.

Overall I was disappointed, but it was not terrible so gets a mid rating.

theoneandonlyredrose's review

2.0

Strange little novel. In parts flowery and evocative of the food and places but overall a rather dull read. I couldn't make a connection to Triton and was always expecting 'something' to happen especially when he saw his employees girlfriend naked - but nope nothing did. Political unrest in the background remained in the background.

aaryan_156's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0