A review by themaggiemch
Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Sashi is a young girl growing up in a country filled with tension and unrest. She wants nothing more than to be a doctor, and to live with her parents and four brothers in peace. However, as conflict arises, she must choose her own path, one that will inevitably diverge from those of her beloved brothers'.
While reading the book, I was under the impression that the title, "Brotherless Night", was in reference to a specific night that Sashi lived through, a night when her eldest brother was missing. However, after finishing the novel, I think that the title isn't limited to just 12 hours- Sashi's entire journey to adulthood was a long, brotherless night for her. The conflict between the Sinhalese people and the Tamil cast a shadow upon Sashi's life, and it took her brothers away from her in various ways. In the unending night of war, she had to learn to stand on her own, without the support from her brothers.
Sashi was a character who had the potential to be more interesting than she was. I felt as though her voice lacked an intimacy that would've benefitted this story- instead, it was told in a manner that seemed almost emotionless at times. There was a lot of "telling" instead of "showing", and it sometimes made the prose clunky and hard to get through.
However, the supporting characters were all very interesting. I especially loved Anjali, one of Sashi's mentors. Her skill for critical thinking was one of the main drivers of Sashi's development, and she was a joy to read about. Sashi's brothers felt very distinct (with the exception of Dayalan) and they had nuances to their characters that were very refreshing.
This book is a must-read for anyone looking to learn more about Sri Lankan history, as well as anyone who wants a complex story of difficult decisions. I was so happy that I was able to discover more about this period of time, and quite frankly confused that I had never heard of it before. I definitely want to learn more about Sri Lanka, and will be eagerly awaiting Ganeshananthan's next release!
I received an advanced reading copy of this novel- all opinions are honest, and my own.
While reading the book, I was under the impression that the title, "Brotherless Night", was in reference to a specific night that Sashi lived through, a night when her eldest brother was missing. However, after finishing the novel, I think that the title isn't limited to just 12 hours- Sashi's entire journey to adulthood was a long, brotherless night for her. The conflict between the Sinhalese people and the Tamil cast a shadow upon Sashi's life, and it took her brothers away from her in various ways. In the unending night of war, she had to learn to stand on her own, without the support from her brothers.
Sashi was a character who had the potential to be more interesting than she was. I felt as though her voice lacked an intimacy that would've benefitted this story- instead, it was told in a manner that seemed almost emotionless at times. There was a lot of "telling" instead of "showing", and it sometimes made the prose clunky and hard to get through.
However, the supporting characters were all very interesting. I especially loved Anjali, one of Sashi's mentors. Her skill for critical thinking was one of the main drivers of Sashi's development, and she was a joy to read about. Sashi's brothers felt very distinct (with the exception of Dayalan) and they had nuances to their characters that were very refreshing.
This book is a must-read for anyone looking to learn more about Sri Lankan history, as well as anyone who wants a complex story of difficult decisions. I was so happy that I was able to discover more about this period of time, and quite frankly confused that I had never heard of it before. I definitely want to learn more about Sri Lanka, and will be eagerly awaiting Ganeshananthan's next release!
I received an advanced reading copy of this novel- all opinions are honest, and my own.