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A review by rieviolet
Musica dei fantasmi by Vaddey Ratner
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? No
5.0
Music of the Ghosts is a story that encompasses so much: the brutality of genocide, the shattering of a country and its people, the aftermath of unspeakable grief and loss, the weight of memory, the tentative rebuilding and the fragile but bright sparkle of future hope.
It is such moving and impactful storytelling that really captured me and put me through a whirlwind of emotions.
I underlined so many quotes, both particularly captivating examples of prose and insightful reflections that resonated deeply with me.
I really liked Ratner's writing style, I think it struck a good balance between lyricism and concreteness. I also appreciated how the Cambodian cultural and linguistic elements really shone through.
I enjoyed the double point of view (Suteera & Old Musician), and the gradual unveiling of the characters' past history was heartbreaking but very compelling.
The book deals with heavy contents but I think the author handled them carefully and without unnecessarily overdoing them. There were only a couple of scenes of torture in the last 30ish pages that I felt were a bit too much in their graphic details (at least for my personal level of impressionability).
It is such moving and impactful storytelling that really captured me and put me through a whirlwind of emotions.
I underlined so many quotes, both particularly captivating examples of prose and insightful reflections that resonated deeply with me.
I really liked Ratner's writing style, I think it struck a good balance between lyricism and concreteness. I also appreciated how the Cambodian cultural and linguistic elements really shone through.
I enjoyed the double point of view (Suteera & Old Musician), and the gradual unveiling of the characters' past history was heartbreaking but very compelling.
The book deals with heavy contents but I think the author handled them carefully and without unnecessarily overdoing them. There were only a couple of scenes of torture in the last 30ish pages that I felt were a bit too much in their graphic details (at least for my personal level of impressionability).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide, Excrement, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Rape, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Deportation