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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Summary đź“š - Anil Tissera returns to her homeland Sri Lanka as a forensic anthropologist for a human rights group, with the aim of investigating the organised campaigns of murder terrorising the country. But in a quest for the truth, Anil uncovers the emotional and dangerous tribulations that ordinary people experience in a war town environment
So I have wanted to branch out in July and read something more politically charged outside of WW2. This book was perfect for this
1.✔It was a very serious read and what I loved was it wasn't just one person's fight to uncover the truth of a single murder. Anil' s fight represented the ordinary people - the villagers, the medical professionals, those tied to the government by family - and the many different struggles they are emotionally and ethically faced with every day of war. No one can truely understand that unless you have been in that position, and Sarath's sacrifice is a perfect example of such moral dilemmas
I would definitely read Ondaatje again, definitely eager to read the English Patient đź‘Ťđź‘Ťđź‘Ť
So I have wanted to branch out in July and read something more politically charged outside of WW2. This book was perfect for this
1.✔It was a very serious read and what I loved was it wasn't just one person's fight to uncover the truth of a single murder. Anil' s fight represented the ordinary people - the villagers, the medical professionals, those tied to the government by family - and the many different struggles they are emotionally and ethically faced with every day of war. No one can truely understand that unless you have been in that position, and Sarath's sacrifice is a perfect example of such moral dilemmas
I would definitely read Ondaatje again, definitely eager to read the English Patient đź‘Ťđź‘Ťđź‘Ť
This book's writing was so carefully constructed, it often felt like a novel-length prose poem. And so, with writing so lush, it was a slow read. I wanted to savor so much of it. Though it has a loose story arc revolving around the identification of a recently discovered skeleton, I felt as though the book was more a series of portraits. Ondaajte weaves the lives of a half-dozen people around this skeleton, illustrating the deep scars left by loss and war as well as tender moments born of friendship, creation, and being in nature. It's a balance that leaves the reader both illuminated and heartbroken.
quite a decent read. i couldn't get engrossed in the first half, but it got better as it progressed. i thought it might be more about violent lankan history, but the book really focuses on the three main characters, their development because of their personal histories, and their relationships.
Also reviewed on my Youtube channel.
This is a...complex book. It's the story of Anil, a forensic anthropologist who works with the UN and returns to Sri Lanka for the first time in fifteen years on an investigation. But while it's about Anil and the skeleton of a civil war victim that she unearths, it's more about Sri Lanka itself. It's not just Anil's story, but the story of those who help her - an archaeologist, Sarath; his doctor brother, Gamini; the statue carver, Ananda. It's the story of their experiences with the civil war, uncovering victims, working to save victims, becoming victims. We don't get a huge amount of information about the civil war outside of a "there are rebels and there are government forces and there's the government itself, and all of them can be majorly sucky". Instead, what we see is the impact that the war had on Sri Lanka's people.
Anil has been away for years, and more or less considers herself a westerner now. While she still remembers the basics of the language and the culture, she's been away for the duration of the war and doesn't understand that her actions have consequences. Where others are cautious and careful about what they say and where they say it, Anil stumbles through making demands and questioning processes.
Near the end of the book, Gamini passes comment that in western films and books, the story always ends with the western hero boarding a plane and flying home, usually with a girl at his side. For the hero, the war is over, and therefore it's the same for the audience. But that's not the truth that's reflected on the ground. People still have to live there, whether it's fighting for survival or picking up the pieces. And it's this that Ondaatje shows us here. While the book is billed as "a riveting mystery" about the hunt to identify the victim whose skeleton they find, that's really only a minor piece of the puzzle.
It's not a particularly easy read - the story is fragmented between the four main characters, unravelling in pieces over the course of the three hundred-ish pages. Ondaatje's writing is beautiful but very literary and heavy on the description. It's definitely not a book that will appeal to everyone, but it's a powerful book all the same.
This is a...complex book. It's the story of Anil, a forensic anthropologist who works with the UN and returns to Sri Lanka for the first time in fifteen years on an investigation. But while it's about Anil and the skeleton of a civil war victim that she unearths, it's more about Sri Lanka itself. It's not just Anil's story, but the story of those who help her - an archaeologist, Sarath; his doctor brother, Gamini; the statue carver, Ananda. It's the story of their experiences with the civil war, uncovering victims, working to save victims, becoming victims. We don't get a huge amount of information about the civil war outside of a "there are rebels and there are government forces and there's the government itself, and all of them can be majorly sucky". Instead, what we see is the impact that the war had on Sri Lanka's people.
Anil has been away for years, and more or less considers herself a westerner now. While she still remembers the basics of the language and the culture, she's been away for the duration of the war and doesn't understand that her actions have consequences. Where others are cautious and careful about what they say and where they say it, Anil stumbles through making demands and questioning processes.
Near the end of the book, Gamini passes comment that in western films and books, the story always ends with the western hero boarding a plane and flying home, usually with a girl at his side. For the hero, the war is over, and therefore it's the same for the audience. But that's not the truth that's reflected on the ground. People still have to live there, whether it's fighting for survival or picking up the pieces. And it's this that Ondaatje shows us here. While the book is billed as "a riveting mystery" about the hunt to identify the victim whose skeleton they find, that's really only a minor piece of the puzzle.
It's not a particularly easy read - the story is fragmented between the four main characters, unravelling in pieces over the course of the three hundred-ish pages. Ondaatje's writing is beautiful but very literary and heavy on the description. It's definitely not a book that will appeal to everyone, but it's a powerful book all the same.
This was a very intricately woven novel. It definitely takes a lot to analyze and understand all that is working here. But it can definitely be appreciated for its writing and cultural value.
Set text for university
Forensic-specialist Anil returns to Sri Lanka, her homeland, to examine archaeological remains and discovers the bones of a victim found in a government-protected area. With the help of her investigation partner Sarath, Anil is determined to establish the corpse as a victim of government forces.
Having been away for 15 years living in Europe and North America, Anil has returned to a country now ravaged by civil war, murderous conflict, mass disappearances of innocent people and mutilated corpses appearing across the worn-torn land. As a result, memories of her youth clash with what lays before her.
Anil as a character wasn’t particularly interesting, but rather, functioned as a narrative device to explore the relationship we have with our pasts and the suffering caused by war. I also found it harder to enjoy due to the fragmented narrative; recounting different memories, offering different perspectives. Although, I was moved by the insight into Gamini’s background: a doctor incapable of sleep, snatching a quick doze on the hospital ward when possible and unable to find peace anywhere else.
Anil’s Ghost evolves slowly, unveils characters' hidden truths, unlocks the hidden past, and takes us on a tiresome, evocative journey through a maelstrom of civil war.
Forensic-specialist Anil returns to Sri Lanka, her homeland, to examine archaeological remains and discovers the bones of a victim found in a government-protected area. With the help of her investigation partner Sarath, Anil is determined to establish the corpse as a victim of government forces.
Having been away for 15 years living in Europe and North America, Anil has returned to a country now ravaged by civil war, murderous conflict, mass disappearances of innocent people and mutilated corpses appearing across the worn-torn land. As a result, memories of her youth clash with what lays before her.
Anil as a character wasn’t particularly interesting, but rather, functioned as a narrative device to explore the relationship we have with our pasts and the suffering caused by war. I also found it harder to enjoy due to the fragmented narrative; recounting different memories, offering different perspectives. Although, I was moved by the insight into Gamini’s background: a doctor incapable of sleep, snatching a quick doze on the hospital ward when possible and unable to find peace anywhere else.
Anil’s Ghost evolves slowly, unveils characters' hidden truths, unlocks the hidden past, and takes us on a tiresome, evocative journey through a maelstrom of civil war.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Kind of an odd book, especially the ending. I haven't yet decided what to think. At least it will make for an interesting discussion at book group!