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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
This is a beautiful book, in turns terribly sad and infuriating, but always beautiful thanks to the magnificent talent of Michael Ondaatje. We are transported to Sri Lanka, grappling with civil war. I loved the English Patient also and can’t wait to read the rest of Ondaatje’s books.
So this is the first book that was assigned to me in my new Human Rights literature class. It was definitely a new reading experience for me since I hadn’t read too many Human Rights style stories before. Our main character is Anil, who is a forensic anthropologist. I felt that as a reader, I had a hard time connecting with Anil, even though she is a central character. The author gives readers little information about Anil despite the fact she is narrating the novel and it makes her seem detached from the situations that play out throughout the plot. Perhaps this a result of her being educated in England and America? Or that Anil is not supposed to be the focus of the novel and we need to see the story through her eyes.
The story is full of multiple perspectives and shifts from the past and present constantly. This helps to give backstory to the characters and further develops them for the readers. But it also becomes confusing when perspectives/narration becomes blurred and we aren’t sure of if we are in the present/past or even who is speaking at times.
The story overall itself is pretty interesting though as we get to see the forensic procedures of identifying a body called “Sailor” which Anil and her partner, Sarath find. They go to great lengths facing danger from asking intrusive questions and trying to dig out the truth that some people might want to stay hidden. We also get to meet many other interesting people along the way such as Gamini (Sarath’s brother), Ananda (a sculptor and painter), and Palipana (an epigraphist).
The story is full of multiple perspectives and shifts from the past and present constantly. This helps to give backstory to the characters and further develops them for the readers. But it also becomes confusing when perspectives/narration becomes blurred and we aren’t sure of if we are in the present/past or even who is speaking at times.
The story overall itself is pretty interesting though as we get to see the forensic procedures of identifying a body called “Sailor” which Anil and her partner, Sarath find. They go to great lengths facing danger from asking intrusive questions and trying to dig out the truth that some people might want to stay hidden. We also get to meet many other interesting people along the way such as Gamini (Sarath’s brother), Ananda (a sculptor and painter), and Palipana (an epigraphist).
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Torture, Blood, Suicide attempt, War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder
Minor: Incest
had this book on the shelf for a long time before picking it up the other day. had some of ondaatje's fave tropes in there (the threesome in the abandoned house, relationships in wartime, &c) but still managed to resonate, his language is just so _nice_ sometimes!!
"We were always good with illness and death. We could howl with the best. Now we carry the wounded with no anesthetic up the stairs because the elevators don’t work."
A beautiful book that I was lucky enough to read while in Sri Lanka. The horrors of the civil war and insurgency are disturbing and it can be difficult to compare the stories with the many friendly people that you meet in the country. Ondaatje is poetic and I find his writing moving. A sad story about an awful time in history. The echoes are still there.
This book was very slow moving. It told a very sad story that is based on true conditions in Sri Lanka. I think this story could have been better but the many smaller stories intertwined were hard to follow. I also don't like not really knowing or understanding the outcome. It seemed like they finally got the evidence they needed there was no real wrap-up. I wanted to like this book more but it was difficult to digest and the ending was lacking for me.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i kinda like the historical and archaeological premise of the story; the way it contrasts with the long-standing legacy and complex relationship between sri lanka and its citizens was an interesting approach to exploring political strife, albeit as a distant background. by illuminating personal experiences, it prioritises the private effects of an unstable state of public politics than being overly ambitious in trying to propose a solution. after all, writers don't have to be politicians to write about politics.