Scan barcode
clare072's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Child death, Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Violence, Classism, Genocide, Car accident, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Torture, and War
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Colonisation and Animal death
bookswithlydscl's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
It crosses multiple genres - part mystery, magical realism, satire, dystopia, as well as historical and literary fiction. It won't work for everyone but it worked for me, especially the audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Shivantha Wijesinha.
CW for genocide and murder and mutilation for the historical events that took place in Sri Lanka in the 1980s and early 1990s, and those elements make for truly tough reading. The satire and humour sprinkled throughout help cushion the impact of these scenes a little and the wonderfully human elements, even in the spiritual realm, keep you wanting to read on as you grow attached to these flawed, lovable, infuriating characters.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Genocide, and War
Moderate: Homophobia
heatherjchin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Trafficking, War, Death of parent, Grief, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Genocide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
not_dead_yet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The chaotic structure of the writing draws you in to the chaos of the forces driving the civil war. The chaos continues after death without missing a beat.
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Racism, Torture, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment, Genocide, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
caoimhemia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, War, Torture, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Genocide, Suicide, Murder, and Homophobia
mrlsdevos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Genocide, Car accident, Child death, Hate crime, Torture, Racism, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, War, Xenophobia, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Classism, Mental illness, Slavery, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicide, Colonisation, Car accident, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
asainspace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Suicide, Homophobia, Violence, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Sexual assault
jenbosen's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Homophobia, Genocide, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Child death, Violence, Torture, Death, Animal death, and Suicide
psdarlin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Genocide, Sexual content, Torture, Cursing, Homophobia, Murder, Police brutality, and War
lucyatoz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The book is set in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1990, and tells the story of the death of Malinda Albert Kabalana a.k.a. Maali Almeida, a photographer documenting the civil war, who is also a compulsive gambler and a closeted gay man. He wakes up, confused and dazed, in a crowded office where he is informed that he has seven moons in the "In Between" to attempt to communicate with his family and friends, to find his photos and negatives that will bring down the government.
The story, told in the voice of an omniscient narrator, was sometimes fast paced and engaging, other times it slowed down and became drawn out. It does include some heavy subject matters including war, torture, suicide, genocide and matters of life and death.
I borrowed this book from Taunton Library and listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox. I read this for prompt 5, Magical Realism, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Graphic: War, Grief, Violence, Blood, Murder, Kidnapping, Genocide, Torture, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Rape, and Child death
Minor: Drug use