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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
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
erebus53's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I haven't seen ghosts, spirits and demons depicted in this way before. It's quite a fresh take as a way of unpacking a life lived alongside people who are responsible for huge amounts of human (and animal) suffering and bloodshed. As a person who rationalises his position taking pictures of heinous bloodshed, in the hopes that he can ruin the reputations of warmongers and bring end to conflict, he is both naïve and reckless.
As a retrospective, 40 years gives just about enough time between now and then for a look back at the political forces at play in Sri Lanka. The foreword is specific about it being a work of fiction, but certain contextual things are irrefutable history. Unpacking some of the ideas about racial frictions in the area, of the colonization and brutalization from various powers, over hundreds of years are myriad angry and frustrated or power-hungry spirits, some of whom plan revenge, or just hate on the living. They are cutting and profane in their expressions of contempt for living people and the history they have endured.
All this is counterpointed by some young dumb 20somethings – a rich jock brat, and his cousin and flatmate, a goth girl with a cynical outlook and artsy friends.
Maali has to decide whether he will go toward the light; will he stick around on Earth as an eternal spirit, remember past lives, or forget everything and be reborn.. will he trade his strength to the demons to get special powers allowing him to affect living humans!.. and are the nasty looking apparitions trying to trick him, or are the clean, white clad "Helpers" the ones who are stringing him along?
Cool book, but a bit hard going if you aren't ok with war reporting. Interesting revelations near the end and a fairly satisfying ending. Worth a read
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Racism, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Outing, Murder, Kidnapping, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Suicide, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Genocide, Drug use, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Excrement
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Domestic abuse
laurafrances's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Torture, Suicide, Murder, Blood, War, Racism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Genocide, and Confinement
Minor: Child death, Deadnaming, Alcohol, and Animal death