Take a photo of a barcode or cover
rozzypasconian 's review for:
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
by Shehan Karunatilaka
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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:
Yes
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. It required a lot of googling highly specific Sri Lankan historical/cultural things like events, neighborhoods, and food to fully understand. Quite possibly the darkest book I’ve ever read, its take on violent political endgames canceling out each others’ intentions is yet somehow refreshing.
The tone was kind of…. confusing. It was both extremely dark and gruesome, but also very vivid and atmospheric? It contains a lot of Sri Lankan mythical imagery that (again) was unfamiliar, including a villainous goddess called the Mahakali that I thought was just a monster for most of the book.
The main character, Maali is complex and morally ambiguous. Overconfident, incredibly horny, and prone to attention seeking behaviors, he is both unlikable and yet somehow relatable. It is amazing that he can compartmentalize hiding his sexuality, loving his partner, and cheating on him at the same time.
Overall, this is not a light read, nor is it for the faint of heart. The explicit and graphic nature of Sri Lanka in the 80s is near impossible for me to comprehend, and yet this story gave me an insight into the visceral horrors. My favorite parts were about the mysterious Crow Man and Maali’s oblivious best friends who yet want to uncover the truth.
The tone was kind of…. confusing. It was both extremely dark and gruesome, but also very vivid and atmospheric? It contains a lot of Sri Lankan mythical imagery that (again) was unfamiliar, including a villainous goddess called the Mahakali that I thought was just a monster for most of the book.
The main character, Maali is complex and morally ambiguous. Overconfident, incredibly horny, and prone to attention seeking behaviors, he is both unlikable and yet somehow relatable. It is amazing that he can compartmentalize hiding his sexuality, loving his partner, and cheating on him at the same time.
Overall, this is not a light read, nor is it for the faint of heart. The explicit and graphic nature of Sri Lanka in the 80s is near impossible for me to comprehend, and yet this story gave me an insight into the visceral horrors. My favorite parts were about the mysterious Crow Man and Maali’s oblivious best friends who yet want to uncover the truth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism