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A review by mandysknight
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
3.0
This book took me 10 years to read.
I started it, got halfway through, and then put it down. It's waited 10 years for me, and in some ways, it was worth the wait. In others, it left a lot to be desired.
Having spent a fair bit of time exploring Sri Lanka from 2008-2013, it was really interesting to read about places I know and have visited.
Overall, I found the book told a good story and really highlighted the horrors of the civil war Sri Lanka dealt with for far too long (and longer, even, than the publication of this book). I found it heartbreaking, poignant, and incredibly emotional at times.
But I also struggled to read this and follow the story. The points of view were disjointed, jumping from one character to the other, often with just a paragraph break between them. The difficulty in following the story, and really connecting with the characters with so little dialogue is what made this book, ultimately, a 3 star for me.
I started it, got halfway through, and then put it down. It's waited 10 years for me, and in some ways, it was worth the wait. In others, it left a lot to be desired.
Having spent a fair bit of time exploring Sri Lanka from 2008-2013, it was really interesting to read about places I know and have visited.
Overall, I found the book told a good story and really highlighted the horrors of the civil war Sri Lanka dealt with for far too long (and longer, even, than the publication of this book). I found it heartbreaking, poignant, and incredibly emotional at times.
But I also struggled to read this and follow the story. The points of view were disjointed, jumping from one character to the other, often with just a paragraph break between them. The difficulty in following the story, and really connecting with the characters with so little dialogue is what made this book, ultimately, a 3 star for me.