A review by jordysbookclub
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

4.0

When their parents move from london to singapore for work soon after the end of world war 2, teenagers Nathaniel and Rachel are left in the care of The Moth (an enigmatic figure and friend of the family) and his eccentric group of friends, all of whom are slowly returning to their former lives after serving queen and country in the war. as the siblings begin to ingratiate themselves in the group, they start to uncover secrets about their parents and their involvement in the war that they never could have imagined. The book is split into two halves: the first half covering the teen years growing up with The Moth, the latter half delving into Nathaniel's adult life working for the government and delving into his parents' lives during the war). Overall, I really enjoyed this slow-burner: the writing was beautiful, the characters interesting and quirky, the overarching mystery engaging and effective. I've seen this book on several "best of 2018" lists and it's easy to see why.