A review by booklywookly
Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai

2.0

This coming of age novel is set in the late 70s - a tumultuous period in Sri Lankan history, with escalating ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese and the Tamil. The rising mistrust between these communities is depicted through 6 interconnected stories, eventually leading to the 1983 riots.

Arjie, a hyperactive, puppy eyed kid who somehow happens to be at the right place at the right time, snooping, observing and narrating the grand adult world to us from knee height, is struggling with his sexual identity. His family’s reactions to his “funny” tendencies reflect the conservative family values and societal expectations regarding gender roles and the broader cultural attitudes towards non-conformity and homosexuality.

Each story focuses on different periods and events in Arjie’s life, deepening the understanding of Arjie’s character and the socio-political context of Sri Lanka. Arjie grows from a curious and innocent child into a more aware and resilient adolescent as the country descends into the hell of its own making.

I wanted to like this book since it is highly praised in the literary circle. But, nah. Didn’t impress me the least.

Disjointed stories, bland expendable characters, cliched dialogues. For a book market heavily for its LGBT theme, that whole arc mattered only in a couple of stories.

I find the omnipresence of the kid a lazy way to justify his awareness of the things, him being the narrator. Adults discussing marital affairs, murders, dead bodies with a 7year old? Why would you tag along a child to police station, or on a retreat with your secret lover, or to interrogate hostile villagers? WTF?

My biggest gripe is with the writing style. While the simple English deployed here is accessible, I found it extremely descriptive (then-this-happened-then-that-happened type), lacking any literary merit. Plus this annoying habit of addressing characters constantly by their names. One paragraph, 6 sentences, 4 instances of “Radha Aunty”. Four! Gets on my nerves.

A what could have been an excellent insight on civil war from a child’s POV, turned out to be a disappointment, marred by amateur writing and a lack of a better editor.

I need a break from coming-of-age stories now.