- Paperback
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (8 May 2000)
- ISBN-10: 0747549583
- ISBN-13: 978-0747549581
- Product Dimensions: 20.1 x 13.2 x 2.5 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,400,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The periphery of a civil war
25 Sep 2005
Format:Paperback
Michael Ondaatje has brilliantly evoked the horrors of the civil war in his native Sri Lanka by focusing on the people not directly involved in the war but nonetheless affected by it on a deep, personal level. Anil Tissera returns to her native Sri Lanka as a Western forensic anthropologist charged with investigating accusations of war crimes. Although she works for an international human rights group, she is on her own, except for the Sri Lanka government appointed anthropologist Sarath whose loyalties and motives are unknown and therefore suspect. When Anil and Sarath come into possession of several skeletons, one of which they nickname Sailor, they realize they have evidence of government atrocities. Now, through their clandestine scientific work, they must prove it. As they delve deeper into their investigation, they encounter others who bring their own stories to the novel.
Although Ondaatje primarily follows the lives, both past and present, of Sarath and Anil, the most powerful - and in the end the most memorable - character is Gamini, Sarath's younger brother and a doctor at the Colombo hospital. His presence in the book provides the balance necessary to see beyond the specific incident involving Sailor and into the greater arena of a country torn apart by violence. Ananda, too, provides an intriguing yet murky layer as the eye-painter, a man trained in the sacred art of painting eyes on statues of the gods.
Written in clear, straightforward prose, the narrative itself is non-linear, moving through time as it explores the complexity of the characters. Despite the structure, readers should find the novel easy to follow. This is not a dense, lyrical novel; the poetry here resides in brief, intimate moments that the author allows the reader to glimpse.
The power of this work derives from the varied lives that touch upon Anil's investigation. Although the novel could have been developed more completely, it leaves a lasting impression that only the best writing can achieve. I wavered between giving it four or five stars, but, because I can't stop thinking about the book, I decided it deserved my top rating.
If you are looking for something upbeat, obviously you should avoid this book. Readers of literary, political, and international fiction will find a true treasure in these pages.
Although Ondaatje primarily follows the lives, both past and present, of Sarath and Anil, the most powerful - and in the end the most memorable - character is Gamini, Sarath's younger brother and a doctor at the Colombo hospital. His presence in the book provides the balance necessary to see beyond the specific incident involving Sailor and into the greater arena of a country torn apart by violence. Ananda, too, provides an intriguing yet murky layer as the eye-painter, a man trained in the sacred art of painting eyes on statues of the gods.
Written in clear, straightforward prose, the narrative itself is non-linear, moving through time as it explores the complexity of the characters. Despite the structure, readers should find the novel easy to follow. This is not a dense, lyrical novel; the poetry here resides in brief, intimate moments that the author allows the reader to glimpse.
The power of this work derives from the varied lives that touch upon Anil's investigation. Although the novel could have been developed more completely, it leaves a lasting impression that only the best writing can achieve. I wavered between giving it four or five stars, but, because I can't stop thinking about the book, I decided it deserved my top rating.
If you are looking for something upbeat, obviously you should avoid this book. Readers of literary, political, and international fiction will find a true treasure in these pages.
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