Brotherless Night

[FineSallyFineSally]

I have just finished reading Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshanathan and I can't stop thinking about it. I didn't really know much of the recent history of Sri Lanka other than a few bits about the Tamil Tigers so spent quite a bit of time stopping reading to look something up. I wondered if anyone else has read it? No one I know in real life has read it and I am surprised there isn't more of a buzz about it. (Also currently 99p offer on kindle)

Haven't read it but thanks, her writing looks very interesting.
I'm one of those people with more books than I have life left to read them, and many on my Kindle too.
But I feel a wee purchase coming on...

When you get round to reading it, let me know what you think....

I've read it. Last year I think. I remember it being very harrowing, the hunger strike bit sticks out for me.

Tremendous book, we read it for our book group last year: highly recommend

I read it last year too and it was one of my favourites. It does so well to set out the complexities and nuances of people who choose the armed struggle and the effect of the people around them. It's beautifully written and I loved the description of the food!

I think thats why I keep thinking about it. It shows the human side to people who ultimately choose violence for their political beliefs. And it doesn't necessarily 'sugar coat' them either. They are all quite believable characters.

It sent me down a worm hole of research. There are some characters based on prominent Sri Lankans. He was one, as was the professor who collected the testimonials.

I don't know why there hasn't been more about it. I know it won the prize for Women's fiction but I only found it as it was a 'deal of the day' on Amazon. I hadn't heard of it otherwise.

Thank you for this post! Had it on my wishlist for ages (because I’m interested in the region and it won the prize, but you’re right - there wasn’t much about it). Now finally bought it and plan to read during the weekend.

I bought it last year, I think after it won the Womens Prize for Fiction. I absolutely loved it and like you, it remain with me for quite a while. I also didnt really know about Sri Lankan history and I would love to visit.

I read it and thought it was brilliant. I know quite a lot about Sri Lanka and she did a great job of showing how awful each side was.

A completely different but also great book set in the civil war is The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida which won the Booker prize a could of years ago. It's much more experimental though.