In this audiobook adventure, listeners are taken on a profound journey through the war-torn north of Sri Lanka. The captivating narrator, Neil Shah, guides us through a tale of longing, loss, and the haunting effects of war. This book, written by the talented Anuk Arudpragasam, is a finalist for the prestigious Booker Prize, and rightly so.
The story begins with a unexpected phone call to Krishan, informing him of his grandmother's caretaker, Rani's, tragic death. She was found at the bottom of a well in her village, her neck broken from the fall. Just as this sorrowful news sinks in, Krishan receives an email from Anjum, a passionate activist he once fell in love with in Delhi. This message stirs up old memories and desires, pulling Krishan back into a world he left behind.
As Krishan embarks on a long train journey from Colombo to the war-ravaged Northern Province for Rani's funeral, we are taken on an extraordinary expedition into the heart of a country. This audiobook is not only a powerful reflection on absence and yearning, but also an unflinching examination of the lasting impact of Sri Lanka's thirty-year civil war. The funeral procession to a pyre "at the end of the earth" lays bare the deep imprints of the island's past and exposes the vast gaps between who we are and what we yearn for.
Anuk Arudpragasam's writing is both precise and elegant, captivating listeners with his masterful storytelling. Through this remarkable novel, he attempts to grapple with the aftermath of devastation and pays poignant tribute to those lost and still living. With an audiobook rating of 2.7 out of 5, this nine hour and fifteen minute journey is a must-listen for those seeking a profound exploration of love, loss, and the human spirit in the face of adversity.
