Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024, ‘Brotherless Night’ by V.V. Ganeshananthan is a beautiful and heartbreaking account of a family torn apart by the civil war in Sri Lanka, fought between the Sinhalese-dominated state and Tamil separatist groups. As someone who grew up during the civil war in Nepal, I could relate to the story and it helped me sort out the many emotions of the time that I still find myself struggling with. I must confess that the subject got a tad bit heavy at times and I had to put the book down. But I loved it and I have been recommending it to all my friends and colleagues. 

The story is narrated from the perspective of 16-year-old Sashi Kulenthiren who wants to become a doctor. Over the course of the decade as civil war rages through her hometown of Jaffna, she finds herself struggling to survive and her dreams take on a different course. Her brothers and her best friend get caught up in various political ideologies and their lives too turn out differently than anyone had imagined. 

After Sashi’s eldest sibling is killed in anti-Tamil riots, Sashi begins to question everything she has learnt and believed in over the years. Soon, as more of her siblings join the movement, she too finds herself in the heart of it. Her friendship with K, a high-ranking militant, offers her a chance to become a medic at a field hospital and this leads her to keep secrets from her family. However, her motivation behind taking up the position is simply that she wants to do good and help people, despite their political inclinations. But when the militants turn on civilians and other helpless members of the society, she starts wondering about her role in the war. Years later, she tries to document all the human rights violations committed by various parties during the war. 

Sashi is a passionate and intelligent narrator. She always finds a way to protect the ones she loves but she is also torn between her love for her brothers and best friend and her sense of what is right. The book shines light on a woman’s perspective on war and how they often have to sift through complicated emotions in order to make sense of and survive in a difficult world. The other characters are also well crafted and feel like people you know or have met. The brilliant characterization and plot make the story come alive. I felt it could be adapted into a really good movie. 

Brotherless Night is a historical fiction based on real events. But it feels raw and real, especially if you have seen war up close or seen people suffer its consequences. It’s brilliantly researched and written and thus compelling. It has been a while since I read the book but it has left a lasting impression on me. It has also definitely made me want to read more of the authors’ works. Brotherless Night is Ganenhananthan’s second book. Her first book ‘Love Marriage’ is also set in Sri Lanka and was longlisted for the Orange Prize.

Fiction

Brotherless Night

VV Ganeshananthan

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 348, Paperback