Women's Prize Hopeful: Exploring Brotherless Night

The winner of the Women’s Prize for fiction is coming soon! And with that in mind, a very overdue review of Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan, which I read in April.

Just as a reminder, my top pick to win is Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy, but I would also be very happy if Brotherless Night takes it out – both were five-star reads for me. Disclaimer: I have yet to read Enter Ghost, although it is sitting next to my bed looking at me with judgmental eyes... sorry over there! If you win, I promise to read you (no pressure)!

Brotherless Night is a haunting and powerful novel that explores Sri Lanka's civil war, shedding light on the human cost of conflict through a deeply personal lens. Set in the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, the novel offers a moving exploration of loyalty, loss, and the enduring hope for peace. This is an era in history that I didn’t know much about, and I am always thankful to authors for writing about these lesser-known periods in history.

The story follows Sashi, a young Tamil woman from Jaffna, whose life is irrevocably changed by the civil war. Sashi's ambition to become a doctor is overshadowed by the violence and chaos around her. As the war escalates, she finds herself navigating a world where moral choices are complex, and survival often comes at a high personal cost. Through Sashi’s eyes, Ganeshananthan paints a vivid and often harrowing picture of a society torn apart by ethnic strife.

Sashi meets K, a charismatic and academically gifted boy who lives down the road. Their relationship, which begins with a searingly memorable encounter and develops into something neither fully platonic nor romantic, anchors many of the ugliest years of Sashi’s life as war breaks out in her hometown. In response to bloody repression by the Sri Lankan government, a number of Tamil militant groups begin to take shape, most notably the Tamil Tigers. Disillusioned and angry, K joins them.

One of the best scenes in Brotherless Night involves a meeting of Sashi’s book club, (because who doesn’t love a book club scene, particularly when book club is a covert opportunity to rebel?!) — the members gather to discuss a particularly traitorous text, only to find that the girlfriend of a Tamil Tigers member has decided to join them. What follows is a tense, loaded conversation between people who know how quickly a wrong word could upend their lives.

The novel's strength lies in its meticulous attention to detail and its beautiful writing. Ganeshananthan’s descriptions of Jaffna and its surroundings bring the setting to life, immersing us in the sights, sounds, and emotions of a place under siege. Her ability to capture the daily struggles and small moments of beauty amidst the chaos provides a stark contrast to the violence.

“Imagine the places you grew up, the places you studied, places that belonged to your people, burned. But I should stop pretending that I know you. Perhaps you do not have to imagine. Perhaps your library, too, went up in smoke.”

Brotherless Night also excels in its exploration of broader themes such as identity, resistance, and the search for justice. Given the current political climate, I do wonder whether this book will take out the title because of how relevant this book continues to be and as a reminder to us all of the lessons that we continue to ignore. (I think this may be one of the reasons why Prophet Song took out the Booker Prize). Ganeshananthan does not shy away from the complexities of the political situation, and perhaps the judges of the Women’s Prize may want to say something with their pick for the winner? (Or am I reading too much into it?)

All will be revealed soon… because life is too short to read bad books.