Rating 4.5/5

I think this is possibly the first book I have read that is written in the second person and I always thought it would feel strange reading it that way just because it isn’t often used, at least not in the books that I usually read. I don’t know if it is purely because of the concept of Seven Moons or if it is also because I listened to it as an audiobook but the second-person narration worked really well, it made me feel so much more involved with the story.

I’m not going to lie it was definitely the cover that caught my eye on this one, I knew I wanted to give it a shot from that alone. I often assume, and I know what they say about assumptions, that books on the Booker Prize lists are quite serious and more character-driven, so because I noticed it was a winner I thought it was going to be very serious, especially as Maali is a war photographer. Thankfully it turned out to be so much more than I expected, it was at times serious and violent but could also be humorous and magical, and whilst it is fairly character focussed there was a good aim for Maali to work toward which made for an interesting plot.

I appreciated that even though I know very little of Sri Lanka and its culture, politics, and history that I was able to immerse myself and very quickly got a grip on what was happening without feeling like the information was bombarding me. The author’s writing made each aspect of the story so engaging that I could take in the intense political divisions as well as the mythological and fantastical souls that Maali comes across in the afterlife.

Maali is such an interesting character because he seems to court danger, he is gay in a very homophobic country, for work he goes to places of extreme violence, he seems to be playing all different sides during a war, and he can’t seem to help but cheat on the beautiful boy that he loves, but he is also utterly mesmerising. I love that he is so flawed but so comfortable with himself, as a reader you know he isn’t going to always make safe choices which lends a wonderful tension in the story and, especially in the latter half of the book, had me absolutely gripped until the end.

The story isn’t entirely linear but I actually quite enjoyed that, it added to the surreal quality of the cycle of the seven moons and what was happening in the afterlife. One thing that I did struggle with, at times, was remembering who some of the characters were in relation to each other and though I would recognise the name I couldn’t always place how they related to the story quite as easily.

The narration for this book, by Shivantha Wijesinha, was fantastic, he did such an amazing job of giving the characters distinct voices which couldn’t have been easy given how many there were and it made me really enjoy my listening experience.

I didn’t expect to enjoy The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida as much as I did, it is a book that deals with so many different issues and crosses into a few different genres that on paper you might think that it wouldn’t work, but it does. It is engaging and funny and dark and I loved its creativity and its concept, a very pleasant surprise.

This is an excellent book I did not enjoy reading. What a strange oxymoron.

I actually liked so much about this book, including the vivid imagery, unique concept, and the subtly gripping ‘mystery’. As this is a satire there were some actual ha ha moments, plus some dripping commentary on the socio-political landscape of Sri Lanka in the 1980s & 90s. I didn’t even hate the second person narration which normally puts me off. And yet, every time I put it down I was not excited to pick it up again! I think there was a density to the writing that didn’t have me craving it, despite it being a well-packaged story.

If you are interested in reading the 2022 Booker winner, I do highly recommend the audio. The accents, pronunciations, and multiple voices put on by Shivantha Wijesinha are absolutely immaculate. I actually read this in tandem with audio and physical, and I credit this method for finishing the book, because I actually don’t think I could have consumed this book in either of the formats alone.

It’s taken me a while to get to this review, there’s nothing wrong with the book but life happened! What I can say is this was a wonderful book and listening to it on audio got me through a tough period.

I’m not normally one for a Booker Prize winner (I tend to find the winners are heavy literary works that I just can’t get through) but as this one has a slight fantasy twist I thought why not?

In this book we follow Maali as he navigates his own death in Sri Lanka during the civil war in the 1980s. Maali doesn’t remember how he died and he has seven moons, or one week, in which he can travel back and forth between the afterlife and the living world trying to piece together what happened.

The narrative weaves together history, social commentary, and cultural traditions to create a beautiful story that is both educational and emotionally gripping. As i listened to this on audio I was able to enjoy the voice acting of Shivantha Wijesinha who created distinctive character voices making it easy to follow along. The only thing I did struggle with, from an audio perspective, was unfamiliar terms. It was difficult to grasp what were new names, mythologies etc for me without visually seeing them and being able to easily stop and look them up. Although this threw me off slightly it didn’t detract from the story as it unfolded, but it’s probably a note to myself to physically read books that introduce new things to me so I can get my head around them faster.

Although this has a slight fantasy lean, please don’t let that put you off if isn’t your normal genre. The story has so much to offer by way of politics, history, cultural heritage, relationships and more; it’s bound to have something for everyone.

I can absolutely see why this won such a prestigious prize and it’s made me think that there might be a few more Booker Prize winners that I could get along with. This was an easy 5 stars.

Have you read any Booker Prize winners? If so which ones and what did you love about them?

Every soul has seven moons to make it into the light in "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida," where the afterlife is portrayed as a hospital waiting room. Maali, a war photographer, is there and has no recollection of his own death. To do so, he must deal with a world where dogs can talk, spirits may exact revenge, and there is no clear religious allegiance. Written at a breakneck speed over the course of seven moons, the story is a sobering reminder of the brutality and violence that people inflict upon one another.

Despite the subject matter, the book contains just the right amount of humour. The novel manages to be both heartfelt and humorous, with asides that lighten the subject matter.

Karunatilaka's conception of the afterlife is spectacular, borrowing inspiration from Hinduism, Buddhism, and even Catholicism. His writing is so descriptive that readers will become engrossed in his evocative descriptions of the afterlife and its inhabitants. In conclusion, "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida" is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that takes readers on a journey through life and mortality.

Seven Moons is an absolutely terrific, excellent and clever novel for which mere words can never be enough. It is a thoroughly immersive experience in both this world and the next, working on so many levels, and always with a flash of deadpan humour.

Maali Almeida finds himself in the afterlife, having exited 1990 Colombi somewhat suddenly. he is/was a photojournalist, gay and dating the son of a cabinet minister. During a civil war. What, you wonder, could possibly go wrong?

Maali has seven moons (days) left on Earth as a ghost , trying to piece together what happened. He follows various arcane rules as he follows death squads, eavesdrops on shady western NGOs, visits his former housemates and tries to stay one step ahead of the masters and demons who are trying to claim his soul. Meanwhile, the bureaucrats in the afterlife are determined to check his ears.

It's impossible, really, to categorise Seven Moons. It is a murder mystery, a political satire, magical realism, a historical commentary on the civil war, a love story, folk legends and so much more. It is an affectionate portrait of Sri Lanka - a truly remarkable country of contrasts and heritage. For all this - and it is a very intelligent novel - it never feels heavy. It is light and pacy and humorous. Even though the plot is complicated, the text keeps reminding us off who is who, what is what. It guides us patiently through the various groupings and factions while showing the human qualities (both good and bad) of the various protagonists.

There is also, dare I say it, something very British about the whole thing. Everyone is terribly polite, even as they try to swindle one another, throw people off balconies or dispose of bodies. The satire and sarcasm is reassuringly familiar. They drink tea.

I have been fortunate enough to read the text (before it won the Booker Prize) and now to listen to the audiobook. Both were a joy and the novel benefits from a second reading when the reader knows where it is all heading. It is a delight to spot the signposts along the way that were missed when the destination is unknown. The narrator of the audiobook, Shivantha Wijesinha, speaks with a genteel Sri Lankan accent, but one which never gets in the way of the story (think cricket commentary). It is a perfect voice for a perfect novel.

I cannot recommend Seven Moons highly enough. It is definitely up there in my all time top half dozen.

Maali Almeida is dead. He doesn't remember how he died but it's obvious he's been killed. He has one week (seven moons) to find out what happened to him.

The book is set in Sri Lanka in the 80s in the midst of the civil war which was the main reason I was drawn to the book. The book is narrated in a second person which is unusual and I enjoyed that too. However, even though the narrator of the audiobook did a great job, I struggled a bit to keep up. There are a large number of characters and sub-plots and I had trouble keeping track of everything that was going on and felt lost at times. I think the book would benefit from losing some of its volume.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my audiobook in exchange of an honest review.

3.5. I originally started this on audio a long time ago, my first experience with audio, and it was horrible. As my first, I can't comment on the narrator himself, but I don't think I'm an audio-listener. I was constantly having to rewind and listen to things again because I'd zoned out or the background noise drowned out a sentence or two. The voice, after about fifteen minutes, began to get on my nerves and I threw my hands in the air thinking, I wish I could just read this on the page! My friend has assured me that other audio experiences will be better but for now, I can't imagine ever doing it again.

So, I finished the final 200 pages today, finally getting the hardcover from the library so I could cease listening to the horrible audio. I enjoyed it a lot more without the audio. So, sadly, this felt like the longest 400 pages I've ever read. A shame. The book is imaginative (though when I explained the plot to someone recently I thought, Huh, it's like the god-awful Lovely Bones), funny, sad, dark, political and personal. The start is fantastic, the ending is also poignant. The middle is overly long. I wish it was The Four Moons of Maali Almedia: seven is a bit too many. It is repetitive, meandering, as others have said but I think it deserved to win the Booker. I read most of the list last year and this tops all of them.

“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥?’
‘𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕤 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕐𝕠𝕦 ℕ𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕀𝕥 𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕤, 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣.”

Let it be known that magical realism really isn't my bag and that's what made this one even more of a knock-out for me!

The storyline and idea behind he delivery of the plot is sheer genius.
Set in an after-life that is like a ministerial waiting room, we go through the obligatory 'seven moons' that Maali must experience immediately after his death.

Drawing attention to a devastating moment in Sri Lanka's history, this books actually refers very heavily to issues of politics, power and the consequences of trying to place different values on human life!
“𝔼𝕧𝕚𝕝 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕒𝕣. ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥: 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕦𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕦𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕣.”

One thing I wasn't expecting was the level of humour. The most serious issues were talked about in lines that delivered sarcasm, hilarity and a chance for the reader to take a breath before diving back into the truth of what the narrative is tackling.

I am going to be honest- The words you have read here came to me at a STRUGGLE! That's pretty much everything 'intellectual' I can say about this book as I feel I said everything in the book club while we read it.
It was so full of nothing and yet I was glued to it. I will not be for everyone and I suspect having people to go back and discuss it with each day made a huge impact on how I experienced it. I think it was written amazingly but it left no deep impact.

With the narrator, Shivantha Wijesinha, the story comes to life in a way that makes you want to listen!! Lots of things are going on, especially as Maali Almeida must work through clues he's left behind to work out what happened to him and why he's dead!! As he's a very colourful character, he was very witty which was great and that meant that I really enjoyed the story, I'm just a little sad that there couldn't have been someone else to do some of the characters voices, because as great and full of life as these people were, sometimes I would zone out as the characters could start to sound very similar!!. That is no fault of Shivantha, he gave it all he had and it was a valiant effort!.
It's definitely worth getting and listening to as it did make me laugh out loud in places!!!
I received this free arc book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #bolindaaudio, #shehankarubooks.

Karunatilaka’s writing is magical. It is powerful and profound. He knows how to bring words to life. Writing a story almost 400 pages long in the second-person narrative is not a simple task.

The author has delved into deeply riveting themes. Atrocities of war, death, genocide, police inefficiency, political rivalries, Marxism, and military brutalities are the broader themes. He has deftly highlighted the other social evils of Sri Lankan society and woven them into the story with ease. Casteism, economic divide, social disparity, attitude toward homosexuality, and also the role of colonialists and its impact on natives find detailed mention.

The narrator’s deadpan humour and skilful narration make it easier to navigate through the graphic descriptions. The layered narrative and alternating voices of the dead and living bring the story to life.

The mythological elements and references lend a uniquely authentic voice to the story. I really enjoyed reading this book, despite the triggering themes. The novel is slightly repetitive. There is not much of a difference in the events between the last few moons, but the repetitiveness added to the impact and gravity of the situation.

Sharing a few quotes I loved.

"You know what it’s like to not trust your own mind."

"If it smells like bullshit, don’t swallow it. These wars aren’t worth dying over. None of them are."

"Praying to God is like asking a car why it had to crash."

"If you are old enough to kill, you are old enough to die."

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Shivantha Wijesinha. His marvellous narration adds to the pathos of the novel. His tone, accent, and voice modulation are just perfect. I loved the manner in which he adapted his voice to suit the varied characters. Even though I listened to the book, I could “see” and “feel” the events.

I could go on and on about his style. Instead, I’ll just say… I loved everything about his narration. This is the first audiobook I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is a unique and effective blend of various genres. It is historical fiction, murder mystery, satire, political writing, and supernatural forces combined together.
It’s no surprise this book received the prestigious 2022 Booker Prize!

Thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.



Wordsopedia Rating 4.5/5

This was a fascinating account of Maali Almeida, a freelance photographer, based in Sri Lanka. It takes place after his death and he has 7 moons to work out what has happened to him and why he has died. He's able to see into current life as a ghost and it gives his history as he goes and touches on politics, believes as the story moves in. Would 100% recommend especially for fans of Piranesi.

'The powerful get away with murder and all the gods in the sky look away.'

My thanks to Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd and Bolinda audio for an audiobook of ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida’ to review.

Shivantha Wijesinha’s narration of this phantasmagoric novel by Karunatilaka is wildly good. In fact, it’s quite show-stoppingly fantastic narration.

Wijesinha enlivens the novel’s outlandish and often grotesque cast of characters with real flair and feeling.

Second-person narration is brought to vivid lifelikeness by the meeting of well-paced writing and Wijesinha's dazzling voice talent. This makes for quite a delirious reading experience.

To riff on the author’s own words: ‘it’s not nothing’ when the relation of narrator to author crackles with such magnetism.

*A big thank-you to Shehan Karunatilaka, Bolinda Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review*
Book focusing on the tragic period of Sri Lanka's history, with ethnic cleansing and atrocities committed on all sides. One of the novels that leave a reader stunned with the intensity of cruelty that can be inflicted by humans. I can understand why this novel won the Author a high prize since his vision how to describe those unfathomable events is most original and allows for engaging reader to the full.

This book takes a fascinating a heartbreaking look at Singapore in the late 80s and early 90s. Politics, corruption and the violence that cost tens of thousands of lives are the backdrop for a story unlike I’ve read before. It also takes an interesting look at the afterlife, taking inspiration from a variety of beliefs.

When the main character finds himself in the afterlife as his body sinks into a lake, he has seven moons to work out who killed him and why. The mystery incorporates the legacy he leaves behind and the impact he had not just on those he loved, but how his work as a photographer could have a huge impact on his entire country.

At times hilarious and at others heart-wrenching, this book was beautifully written and was a very deserving winner of the 2022 Booker Prize.

The narrator was absolutely brilliant and made the experience feel very immersive.

This book is wildly good. Spectacularly well written and the perfect example of an imperfect protagonist. I was completely sucked into the messy life (and after life) of Maali Almeida and transfixed by the imagination of the author who created an entire in between world in purgatory. I immensely enjoyed the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming in the slightest. I have already recommended it to others and will continue to do so.

Hmmmm so I finished this one on audio yesterday and I am so torn. It's such a complex book with so many characters and abbreviations, that I really think it would be better as a physical book - or maybe a combination of both?

BUT - the good - the narrator was excellent. Creepy and engaging with different voices for different characters (I'm amazed at how he kept track of who was who). The whole concept was unique and interesting. Set in the 1980's and written in the second person, Maali wakes up after dying and finds himself in a busy, overwhelming, not very pleasant, afterlife. He's in a kind of between space where he has 7 moons to finalise things, work out how he died and then decide what to do. Some parts reminded me of Lincoln in the Bardo. Maali is a great anti-hero too. It's even funny at times, amongst the sadness, torture, and death...(lot of trigger warnings for this one).

The commentary around life and it's meaning, the "lottery" of where you are born, the unfairness of poverty vs wealth etc was brilliant. There were lines that completely stopped me in my tracks. I do think it is brilliantly written and I can see why it would win the Booker.

BUT - the bad - well not bad, but it was just A LOT. Especially on audio and with my lack of knowledge of anything about Sri Lanka and it's politics or history, I was very overwhelmed and there were parts where I had no clue as to what was going on. I guess that's on me more than the book though - I should educate myself and this has definitely made me want to learn more.

Thank you to @netgalley for the gifted audiobook.

DNF after about 4 minutes.

I hated the second person POV and couldn’t get past it at all.

Middle rating as this is very much a me problem

Please note I did not finish this book and my review is based on the 65% of the book that I have read.

The story was beautifully narrated by Shivantha Wijesinha. Their character voices and melodic narration gave the story an intense rhythm that kept my attention. Ma Ali Almeida and the cast are flawed, secretive and selfish people who straddle a war-torn Sri Lanka and a mysterious spiritual world. The book was captivating and brutal. As much as I wanted to know what happened in the last moons of Maali Almedia’s spirit, I could no longer continue on the journey as the constant themes of genocide, war, violence, homophobia, misogyny and corruption took it’s toll. I’m still grateful that I tried to read this book as Shehan crafted an intense and powerful story.

This was a stunning book! I listened to the audiobook and K was wondering at first if it would be harder to absorb, with the various timelines and the way the plot unrolled, but it completely blew me away. The narrator was superb at capturing such a range of diverse characters and keeping me hooked on the twists and turns. The use of the second person narrative was also something I was curious about at the start, but worked exceptionally well for me- again the audiobook narrator did a very good job with it.

The story was incredibly involving and detailed. One of the most impressive things for me was how the various parts of Sri Lankan history and the complex contemporary political aspects combined with Maali's personal life and the always engaging depths of his personality. Karunatilaka really allowed made Maali leap off the page, with his complexities and his heart, neither sugar coating nor shaming him.

And the final parts just wrecked me. For a book which was often so painful and filled with hurt and scepticism, the ending left me more hopeful and at peace than I could ever have expected.

A beautiful and stunning book with a narrator that completely did it justice.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free audio ARC*

I loved loved loved the audiobook for this! No wonder this won the Booker Prize 2022, but seriously the narrator for this made the book even more enjoyable! I went blindly into the book and do not regret one bit.