 | |
| Author | V.V. Ganeshananthan |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
Publication date | 3 January 2023 |
| Pages | 348 |
| ISBN | 0241611040 (paperback edition) |
Brotherless Night is a 2023 coming-of-age novel by V.V. Ganeshananthan set during the Sri Lankan civil war. It centers around 16-year-old Sashi, who dreams of becoming a doctor while her brothers and first love join the Tamil Tigers. It won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2024[1][2][3][4] and the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction in 2024.[5][6]
Plot
[edit]16-year-old Sashikala Kulenthiren lives in Jaffna with her parents and her four brothers: Niranjan, Dayalan, Seelan, and Aran. She dreams of becoming a doctor like her grandfather and is developing romantic feelings for her childhood friend K, a medical student whose prompt first aid saves her from serious injury when she is accidentally scalded. While studying for her A-levels at her grandmother's house in Colombo she witnesses anti-Tamil riots which kill her oldest brother, Niranjan. This prompts K and two of her remaining brothers to join the Tamil Tigers. As Sashi studies medicine during the Sri Lankan civil war, she confronts difficult questions about loyalty, duty and what it means to be a good person.
Characters
[edit]- Sashikala Kulenthiren
- K, first love and friend of Sashi
- Niranjan, Sashi's oldest brother
- Dayalan, Sashi's brother
- Seelan, Sashi's brother
- Aran, Sashi's brother and the youngest child of the family
- Amma, Sashi's mother
- Appa, Sashi's father
- Anjali Premachandran, Sashi's anatomy professor
- Chelvi, Sashi's friend
- Hasna, Sashi's friend
- Bhavni, Sashi's friend
- Josie, Sashi's friend whose boyfriend is a Tamil Tiger
Reception
[edit]Writing in The New York Times Book Review, Omar El Akkad praised Ganeshananthan's prose throughout, noting that she is a writer with "remarkable restraint", while at other times, she "can loosen her restraint to pull off gorgeous sentences" as well as called the use of second person narration "one of the most interesting stylistic elements in the novel."[7] Publishers Weekly reviewed the novel positively, saying, "Ganeshananthan credibly captures the horrors and pain of the conflict felt by those caught between loyalties. It all makes for a convincing and illuminating war novel."[8] The Guardian reviewed Brotherless Night positively calling it "a spectacular work of historical fiction: thoroughly researched, brimming with outrage and compassion, and full of indelible imagery."[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "VV Ganeshanathan's novel about the Sri Lankan civil war wins the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction". Scroll.in. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ Patrick, Bethanne (2024-12-28). "This prize-winning novel spotlights civilian women during war". Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ Sharma, Saurabh (27 July 2024). "'Brotherless Night' book review: Notes from a mourner's life". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ "'Brotherless Night,' an ambitious novel about Sri Lankan civil war, wins $150K prize". NPR.
- ^ Schaub, Michael (May 14, 2024). "Winner of the 2024 Carol Shields Prize Is Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "American writer V. V. Ganeshananthan wins $205K Carol Shields Prize for Fiction". CBC Books. May 13, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ El Akkad, Omar (January 1, 2023). "'Terrorist' - to Whom?". The New York Times Book Review. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
- ^ "Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
- ^ Dawoor, Yagnishsing (May 3, 2024). "Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshananthan review – heartbreak in war-torn Sri Lanka". The Guardian. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
 | This article about a 2000s novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |