Set in the author's native Sri Lanka in the years before its independence in 1948, the story centres around a murder. Sam Obeysekere, a Ceylonese barrister whose 'veins run with Bovril' hopes to make his name by having an Englishman convicted rather than the victim's black servants. In prose that I found exquisite, the author explores the effects of colonialism, racial inequality and ethnic tension and proves how narrative influences our perception of truth. Highly recommended.
(Denise Lewis - bwl 84 Spring 2017 ) |
