It is the duty of the living relatives to free those doomed to this fate by doing kind deeds and creating good karma. The Hungry Ghosts is an unconventional exploration of the immigrant experience a tale of family ties and the long reach of the past and a heartwrenching look at how racial, political, and sexual differences can tear apart a country, a family, and a human being.In Buddhist myth, the dead may be reborn as “hungry ghosts”-spirits with stomach so large they can never be full-if they have desired too much during their lives.
In the end, Shivan must decide: will he rescue his grandmother, or join her? But on the eve of his departure-as Shivan meditates on his turbulent past, recalls his gradual discovery of his homosexuality, and wrestles with his complicated relationship with the wily old woman-he discovers just how much his own heart's desires are entwined with the volatile political, racial, and sexual mix of Sri Lanka's past and present. In Shyam Selvadurai's masterful new novel, Shivan, a troubled young man of mixed Tamil and Sinhalese ancestry, is preparing to travel from Toronto, Canada, to the land of his childhood, Sri Lanka, to rescue his ailing grandmother and bring her back to die.
It is the duty of the living to free the dead who are doomed to this fate by transferring karma from their own good deeds. In Sri Lankan myth, a person who dies may be reborn a "hungry ghost"-a ghost with a large stomach that can never be filled through its tiny mouth-if he has desired too much during his life. Here, it unforgettably explores the interplay between individual intention and the tragedy of a nation's history." - The Globe and Mail
Selvadurai's work reminds me that the contemporary novel doesn't necessarily have to resort to thrills or high jinks in order to find its usefulness. his stripped-down prose focuses on the deeply personal with precision and insight.
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