49 pages • 1 hour read
Michael OndaatjeAnil's Ghost
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2000A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Anil’s Ghost, Michael Ondaatje explores the trauma of the Sri Lankan civil war of the 1980s and 1990s. Anil Tissera, a forensic pathologist working with human rights organizations, returns to Sri Lanka after 15 years. Tasked with investigating government-sponsored violence, Anil and her team discover a recently murdered body at a sixth-century burial site. They reconstruct the victim's face to identify him, which provokes government anger. Sensitive topics in the book include trauma and death by suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost receives praise for its poetic prose, evocative imagery, and deep historical insights into Sri Lanka's civil conflict. Reviewers commend the nuanced characters and intricate narrative; however, some find its pace slow and the structure disjointed. Despite this, its emotional depth and vivid storytelling stand out.
Who Should Read Anil's Ghost?
Readers who appreciate Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje are typically drawn to richly layered narratives exploring identity, truth, and history. Fans of The English Patient by Ondaatje or Atonement by Ian McEwan will enjoy the profound human experiences and ethical dilemmas presented in a war-torn Sri Lanka.