Shehan Karunatilaka's The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida (2022), a Booker Prize winner, is set amid Sri Lanka's 1989 civil war. The novel combines supernatural and mystery elements while exploring themes of violence, genocide, and corruption.
It follows Maali Almeida, a professional photographer who finds himself in the afterlife after his death. With no memory of how he died, Maali embarks on a journey to uncover his murderer and expose the truth of the civil war using hidden photographs he had planned to publish. Maali, unfamiliar with the rules of the afterlife, encounters Dr. Ranee's soul, who informs him that he has seven days to choose reincarnation.
Meanwhile, Sena, a young man, suggests that if Maali wants to avenge his murder, he must become a vengeful ghost. As the days pass, Maali gradually regains his memories and recalls that, apart from finding his murderer, he must deliver his hidden photographs to his lover, DD.
These photographs expose the brutal actions of political parties during Sri Lanka's civil war. In life, Maali had sought to draw global attention to the war and the innocent lives devastated by the greed and corruption of political leaders.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida weaves a compelling story with profound cultural reflection. This novel offers a unique perspective on Sri Lanka's history while exploring universal struggles for justice, truth, and the search for meaning.
