Hungry Ghosts: A BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club Pick

Product Information

At the top of the hill is the comfortable, but isolated manor house of the farm owner and his beautiful, young and lonely wife. Krishna’s father, Hans, works just up on the hill on the grand estate of Dalton Changoor and his younger wife, Marlee. Their opulent manor is filled with goose-feather cushions and velveteen rugs, and from their box radio drift the sounds of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. One stormy night, Dalton vanishes. Marlee, understandably fearful for her safety, asks kindhearted, fit Hans—with whom she is infatuated—to be her night watchman. It’s an epic setup for a collision of poverty and wealth. David wrote: "David wrote: "Cindy, is it because the books you hoped to see (Demon, New Life) were left off? Or are you getting unenthusiastic vibes f David wrote: "David wrote: "Cindy, is it because the books you hoped to see (Demon, New Life) were left off? Or are you getting unenthusiastic vibes from what's here?" Four boys ventured to the river to perform a blood oath. Two brothers and two cousins. The brothers were twins, both fifteen; the cousins, fourteen and thirteen. They passed around a boning knife, making clean cuts across their palms. The blood bubbled to the surface like their veins were boiling. They let the blood drip into a stolen bottle of cow's milk. They drank, passing the bottle around until all was gone. Then they hugged each other, a minute at a time, holding on tight as if the world were ending. When it was over, the rains came down so hard that the four boys thought the clouds would fall as well. The force of the water stung the wounds and washed them clean. Tarak stood at the other end of the yard, two flour bags in hand. His feet also wrapped in flour bags, tied with twine above the ankles.

It was Lata. Her trousers catching the morning breeze. A white shawl over her hair. A colander of unshelled peas in her grip. She laid a large jute bag over a wooden crate and sat on it. Hungry Ghosts is a mesmerising novel about violence, religion, family and class, rooted in the wild and pastoral landscape of 1940s colonial central Trinidad. Lyrically narrated and inspired by storytelling traditions, Hungry Ghost is astonishing -- my first SIX-STAR book of 2023. It’s hard to summon words to convey how resonant and remarkable this book is. Krishna stood watching her, lost in thought until Tarak hit his shoulder. ‘Stop daydreamin. Let’s go.’Forum for spirited and convivial discussion of fiction from around the world, with particular though not exclusive focus on 20th and 21st century fict Forum for spirited and convivial discussion of fiction from around the world, with particular though not exclusive focus on 20th and 21st century fiction recognized in US, UK, international, and other nation-specific prizes. He is also the author of three works of fiction for young adults: Littletown Secrets, The Beast of Kukuyo and The Repenters. Littletown Secrets, his first book to be published, which he both wrote and illustrated in 2013, was awarded the title of Best Children's Book of 2013, by the Trinidad Guardian. [6] It was followed by The Repenters (2016), which was shortlisted for the Bocas Prize and longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and the OCM Bocas Prize. [1] [9] His 2018 book, The Beast of Kukuyo, won second place for the Burt Award for Caribbean literature. [1] Some days ago, when the rain come down hard like this, seem they leave one of them tie up near the ravine. The dog slip down, the leash still on him. He tread water till he realise the rain wasn’t stoppin. And I suppose he give up at a point.’

Hosein’s fictional universe is wonderfully sensorial. The narrative is unhurried but infused with a current of tension. His characters are patiently constructed with individuated emotional ranges. The face, body, voice—each character will use them in their own way to show their eccentricity, fear, superstitions, anger, joy, dignity, hopelessness. The mix of characters is artful from the eccentric and paranoid estate owner to the group of young boys who stumble through adolescence and steal your heart along the way. Tarak burst into laughter, nearly dropping the bag into the water. ‘You shoulda see your face! It gone red like a tomato!’ I was not surprised to find that the author is a poet. Yes, often the precision and load of language poetry demands will bring wonderful freshness of image and avoidance of cliché to a novel, when poets also are novelists. And for sure, Jared Hosein does this. But far too often. The man thought about it for a few seconds. ‘OK. Go ahead.’ Then pointed to Krishna. ‘But this one says another word, I’m phoning the police.’ It was a time that was like the American wild west, it seemed like nobody was in charge. British colonial rule was loosening and there was a transfer of power, which came with its own problems, like cronyism. The American navy was also here, so you had these two superpowers on the island. It was almost as though Trinidad was starting to be reborn. Before the Bocas festival, the literary scene in Trinidad was a wasteland

Need Help?

Opinion | The Collins word of the year shortlist shows we're more self-obsessed than ever 01 November, 2023 Caster Semenya’s The Race to Be Myself made me gasp 31 October, 2023 Fantasy books used to bore me - my kids changed my mind 30 October, 2023 This is not an easy read, however it is a rewarding one and will stay with its readers. The Creole combined with some of the most beautiful English words is a symphony of language. Due to literature not being offered as a subject option at his secondary school, Hosein obtained a degree in biology and environmental studies at the University of the West Indies. [3] Works, awards, and honours [ edit ] A deeper layer means that there are lessons to be learned, especially if these are folktales. I'll say that they are 2, to be exact.

A gritty yet poetic novel. There is something devastatingly imaginative about this narrative. Hungry Ghosts deserves all the attention it receives. I can't wait for it to be out in the world. My pa play cards with a man who work up there sometimes – Mr Baig. My pa was laughing when he was tellin it but it make my blood boil. That Mr Changoor probably just say is a dumb dog. Nothin worth going out in the rain for. Them people aint care bout nothin. Dogs smart, you know, but is only dumb animals to them. Just like we. So, I aint tyin up the dog, you hear?’ So the novel opens with this divine call. This novel wasn’t an easy write and it’s not going to be an easy read—you may be tempted to leave many times. Because the world of Hungry Ghosts is hell. Awashed in bodies and blood. And you are about to walk side by side with its inhabitants: Krishna, Hansraj, Shweta, Marlee, Rustam, Rudra, Tarak, Niala, White Lady, and the others. I can't say I enjoyed the book because it gives a view of the lives of people who are simply too downtrodden by their circumstances to drag themselves out of the mire. There are so many strikes against them from birth that unless a miracle occurs they will remain in poverty. a b Anderson, Porter (25 July 2018). "Cyprus: Kevin Jared Hosein Named Global Winner of Commonwealth Short Story Prize". Publishing Perspectives . Retrieved 3 February 2021.From an unforgettable new voice in Caribbean literature, a sweeping story of two families colliding in 1940s Trinidad--and a chilling mystery that shows how interconnected their lives truly are