Man Booker short listed books
The year of the runaways by Sunjeev Sahota
India – a country where life is precarious, especially if you are poor or belong to a different caste. England – the land of plenty where dreams can come true?
This book follows the lives of four young people, three of who come to England as migrant labour and life is little better than what they have left behind. Desperate for work (illegal) they then are part of the low paid underground workforce, supporting family at home, paying debts, working impossible hours and living in slum conditions. England does not prove the answer to their plight. The fourth, Narinder, is English but as a woman is constrained by her culture but is involved in the men’s story.
So much of life for these characters is determined by birth, race and family and yet they do have the limited ability to make choices. The Year of the Runaways explores these choices in Narinder’s, Tarlochan’s, Avtar’s and Randeep’s stories with compassion.
This book is shortlisted for the Man Booker and it would get my vote.
A brief history of Seven Killings by Marlon James.
Brief – At close to 700 pages, I don’t think so!
History – yes it covers a certain period in Jamaican history from the peace concert and attempted assassination of Bob Marley, the political factions in the coming election and CIA involvement.
Seven Killings – No there are way, way more than seven!
I stopped reading this book at page 245 as I found it too dark, too violent with its concentration on the seamy side of life and in particular the rival gangs in Kingston who have no regard for human life. There was a large cast of characters (75) and there was none with which I could empathise. It required concentration to read as much of it is in Jamaican patois although this did have a certain lyrical beauty.
Maybe it is a man’s book.
As it is shortlisted for the Man Booker I will read it in total if it wins!
