Cereus Blooms at Night
2 journalers for this copy...
I purchased this book at the Children's Hospital Book Market. It is on the CBC 100 Novels that Make you Proud to be Canadian list.
This is an unusual but absolutely brilliant book. A few years ago when CBC published a list of 100 Novels that Make us Proud to Be Canadian I had read about 68 of them. I have added a few more and this one is the latest. Otherwise I probably never would have discovered this book. It came out in 1996 which was just when I was back in school and also working so I had very little time for reading.
Tyler is a nurse on the fictional island of Lantanacamara which is probably somewhere in the Caribbean. (The author is from Trinidad originally so she was probably using her background to create Lantanacamara.) He is hired at the Paradise Alms House but instead of using his nursing skills he is mainly doing janitorial work. Then Mala Ramachandin arrives at the home under police escort. She is all but comatose but Tyler starts taking care of her and slowly she comes back to life. Two gentlemen bring a slip of a Cereus plant for her and Tyler looks after it and gets the gardener to plant it. Some time later the two men return to visit Mala and Tyler starts to find out more about Mala's life. One of the men is Mala's age. Ambrose (Boyie) was at school with Mala. He made monthly deliveries of food to Mala until he was no longer able to do so. Then his son, Otoh, takes up the task. Ambrose and Otoh visit Mala at the Alms House often and soon Otoh is visiting on his own but he is there to see Tyler.
Sexual roles are fluid in this book; Otoh was actually born a female but he transformed his body to appear male and has passed as male for many years. Tyler is male but likes to wear women's clothing and makeup. Otoh and Tyler are fascinated by each other. However, Tyler is telling Mala's story so he resists adding details about his own life. He hopes that by making Mala's story public he can help find her sister, Asha, who disappeared many years ago. Mala asks continually where she is. This reader hopes that Asha and Mala were finally reunited but that is beyond the purview of this book.
As I said, this was a brilliant book. Highly recommended.
Tyler is a nurse on the fictional island of Lantanacamara which is probably somewhere in the Caribbean. (The author is from Trinidad originally so she was probably using her background to create Lantanacamara.) He is hired at the Paradise Alms House but instead of using his nursing skills he is mainly doing janitorial work. Then Mala Ramachandin arrives at the home under police escort. She is all but comatose but Tyler starts taking care of her and slowly she comes back to life. Two gentlemen bring a slip of a Cereus plant for her and Tyler looks after it and gets the gardener to plant it. Some time later the two men return to visit Mala and Tyler starts to find out more about Mala's life. One of the men is Mala's age. Ambrose (Boyie) was at school with Mala. He made monthly deliveries of food to Mala until he was no longer able to do so. Then his son, Otoh, takes up the task. Ambrose and Otoh visit Mala at the Alms House often and soon Otoh is visiting on his own but he is there to see Tyler.
Sexual roles are fluid in this book; Otoh was actually born a female but he transformed his body to appear male and has passed as male for many years. Tyler is male but likes to wear women's clothing and makeup. Otoh and Tyler are fascinated by each other. However, Tyler is telling Mala's story so he resists adding details about his own life. He hopes that by making Mala's story public he can help find her sister, Asha, who disappeared many years ago. Mala asks continually where she is. This reader hopes that Asha and Mala were finally reunited but that is beyond the purview of this book.
As I said, this was a brilliant book. Highly recommended.
I popped this book in the mail to go to a BookCrossing friend that I think will enjoy it.
This release is for the 2020 Canada Days Release Challenge.
When you find a BookCrossing book it is yours to do with what you like. You can read it and keep it or pass it on or if you don't think it is your kind of book pass it on to someone who might like it or release it in a spot for someone else to find like you just did. Whatever you choose it would be great if you could write a short note letting us know what new adventures the book is on.
This release is for the 2020 Canada Days Release Challenge.
When you find a BookCrossing book it is yours to do with what you like. You can read it and keep it or pass it on or if you don't think it is your kind of book pass it on to someone who might like it or release it in a spot for someone else to find like you just did. Whatever you choose it would be great if you could write a short note letting us know what new adventures the book is on.
An enormously kind gift from one of the best book reviewers I've ever met. Many, many thanks!
