Comments on "Anil's Curse" - Faerye Net

Re: What's in a name?

2006-03-19T21:02:45+00:00

Well, sirrah, I finished Anil’s Ghost this morning, and found it thoroughly beautiful and effective all the way through.

As I mentioned, I have a weakness for novels set in South Asia; and there are, I guess, other things that would prejudice me in the book’s favor. However, I really loved his technique, in general, as well.

Re: What's in a name?

2006-03-19T14:51:42+00:00

I do suggest a leisurely reread of TEP, but it’s not quite as good as either In the Skin of a Lion or Coming through Slaughter. Theformer is quite similar to it; I just find early 20th century Canada more romantic than 40’s Italy. The latter is not as enjoyable as either, but a more interesting form. It’s the historical fiction of Jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden, and is told on the prose side of a poetry/prose montage.

His poetry’s not bad either.

Re: What's in a name?

2006-03-18T11:21:09+00:00

Heh…I actually love Anil’s Ghost, and the only other thing I’d read of his, The English Patient, I liked but didn’t love. I decided on the first tape of Anil’s Ghost that I needed to go back and reread English Patient in a more leisurely way. I figured, if I like THIS book so much, then I must have missed something in the other! I may just have a weakness for fiction set in South Asia. Or he may ruin it in the last sixth! :P

There was a boy in my elementary and middle schools named Anil, but he pronounced it uh-NEEL (or allowed us to do so) and Alan Cummings is pronouncing it A-nil. Since he seems to have a masterful grasp on the place names and such, I am confused.

Re: What's in a name?

2006-03-18T07:10:10+00:00

But even if she asked for the curse, does the reader neccessarily have to suffer? I adore everything else Ondaatje’s written [okay, I haven’t made it through Billy the Kid yet—it’s hard!], but Anil’s Ghost just didn’t do it for me. I just didn’t feel the magic I got from English Patient, Skin of a Lion, Coming Through Slaughter, & his poetry.

And for the record, I think Anil is a beautiful name.

Re: What's in a name?

2006-03-17T22:54:24+00:00

Actually, your comment is rather droll if one has read the book, as the character was NOT named Anil, which is a boy’s name in Sri Lanka. It was her older brother’s middle name, and she bought it off of him for a pencil case, some largish number of rupees, and other things I cannot remember.

So if it is a curse, she asked for it.

What's in a name?

2006-03-17T22:51:32+00:00

If you ask me, Anil’s curse was being named Anil.