Absolutely fantastic
Nothing I say about this book will do justice to how good and enjoyable it is. I loved it

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done a fantastic job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. The language is clear, concise, and evocative, with descriptions that bring the setting and characters to life. Dialogue is natural and authentic, and the pacing is well-balanced, with enough tension and release to keep the reader engaged.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

TW: rape, incest, violence

This book is.. a lot. Both good and bad. The bad is easily summed up by the trigger warning. The good, is a multigenerational story of love, hate and finding yourself in the Caribbean. Mala is brought to a facility that cares for the elderly, the nurses refuse to care for her due to allegations she couldn’t truly be tried for due to her mental capacity at the time. The only nurse who will see her is Tyler, the only male nurse who is struggling with his own identity and soon befriends Mala as she sees him as no one else does. We flash back to the past, to see Malas story, how she got her and why, through a traumatic and heartbreaking retelling we come to the time just before Malas admission to the facility. Her childhood best friend, ashamed of his actions, sends his son to deliver food parcels to Malas house which has become the house children fear and vandalise, spurred on by their parents tales. The son makes it his mission to not only see Mala but talk to her, dance even, Mala mistakes him for his father and this leads to a uterrible secret being revealed, soon the police arrive and Malas tragic life is over as she knows it.

Shani Mootoo writes a powerful, harrowing, brutal and lush Caribbean novel, where little or anyone is straightforward or easily labelled, laden with metaphors and the darkest of themes, set in the fictional island of Lantanacamara (Trinidad). There is beautiful descriptive language, an absolute sensory delight, with its forays into the abundance of vibrant flora and fauna, amidst the decay and death, catching my attention every time. It opens with the elderly Mala Ramchandin, shrouded in a aura of mystery, entering the Paradise Alms House as a patient, suspected of murder, although there is the small matter of the absence of a body. The story is narrated by the gay nurse and butterfly, Tyler, going back and forth in time, his status as a outsider managing to penetrate the muteness of Mala to communicate.

Tyler goes on to reveal the personal history, family, abuse and trauma that have shaped Mala's life as she opens up to him, responding to his loving care, a woman closely intertwined with the natural world. It is hard to stomach the difficulties that she has had to endure, the repercussions of her mother leaving her father, Chandin, for the Shivering Northern Wetlands (the UK!) with her lover. This is a hard hitting and thought provoking read, of identity, gender, complexities and ambiguities lie at the heart of the storytelling with its wide cast of characters, nothing is only one thing, the tragedies, the violence, and the horrors, with small glimpses of shards of hope and light.

Perhaps not a read for everyone, but I found it to be a rewarding read in the end. Many thanks to the publisher for the book.

An incredibly clever and moving book, well written and full of imagery.
Explores so many important themes, trauma, justice, gender and sexuality with great sensitivity.
I found it quite a hard read emotionally and rather bleak at times, but very worthwhile.

Cereus Blooms at Night is one of the most powerful and thought provoking books I've read this year. I wish I had finished it before the BTT question last week about obscenity in literature because it makes a good argument for when explicit scenes are needed in a book to tell a story.

Shani Mootoo wastes no words in Cereus Blooms at Night. Everything has a meaning and often more than one. The cereus of the title both refer to the cactus that grows in Mala's yard and to Mala's brief moment of true happiness before her life utterly falls apart.

The island of Lantacamara is named for a flower that now thrives throughout the world and is a popular garden flower for its hardy nature and appeal to butterflies (mariposa being Spanish slang for gays). As Otoh's mother explains: "every village in this place have a handful of people life you. And it is not easy to tell who is who." (page 238)

In the middle of all of this is Miss Ramchandin, a frail old woman accused of murder and dumped in the care of a charity nursing home. It is through the friendship of Tyler, one of Lantacamara's many butterflies, that Miss Ramchandin can finally tell her story.

Go read Cereus Blooms at Night and listen to Miss Ramchandin's story as it unfolds. Be prepared for strong themes and a harsh frankness but it is worth the discomfort.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher