ANIL'S GHOST

Michael Ondaatje's writing is stunningly lyrical, at once dreamy and detailed, shifting perspective and drifting between past and present. This same quality makes ANIL'S GHOST a difficult listen, if only because it demands rapt concentration. At the center of the story is a forensic mystery about a skeleton, found in the wrong place and seemingly out of time; the spokes that radiate from this hub touch upon Sri Lankan politics, manifestations of love, consequences of loss and connections to home. Alan Cumming's gently lilting narration, at times delicate with wonderment, at times taut with frustration or fear, guides the spiraling events toward their claustrophobic conclusion. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]