Anil’s Ghost, in short, is an enthralling read. It is a novel that should be read – not least because it deals with the weighty issue of war in a way that is realistic, sensitive and enlightening, but also because it so skilfully blends in other raw aspects of the human condition: love, passion, sex and death are all covered here. Ondaatje's writing style is very poetic, graceful and flowing. The only negative is that I felt, at times, that his dense style obscured parts of the plot. It left me inspired to research a little further into the contemporary history of Sri Lanka, plus desperate to read more of Ondaatje's work.