The Hungry Ghosts

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In Buddhist myth, the dead may be reborn as "hungry ghosts"—spirits with insatiable desires—if they have craved too much in life. It falls to the living to liberate these spirits through good deeds and karma. Shyam Selvadurai’s new novel introduces an unforgettable ghost: a powerful Sri Lankan matriarch whose relentless pursuit of land, wealth, and control mirrors her war-torn country's turmoil. The story revolves around Shivan Rassiah, her beloved grandson of mixed Tamil and Sinhalese heritage, who grows from a beautiful boy into a striking gay man, much to his grandmother’s dismay. As the narrative unfolds in the present day, Shivan, now in Canada, prepares to return to Colombo to rescue his elderly grandmother from her crumbling home, her pride, and bring her to Toronto for her final days. Throughout the night before his departure, Shivan confronts his own deep-seated desires and is haunted by the ghosts of his past. This beautifully crafted tale explores themes of family, wealth, and the enduring impact of history, illustrating how racial, political, and sexual divides can fracture both a nation and the human heart—repeatedly, until the ghosts are finally appeased.