The Seven Moons of Maali AlmeidaThe Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
What it's about
In 1990, during Sri Lanka's civil war, Maali Almeida, a war photographer, gambler and closeted gay man, wakes up dead in a chaotic afterlife that looks like a visa office. He has seven moons to work out who killed him, and to lead the people he loved to a hidden stash of photos proving the war's atrocities.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize. It's a darkly funny ghost story and murder mystery about a brutal, little-known war.
You'll love it if you liked
Lincoln in the Bardo
A Brief History of Seven Killings
The God of Small ThingsGood to know
It's narrated in the second person ('you'), and there's war violence and torture.
By the numbers
- Readers18 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller22 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #249 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #294 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1696 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Epic
If you like this, read next
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Babel
The Island of Missing Trees
North Woods
Circe
The Underground RailroadExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize. It ranks #1,696 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida about?
In 1990, during Sri Lanka's civil war, Maali Almeida, a war photographer, gambler and closeted gay man, wakes up dead in a chaotic afterlife that looks like a visa office. He has seven moons to work out who killed him, and to lead the people he loved to a hidden stash of photos proving the war's atrocities.
How long does it take to read The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida?
About 10 hours (406 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida won?
Booker Prize winner (2022).
What should I read after The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida?
If you liked it, try Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James or The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.