Brotherless Night

Winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024

"A masterpiece of historical fiction" — Monica Ali, chair of judges for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Sashi wants to become a doctor. But over the next decade, as a vicious civil war tears through her hometown of Jaffna, her dream takes her on a different path as she sees those around her, including her four beloved brothers and their friend, get swept up in violent political ideologies and their consequences. Desperate to act, she must ask herself: is it possible for anyone to move through life without doing harm?

"An unforgettable account of a country and a family coming undone. Brotherless Night is a spectacular work of historical fiction" — Guardian

"A heartbreaking exploration of a family fractured by civil war" — Brit Bennett, bestselling author of The Vanishing Half

"Blazingly brilliant" — Celeste Ng, bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere

"Stunningly great" — Curtis Sittenfeld, bestselling author of Romantic Comedy, via Twitter

"Ganeshananthan is a superb writer... I wept at many points in this novel and I also wept when it was over" — Sunday Times

Winner of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction