The most recent English novel by Benyamin (Benny Daniel), Yellow Lights of Death is an excursion into crime territory. The novelist originally wrote this in his native tongue, Malayalam, but given that he has acquired considerable readership after the success of Goat Days, it is fitting that an English translation of his novels be available to those who cannot understand Malayalam but still wish to appreciate Benyamin’s work. In spite of the fact that the inept translation has caused the writing to come across as choppy and clumsy, the plot engages the reader’s attention almost from the very beginning. However, readers will initially be somewhat confused as to whether the first person being...
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