Cereus Blooms At Night

Cereus Blooms at Night (1996) is the first novel-length work of fiction written by Shani Mootoo, a Canadian author who was born in Ireland and grew up on the island nation of Trinidad. The novel was originally published in Canada and received critical acclaim there and internationally. It was a finalist for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and the Giller Prize and was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Mootoo is also a visual artist and filmmaker, which lends her writing a rich, cinematic quality. A notable example of postcolonial, Caribbean, and queer fiction, Cereus Blooms at Night addresses themes such as generational trauma and sexual identity.

This guide refers to the edition of the novel published in 1996 by Grove Press.

Plot Summary

Content Warning: The source text includes depictions of sexual abuse, incest, and family violence.

The novel takes place on the fictional island of Lantanacamara in the town of Paradise. It chronicles the intersecting stories of Tyler, a nurse at the Paradise Alms House, and Mala Ramchandin, an elderly resident at the Paradise Alms House with a mental health condition. She is suspected of killing her father, but the judge determines that due to lack of evidence and her inability to stand trial, she should be permanently placed at Paradise Alms House.