kycerae's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
stories_by_sharanja's review
3.0
I thought the book was great. It's one of the only books out there that tells the reader what it's like to be a second generation Tamil, born in a foreign country, and yet still having to face the struggles of their parents' birthplace. The story is comprised of various "short stories" concerning a variety of characters, so I think there's something in it for everyone. Honestly, it's just a good book!
msjoanna's review
3.0
A solid first novel told in short stories that make it an ideal choice for reading on short subway rides and other interrupted travels. I know nothing about Sri Lanka or its history, and was captivated by the story of the family told in this book. The book occasionally used Capital Letters to define terms (e.g., Love Marriage...Heart), which I found more irritating than effective. Definitely an enjoyable read.
chajara's review
4.0
I loved the multi-generational story of this Sri Lankan family and how war and immigration truly weave the narrative of a family. The author writes in easy, poetic prose. It does get a bit confusing about who is who, but there is a handy little family tree in the front of the book that I referred to quite often.
nith's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ifthebook's review
4.0
A lovely, quiet look at growing up the child of immigrants and all that entails. I really enjoyed this one.
Find my full review here.
Find my full review here.
camillejoy's review
3.0
I would not have finished this book if I hadn't been reading it for a review. Here is the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Review I wrote:
This book explores the story of a family across time, geography, and culture. It is told from the perspective of the daughter of Sri Lankan immigrants, Yalini, who struggles with what it means to exist in two cultural worlds.
The book is full of historical information about the Tamil Tigers and the political history of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately this historical information is not balanced with enough narrative to make it truly compelling.
Because the stories of many different members of the family are told throughout the novel, it is hard to get attached to any character. Yalini's voice is drowned out as she relates historical events and tells the stories of relatives she's never even met.
For a work dealing with Sri Lankan history and culture, I much prefer "Anil's Ghost" by Michael Ondaatje.
This book explores the story of a family across time, geography, and culture. It is told from the perspective of the daughter of Sri Lankan immigrants, Yalini, who struggles with what it means to exist in two cultural worlds.
The book is full of historical information about the Tamil Tigers and the political history of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately this historical information is not balanced with enough narrative to make it truly compelling.
Because the stories of many different members of the family are told throughout the novel, it is hard to get attached to any character. Yalini's voice is drowned out as she relates historical events and tells the stories of relatives she's never even met.
For a work dealing with Sri Lankan history and culture, I much prefer "Anil's Ghost" by Michael Ondaatje.
carlyque's review
2.0
I wanted to like it--somehow there would be very evocative passages, but it was impossible to keep the characters straight. I don't need a plot driven book, but hard to follow book's coherence.
hazelpine's review
3.0
The story was so good and informative. But I didn't find it totally cohesive. The narrator only exposes herself to us at the very end, and it is somewhat unsettling, and I don't feel if all of the stories fit together. However the content is wonderful.
meenakshisankar's review
4.0
This debut novel by the author is set in Srilanka, and follows the life of Yalini, who left the island nation in 1983, on the day of the violent racial outburst against the Tamils, living with her parents in the USA. She tries to strike a delicate balance between the traditions of her ancestors and the attractions of the modern world she has adopted. She, a practicing physician in the US, is summoned to Toronto to care for her uncle who has left the Tamil Tigers organization and is counting his final days due to cancer. Her friendship with her uncle’s daughter, and her ruminations about her extended family’s struggles due to their displacement across the globe and the violence in their lives is powerfully illuminated. She explores the spectrum of love marriages and arranged marriages across the four generations of family members. Very poignantly and beautifully written.