A review by fictionandfauna
Amma by Saraid de Silva

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Amma is a profoundly moving, complex, layered story about three generations of South Asian women and the thread of shared trauma and family history that binds them. 
 
From 10 year old Josephina living in old Singapore in the 1950s who is the victim of an act so horrific it is difficult to read, to young Sithara in 1984, newly arrived in Invercargill in New Zealand, reeling from the shock loss of her father and the realities of being the only brown face in every room, to Annie in 2018 who appears on her estranged uncle Suri’s doorstep in London unannounced, seeking refuge and answers about their family. 
 
I read Amma furiously, glued to every page and completely engrossed by Saraid's stunning, lyrical prose. It is not easy to tell a story with three different narrative points of view, but de Silva not only achieved this in spades but added such depth and poignancy to each character. Annie, Sithara and Josephina were incredibly well developed and their individual story lines and conflicts were masterfully woven together to deliver a challenging and gut-wrenching novel that deeply resonates with the reader. 
 
Amma devastated me, and as I lay in bed reading by the light of my phone torch so as not to wake my partner, I shook with muffled sobs and clutched my dog close to my chest as I felt the love for my family so immensely. 
 
What a stunning debut from Saraid de Silva, who has the elegance and sophistication of an author far beyond her years. Thank you for writing such an absolutely phenomenal novel. 
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