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spaces_and_solaces's review
3.0
An unpopular review -
Through a series of interconnected narratives, this book delves into the ramifications of the Sri Lankan Civil War (Black July) across generations within a single family. The focal point of this exploration is Yalini, an American-born individual of Sri Lankan heritage, whose birth coincided with the simmering ethnic tensions between the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese and the largely Hindu Tamil minority that ultimately escalated into a 30-year-long conflict.
Yalini serves as the chronicler, delving into the lives of her parents, grandparents, and their siblings, against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan landscape. At times, the narrative felt contrived, as if the author was determined to encompass every possible form of grief within each family member. The family endures a staggering array of hardships, ranging from emotional and physical abuse to identity theft and accusations of terrorism. Truly, there is no trauma imaginable that this family has not experienced. Yet, this aspect of the story did not resonate with me, though it could just be my skepticism talking.
It seems as though the book aspired to lofty heights of elitist literary fiction but fell short in some regard.
The prose, while effectively pieced together by the thread of shared trauma, felt fragmented. Fragmented by what, however, I couldn't say. Something intangible, very easily noticeable.
What I did like about this story is that neither person or side is demonized due to the choices they make in life, there is no snap judgment offered & none implied. Perhaps the story's true power, the reason it resonated a little bit with me, lies in the author's ability to imbue every character with a semblance of humanity.. Maybe I will re-read this in the coming years, as though I didn't particularly love this book, it’s made a lingering impression on me.
Through a series of interconnected narratives, this book delves into the ramifications of the Sri Lankan Civil War (Black July) across generations within a single family. The focal point of this exploration is Yalini, an American-born individual of Sri Lankan heritage, whose birth coincided with the simmering ethnic tensions between the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese and the largely Hindu Tamil minority that ultimately escalated into a 30-year-long conflict.
Yalini serves as the chronicler, delving into the lives of her parents, grandparents, and their siblings, against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan landscape. At times, the narrative felt contrived, as if the author was determined to encompass every possible form of grief within each family member. The family endures a staggering array of hardships, ranging from emotional and physical abuse to identity theft and accusations of terrorism. Truly, there is no trauma imaginable that this family has not experienced. Yet, this aspect of the story did not resonate with me, though it could just be my skepticism talking.
It seems as though the book aspired to lofty heights of elitist literary fiction but fell short in some regard.
The prose, while effectively pieced together by the thread of shared trauma, felt fragmented. Fragmented by what, however, I couldn't say. Something intangible, very easily noticeable.
What I did like about this story is that neither person or side is demonized due to the choices they make in life, there is no snap judgment offered & none implied. Perhaps the story's true power, the reason it resonated a little bit with me, lies in the author's ability to imbue every character with a semblance of humanity.. Maybe I will re-read this in the coming years, as though I didn't particularly love this book, it’s made a lingering impression on me.
chicagobooknerd's review
3.0
A great way to learn about Sri Lanka, how national politics shape familes, and the struggles of being an immigrant. However, The writing was a bit cheesy at times and I found some of the narrator’s comments a bit far fetched /overly dramatic. The last fifty pages in particular unbearable to read due to the cheesiness. The book is more a 3.75 for this reason.
arisbookcorner's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lxmn_s's review against another edition
prose reminds me of arundhati roy, whose writing i adore.
anju_'s review
5.0
I can't believe this book existed for over a decade and I didn't know about it until now. "Love Marriage" is a beautiful blend of prose and politics featuring an extended family connected through marriage. I love the notion of stories being non-linear without a definitive beginning, middle and end. The book reads like a series of short stories and vignettes that delve into the topics of family, home, displacement, discrimination, identity and the debate of violence vs. non-violence amongst other things.
mclark224's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
suki07's review
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Violence
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