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A review by spaces_and_solaces
Love Marriage by V.V. Ganeshananthan
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.