2008-06-10 I feel like I've lived the Sri Lankan struggle

A.Sivanandan is a brilliant writer, who gives the reader an unbiased view of the Tamil vs. Sinhalese struggle. Once you have read this book you begin to see the world, and the history of its people, in a completely different light. All we hear of Sri Lanka's problems is how the Tamils are terrorists. But now I realise that really they are just freedom fighters, who began fighting as a last attempt to save their past and ensure a future. The tragedy is that it's already happened; they have forgotten what they were fighting for.

It is the longest book I have ever read, split into three generations which are cleverly woven together. I found the first generation a little slow in parts but this is needed as background to the next two generations, at which the intensity grew I became completely engrossed. The book can be read at different levels, because every event he writes about has some underlying meaning. I have never been interested in politics but this book really makes you think and broadens your understanding. This book is full of love, compassion, hope, fear, reason, haste, and real characters. It is beautifully written, capturing every moment, yet never growing any moment out of proportion. You really find yourself becoming involved with the characters and find parts of yourself in their personalities. I still have no idea how I would cope with what they have gone through, I have been filled with admiration for them. The scariest part is that the struggle goes on.