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This book - I how no words. This was amazing

It‘s the 80s and the Sri Lankan civil war. The Tamil Tigers is fighting for more freedom and independence. The men goes off to fight, but we follow a young girl, Sashi, who remains with her mother and younger brother, trying to live her life. This is war from a woman‘s point of view; how to get food, the insecurities as the military/ Tigers patrol the streets and bombs and the threats of rape.

From its gong of a first line all the way through to the end, this book grabbed me by the lapels and didn‘t let go. The MC looks back at her experiences across years during the Sri Lankan civil war as first the government and then the local militia terrorized civilians. This book will be on my best of the year list. A must read.

This is a quote from a Tamil character during the Sri Lankan civil war. But it sadly applies so broadly to people in many places.

Wow, that‘s a heckuva first line!

#BookReport 15/24

I read two #womenprize books this week. The Maiden was enjoyable, the tagged book really good yet both can‘t compete to In Defence of the Act to me - my favorite so far. I then binge-read the Marrs chunkster, an engaging thriller, not his best though.

I went in to this novel with zero knowledge of the Sri Lankan civil war and I came away having an idea of the human impact. It was a difficult one to spend time with, as there‘s much suffering. A particularly horrid scene involving a pregnant woman will stay with me. A difficult read.

I recently sent a letter to a terrorist I used to know.

(What a first line)
#FirsrLineFridays

What a beatiful book. I loved the narrator‘s journey between the different points of view on the war between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government and the people caught in between. She shows there is so much grey between black and white and I learned a lot. Besides that VV Ganeshananthan creates wonderful human characters, who she no doubt met and knew in real life. A great read. #Womenprize

Last book completed during the month of March. I couldn‘t finish another book. Second book read from the Women‘s Prize Fiction long list.
A family saga during Sri Lanka war. So hard and sad. I searched for some information about this time and it was terrible, so many people died, so long this war lasted😢 💔
Beautifully written but hard to read. 4.5/5⭐️

This is one heartbreaking read, but so well done. I found the intimate voice of the novel very moving and came away with a greater understanding of Sri Lanka‘s civil war. #WomensPrize