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On Sal Mal Lane
A tender, evocative novel, in the tradition of In the Time of the Butterflies and The Kite Runner, about the years leading up to the Sri Lankan civil war.
On the day the Herath family moves in, Sal Mal Lane is still a quiet street, disturbed only by the cries of the children whose triumphs and tragedies sustain the families that live there. As the neighbors adapt to the newcomers in different ways, the children fill their days with cricket matches, romantic crushes, and small rivalries. But the tremors of civil war are mounting, and the conflict threatens to engulf them all.
In a heartrending novel poised between the past and the future, the innocence of the children—a beloved sister and her overprotective siblings, a rejected son and his twin sisters, two very different brothers—contrasts sharply with the petty prejudices of the adults charged with their care. In Ru Freeman’s masterful hands, On Sal Mal Lane, a story of what was lost to a country and her people, becomes a resounding cry for reconciliation.
On the day the Herath family moves in, Sal Mal Lane is still a quiet street, disturbed only by the cries of the children whose triumphs and tragedies sustain the families that live there. As the neighbors adapt to the newcomers in different ways, the children fill their days with cricket matches, romantic crushes, and small rivalries. But the tremors of civil war are mounting, and the conflict threatens to engulf them all.
In a heartrending novel poised between the past and the future, the innocence of the children—a beloved sister and her overprotective siblings, a rejected son and his twin sisters, two very different brothers—contrasts sharply with the petty prejudices of the adults charged with their care. In Ru Freeman’s masterful hands, On Sal Mal Lane, a story of what was lost to a country and her people, becomes a resounding cry for reconciliation.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2013
54 people are currently reading
3022 people want to read
About the author
Ru Freeman
15 books82 followersRu Freeman (b. 1967) is a Sri Lankan born writer and activist whose creative and political work has appeared internationally.
She is the author of the novels A Disobedient Girl (Atria/Simon & Schuster, 2009), and On Sal Mal Lane (Graywolf Press), a NYT Editor’s Choice Book. Both novels have been translated into multiple languages including Italian, French, Turkish, Dutch, and Chinese.
She is editor of the anthology, Extraordinary Rendition: (American) Writers on Palestine (OR Books, 2015), a collection of the voices of 65 American poets and writers speaking about America’s dis/engagement with Palestine.
Freeman holds a graduate degree in labor studies, researching female migrant labor in the countries of Kuwait, the U.A.E, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and has worked at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, in the South Asia office of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL/CIO), and the American Friends Service Committee in their humanitarian and disaster relief programs.
She is a contributing editorial board member of the Asian American Literary Review, and a fellow of the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is the 2014 winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction by an American Woman.
Freeman writes for the Huffington Post on books and politics.
She is the author of the novels A Disobedient Girl (Atria/Simon & Schuster, 2009), and On Sal Mal Lane (Graywolf Press), a NYT Editor’s Choice Book. Both novels have been translated into multiple languages including Italian, French, Turkish, Dutch, and Chinese.
She is editor of the anthology, Extraordinary Rendition: (American) Writers on Palestine (OR Books, 2015), a collection of the voices of 65 American poets and writers speaking about America’s dis/engagement with Palestine.
Freeman holds a graduate degree in labor studies, researching female migrant labor in the countries of Kuwait, the U.A.E, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and has worked at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, in the South Asia office of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL/CIO), and the American Friends Service Committee in their humanitarian and disaster relief programs.
She is a contributing editorial board member of the Asian American Literary Review, and a fellow of the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is the 2014 winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction by an American Woman.
Freeman writes for the Huffington Post on books and politics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
February 18, 2014
This was a slow book for me--which isn't a bad thing at all--I'm just used to reading faster. Some of my favorite books including English Patient, Possession, Middlesex were slow reads too. I think sometimes it's good for a reader to be forced to slow down a bit.
This one started off slow, as the first part of the book is more character-driven than plot driven. By the last third or so, it's definitely plot-driven and the story moves more rapidly--and this, in my opinion, was the strongest part of the book. This is such a sad, beautiful book and the children of Sal Mal Lane really make it special. It's a powerful book about community, religion, and how people come together (or don't) in the face of tragedy and war.
I am grateful that Freeman included a list of characters at the beginning because even in the last pages I had to stop to see which family one of the kids belonged to (and my hunch was right.) If I had one wish for this book, it would have been a focus on fewer characters' stories. I suppose Devi and Nihil really were the primaries, but there were a lot of different people and stories competing for space throughout. I suppose my secondary wish was that I knew more about the history of Sri Lanka. You don't have to in order to appreciate this beautiful book, but I think I would have understood some of the unspoken intricacies better.
I get to meet Ru Freeman at a Booktopia event in June and I am so excited to talk about this book and hear her read from it.
This one started off slow, as the first part of the book is more character-driven than plot driven. By the last third or so, it's definitely plot-driven and the story moves more rapidly--and this, in my opinion, was the strongest part of the book. This is such a sad, beautiful book and the children of Sal Mal Lane really make it special. It's a powerful book about community, religion, and how people come together (or don't) in the face of tragedy and war.
I am grateful that Freeman included a list of characters at the beginning because even in the last pages I had to stop to see which family one of the kids belonged to (and my hunch was right.) If I had one wish for this book, it would have been a focus on fewer characters' stories. I suppose Devi and Nihil really were the primaries, but there were a lot of different people and stories competing for space throughout. I suppose my secondary wish was that I knew more about the history of Sri Lanka. You don't have to in order to appreciate this beautiful book, but I think I would have understood some of the unspoken intricacies better.
I get to meet Ru Freeman at a Booktopia event in June and I am so excited to talk about this book and hear her read from it.
April 5, 2013
On Sal Mal Lane by Ru Freeman is both stunningly beautiful and at the same time deeply sad, but above all takes the reader to places most have not been and this reader knew little about, life leading up to the Sri Lankan civil war. Freeman’s writing is beautiful, almost poetic at times, even with such a heavy topic, the characters will imprint themselves on the reader and Freeman easily transport the reader back in time to Sri Lanka allowing the reader to view life through several well rounded, flawed, and exceedingly realistic characters. There are times this book is painful to read and yet Freeman’s prose carries the reader through. I cannot praise On Sal Mal Lane enough and it is my hope all readers will pick up a copy and learn more about the history and culture of Sri Lanka.
May 27, 2020
Synopsis:
The four Herath siblings, along with their parents – the father a government employee in Sri Lanka and the mother a school teacher – move into a house On Sal Mal Lane in the southern parts of the country in the year 1979. This story is about them, about how the entire lane seems to find a new lease of life, how the people in the lane and their lives slowly start to revolve around them and how they all influence each other. But there is a simmering discontent which is sometimes evident within the thoughts of some of the residents of the lane and also in the country. A story, which while limited to the lane it is named upon, contains a history of ordinary people in the years leading up to the beginning of the Civil War from 1983.
Review:
I’ve started a new trend of reading for myself, I begin a book with the end pages. Nope, not spoiling it, just to check whether there is something else other than Acknowledgement and a Note on the font. And there was a Glossary there, which I can refer to while reading the book!
I read this story in fits and starts, the reason it took me close to four months to finish reading it. But, this story will always remain close to my heart and deserves all the hype that I can create for it. A story of innocence, of children growing up, of events beyond anyone’s control; a story of wonderful dreams and dashed hopes; amidst the clamour of civil war. A story where class and caste differences are attempted to be understood through the eyes of innocent children who are trying to understand the complex world that the adults inhabit. A world that the latter, having left behind their days of innocence, seems to unnecessarily complicate.
What a beautiful and poignant story this was! A historical fiction spread over five years – from 1979 to 1983 – it starts with a prologue. On 5 May 1976, the narrator brings forth a short history of the country that is Sri Lanka. And the numerous conflicts that plagued the nation. But all of it is to be told from the perspective of everyone who lived on Sal Mal Lane. Even if they may be insignificant people in the grand scheme of a nation, they too share the same history and are affected by it.
After the epigraph, the first thing that you see is a map of Sri Lanka followed by a pictorial depiction of Sal Mal Lane accompanied by a list of the members of the families inhabiting houses on both sides of the lane, which helped in visualising the setting while reading the book. The prologue itself promised a wealth of writing. Especially the way the narrator introduces itself at the end, in the first person. Yes, itself. Sounds bewildering? It did to me too. Every year has a few chapters with titles that indicate what is to come in those chapters.
In the early days of 1979, the Sinhalese Buddhist Heraths moved into the only empty house On Sal Mal Lane. Named after the grove of sal trees at the very end of the lane, what made this stand out was the way the children of the lane were at the crux of the story. This first chapter set the tone for the entire novel. Yes, the Sinhalese Buddhist is a necessary bit of information since the novel, among other things, involves the gradual escalation in tensions between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.
Reading a book from a culture other than mine is always such a wonder. Getting to know their homegrown remedies, their foods, their festivals, etc. It also brought home the fact of how children don’t care at all about caste equations, religious standing, or social classes.
The omniscient narrator appears from time to time, giving us a hint of something that possibly might have led to the events in the future. As the story unfurls, behind the prim and proper facade of Mrs Herath lies an unyielding persona that sometimes doesn’t even stop to consider her children’s happiness. This story reaffirmed how kindness and music can go a long way in uniting humanity. The author’s way of narration, how she started with a simple enough tale about a neighbourhood, weaved in the national Tension (with a capital T) which was simmering before the full blowout, and her subtle hints about how it would be in the future even if it seemed all happy and gay at present, was magnificent. The writing is lyrical, it rolled off my tongue and settled deep in the crevices of my heart.
The writing was a revelation, especially when other characters were also given a voice, albeit briefly. I was amazed at the author’s use of wordplay, where through the children’s activities, she drew a picture of the country and the events to come.
The last few pages made me weep. For all the things lost, for all the promises unfulfilled. A senseless loss, which spiralled into more grief and acts which beg the question, when does it all end? Certainly not with the epilogue.
This was a tough review to write, and I can only imagine how Ru Freeman was able to pen down this story. Even after so many words, I still haven’t covered what all this book was about. I can only request you all to please read this book!
P.S. I borrowed a paperback copy from the local branch of the Delhi Public Library.
This is also my entry for Prompt 15 of the Reading Women Challenge 2019: A book written by a South Asian author.
Also, in keeping with the trend, here is what I would call the Playlist of this book:
Brahms 3 Intermezzi op. 117
Debussy’s Arabesque no. 2
Brahms 6 pieces op. 118 Ballade in G Minor
Chopin Ocean Waves Etude op. 25 no. 12 HQ
Bagatelle in A Minor, op. 59, Für Elise
Chopin Nocturne no. 21 in C Minor
Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2
Fernando by ABBA
Out of the Blue by Michael Learns to Rock
What’s Forever For by Michael Murphy
Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters
Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Yellow Submarine by the Beatles
Tennessee Waltz, the Anne Murray version
Kalu Kella Mamai
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
The four Herath siblings, along with their parents – the father a government employee in Sri Lanka and the mother a school teacher – move into a house On Sal Mal Lane in the southern parts of the country in the year 1979. This story is about them, about how the entire lane seems to find a new lease of life, how the people in the lane and their lives slowly start to revolve around them and how they all influence each other. But there is a simmering discontent which is sometimes evident within the thoughts of some of the residents of the lane and also in the country. A story, which while limited to the lane it is named upon, contains a history of ordinary people in the years leading up to the beginning of the Civil War from 1983.
Review:
I’ve started a new trend of reading for myself, I begin a book with the end pages. Nope, not spoiling it, just to check whether there is something else other than Acknowledgement and a Note on the font. And there was a Glossary there, which I can refer to while reading the book!
I read this story in fits and starts, the reason it took me close to four months to finish reading it. But, this story will always remain close to my heart and deserves all the hype that I can create for it. A story of innocence, of children growing up, of events beyond anyone’s control; a story of wonderful dreams and dashed hopes; amidst the clamour of civil war. A story where class and caste differences are attempted to be understood through the eyes of innocent children who are trying to understand the complex world that the adults inhabit. A world that the latter, having left behind their days of innocence, seems to unnecessarily complicate.
… melodious voice … It lifted and cuddled its consonants and aired its vowels…
What a beautiful and poignant story this was! A historical fiction spread over five years – from 1979 to 1983 – it starts with a prologue. On 5 May 1976, the narrator brings forth a short history of the country that is Sri Lanka. And the numerous conflicts that plagued the nation. But all of it is to be told from the perspective of everyone who lived on Sal Mal Lane. Even if they may be insignificant people in the grand scheme of a nation, they too share the same history and are affected by it.
After the epigraph, the first thing that you see is a map of Sri Lanka followed by a pictorial depiction of Sal Mal Lane accompanied by a list of the members of the families inhabiting houses on both sides of the lane, which helped in visualising the setting while reading the book. The prologue itself promised a wealth of writing. Especially the way the narrator introduces itself at the end, in the first person. Yes, itself. Sounds bewildering? It did to me too. Every year has a few chapters with titles that indicate what is to come in those chapters.
It is far easier to be everything and nothing than it is to conceal love.
In the early days of 1979, the Sinhalese Buddhist Heraths moved into the only empty house On Sal Mal Lane. Named after the grove of sal trees at the very end of the lane, what made this stand out was the way the children of the lane were at the crux of the story. This first chapter set the tone for the entire novel. Yes, the Sinhalese Buddhist is a necessary bit of information since the novel, among other things, involves the gradual escalation in tensions between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.
Reading a book from a culture other than mine is always such a wonder. Getting to know their homegrown remedies, their foods, their festivals, etc. It also brought home the fact of how children don’t care at all about caste equations, religious standing, or social classes.
He felt burdened by the weight of all his learning, which, he knew, came with the corresponding responsibility to seize any opportunity to correct …
The omniscient narrator appears from time to time, giving us a hint of something that possibly might have led to the events in the future. As the story unfurls, behind the prim and proper facade of Mrs Herath lies an unyielding persona that sometimes doesn’t even stop to consider her children’s happiness. This story reaffirmed how kindness and music can go a long way in uniting humanity. The author’s way of narration, how she started with a simple enough tale about a neighbourhood, weaved in the national Tension (with a capital T) which was simmering before the full blowout, and her subtle hints about how it would be in the future even if it seemed all happy and gay at present, was magnificent. The writing is lyrical, it rolled off my tongue and settled deep in the crevices of my heart.
The writing was a revelation, especially when other characters were also given a voice, albeit briefly. I was amazed at the author’s use of wordplay, where through the children’s activities, she drew a picture of the country and the events to come.
It was the sort of trouble that would soon overflow its banks and flood the nation, turning the small ponds of concern and occasional tears of Sal Mal Lane into their own tributaries of discontent.
The last few pages made me weep. For all the things lost, for all the promises unfulfilled. A senseless loss, which spiralled into more grief and acts which beg the question, when does it all end? Certainly not with the epilogue.
This was a tough review to write, and I can only imagine how Ru Freeman was able to pen down this story. Even after so many words, I still haven’t covered what all this book was about. I can only request you all to please read this book!
P.S. I borrowed a paperback copy from the local branch of the Delhi Public Library.
This is also my entry for Prompt 15 of the Reading Women Challenge 2019: A book written by a South Asian author.
Also, in keeping with the trend, here is what I would call the Playlist of this book:
Brahms 3 Intermezzi op. 117
Debussy’s Arabesque no. 2
Brahms 6 pieces op. 118 Ballade in G Minor
Chopin Ocean Waves Etude op. 25 no. 12 HQ
Bagatelle in A Minor, op. 59, Für Elise
Chopin Nocturne no. 21 in C Minor
Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2
Fernando by ABBA
Out of the Blue by Michael Learns to Rock
What’s Forever For by Michael Murphy
Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters
Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Yellow Submarine by the Beatles
Tennessee Waltz, the Anne Murray version
Kalu Kella Mamai
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
September 5, 2013
a sweet and bittersweet story. a compelling read about the innocence of youth, with the backdrop of social unrest in Sri Lanka in the early 1980's (and its roots, yet again, in British imperialism) and its impact on those children. the author builds a multi-layered scenario where various families on the street live and navigate their own and their neighbors' ethnic and religious stakes. I was awed by how seemingly simple and innocent passages set the stage for and depicted deeper and dangerous actions and feelings. an ultimately satisfying read. wow!
ps--Sri Lanka's anti-terrorism laws are a stark warning for the US (read that, NSA!).
ps--Sri Lanka's anti-terrorism laws are a stark warning for the US (read that, NSA!).
June 6, 2013
Sal Mal Lane is a dead end street in the capitol of Sri Lanka. On that street live people of different religions and ethnicities: Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Lansis. So far, on the surface they get along but a storm is brewing in the country and, with authorial intrusion, we know that things, will turn violent with time.
The children of Sal Mal Lane are the focus of this delightful novel. The Heruth children star in this book. There is Rashmi who is perfect in her studies and a perfectionist in every way. Devi has finally attained good grades after a time of rebellion and opposition. “She is innocent, spoiled, impetuous, loving, a free spirit, vulnerable.” Nihil can see words forward and backwards and he is prescient of Devi’s future. Suren is a musical prodigy who wants to make his life in music despite his parents wanting him to become an engineer.
On the outskirts of the central characters are Sonna, a ‘bad boy’; Raju, a simple man; the twins who are impoverished; and other children who live on the lane.
The Herath parents are quite political and stand to the left of center. Mr. Heruth has been involved in a strike that has gone awry with failure but he keeps fighting for the Tamil minority. As he fights, the country goes more and more towards the Sinhalese with everything written in their language or English. “Around the city, the rumors continued. Rumor had it that the Tamil language would soon be banned altogether, that Tamil shopkeepers were erasing the Tamil from their signs, that Tamil politicians addressed everybody in English and did so out of fear. “
The children will find themselves looking into a world they don’t understand, one that is filled with discord, pain and uprising. I found out a lot about Sri Lanka, a country that was quite foreign to me. Ru Freeman does a wonderful job of educating the reader and her writing is very interesting, coming from childrens’ perspectives as it does. I recommend this book for people who enjoy international literature.
The children of Sal Mal Lane are the focus of this delightful novel. The Heruth children star in this book. There is Rashmi who is perfect in her studies and a perfectionist in every way. Devi has finally attained good grades after a time of rebellion and opposition. “She is innocent, spoiled, impetuous, loving, a free spirit, vulnerable.” Nihil can see words forward and backwards and he is prescient of Devi’s future. Suren is a musical prodigy who wants to make his life in music despite his parents wanting him to become an engineer.
On the outskirts of the central characters are Sonna, a ‘bad boy’; Raju, a simple man; the twins who are impoverished; and other children who live on the lane.
The Herath parents are quite political and stand to the left of center. Mr. Heruth has been involved in a strike that has gone awry with failure but he keeps fighting for the Tamil minority. As he fights, the country goes more and more towards the Sinhalese with everything written in their language or English. “Around the city, the rumors continued. Rumor had it that the Tamil language would soon be banned altogether, that Tamil shopkeepers were erasing the Tamil from their signs, that Tamil politicians addressed everybody in English and did so out of fear. “
The children will find themselves looking into a world they don’t understand, one that is filled with discord, pain and uprising. I found out a lot about Sri Lanka, a country that was quite foreign to me. Ru Freeman does a wonderful job of educating the reader and her writing is very interesting, coming from childrens’ perspectives as it does. I recommend this book for people who enjoy international literature.
April 6, 2013
This novel is set in Sri Lanka from 1979 to 1983, a time of civil unrest and revolution on this island nation. At the center of Freeman’s tale is the Herath family and their neighbors on a short street, Sal Mal Lane, in the nation’s capitol Colombo. In telling their story, Freeman is able to show on multiple levels the growth of societal dischord in Sri Lanka. Much of the book concerns the children of Sal Mal Lane and their relationships with one another. Their interactions can be distilled into a series of parables for the adult reader to ponder. The overall message seems to be that both good and evil are a part of our world and each will show itself over time. This quote from an adult neighbor talking to Nihil, one of the Herath children, speaks to this point, “People do not go to war, Nihil, they carry war inside them. Either they have war within them or they don’t have it. The thing to think about is do you and I have war inside us?”
This is a book to savor in small sips, like a fine wine. The reader needs to go slowly so as not to miss too many of the life lessons that Freeman has provided.
This is a book to savor in small sips, like a fine wine. The reader needs to go slowly so as not to miss too many of the life lessons that Freeman has provided.
August 19, 2018
4.5/5
I'm not nearly as picky about buying books by women of color as I am about nearly every other demographic. Indeed, I believe I paid full bookstore price for this particular copy, purchased alongside The Moor's Account that may have also not even been on my TBR before it found its way onto my physical shelves. It's not as if I've never been disappointed by such whimsical, WOC oriented purchases, but that my past reading is still so woefully lacking in such voices that they deserve all the chances that they can get, period. It's what lead to this work, not on any of my GR friend's shelves, not on any famous lists or name drops, crossing my path and discovered to be lovely, lovely enough that I wouldn't mind a sequel, or a trilogy, or more time spent in the maturation of a neighborhood in a country I had never, to this point, read a book credibly set within. I likely won't be paying full price for another work of Freeman's unless the book buying itch becomes exceedingly bad, but I will be keeping an eye out for others. The ending was a tad too drenched in pathos to make the reading of the work necessary, but it's close enough for me to wish more would take it on for a casual stroll.
For what was the worth of being a genius if choice was denied to him? After all, fools were always told what they should do and they were foolish because they obeyed.The call of an unknown literary place setting, plus the author's credibility in rendering said setting, plus (admittedly) the pleasing cover art, all worked towards my choosing for purchase this book for the full jacket price. Freeman is an author oft given to soft touches of omniscient foreshadowing, which made for a beautifully haunting opening of overarching grace but admittedly was laid on a little too thick at times, especially during the penultimate forty or so pages. Despite this, there is real beauty and real rendering of the complicate politics of identity and economics, and the kindness of characters just makes their ingrained stigmatization of one another all the harder to bear as the stereotypes burgeon and the hatreds foment. Long as this book is, it wasn't long enough to carry all of the cast's dramas from a satisfying beginning to a satisfying end, especially in the case of the murder suicide that occurs just before the pages begin and that of all the children left behind to become adults once the pages are done. As I stated earlier, I would be happy to read a sequel, but other works by Freeman are more than welcome to cross my path. The tone she evokes of coming together and, more importantly, doing the painful work of coming together that is necessary in these blighted times of ours, and while the omniscient point of view isn't as vital, it's pleasing to see someone harken back to a style of Mary Ann Evans, one that isn't afraid to step into the mind of various others and lay bare, with sympathy as well as truth, all that lays within.
He was no longer the good boy who did what was expected, he was the boy who knew the power of promise and whom he could hold hostage by the mere threat of refusing to live up to it.I have to find more books like this one in the future, if for nothing more than to credibly fill in the blanks of my literary landscape. I often criticize the overuse of pathos, but it is a sin only when it dehumanizes for the sake of its constructed tragedy or bliss, and OSML does nothing of the sort, or does so little that I'd need a history on Tamil & Sinhalese & Sri Lanka to find it. I would be a task that I would willingly undertake, as the current landscape of cynicism and copied emotional displays makes it near impossible to cultivate a generation with critical values that knows the difference between the murder and the murdered and when it spirals out into a revenge tragedy that will either end in compassion or the void. I don't know what awaits the coming years, for the end of 2016 marked a reign of stagnation on the edge of a cliff that persists to this day, and the molasses of distraction threatens to succeed in luring me away to attend to trivialities while we all finally tumble off. Dark thoughts to associate with such a triumph of contemporary literature, but one cannot appreciate the wholesome without having experienced something of the banality of evil.
And in those moments he would feel that he was neither full of war nor full of peace, he was simply lost.
October 22, 2013
I remember seeing a very favorable review in the NY Times for this novel, and having a smug moment in which I congratulated myself for being the kind of person who reads world literature, and put this on my reserve list at the library. Then when it actually came, my reaction was more like "Oh. This." It seemed very daunting once it was in hand because I don't know anything about Sri Lanka, and besides, there was a new Patrick Ness coming out, and a new Gentlemen Bastards, so I had THINGS to do.
It ended up being really great. It reminded me a little of To Kill A Mockingbird, not in style or tone, but because of the device of framing social, cultural, and political issues with the goings-on of a bunch of little kids. In this case, the issues are all related to the conflicts between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the early 80s.
Going into the book with zero knowledge about these events, I was worried it would be difficult to follow, but the book was impressively designed to keep the threads moving along in an easy way, especially for ignorant people such as me. And it's a lot of complicated history and issues. The other side of this coin is that some of the secondary characters feel a bit stock ... but I'm not quite convinced that's a criticism because it felt like a deliberate choice on the part of the author to assist less familiar readers with staying engaged.
My personal strategy was to read about 1/3 of the book to get the general gist of what was going on, and then I took a break for some googling of the various historical incidents and political events being referenced. Okay, "strategy" makes it sound like I did that on purpose, when it was more like the timing worked out that way, but I would recommend it to anyone who would like an introduction or refresher on the issues surrounding the Sinhalese majority or the Tamil minority (and then the religious minorities within each group) of Sri Lanka.
Because so much of the book is spent with the various, somewhat dreamy, adventures of the children of the families who live on one small residential street, there was something about it that reminded me of The Penderwicks, had The Penderwicks been written for adults and set against a backdrop of race riots. The writing here is lovely, and achieves that same effect of creating a children's world that feels both idyllic and realistic.
I have one quibble, which is a tiny part of the book, and I realize it seems like the most complainy, nitpicky thing in the entire world, but for some reason it nagged at me a lot. The events of the book are very clearly set in certain years; they are labelled, that is how clear it is. And one of the things the kids do is listen to pop music on the BBC. Now, I realize the author is a young person, and I'm sure all 80s music is the same to her, but there were a few specific songs mentioned that didn't come out until a few years later. Maybe this wouldn't matter so much to me in a book where the point was to present the 80s in a general sense, but because the plot of this book is so closely tied to real life political events, the progression of the years in the lives of the kids seems more important to me.
It ended up being really great. It reminded me a little of To Kill A Mockingbird, not in style or tone, but because of the device of framing social, cultural, and political issues with the goings-on of a bunch of little kids. In this case, the issues are all related to the conflicts between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the early 80s.
Going into the book with zero knowledge about these events, I was worried it would be difficult to follow, but the book was impressively designed to keep the threads moving along in an easy way, especially for ignorant people such as me. And it's a lot of complicated history and issues. The other side of this coin is that some of the secondary characters feel a bit stock ... but I'm not quite convinced that's a criticism because it felt like a deliberate choice on the part of the author to assist less familiar readers with staying engaged.
My personal strategy was to read about 1/3 of the book to get the general gist of what was going on, and then I took a break for some googling of the various historical incidents and political events being referenced. Okay, "strategy" makes it sound like I did that on purpose, when it was more like the timing worked out that way, but I would recommend it to anyone who would like an introduction or refresher on the issues surrounding the Sinhalese majority or the Tamil minority (and then the religious minorities within each group) of Sri Lanka.
Because so much of the book is spent with the various, somewhat dreamy, adventures of the children of the families who live on one small residential street, there was something about it that reminded me of The Penderwicks, had The Penderwicks been written for adults and set against a backdrop of race riots. The writing here is lovely, and achieves that same effect of creating a children's world that feels both idyllic and realistic.
I have one quibble, which is a tiny part of the book, and I realize it seems like the most complainy, nitpicky thing in the entire world, but for some reason it nagged at me a lot. The events of the book are very clearly set in certain years; they are labelled, that is how clear it is. And one of the things the kids do is listen to pop music on the BBC. Now, I realize the author is a young person, and I'm sure all 80s music is the same to her, but there were a few specific songs mentioned that didn't come out until a few years later. Maybe this wouldn't matter so much to me in a book where the point was to present the 80s in a general sense, but because the plot of this book is so closely tied to real life political events, the progression of the years in the lives of the kids seems more important to me.
April 1, 2019
"God was not responsible for what came to pass. People said it was karma, punishment in this life for past sins, fate. People said that no beauty was permitted in the world without some accompanying darkness to balance it out, and surely these children were beautiful. But what people said was unimportant; what befell them befell all of us."
3.5 stars
Sal Mal Lane is a cul-de-sac neigbourhood in Sri Lanka. A community of neighbours of varying classes, caste and ethnicities, all appear to live in harmony. When the Herath family move in, they cause quite an uproar. Being viewed as friends by some and as enemies by others, the Herath family settles in. As the children of Sal Mal Lane play music, cricket and interact, Civil War looms, slowly fracturing the seemingly peaceful neighbourhood.
This is another tough book to rate for me. I wanted so badly to love this book and while there are many great and beautiful elements in this narrative, as I whole, I found it to be too much. Sal Mal Lane is a neigbourhood of Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Lansis, all seemingly living peacefully side-by-side. The arrival of the Herath family seems to upset this balance. Of different castes, ethnicities and economic situations, the children of all the families are the focus. As they get interact and get along (or not get along), they bridge some some gaps and create others. Tensions are ever present and only rise when war slowly looms, forcing the people in this community to become vigilant and choose sides. First off, the prose is just magnificent and almost poetic and the concept is fantastic. Where I struggle is with the amount of characters and events. I had difficult time keeping track of who belonged to which family and what caste/class they were and why they did/did not get long with a specific neighbour. A basic knowledge of the Sri Lanka civil war is needed prior to reading this book (which I did not have) otherwise many events will not make any sense. The plot moved at a too slow pace. At times, reading this book felt like a chore. Hardly the worst book I have read but one that I did not entrely love.
"It was a we [that the Silvas] liked to imagine exited, if things came to that, though it could be argued that the very existance of the idea was proof that such a division into a we and a them was not far from fact."
Without a doubt, the main theme of this book is unity and looking past our established divisions. I love that Freeman focused on the children for their inherent innocence of in matters such as caste or race. The final third of the book most strongly drove this point home and was by far the best part of the entire book. The devastation and tragedy were tangible but more so were the friendships forged through war. I love the sentiment behind this book and would have rate it higher were it not for the above mentioned issues. Still, I am glad to have read this book. When it comes to humanity there should not be a we or a them , there should be an us . Despitr my reservations, I would still recommend this book.
3.5 stars
Sal Mal Lane is a cul-de-sac neigbourhood in Sri Lanka. A community of neighbours of varying classes, caste and ethnicities, all appear to live in harmony. When the Herath family move in, they cause quite an uproar. Being viewed as friends by some and as enemies by others, the Herath family settles in. As the children of Sal Mal Lane play music, cricket and interact, Civil War looms, slowly fracturing the seemingly peaceful neighbourhood.
This is another tough book to rate for me. I wanted so badly to love this book and while there are many great and beautiful elements in this narrative, as I whole, I found it to be too much. Sal Mal Lane is a neigbourhood of Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Lansis, all seemingly living peacefully side-by-side. The arrival of the Herath family seems to upset this balance. Of different castes, ethnicities and economic situations, the children of all the families are the focus. As they get interact and get along (or not get along), they bridge some some gaps and create others. Tensions are ever present and only rise when war slowly looms, forcing the people in this community to become vigilant and choose sides. First off, the prose is just magnificent and almost poetic and the concept is fantastic. Where I struggle is with the amount of characters and events. I had difficult time keeping track of who belonged to which family and what caste/class they were and why they did/did not get long with a specific neighbour. A basic knowledge of the Sri Lanka civil war is needed prior to reading this book (which I did not have) otherwise many events will not make any sense. The plot moved at a too slow pace. At times, reading this book felt like a chore. Hardly the worst book I have read but one that I did not entrely love.
"It was a we [that the Silvas] liked to imagine exited, if things came to that, though it could be argued that the very existance of the idea was proof that such a division into a we and a them was not far from fact."
Without a doubt, the main theme of this book is unity and looking past our established divisions. I love that Freeman focused on the children for their inherent innocence of in matters such as caste or race. The final third of the book most strongly drove this point home and was by far the best part of the entire book. The devastation and tragedy were tangible but more so were the friendships forged through war. I love the sentiment behind this book and would have rate it higher were it not for the above mentioned issues. Still, I am glad to have read this book. When it comes to humanity there should not be a we or a them , there should be an us . Despitr my reservations, I would still recommend this book.
December 5, 2014
This is a compelling -- and intimate -- story of neighbors on a small lane in a small town in Sri Lanka. It's a mixed neighborhood with Tamil, Sinhalese Buddhist, Catholic, Muslim and Burgher families living side by side, gossiping, squabbling at times, watching their children interact and grow up. The story runs from 1979 to 1983, as ethnic tensions in the country gradually enmesh them as events move toward ethnic strife, sudden communal violence and civil war.
The book will require the reader's close attention. While the human interactions are universal, the cultural references (the author provides a small and handy glossary at the back) need bearing in mind, and the cast of characters is fairly large -- their characters are vivid and varied enough so that they're hard to keep straight. These are people the reader can care about, but the lane also seems to be a microcosm, a symbolic prelude, told in one lane, leading to twenty-six years of civil war.
Recommend.
The book will require the reader's close attention. While the human interactions are universal, the cultural references (the author provides a small and handy glossary at the back) need bearing in mind, and the cast of characters is fairly large -- their characters are vivid and varied enough so that they're hard to keep straight. These are people the reader can care about, but the lane also seems to be a microcosm, a symbolic prelude, told in one lane, leading to twenty-six years of civil war.
Recommend.
July 14, 2013
In Ru Freeman's On Sal Mal Lane, several families live on a quiet lane in Columbo in Sri Lanka in the years just before and during the political upheaval, riots and deaths of the early 1980s. One family lacks rancor and is filled with music, sincerity, with hopes and dreams. Anther family is fueled by anger and alcohol, with unspoken yearning.
As these and other families who call Sal Mal Lane home celebrate their holidays, share food and games, and bring each other into their lives, missed opportunities as seemingly trivial as gifts of strawberry milk and chocolate become harbingers of heartbreak.
The world of the quiet street changes with the arrival of the Herath family, which sings together gathered around the piano. The music is an important unifying factor throughout the novel. It draws people to the four children -- oldest son Suren who lives and breathes music, oldest daughter Rashmi who is the perfect child at school, son Nihil who adores cricket but not as much as he adores and worries about protecting the youngest, daughter Devi, a carefree, lively child.
One of the beauties of this novel is that these children are genuinely dear souls. Their mother is a teacher who has naturally high expectations. Their father, a government worker, is akin to a less biting Mr. Bennet who doesn't regret his marriage while hiding behind his newspapers. Their neighbors, the Silvas, consider themselves the top family of the lane. They're stuffy but not overbearing. Their two boys are not allowed to play with the Bolling girls.
The Bollings are an extended disfunctional family of a physically damaged, angry father, a teenage son, Sonna, who is the neighborhood bully and who will break a reader's heart, and two younger unkempt, flighty daughters who are drawn to the Heraths. Their friendship brings into the circle the Bolling children's uncle Raju, a mentally and physically challenged man who remains childlike and who lives with his mother. Raju adores the children, especially Devi. And Devi adores Raju because he is the only grown-up who never tells her what she is supposed to do and not do.
In another house, the Nerath children take piano lessons from Kala Niles, the grown-up daughter who still lives at home. Her mother is one of the homemakers on the lane. Old Mr. Niles and Nihil become fast friends through their love of cricket and books in one of the lovely relationships forged in this novel.
There are sweet friendships among people who often don't have anything to do with each other in other circumstances. The Bolling girls love being with the Heraths, who, instead of being uptight, welcome them into their home. One Silva boy develops a crush on one of the Bolling girls, and they dream of going to Australia one day where their differences won't matter. The Niles family blossoms when the Heraths come with their music.
And then there is Sonna. He's the tough guy of the neighborhood. He is the one everyone fears, because he will attack. It's what he learned from his angry, bitter father who was hurt in a car crash before Sonna's very eyes while trying to go off to carouse with a buddy. But the Herath children cast their spell on him, too. They refuse to see that there is an evil person in Sonna, no matter what cautions the other neighbors give them. The missed opportunities of trying to give presents back and forth are symbols of the missed communication that can heal and strengthen personal relationships when successful, but which are bittersweet when they are not.
Despite the grownups' best efforts, outside political forces come into the lane. There are Tamil and Sinhalese, Hindu and Catholic families, Buddhists and Muslims. Far too many of the people on the lane fear and hate because they feel they are supposed to do so. One family retreats when the troubles come; the family members hurt only themselves.
Homes are attacked and people gather together. The relationships that have been formed don't all hold, but enough of them do to show that even in the face of the world as they know it falling apart, people can still be good to each other and true to themselves. Just as missed opportunities are bittersweet for the children, it leads one to wonder what missed opportunities might have helped the political situation from disintegrating.
In the aftermath, after a haunting chapter in which another street still stands only as ashes that will collapse to the touch and which the only living thing left is not saved, people slowly try to return to the lives they once led. Then tragedy strikes. There is enough foreshadowing early on that it is not hard to tell who something will happen to, but there is such strong storytelling that even knowing does not take away the powerful emotional impact when that something comes.
The personal and the political are woven together so finely in this novel that they do not strain against each other, but bolster the telling of the two aspects of what the Sal Mal Lane neighbors face and feel. Information needed to know why it's important to know who is Sinhalese and who is Tamil is presented clearly and in time to be useful. Freeman is both a journalist and novelist, so she knows how to deliver the small noticings that reveal character, and the sweep of politics that change a country.
As these and other families who call Sal Mal Lane home celebrate their holidays, share food and games, and bring each other into their lives, missed opportunities as seemingly trivial as gifts of strawberry milk and chocolate become harbingers of heartbreak.
The world of the quiet street changes with the arrival of the Herath family, which sings together gathered around the piano. The music is an important unifying factor throughout the novel. It draws people to the four children -- oldest son Suren who lives and breathes music, oldest daughter Rashmi who is the perfect child at school, son Nihil who adores cricket but not as much as he adores and worries about protecting the youngest, daughter Devi, a carefree, lively child.
One of the beauties of this novel is that these children are genuinely dear souls. Their mother is a teacher who has naturally high expectations. Their father, a government worker, is akin to a less biting Mr. Bennet who doesn't regret his marriage while hiding behind his newspapers. Their neighbors, the Silvas, consider themselves the top family of the lane. They're stuffy but not overbearing. Their two boys are not allowed to play with the Bolling girls.
The Bollings are an extended disfunctional family of a physically damaged, angry father, a teenage son, Sonna, who is the neighborhood bully and who will break a reader's heart, and two younger unkempt, flighty daughters who are drawn to the Heraths. Their friendship brings into the circle the Bolling children's uncle Raju, a mentally and physically challenged man who remains childlike and who lives with his mother. Raju adores the children, especially Devi. And Devi adores Raju because he is the only grown-up who never tells her what she is supposed to do and not do.
In another house, the Nerath children take piano lessons from Kala Niles, the grown-up daughter who still lives at home. Her mother is one of the homemakers on the lane. Old Mr. Niles and Nihil become fast friends through their love of cricket and books in one of the lovely relationships forged in this novel.
There are sweet friendships among people who often don't have anything to do with each other in other circumstances. The Bolling girls love being with the Heraths, who, instead of being uptight, welcome them into their home. One Silva boy develops a crush on one of the Bolling girls, and they dream of going to Australia one day where their differences won't matter. The Niles family blossoms when the Heraths come with their music.
And then there is Sonna. He's the tough guy of the neighborhood. He is the one everyone fears, because he will attack. It's what he learned from his angry, bitter father who was hurt in a car crash before Sonna's very eyes while trying to go off to carouse with a buddy. But the Herath children cast their spell on him, too. They refuse to see that there is an evil person in Sonna, no matter what cautions the other neighbors give them. The missed opportunities of trying to give presents back and forth are symbols of the missed communication that can heal and strengthen personal relationships when successful, but which are bittersweet when they are not.
Despite the grownups' best efforts, outside political forces come into the lane. There are Tamil and Sinhalese, Hindu and Catholic families, Buddhists and Muslims. Far too many of the people on the lane fear and hate because they feel they are supposed to do so. One family retreats when the troubles come; the family members hurt only themselves.
Homes are attacked and people gather together. The relationships that have been formed don't all hold, but enough of them do to show that even in the face of the world as they know it falling apart, people can still be good to each other and true to themselves. Just as missed opportunities are bittersweet for the children, it leads one to wonder what missed opportunities might have helped the political situation from disintegrating.
In the aftermath, after a haunting chapter in which another street still stands only as ashes that will collapse to the touch and which the only living thing left is not saved, people slowly try to return to the lives they once led. Then tragedy strikes. There is enough foreshadowing early on that it is not hard to tell who something will happen to, but there is such strong storytelling that even knowing does not take away the powerful emotional impact when that something comes.
The personal and the political are woven together so finely in this novel that they do not strain against each other, but bolster the telling of the two aspects of what the Sal Mal Lane neighbors face and feel. Information needed to know why it's important to know who is Sinhalese and who is Tamil is presented clearly and in time to be useful. Freeman is both a journalist and novelist, so she knows how to deliver the small noticings that reveal character, and the sweep of politics that change a country.
June 11, 2013
On Sal Mal Lane examines the tensions in Sri Lanka in the years leading up to the Civil War (1979-1983) through the lens of the inhabitants of Sal Mal Lane, especially the children. I found that this was a really effective way to tell the story and while there are dark times there are also moments when kids are just being kids and discovering who they are and who they hope to become. I think that helps the book to be more universal in its themes.
The novel has a third person omniscient point of view so we get to know all of the main players but it focuses on the views of the kids of Sal Mal Lane, particularly the Herath children: Suren, Rashmi, Nihil, and Devi. The story starts out with the Heraths moving into their home and the reactions of the various neighbors, most notably the Silvas who, like the Heraths, are Sinhalese Buddhists. Unlike the rest of the families on the street, the Silvas have this attitude of "us vs. them" towards those who are not Sinhalese.
While the Silvas have that negative attitude towards Tamils and anyone else not like them in ethnicity or religion, the other neighbors are mostly helpful and friendly with each other (with the exception of Sonna Bolling and occasionally his hot tempered dad). They respect each other and they all seem to love the Herath children and look out for them. It is really nice to see the sense of community in the midst of the growing strife. Some of my favorite scenes in the book involved the ways that the characters came together to celebrate a holiday or helped each other in some way. These scenes of peacefulness made the chaos and destruction of what was to come that much more jarring.
Even though the third person omniscient point of view can create a feeling of distance between the reader and the characters, I did not find that to be the case for me. I was able to connect with the story emotionally and I loved some of the characters like Devi, Raju, and Mr. Niles. Devi brought so much joy to her family and the community and Nihil was such a protective brother. The Herath kids all seemed to touch the lives of the people around them and I was particularly touched by the way Raju grew because of their friendship. Even some of the unlikable characters had depth to them which I appreciated, especially Sonna. I couldn't completely despise him because there were those moments when the reader got to see his vulnerability and pain.
I also loved the descriptions of the food, the culture, and everyday life. I did find myself consulting the glossary at the back to look up unfamiliar terms but I liked learning while I read. There is also a list of characters at the front but I wish that the author had listed which family was Sinhalese, Tamil, or Burgher as that came in to play later in the book and could be confusing to keep track of.
Though I connected with this book on a personal level, I don't think you have to be of Sri Lankan heritage to be moved by the story. Overall I thought this was an amazing book. I wish there hadn't been so much foreshadowing about certain events but other than that I really really liked it. It was an emotional reading experience for me and in a way I was sad when the story was over. I will definitely be picking up the author's other novel, A Disobedient Girl.
The novel has a third person omniscient point of view so we get to know all of the main players but it focuses on the views of the kids of Sal Mal Lane, particularly the Herath children: Suren, Rashmi, Nihil, and Devi. The story starts out with the Heraths moving into their home and the reactions of the various neighbors, most notably the Silvas who, like the Heraths, are Sinhalese Buddhists. Unlike the rest of the families on the street, the Silvas have this attitude of "us vs. them" towards those who are not Sinhalese.
While the Silvas have that negative attitude towards Tamils and anyone else not like them in ethnicity or religion, the other neighbors are mostly helpful and friendly with each other (with the exception of Sonna Bolling and occasionally his hot tempered dad). They respect each other and they all seem to love the Herath children and look out for them. It is really nice to see the sense of community in the midst of the growing strife. Some of my favorite scenes in the book involved the ways that the characters came together to celebrate a holiday or helped each other in some way. These scenes of peacefulness made the chaos and destruction of what was to come that much more jarring.
Even though the third person omniscient point of view can create a feeling of distance between the reader and the characters, I did not find that to be the case for me. I was able to connect with the story emotionally and I loved some of the characters like Devi, Raju, and Mr. Niles. Devi brought so much joy to her family and the community and Nihil was such a protective brother. The Herath kids all seemed to touch the lives of the people around them and I was particularly touched by the way Raju grew because of their friendship. Even some of the unlikable characters had depth to them which I appreciated, especially Sonna. I couldn't completely despise him because there were those moments when the reader got to see his vulnerability and pain.
I also loved the descriptions of the food, the culture, and everyday life. I did find myself consulting the glossary at the back to look up unfamiliar terms but I liked learning while I read. There is also a list of characters at the front but I wish that the author had listed which family was Sinhalese, Tamil, or Burgher as that came in to play later in the book and could be confusing to keep track of.
Though I connected with this book on a personal level, I don't think you have to be of Sri Lankan heritage to be moved by the story. Overall I thought this was an amazing book. I wish there hadn't been so much foreshadowing about certain events but other than that I really really liked it. It was an emotional reading experience for me and in a way I was sad when the story was over. I will definitely be picking up the author's other novel, A Disobedient Girl.
July 6, 2013
After seeing this book receive such warm praise from Christina T at Reading Extensively, I knew I wanted to check it out. I was terrified though when I opened the book and had trouble focusing. It's told in omniscient third person from the perspective of the street following a huge crowd of people with particular focus on the four children of the Herath family: Suren, Rashmi, Nihil, and beloved youngest Devi.
Once I had a handle on who everyone was, I really enjoyed this story. I loved the huge cast of characters and the way their lives intersected, how the mistreatment of one person led to cruelty of another or the kindness of people unfamiliar with each other brightened the whole place. The book takes place over five years (from 1979-1983) and we get to see a lot of changes in the lives of the people on this lane. It's very rich from the descriptions of colors to the amazing sounding food and I think it will definitely appeal to fans of literary fiction and book clubs.
However, for me there were also a lot of stylistic and writing decisions that made it difficult to become fully immersed. First was the writing. The best way I can describe it is that there are a lot of commas, connecting phrases for longer sentences and it was not a writing style that clicked with me. Second, as mentioned above, there are a lot of characters. I loved that there was a glossary of the slang and such used throughout the book. There is a map showing where each family lived as well as a list of characters; I would have appreciated if that list identified who was Tamil, Sinhalese, Burgher, etc. This connects to my third point, which is my almost nonexistent knowledge of Sri Lankan history. I did know vaguely about the Tamil Tigers and I could guess some things about colonialism based on my knowledge of British imperialism in India but a lot of the complexities were over my head. I feel like Freeman may have assumed more familiarity with the history on the part of her audience than I possessed. An author's note with additional references might have been helpful. Obviously these are all pretty particular to me but may apply to others as well.
My big advice would be to brush up on the Sri Lankan Civil War and check out a sample chapter if you're able, to see if you can handle this. It is definitely worth it!
Once I had a handle on who everyone was, I really enjoyed this story. I loved the huge cast of characters and the way their lives intersected, how the mistreatment of one person led to cruelty of another or the kindness of people unfamiliar with each other brightened the whole place. The book takes place over five years (from 1979-1983) and we get to see a lot of changes in the lives of the people on this lane. It's very rich from the descriptions of colors to the amazing sounding food and I think it will definitely appeal to fans of literary fiction and book clubs.
However, for me there were also a lot of stylistic and writing decisions that made it difficult to become fully immersed. First was the writing. The best way I can describe it is that there are a lot of commas, connecting phrases for longer sentences and it was not a writing style that clicked with me. Second, as mentioned above, there are a lot of characters. I loved that there was a glossary of the slang and such used throughout the book. There is a map showing where each family lived as well as a list of characters; I would have appreciated if that list identified who was Tamil, Sinhalese, Burgher, etc. This connects to my third point, which is my almost nonexistent knowledge of Sri Lankan history. I did know vaguely about the Tamil Tigers and I could guess some things about colonialism based on my knowledge of British imperialism in India but a lot of the complexities were over my head. I feel like Freeman may have assumed more familiarity with the history on the part of her audience than I possessed. An author's note with additional references might have been helpful. Obviously these are all pretty particular to me but may apply to others as well.
My big advice would be to brush up on the Sri Lankan Civil War and check out a sample chapter if you're able, to see if you can handle this. It is definitely worth it!
September 26, 2013
Freeman’s overly ambitious novel set in the early 1980s in Sri Lanka uses a street of diverse families to tell the story of the years leading to the Civil War from the intimate level of the families, from the national level of the country, and a global level informing many of this conflict. When the Mr. and Mrs. Heath and their four children move into lane, their next neighbors takes count on which side this family will fall in with the mixed lot of Sinhalse, Tamils and Burghers already residing there. But there is also the diverse lot of class, religion, gender and ambition that makes the lines fuzzy yet demand a standing as the political climate invades their everyday lives. The adults attempt to outwardly get along and maintain the status quo; with each have their own personal history and their own interpretations on the news that filters down to them, and the children struggle to make sense of the adult world.
The reader can feel the love the author has for her country and the people, and this shows most when she is telling the children story. You feel the pending disaster about to happen and the author wanting to hold the children close to her heart. But this countered by the plodding narrator who often stops the flow of the story to provide often unnecessary opinions in too many words and implies the pending disaster that will devastate the lane a little too early in the story.
With all of the conflicts continually happening all over the world, if you ever want to know how neighbors go from an agreed congenial relationships to having to take a stand you will enjoy this book as the author excels at telling the day-to-day lives of the people and showing us the universality of human nature and families.
The reader can feel the love the author has for her country and the people, and this shows most when she is telling the children story. You feel the pending disaster about to happen and the author wanting to hold the children close to her heart. But this countered by the plodding narrator who often stops the flow of the story to provide often unnecessary opinions in too many words and implies the pending disaster that will devastate the lane a little too early in the story.
With all of the conflicts continually happening all over the world, if you ever want to know how neighbors go from an agreed congenial relationships to having to take a stand you will enjoy this book as the author excels at telling the day-to-day lives of the people and showing us the universality of human nature and families.
June 23, 2013
This review originally appeared on my blog
On Sal Mal Lane by Ru Freeman is a truly beautiful book. It is set in Sri Lanka between the years 1979 and 1983 when there was a great amount of civil unrest and tension among different religious and ethnic communities.
To be entirely honest, I know almost nothing about Sri Lankan history before reading this book and while a stronger grasp might have been beneficial in providing a larger historical context for the story, it was certainly not necessary to understand the story.
On Sal Mal Lane focuses mostly on the children on the lane, especially the Herath children who live in a somewhat perfect bubble of music, fraternal understanding and cooperation, and academic achievement.
The beauty and tragedy of this book is how the children along the lane begin to learn of the world beyond that of their small community — where instead of the petty differences and disagreements there are much more volatile prejudices at work.
On Sal Mal Lane chronicles the loss of innocence and the resilience of community. It is touching and profoundly sad, yet with redemptive overtones. It shows some of the horrible things people can do, but it is about the wonderful things people can do.
It is great, it just leads to inappropriate displays of emotion on public transportation.
On Sal Mal Lane by Ru Freeman is a truly beautiful book. It is set in Sri Lanka between the years 1979 and 1983 when there was a great amount of civil unrest and tension among different religious and ethnic communities.
To be entirely honest, I know almost nothing about Sri Lankan history before reading this book and while a stronger grasp might have been beneficial in providing a larger historical context for the story, it was certainly not necessary to understand the story.
On Sal Mal Lane focuses mostly on the children on the lane, especially the Herath children who live in a somewhat perfect bubble of music, fraternal understanding and cooperation, and academic achievement.
The beauty and tragedy of this book is how the children along the lane begin to learn of the world beyond that of their small community — where instead of the petty differences and disagreements there are much more volatile prejudices at work.
On Sal Mal Lane chronicles the loss of innocence and the resilience of community. It is touching and profoundly sad, yet with redemptive overtones. It shows some of the horrible things people can do, but it is about the wonderful things people can do.
It is great, it just leads to inappropriate displays of emotion on public transportation.
September 8, 2013
I love reading books set in places I visit, and since I am headed to Sri Lanka later this year, this book moved up my TBR pile.
I have briefly visited Sri Lanka before, but do not have a deep understanding of their civil war. This novel is set about four years after the troubles first begin. Sal Mal lane is home to families of different ethnicity, religions, class and political leanings. While they are not holding hands singing kumbaya, everyone knows their place, and for the most part get along. Like most neighborhoods, we get to meet the people through the children of the lane. There is laughter, lots of tea drinking, cricket and music, but all that changes as the forces in the outside world trickle into the lane.
The writing is lyrical, and the narrator's voice feels like a traveling storyteller of old. There is much foreshadowing,and while I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and learning some of the history, at no time did I sink into the story and inhabit this world.
I have briefly visited Sri Lanka before, but do not have a deep understanding of their civil war. This novel is set about four years after the troubles first begin. Sal Mal lane is home to families of different ethnicity, religions, class and political leanings. While they are not holding hands singing kumbaya, everyone knows their place, and for the most part get along. Like most neighborhoods, we get to meet the people through the children of the lane. There is laughter, lots of tea drinking, cricket and music, but all that changes as the forces in the outside world trickle into the lane.
The writing is lyrical, and the narrator's voice feels like a traveling storyteller of old. There is much foreshadowing,and while I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and learning some of the history, at no time did I sink into the story and inhabit this world.
July 29, 2015
L’histoire d’un pays à travers celle d’une rue de Colombo et de ses habitants d’origines et de classes sociales diverses : cinghalais, tamouls, musulmans, bouddhistes ou catholiques vivent ensemble dans cette impasse d’un pays menacé par les prémices de la guerre civile à venir. Le destin d’un groupe d’enfants embarqués malgré eux dans des histoires d’adultes, entre rires et larmes, entre tendresse et violence. Une histoire douce-amère où chacun cherche sa place au sein d’une famille, d’un quartier, d’une ethnie et d’une société que les tensions diverses gangrènent.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce roman, que ce soit l’histoire ou les personnages tous attachants à leur façon. A travers la vie de ce quartier c’est l’histoire du Sri Lanka et des évènements qui ont mené à la guerre civile que l’on découvre et leurs conséquences sur la vie de ces gens qui vivaient en harmonie sans se préoccuper de religions ou d’appartenance à une ethnie. Comme souvent en temps de guerre, les enfants sont les premiers touchés, petites victimes collatérales de la haine et de la bêtise des adultes, à travers la jalousie des uns, l’ignorance des autres, les rumeurs sans fondement et les tensions sociales. Malgré cela ils essaient tant bien que mal de protéger leur petit monde, des amours naissent et des amitiés se font et se défont. On passe du rire aux larmes en une page et ça fait du bien ! J’ai aimé les relations qui se créent entre certains des personnages, comme Devi et Oncle Raju. Ou Nihil et Mr Niles, c’est bouleversant et plein de tendresse. A travers ces familles et l’évolution des personnages ce sont les 5 ans qui précèdent la guerre civile que l’on survole, les joies, les peines, les drames et les espoirs qui forgent et dévoilent les caractères de tout ce petit monde.
En réalité, c’est un roman d’amour, amour pour un pays, pour des hommes et des femmes, pour des frères et sœurs que Ru Freeman a écrit car à chaque ligne, à chaque page on ressent tout l’amour qu’elle porte à ses personnages. L’écriture immersive est ciselée et pleine de poésie, elle plonge le lecteur au milieu des saveurs, des parfums, du son du piano, de la musicalité des langues parlées dans l’impasse. C’est riche, beau, flamboyant et plein de couleurs !
J’ai aussi beaucoup aimé la façon dont l’auteur réussit à nous donner quelques clés pour comprendre tout ce qui fait la complexité de cette société codifiée, pluriethnique qui reste malgré tout sclérosée et enfermée dans ses certitudes. Si Sal Mal Lane représente à elle seule la complexité de cette société, à travers ses habitants aux origines si diverses, elle finira aussi par cristalliser les rancœurs et les drames autour d’eux ; alors quand la guerre va éclater, c’est tout ce petit monde à l’équilibre fragile qui finira par s’écrouler.
Je vous invite vraiment à découvrir les questions politiques de Devi, à écouter Suren au piano et à rire avec les jumelles Rose et Dolly. Une mention spéciale pour le soin apporté par les Editions Zoé à la qualité de l’objet livre avec un papier de qualité et la présence d'un glossaire, d'un petit récapitulatif des personnages par famille, d'un plan de la rue et d'une carte du pays.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce roman, que ce soit l’histoire ou les personnages tous attachants à leur façon. A travers la vie de ce quartier c’est l’histoire du Sri Lanka et des évènements qui ont mené à la guerre civile que l’on découvre et leurs conséquences sur la vie de ces gens qui vivaient en harmonie sans se préoccuper de religions ou d’appartenance à une ethnie. Comme souvent en temps de guerre, les enfants sont les premiers touchés, petites victimes collatérales de la haine et de la bêtise des adultes, à travers la jalousie des uns, l’ignorance des autres, les rumeurs sans fondement et les tensions sociales. Malgré cela ils essaient tant bien que mal de protéger leur petit monde, des amours naissent et des amitiés se font et se défont. On passe du rire aux larmes en une page et ça fait du bien ! J’ai aimé les relations qui se créent entre certains des personnages, comme Devi et Oncle Raju. Ou Nihil et Mr Niles, c’est bouleversant et plein de tendresse. A travers ces familles et l’évolution des personnages ce sont les 5 ans qui précèdent la guerre civile que l’on survole, les joies, les peines, les drames et les espoirs qui forgent et dévoilent les caractères de tout ce petit monde.
En réalité, c’est un roman d’amour, amour pour un pays, pour des hommes et des femmes, pour des frères et sœurs que Ru Freeman a écrit car à chaque ligne, à chaque page on ressent tout l’amour qu’elle porte à ses personnages. L’écriture immersive est ciselée et pleine de poésie, elle plonge le lecteur au milieu des saveurs, des parfums, du son du piano, de la musicalité des langues parlées dans l’impasse. C’est riche, beau, flamboyant et plein de couleurs !
J’ai aussi beaucoup aimé la façon dont l’auteur réussit à nous donner quelques clés pour comprendre tout ce qui fait la complexité de cette société codifiée, pluriethnique qui reste malgré tout sclérosée et enfermée dans ses certitudes. Si Sal Mal Lane représente à elle seule la complexité de cette société, à travers ses habitants aux origines si diverses, elle finira aussi par cristalliser les rancœurs et les drames autour d’eux ; alors quand la guerre va éclater, c’est tout ce petit monde à l’équilibre fragile qui finira par s’écrouler.
Je vous invite vraiment à découvrir les questions politiques de Devi, à écouter Suren au piano et à rire avec les jumelles Rose et Dolly. Une mention spéciale pour le soin apporté par les Editions Zoé à la qualité de l’objet livre avec un papier de qualité et la présence d'un glossaire, d'un petit récapitulatif des personnages par famille, d'un plan de la rue et d'une carte du pays.
August 31, 2013
Usually novels either deal front and center with social and political issues or they are completely in the background and barely mentioned. This book manages to interweave national and neighborhood concerns with the individual and family life. Ru Freeman ably tells us what is going on in each character's head without it seeming too far-fetched that the point of view can cover all of the characters in a neighborhood so ably.
There is an innocence in setting the story around mostly pre-teen kids as they are shielded from the political and other concerns of their parents and other adults. But in Sri Lanka in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they will eventually learn everything: the history of economic disparity; the jealousies of people; how the government can control the media and eventually how each group should deal with the other.
The characters in "On Sal Mal Lane" are easy to keep track of, though they are numerous. There are the Herath children, the four perfect children who move to a vacant home there. In comparison the rest of the neighborhood is less than perfect and they alternately try to be more like them or resent the attention and successes of the children. But the four children are distinct: Suren, the oldest, is content and totally absorbed in music. It is music that eventually teaches him to move beyond his childhood obedience of his parents. Nihil the younger brother has taken it upon himself to be the protector of Devi, the youngest, and for a time gives up his passion, cricket, to better keep an eye on her. Devi, for her part, is the least likely to ever follow rules. Rashmi, as the oldest girl, is always taken out as a model in convent schools as the epitome of a fine student and one Devi should model herself after.
Early in the book ethnic and religious differences are hinted at and by the end of the book, they take center stage in the story. In microcosm we see that the individual disadvantages can quickly become learned are ethnic determinants - the characters believing what militants or the government in power, whichever represents your people, tells them about why they have been disadvantaged or why they alone should have power.
Sri Lanka seems about to become a tragedy again. It would be wise for people to read about how a neighborhood can be a community.
There is an innocence in setting the story around mostly pre-teen kids as they are shielded from the political and other concerns of their parents and other adults. But in Sri Lanka in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they will eventually learn everything: the history of economic disparity; the jealousies of people; how the government can control the media and eventually how each group should deal with the other.
The characters in "On Sal Mal Lane" are easy to keep track of, though they are numerous. There are the Herath children, the four perfect children who move to a vacant home there. In comparison the rest of the neighborhood is less than perfect and they alternately try to be more like them or resent the attention and successes of the children. But the four children are distinct: Suren, the oldest, is content and totally absorbed in music. It is music that eventually teaches him to move beyond his childhood obedience of his parents. Nihil the younger brother has taken it upon himself to be the protector of Devi, the youngest, and for a time gives up his passion, cricket, to better keep an eye on her. Devi, for her part, is the least likely to ever follow rules. Rashmi, as the oldest girl, is always taken out as a model in convent schools as the epitome of a fine student and one Devi should model herself after.
Early in the book ethnic and religious differences are hinted at and by the end of the book, they take center stage in the story. In microcosm we see that the individual disadvantages can quickly become learned are ethnic determinants - the characters believing what militants or the government in power, whichever represents your people, tells them about why they have been disadvantaged or why they alone should have power.
Sri Lanka seems about to become a tragedy again. It would be wise for people to read about how a neighborhood can be a community.
May 27, 2020
This book about a neighborhood in Sri Lanka, a country edging towards civil war, got off to a great start. The writing was sometimes beautiful. In the prologue, the author writes,
“If at times you detect some subtle preference, an undeserved generosity toward someone, a boy child, perhaps, or an old man, forgive me. It is far easier to be everything and nothing than it is to conceal love.”
After that auspicious start, I felt let down. At the beginning of the story, the author includes a map of Sri Lanka, a drawing of the various houses on Sal Mal Lane, and what family lives in each, and a list of the families who live on that lane.
I had to refer to the Lane map and list frequently. Quite a few characters were introduced quickly, and I had trouble keeping them straight.
Most of the characters are not very likable. It does say something about the characters that the one I liked most was a horrible bully as well as being a victim. Most were people I just didn't care about and had trouble caring what happened to them.
I get the message. Neighbors, suspicious of one another because they are different, devolve into accusations and hatred. As does the country. Civil war is anything but civil.
The book has had much acclaim, and good reader reviews, so my less-than-glowing opinion is a minority. To me, it moved at a snail's pace. I knew too much minutiae of the characters' lives, and just wanted to move on. I sometimes felt hit over the head with the message. Sadly, the book became a chore for me to finish.
I was given a copy of the book for review.
“If at times you detect some subtle preference, an undeserved generosity toward someone, a boy child, perhaps, or an old man, forgive me. It is far easier to be everything and nothing than it is to conceal love.”
After that auspicious start, I felt let down. At the beginning of the story, the author includes a map of Sri Lanka, a drawing of the various houses on Sal Mal Lane, and what family lives in each, and a list of the families who live on that lane.
I had to refer to the Lane map and list frequently. Quite a few characters were introduced quickly, and I had trouble keeping them straight.
Most of the characters are not very likable. It does say something about the characters that the one I liked most was a horrible bully as well as being a victim. Most were people I just didn't care about and had trouble caring what happened to them.
I get the message. Neighbors, suspicious of one another because they are different, devolve into accusations and hatred. As does the country. Civil war is anything but civil.
The book has had much acclaim, and good reader reviews, so my less-than-glowing opinion is a minority. To me, it moved at a snail's pace. I knew too much minutiae of the characters' lives, and just wanted to move on. I sometimes felt hit over the head with the message. Sadly, the book became a chore for me to finish.
I was given a copy of the book for review.
May 7, 2013
Where does one begin with Ru Freeman’s On Sal Mal Lane? On the surface it is the story of the Herath family and their lives in their new home on Sal Mal Lane. They are a traditional Sinhalese family, with a mother whose beliefs on what is right and proper leave her children little room to maneuver in their lives. The oldest, Suren, is a gifted musician but is expected to become an engineer as musician is not an acceptable life. Rashmi, the oldest daughter, is the exemplar of Sri Lankan maidenhood: perfect grades in every class, modest in her dress, and with the proper demeanor and manners. Nihil is the youngest son and yet, in his mind, tasked with the greatest responsibility in the family, that of protecting his baby sister, Devi, a mischievous fount of boundless energy and sunshine but born on a most unlucky date and therefore a source of concern for all.
Within the neighborhood, the Herath’s meet a varied group of people, from the Bollings with their twin daughters, Rose and Dolly, who are Rashmi’s age but who run around in ragged clothes and unclean hair, and their brother Sonna who is viewed as the criminal element in the neighborhood. The Silvas live next door with their two sons, Jith and Mohan, and their not so secret prejudices against the Tamil population whom they see as the cause of most of Sri Lanka’s problems.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com.2013/0...
Within the neighborhood, the Herath’s meet a varied group of people, from the Bollings with their twin daughters, Rose and Dolly, who are Rashmi’s age but who run around in ragged clothes and unclean hair, and their brother Sonna who is viewed as the criminal element in the neighborhood. The Silvas live next door with their two sons, Jith and Mohan, and their not so secret prejudices against the Tamil population whom they see as the cause of most of Sri Lanka’s problems.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com.2013/0...
October 30, 2014
On Sal Mal Lane broke my heart. It was unique in that it didn't break my heart when . It broke it a little from the first paragraph. And continued to fracture it as I got emotionally attached to the characters. That, not having an unexpected tragedy, but a tragedy that we know will happen but not having an option but to watch on as it happens, broke my heart. And made On Sal Mal Lane get into my list of books that kept me up and weeping through the night.
I think the main reason this book touched me was the brotherly love in it. I could find myself in the righteous Rashmi, who realized it is fun to bend the rules and in the complete trust that Devi places in Nihil. The book kept me going because of the extensive foreshadowing. At the beginning of every chapter, I would question - "Is this where it would happen?" (Is that how Nihil felt though his life?) And when it finally did happen, it was a mixture of guilty relief and heartbreaking sadness.
Writing style was really good. I am a sucker for words, and this was right down my alley. Being a Sri Lankan, the subtle humour was well understood and enjoyed, the setting was realistic and even the dialogues were true. I shall not comment on the political view point presented in the novel - suffice to say, from what my parents have told me, the recording is true to life.
"It is far easier to be something and nothing, than it is to conceal love"
I think the main reason this book touched me was the brotherly love in it. I could find myself in the righteous Rashmi, who realized it is fun to bend the rules and in the complete trust that Devi places in Nihil. The book kept me going because of the extensive foreshadowing. At the beginning of every chapter, I would question - "Is this where it would happen?" (Is that how Nihil felt though his life?) And when it finally did happen, it was a mixture of guilty relief and heartbreaking sadness.
Writing style was really good. I am a sucker for words, and this was right down my alley. Being a Sri Lankan, the subtle humour was well understood and enjoyed, the setting was realistic and even the dialogues were true. I shall not comment on the political view point presented in the novel - suffice to say, from what my parents have told me, the recording is true to life.
"It is far easier to be something and nothing, than it is to conceal love"
October 13, 2013
4.75 stars - I was debating between 4 and 5 stars, but honestly, after a long hiatus of reading (just not getting into the reading mode) - I was able to invest myself and read this almost 400-page book in less than 3 days. And I loved the writing and I loved the character development. On top of all that, it was set in Sri Lanka between 1979 and 1983 and thus, taught me a historical period that I knew nothing of.
Now onward to the real story. This book follows the story of neighbors living on Sal Mal Lane, starting with the arrival of a new family: the Herath family with their four children: Suran, Rashmi, Nihil and Devi. Everyone on the street wants to become their friend. The four sibilings are tight yet each develops their own connection to their neighbors and we seem them grown in different paths, but always close to each other.
We also meet the other characters who live on Sal Mal Lane - their interaction with the Herath family and how they fit into the whole story, as Sri Lanka enters a period of riots catalyzed by the murder of 13 Sinhalese soldiers on July 23rd, 1983. This is where neightbors get divided by their ethnicity and Sal Mal Lane is never the same again. Tragedy forces all the kids to grow up.
It's a wonderful read with beautiful writing and excellent character development. I would love to read her other books!
Now onward to the real story. This book follows the story of neighbors living on Sal Mal Lane, starting with the arrival of a new family: the Herath family with their four children: Suran, Rashmi, Nihil and Devi. Everyone on the street wants to become their friend. The four sibilings are tight yet each develops their own connection to their neighbors and we seem them grown in different paths, but always close to each other.
We also meet the other characters who live on Sal Mal Lane - their interaction with the Herath family and how they fit into the whole story, as Sri Lanka enters a period of riots catalyzed by the murder of 13 Sinhalese soldiers on July 23rd, 1983. This is where neightbors get divided by their ethnicity and Sal Mal Lane is never the same again. Tragedy forces all the kids to grow up.
It's a wonderful read with beautiful writing and excellent character development. I would love to read her other books!
September 25, 2013
Ru Freeman has written a remarkable book, a work both beautiful and heartbreaking. We read newspaper accounts and history books, listen to the radio and watch TV, hear and read the names of cities, towns, politicians, terrorists, and political groups, often unpronounceable to those of us living in Western countries, but Freeman offers us what we never see or hear...the human face, and in this book mostly the faces, thoughts, actions and reactions of innocent children to the gradual disintegration of normal life in their country. Children hear the adults in their lives talking about political parties, movements, their worries and concerns about possible "troubles", and the children begin to worry about what it all means...and then the troubles come...to their city, their Sal Mal Lane, their neighbors. When we hear that this or that political entity wishes to separate from the larger nation of which they are a part, we must never assume that group represents all of their ethnic group or even a majority. I believe that most people, as in Ru Freeman's book, simply wish to live their lives in peace with their neighbors.
July 10, 2013
On Sal Mal Lane is a well constructed novel that chronicles the lives of a street of diverse neighbors through the early 1980s in Sri Lanka.
It is also utterly captivating.
The inhabitants of Sal Mal Lane are from all ethnic groups, but how they raise children, how those children relate to their parents, and their enthusiasm about cricket brings them together. There is the aspirational middle class family, the low class family, the family with an adult child who lives at home, and all of the fates of these characters are bound together by their location and by the tumultuous time in which they live.
I had to read slowly to unpack each sentence and let the atmosphere of Sal Mal Lane to sink it.
Just stop reading this review and read it already. It's more than worth the time and the investment in sorting out the families for the beautiful creation of a community in Sri Lanka.
It is also utterly captivating.
The inhabitants of Sal Mal Lane are from all ethnic groups, but how they raise children, how those children relate to their parents, and their enthusiasm about cricket brings them together. There is the aspirational middle class family, the low class family, the family with an adult child who lives at home, and all of the fates of these characters are bound together by their location and by the tumultuous time in which they live.
I had to read slowly to unpack each sentence and let the atmosphere of Sal Mal Lane to sink it.
Just stop reading this review and read it already. It's more than worth the time and the investment in sorting out the families for the beautiful creation of a community in Sri Lanka.
September 24, 2013
I ended up really loving this book. In the beginning I thought it was a bit too detailed - especially in details about the background of the Tamil Tigers, government policies and the civil unrest. At times I felt she did too much foreshadowing of tragedies to come. However I came to love the characters on the lane, especially the children and especially the four Herath children- Suren, Rashmi, Nihil and Devi. Ultimately I thought this was a really important book - the story of how mixed communities try to connect, avoid misunderstandings and resist the suspicions and mistrust that pushes people apart. I have visited Sri Lanka twice and have met with Tamils and Sinhalese, with Buddhists, Christians and Hindus and I have spent time in Colombo and may have had an easier time relating to the setting and the history. A very thought provoking and lovely book. I actually think it would make an amazing movie if done with authenticity and sensitivity.
November 19, 2013
Beautifully written, the author focuses on a street in the outskirts of the capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. There are Sinhalese (Buddhist), Tamil (Hindu), Muslim, Burghers (descendants of the Europeans) all living peacefully together on this street. They bring their holiday food to the neighbors and the children all play outside under the Sal Mal Trees. The four children from the Herath family are so close that "There was never a single Herath child in a conversation, there were four; every word uttered, every challenge made, every secret kept together". But the outside world will soon invade Sal Mal Lane. Civil war is brewing in Sri Lanka and the author, Ru Freeman, skillfully shows us how a country and its children lose their innocence. Mr Niles says "People do not go to war.. they carry the war inside them". This books is heartbreakingly beautiful. The best book that I have read in a long time.
March 16, 2013
The writing is incredibly beautiful prose. The story is heartbreaking and resounding. I really had no idea what to expect when I started reading, and there were times I wanted to stop because my heart was breaking- but there was no putting this one down. Freeman explores politics, ethnicities, religion, and coming of age, within the time of civil war in Sri Lanka, 1979. Without getting muddled, she is able to place the reader in an unfamiliar time and place flawlessly, and the tension is present throughout. Faced with difficult choices and sometimes choosing wrongly, the characters are perfectly flawed- and real.
I do not want to give away too much, but this is a must read, and perfect for the solo reader and book clubs alike. A true 2013 accomplishment. Rich in culture, history, and heart.
I do not want to give away too much, but this is a must read, and perfect for the solo reader and book clubs alike. A true 2013 accomplishment. Rich in culture, history, and heart.
July 31, 2014
I would give this 4 1/2 stars if Goodreads allowed it.
It is a story about childhood and the innocence interrupted when the bigger problems of the world seep into our lives and life/death interferes because it does not respect the beauty of childhood.
The novel follows the lives of the Herath children and the neighbors they meet on Sal Mal lane for 5 years. Interwoven into the simple lives of children, music lessons, cricket, bicycle riding, is a history of the cultural and religious tensions between the Sinhalese and the Tamil people. It is a touching tale about the lives of children and the strength of neighbors to come together in difficult times.
It would be a 5 star, but it was told in the third person omniscient point of view, which kept me from feeling deeply the losses and pain of the characters.
It is a story about childhood and the innocence interrupted when the bigger problems of the world seep into our lives and life/death interferes because it does not respect the beauty of childhood.
The novel follows the lives of the Herath children and the neighbors they meet on Sal Mal lane for 5 years. Interwoven into the simple lives of children, music lessons, cricket, bicycle riding, is a history of the cultural and religious tensions between the Sinhalese and the Tamil people. It is a touching tale about the lives of children and the strength of neighbors to come together in difficult times.
It would be a 5 star, but it was told in the third person omniscient point of view, which kept me from feeling deeply the losses and pain of the characters.
September 9, 2013
Before we’re able to sink into the first page of the first chapter, where the lush scenery, the mesmerizing plot, and the lingering characters lay claim to our psyche, we are informed by the narrator that they are concurrently the air, the road and the composite of our dreams. Unflinchingly, the storyteller tells us that they are ‘everything and nothing.’ And it is from that place that we are intimately drawn into the days, weeks, and years preceding one of the world’s most protracted civil wars and into the lives of children and teens, and of the adults who are, at once, in denial and angst-ridden over the ever-increasing ethnic and religious strife that will soon become everyone’s reality.
http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/ite...
http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/ite...
January 13, 2020
Fascinating book that relates to how our lives are interwoven. A few chapters were too political but still reminds us how politics can divide people. Such a shame as we all desire love and peace. What strong and kind people live in Sal Mal lane. Not to be forgotten. Are we are own worse enemies?
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