MOSQUITO by Roma Tearne
Book Description:
A classic novel of love and war—a lush, cinematic story in the tradition of The English Patient
Set adrift by the recent death of his wife, Theo Samarajeeva abandons his comfortable writer’s life in London and returns to Sri Lanka, his homeland. Within the protective confines of his beach house outside of Colombo, and under the watchful eye of his loyal servant, Sugi, he attempts to finish his latest novel, though the threat of violence lurks just beyond his door.
Meanwhile, Nulani, a mysterious and artistically talented young woman, installs herself on Theo’s veranda and begins to paint him, capturing in her vivid portraits a man in search of redemption.
As an unorthodox and tenuous love blossoms between this unlikely pair, Sri Lanka’s simmering civil war creeps ominously close, threatening to destroy their fragile happiness. Just when Nulani feels, for the first time in years, that she is loved, and Theo begins to believe he has a future, the terror of war spreads across the nation, converting ordinary citizens into enemy combatants and outsiders into tools for blackmail. In this climate of chaos, both Nulani and Theo must call upon their memories and their art to survive.
Set against the tableau of the Sri Lankan conflict between the Tamils and the Singhalese, and sweeping from Sri Lanka to Venice and London, Mosquito is an emotionally charged, unforgettable story that illuminates the power of love and memory.
Author and artist Roma Tearne, who fled Sri Lanka when she was young, unflinchingly captures the menace of war while at the same time imbuing her spellbinding work with immense humanity and moral vision.
2 comments:
Sounds like a good one. I've stopped reviewing for First Look, lately, for the same reason. Few titles have appealed to me; I actually haven't even looked at their offerings, lately.
Actually, this one is REALLY good! I'm having a hard time putting it down! :o)
A pleasant surprise. ;o)
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