"They want moral certainty, a thing I cannot give."

In this book, Munaweera explores the conflicts of the Sri Lankan Civil War, written from the alternating perspectives of two young girls, one Sinhala and one Tamil. I wouldn't say both views are given the same importance in the narrative, though - Yasodhara, the young Sinhala girl, is the heroine of the story. At the same time, we get to glimpse into Saraswathie's mind and life for a little moment, the first-person Tamil perspective. But, of course, there are other characters from both ethnic groups.

The story intended to show there isn't right or wrong in war, and it was successful in many aspects for me. But it also lacked balance, given the Sinhala and Tamil perspectives were not written with the same depth and care. The author managed to write a nuanced and multifaceted Sinhala experience. But the Tamil perspective is flatter.

This issue came to my attention during the South Asian book club discussions of which I am part. As a non-Sri Lankan and non-South Asian person not particularly aware of the Sri Lankan conflict's roots, this would have honestly gone over my head had I not had discussions with more knowledgeable people.

But the story in itself worked for me. I was captivated by the narration of mouthwatering dishes and felt nostalgic for the local scenery I've never seen in real life. I was in awe with the words used to describe the beauty of brown skin, had goosebumps with the forbidden and impossible love stories, and got to travel the world and see these same people assimilating into a western culture after moving halfway across the globe to escape the war.