Author

Publication

2008 - Harper Press, London, England

Language

English

Word Count

100,000 words, Guess

Page Count

400 pages

Identifiers

  • Internet Archivebonechina0000tear
  • ISBN-139780007240739
  • ISBN-100007240732
  • LibraryThing5770821
  • Goodreads3283531
and 4 more

Classifications

  • DDC823.92
  • LCCPR6120.E27 B66 2008
  • LCCPR6120

Description

An epic novel of love, loss and a family uprooted, set in the contrasting landscapes of war-torn Sri Lanka and immigrant London.Grace de Silva, wife of the shiftless but charming Aloysius, has five children and a crumbling marriage. Her eldest son, Jacob, wants desperately to go to England. Thornton, the most beautiful of all the children and his mother's favourite, dreams of becoming a poet. Alicia wants to be a concert pianist. Only Frieda has no ambition, other than to remain close to her family. But civil unrest is stirring in Sri Lanka and Christopher, the youngest and the rebel of the family, is soon caught up in the tragedy that follows. As the decade unfolds against a backdrop of increasing ethnic violence, Grace watches helplessly as the life she knows begins to crumble. Slowly, this once happy family is torn apart as four of her children each make the decision to leave their home. In London, the de Silvas are all, in their different ways, desperately homesick. Caught in a cultural clash between East and West, life is not as they expected. Only Thornton's daughter, Meeka, moves confidently into a world that is full of possibilities. But nothing is as easy as it seems and she must overcome heartbreak, a terrible mistake and single parenthood before she is finally able to see the extraordinary effects of history on her family's migration.

Description

Grace de Silva, wife of the shiftless but charming Aloysius, has five children and a crumbling marriage. Her eldest son, Jacob, wants desperately to go to England. He hates his island home. Thorton, the most beautiful of all the children, and his mothers favourite, dreams of becoming a poet. Alicia wants to be a concert pianist. Only Frieda has no ambition other than to remain close to her family. But civil unrest is stirring in Sri Lanka and Christopher, the youngest rebel of the family, caught up in the tragedy that follows. -- inside jacket cover.

Subjects

Topics

FictionCivil warLiteratureSri LankansSocial conditionsLondon (england), fictionEmigration and immigration

Genres

  • Fiction

Other Editions

  • Bone chinaHarper Press2008-01-01

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