Monsoon Dream

Download or read book Monsoon Dream written by Nilani De Silva and published by Booksurge Publishing. This book was released on 2005-08-30 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born into a wealthy and noble Sri Lankan Catholic family living on the outskirts of Colombo, the young Anushka finds herself torn between two very different worlds. The strict code of conduct that governs every member of her household, demarcates the deep gap separating the Westernised elitist bourgeoisie, of which Anushka is a reluctant member, and the ethnic Sinhalese traditions they disdain, taking their cue from the colonials who have ruled their country for centuries. Preserved and cherished by the low-caste Buddhist peasants from Hinnagama village, who work for her family, these traditions have an irresistible appeal for the rebellious Anushka. It is her independent spirit and the quest for living life, on her terms, which invite harsh physical punishment from her authoritarian father. The humiliation and countless hardships she suffers as a result, impel her to leave the village and move to the capital city, Colombo, where hazards lurk, for single women living alone. In a country in the grip of civil war, the result of a stand-off between the Sinhalese dominated government and separatist Tamil guerrillas bent on creating an independent state for themselves. Anushka ́s dream for freedom drives her to England, but things turn awry. She ended up behind locked doors. Will the indomitable Anushka, adapt herself to every obstacle thrown her way and succeed where so many others have failed. . ...' Written with sensitivity, insight and uncompromising candour by Nilani de Silva, this novel is a lyrical and evocative work that shocks with its moments of violence and cruelty. Illuminated with hope, yet, tinged with despair, the Monsoon Dream is as much a portrait of a spirited young woman who dares to challenge the anachronistic values of a conservative island society. As it is of a schizophrenic era in Sri Lanka ́s turbulent post-colonial history that is both reluctant to shake off its subservience to its British legacy and steeped in the ancient ethnic prejudices of caste and creed. Finally, Monsoon Dream is about life itself in all its glorious uncertainty -melancholy, disillusioning, bitter on the one hand, joyous affirmative and radiant with hope, on the other.