“Island of a Thousand Mirrors” by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka)

Review

Readers were unanimous in their appreciation of this book. They described the writing style as beautiful and of high calibre for a first novel. It awakened all their senses, drawing them into the story and bringing the people and places vividly to life. They found themselves immersed in the lives of the two protagonists and felt that the author managed to successfully fictionalize an historical event using the two women’s personal experiences. Readers felt that the way the brutal war scenes were described, using few words, caused them to stick in their minds long after reading them. They agreed that despite the horrible things happening during the war, what remained with them was a lovely impression of the island, its people and the food. They liked the ending and were relieved that the story closed on a positive note. Overall, it averaged a 9.5 out of 10.

Synopsis

Before violence tore apart the tapestry of Sri Lanka and turned its pristine beaches red, there were two families; two young women, ripe for love with hopes for the future; and a chance encounter that leads to the terrible heritage they must reckon with for years to come… Read more

Nicola’s Book Club reading list

Season 20 (Oct 2016 – Feb 2017)
“Life Begins on Friday” by Ioana Pârvulescu (Romania)
“In the Beginning Was the Sea” by Tomás González (Colombia)
“Island of a Thousand Mirrors” by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka) *
“By Night the Mountain Burns” by Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel (Equatorial Guinea)
“The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan (U.S.)

Extra book:
“The Yacoubian Building” by Alaa Al Aswany (Egypt)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur