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Bone China (2008)

by Roma Tearne(Favorite Author)

3.66 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0007240732 (ISBN13: 9780007240739)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Harper Press

review 1: A moderately enjoyable read, this was a diverting enough book but ultimately failed to leave much of an impression on me. Probably due to the exotic setting of Sri Lanka, I found the first half more engaging, and was less interested in the chapters detailing the lives of the latter generations of the de Silva family in London. There was also something very sad about watching the characters grow from vibrant, ambitious children into dull, jaded adults. I understand the point was to illustrate the unpredictability of life, but I found it depressing that not one of the many family members managed to find true, lasting happiness. I thought Tearne's style of writing was unusual, and at first quite difficult to adjust to, but it suits the story very well and flows beautifully, p... morearticularly when she is describing emotion. I found the book nice but not exactly gripping; in the end it was fairly unremarkable, and I don't think I'd read anything else by the author.
review 2: The decades long post-Empire politico-ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka provides the backdrop for this family saga. Having lost the family estate, Grace and Aloysius Da Silva move to Colombo to raise their five children in fading upper-class style. As life becomes more difficult for ethnic Tamils, some of the Da Silva children emigrate to Great Britain to start new lives. The many characters are all clearly and distinctly drawn as are their relationships. And though events often don't work out as family members hope, both in England and back in Sri Lanka, the lives of the Da Silvas reflect the changes in the post-Imperial world that make returning to their roots impossible. Like Lahiri's The Namesake, this novel deftly and movingly describes the immigrant experience. Recommended. less

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