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juliamason11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
alyssafraley's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
jlosaw's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved the story and the characters. It was also really great to learn about a period of history that I knew nothing about.
max_333's review against another edition
5.0
I love historical fictions written the way that Ru Freeman writes On Sal Mal Lane. The book follows political changes and the implementation of us vs. them mentality in Sri Lanka, but mainly from the perspective of children growing up on a lane together. Although at times it could feel mundane, it does so in the same way that a Studio Ghibli film is mundane. Ru Freeman brings magic and joy into those moments and then contrasts them with the onslaught of political unrest and the aftermath.
The perspective of the children gift the reader of the innocence and true impact of political unrest and make On Sal Mal Lane the incredible work that it is.
The perspective of the children gift the reader of the innocence and true impact of political unrest and make On Sal Mal Lane the incredible work that it is.
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
4.0
Where does one begin with Ru Freeman’s On Sal Mal Lane? On the surface it is the story of the Herath family and their lives in their new home on Sal Mal Lane. They are a traditional Sinhalese family, with a mother whose beliefs on what is right and proper leave her children little room to maneuver in their lives. The oldest, Suren, is a gifted musician but is expected to become an engineer as musician is not an acceptable life. Rashmi, the oldest daughter, is the exemplar of Sri Lankan maidenhood: perfect grades in every class, modest in her dress, and with the proper demeanor and manners. Nihil is the youngest son and yet, in his mind, tasked with the greatest responsibility in the family, that of protecting his baby sister, Devi, a mischievous fount of boundless energy and sunshine but born on a most unlucky date and therefore a source of concern for all.
Within the neighborhood, the Herath’s meet a varied group of people, from the Bollings with their twin daughters, Rose and Dolly, who are Rashmi’s age but who run around in ragged clothes and unclean hair, and their brother Sonna who is viewed as the criminal element in the neighborhood. The Silvas live next door with their two sons, Jith and Mohan, and their not so secret prejudices against the Tamil population whom they see as the cause of most of Sri Lanka’s problems.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com.2013/05/on-sal-mal-lane/
Within the neighborhood, the Herath’s meet a varied group of people, from the Bollings with their twin daughters, Rose and Dolly, who are Rashmi’s age but who run around in ragged clothes and unclean hair, and their brother Sonna who is viewed as the criminal element in the neighborhood. The Silvas live next door with their two sons, Jith and Mohan, and their not so secret prejudices against the Tamil population whom they see as the cause of most of Sri Lanka’s problems.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com.2013/05/on-sal-mal-lane/
kvothe_msw's review against another edition
4.0
On Sal Mal Lane broke my heart. It was unique in that it didn't break my heart when . It broke it a little from the first paragraph. And continued to fracture it as I got emotionally attached to the characters. That, not having an unexpected tragedy, but a tragedy that we know will happen but not having an option but to watch on as it happens, broke my heart. And made On Sal Mal Lane get into my list of books that kept me up and weeping through the night.
I think the main reason this book touched me was the brotherly love in it. I could find myself in the righteous Rashmi, who realized it is fun to bend the rules and in the complete trust that Devi places in Nihil. The book kept me going because of the extensive foreshadowing. At the beginning of every chapter, I would question - "Is this where it would happen?" (Is that how Nihil felt though his life?) And when it finally did happen, it was a mixture of guilty relief and heartbreaking sadness.
Writing style was really good. I am a sucker for words, and this was right down my alley. Being a Sri Lankan, the subtle humour was well understood and enjoyed, the setting was realistic and even the dialogues were true. I shall not comment on the political view point presented in the novel - suffice to say, from what my parents have told me, the recording is true to life.
"It is far easier to be something and nothing, than it is to conceal love"
Spoiler
Devi diedI think the main reason this book touched me was the brotherly love in it. I could find myself in the righteous Rashmi, who realized it is fun to bend the rules and in the complete trust that Devi places in Nihil. The book kept me going because of the extensive foreshadowing. At the beginning of every chapter, I would question - "Is this where it would happen?" (Is that how Nihil felt though his life?) And when it finally did happen, it was a mixture of guilty relief and heartbreaking sadness.
Writing style was really good. I am a sucker for words, and this was right down my alley. Being a Sri Lankan, the subtle humour was well understood and enjoyed, the setting was realistic and even the dialogues were true. I shall not comment on the political view point presented in the novel - suffice to say, from what my parents have told me, the recording is true to life.
"It is far easier to be something and nothing, than it is to conceal love"
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
Struggling to feel invested in the characters. It’s not holding my attention at the moment.
theeditorreads's review against another edition
5.0
Synopsis:
The four Herath siblings, along with their parents – the father a government employee in Sri Lanka and the mother a school teacher – move into a house On Sal Mal Lane in the southern parts of the country in the year 1979. This story is about them, about how the entire lane seems to find a new lease of life, how the people in the lane and their lives slowly start to revolve around them and how they all influence each other. But there is a simmering discontent which is sometimes evident within the thoughts of some of the residents of the lane and also in the country. A story, which while limited to the lane it is named upon, contains a history of ordinary people in the years leading up to the beginning of the Civil War from 1983.
Review:
I’ve started a new trend of reading for myself, I begin a book with the end pages. Nope, not spoiling it, just to check whether there is something else other than Acknowledgement and a Note on the font. And there was a Glossary there, which I can refer to while reading the book!
I read this story in fits and starts, the reason it took me close to four months to finish reading it. But, this story will always remain close to my heart and deserves all the hype that I can create for it. A story of innocence, of children growing up, of events beyond anyone’s control; a story of wonderful dreams and dashed hopes; amidst the clamour of civil war. A story where class and caste differences are attempted to be understood through the eyes of innocent children who are trying to understand the complex world that the adults inhabit. A world that the latter, having left behind their days of innocence, seems to unnecessarily complicate.
What a beautiful and poignant story this was! A historical fiction spread over five years – from 1979 to 1983 – it starts with a prologue. On 5 May 1976, the narrator brings forth a short history of the country that is Sri Lanka. And the numerous conflicts that plagued the nation. But all of it is to be told from the perspective of everyone who lived on Sal Mal Lane. Even if they may be insignificant people in the grand scheme of a nation, they too share the same history and are affected by it.
After the epigraph, the first thing that you see is a map of Sri Lanka followed by a pictorial depiction of Sal Mal Lane accompanied by a list of the members of the families inhabiting houses on both sides of the lane, which helped in visualising the setting while reading the book. The prologue itself promised a wealth of writing. Especially the way the narrator introduces itself at the end, in the first person. Yes, itself. Sounds bewildering? It did to me too. Every year has a few chapters with titles that indicate what is to come in those chapters.
In the early days of 1979, the Sinhalese Buddhist Heraths moved into the only empty house On Sal Mal Lane. Named after the grove of sal trees at the very end of the lane, what made this stand out was the way the children of the lane were at the crux of the story. This first chapter set the tone for the entire novel. Yes, the Sinhalese Buddhist is a necessary bit of information since the novel, among other things, involves the gradual escalation in tensions between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.
Reading a book from a culture other than mine is always such a wonder. Getting to know their homegrown remedies, their foods, their festivals, etc. It also brought home the fact of how children don’t care at all about caste equations, religious standing, or social classes.
The omniscient narrator appears from time to time, giving us a hint of something that possibly might have led to the events in the future. As the story unfurls, behind the prim and proper facade of Mrs Herath lies an unyielding persona that sometimes doesn’t even stop to consider her children’s happiness. This story reaffirmed how kindness and music can go a long way in uniting humanity. The author’s way of narration, how she started with a simple enough tale about a neighbourhood, weaved in the national Tension (with a capital T) which was simmering before the full blowout, and her subtle hints about how it would be in the future even if it seemed all happy and gay at present, was magnificent. The writing is lyrical, it rolled off my tongue and settled deep in the crevices of my heart.
The writing was a revelation, especially when other characters were also given a voice, albeit briefly. I was amazed at the author’s use of wordplay, where through the children’s activities, she drew a picture of the country and the events to come.
The last few pages made me weep. For all the things lost, for all the promises unfulfilled. A senseless loss, which spiralled into more grief and acts which beg the question, when does it all end? Certainly not with the epilogue.
This was a tough review to write, and I can only imagine how Ru Freeman was able to pen down this story. Even after so many words, I still haven’t covered what all this book was about. I can only request you all to please read this book!
P.S. I borrowed a paperback copy from the local branch of the Delhi Public Library.
This is also my entry for Prompt 15 of the Reading Women Challenge 2019: A book written by a South Asian author.
Also, in keeping with the trend, here is what I would call the Playlist of this book:
Brahms 3 Intermezzi op. 117
Debussy’s Arabesque no. 2
Brahms 6 pieces op. 118 Ballade in G Minor
Chopin Ocean Waves Etude op. 25 no. 12 HQ
Bagatelle in A Minor, op. 59, Für Elise
Chopin Nocturne no. 21 in C Minor
Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2
Fernando by ABBA
Out of the Blue by Michael Learns to Rock
What’s Forever For by Michael Murphy
Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters
Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Yellow Submarine by the Beatles
Tennessee Waltz, the Anne Murray version
Kalu Kella Mamai
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
The four Herath siblings, along with their parents – the father a government employee in Sri Lanka and the mother a school teacher – move into a house On Sal Mal Lane in the southern parts of the country in the year 1979. This story is about them, about how the entire lane seems to find a new lease of life, how the people in the lane and their lives slowly start to revolve around them and how they all influence each other. But there is a simmering discontent which is sometimes evident within the thoughts of some of the residents of the lane and also in the country. A story, which while limited to the lane it is named upon, contains a history of ordinary people in the years leading up to the beginning of the Civil War from 1983.
Review:
I’ve started a new trend of reading for myself, I begin a book with the end pages. Nope, not spoiling it, just to check whether there is something else other than Acknowledgement and a Note on the font. And there was a Glossary there, which I can refer to while reading the book!
I read this story in fits and starts, the reason it took me close to four months to finish reading it. But, this story will always remain close to my heart and deserves all the hype that I can create for it. A story of innocence, of children growing up, of events beyond anyone’s control; a story of wonderful dreams and dashed hopes; amidst the clamour of civil war. A story where class and caste differences are attempted to be understood through the eyes of innocent children who are trying to understand the complex world that the adults inhabit. A world that the latter, having left behind their days of innocence, seems to unnecessarily complicate.
… melodious voice … It lifted and cuddled its consonants and aired its vowels…
What a beautiful and poignant story this was! A historical fiction spread over five years – from 1979 to 1983 – it starts with a prologue. On 5 May 1976, the narrator brings forth a short history of the country that is Sri Lanka. And the numerous conflicts that plagued the nation. But all of it is to be told from the perspective of everyone who lived on Sal Mal Lane. Even if they may be insignificant people in the grand scheme of a nation, they too share the same history and are affected by it.
After the epigraph, the first thing that you see is a map of Sri Lanka followed by a pictorial depiction of Sal Mal Lane accompanied by a list of the members of the families inhabiting houses on both sides of the lane, which helped in visualising the setting while reading the book. The prologue itself promised a wealth of writing. Especially the way the narrator introduces itself at the end, in the first person. Yes, itself. Sounds bewildering? It did to me too. Every year has a few chapters with titles that indicate what is to come in those chapters.
It is far easier to be everything and nothing than it is to conceal love.
In the early days of 1979, the Sinhalese Buddhist Heraths moved into the only empty house On Sal Mal Lane. Named after the grove of sal trees at the very end of the lane, what made this stand out was the way the children of the lane were at the crux of the story. This first chapter set the tone for the entire novel. Yes, the Sinhalese Buddhist is a necessary bit of information since the novel, among other things, involves the gradual escalation in tensions between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.
Reading a book from a culture other than mine is always such a wonder. Getting to know their homegrown remedies, their foods, their festivals, etc. It also brought home the fact of how children don’t care at all about caste equations, religious standing, or social classes.
He felt burdened by the weight of all his learning, which, he knew, came with the corresponding responsibility to seize any opportunity to correct …
The omniscient narrator appears from time to time, giving us a hint of something that possibly might have led to the events in the future. As the story unfurls, behind the prim and proper facade of Mrs Herath lies an unyielding persona that sometimes doesn’t even stop to consider her children’s happiness. This story reaffirmed how kindness and music can go a long way in uniting humanity. The author’s way of narration, how she started with a simple enough tale about a neighbourhood, weaved in the national Tension (with a capital T) which was simmering before the full blowout, and her subtle hints about how it would be in the future even if it seemed all happy and gay at present, was magnificent. The writing is lyrical, it rolled off my tongue and settled deep in the crevices of my heart.
The writing was a revelation, especially when other characters were also given a voice, albeit briefly. I was amazed at the author’s use of wordplay, where through the children’s activities, she drew a picture of the country and the events to come.
It was the sort of trouble that would soon overflow its banks and flood the nation, turning the small ponds of concern and occasional tears of Sal Mal Lane into their own tributaries of discontent.
The last few pages made me weep. For all the things lost, for all the promises unfulfilled. A senseless loss, which spiralled into more grief and acts which beg the question, when does it all end? Certainly not with the epilogue.
This was a tough review to write, and I can only imagine how Ru Freeman was able to pen down this story. Even after so many words, I still haven’t covered what all this book was about. I can only request you all to please read this book!
P.S. I borrowed a paperback copy from the local branch of the Delhi Public Library.
This is also my entry for Prompt 15 of the Reading Women Challenge 2019: A book written by a South Asian author.
Also, in keeping with the trend, here is what I would call the Playlist of this book:
Brahms 3 Intermezzi op. 117
Debussy’s Arabesque no. 2
Brahms 6 pieces op. 118 Ballade in G Minor
Chopin Ocean Waves Etude op. 25 no. 12 HQ
Bagatelle in A Minor, op. 59, Für Elise
Chopin Nocturne no. 21 in C Minor
Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2
Fernando by ABBA
Out of the Blue by Michael Learns to Rock
What’s Forever For by Michael Murphy
Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters
Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Yellow Submarine by the Beatles
Tennessee Waltz, the Anne Murray version
Kalu Kella Mamai
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
dawnblushes's review against another edition
3.0
3.8 stars
this book was recommended by a friend. despite knowing that it would revolve around black july, i expected the writing style to be lighter and was a bit surprised by the tone. still, i enjoyed ru freeman's portrayal of sri lanka in the 80s, a time when political tensions mounted to an all-time high, and the way she weaved that escalation into the small community down sal mal lane.
the book gets prose-heavy and is character-driven, which i do love most of the time, although it did get a bit difficult to read with the number of characters that were in it. i think it would have been easier to read if it were focused on a few characters, and that way there'd be room for more development for characters aside from nihil and devi. i loved the relationship between the herath siblings, and how suren and rashmi changed during the course of the story, and would have appreciated some more time spent focused on them. i also felt as if some characters were there but did not contribute too much (rose, dolly, etc) and the plot progression was minimal during the middle of the book, which made it hard to get through.
i did like how the major political events of the time were brought into the story, and seeing how much a diverse community like those down sal male lane reacted to it. it was interesting to see how as tensions rose in the country, it reflected back in the small day-to-day interactions between people of different racial and religious backgrounds. one of my favourite things about this book was how the herath children were consistently unbothered by any of the differences between them, and others in the community. it goes to say that no one is truly born with prejudices. and that brings me to sonna. i thought that aside from devi (and maybe raju?) he was definitely the most tragic character and a testament of how goodness is the only thing that can breed goodness.
speaking of devi, i'm not sure how to feel about what happened to her at the end.
overall, i did like this book. i'm not sure if i would pick it up again because i felt like there were chunks where not much happened, and the overload of characters makes it tedious, but it definitely left me with a lot of questions, which i think a good read should :) pick this up if you're sri lankan/would just like to read about a small, tight-knit community in a time of uncertainty and injustice seeing through the eyes of children.
this book was recommended by a friend. despite knowing that it would revolve around black july, i expected the writing style to be lighter and was a bit surprised by the tone. still, i enjoyed ru freeman's portrayal of sri lanka in the 80s, a time when political tensions mounted to an all-time high, and the way she weaved that escalation into the small community down sal mal lane.
the book gets prose-heavy and is character-driven, which i do love most of the time, although it did get a bit difficult to read with the number of characters that were in it. i think it would have been easier to read if it were focused on a few characters, and that way there'd be room for more development for characters aside from nihil and devi. i loved the relationship between the herath siblings, and how suren and rashmi changed during the course of the story, and would have appreciated some more time spent focused on them. i also felt as if some characters were there but did not contribute too much (rose, dolly, etc) and the plot progression was minimal during the middle of the book, which made it hard to get through.
i did like how the major political events of the time were brought into the story, and seeing how much a diverse community like those down sal male lane reacted to it. it was interesting to see how as tensions rose in the country, it reflected back in the small day-to-day interactions between people of different racial and religious backgrounds. one of my favourite things about this book was how the herath children were consistently unbothered by any of the differences between them, and others in the community. it goes to say that no one is truly born with prejudices. and that brings me to sonna. i thought that aside from devi (and maybe raju?) he was definitely the most tragic character and a testament of how goodness is the only thing that can breed goodness.
speaking of devi, i'm not sure how to feel about what happened to her at the end.
Spoiler
the way the book was set up made it obvious that something bad would happen to her, although i didn't think she would die. i figured that raju would have had something to do with it, and that made me anxious during every scene the two of them were together. still, i don't understand why sonna did what he did? perhaps he was envious of how devi received all the love he never did. this is something to think about. but it was just devastating how nihil was constantly anxious about his sister, though it's a question whether devi's end is meant to encourage superstition? rather, maybe the author intended her death as a metaphor for the senseless violence in the community, seeing that the name devi is ambiguous of the two main racial groups in the story - the sinhalese and the tamils. either way, it was incredibly sad to read about.overall, i did like this book. i'm not sure if i would pick it up again because i felt like there were chunks where not much happened, and the overload of characters makes it tedious, but it definitely left me with a lot of questions, which i think a good read should :) pick this up if you're sri lankan/would just like to read about a small, tight-knit community in a time of uncertainty and injustice seeing through the eyes of children.