Book Review: “Love Marriage”
Author: V. V. Ganeshannathan
Language: English
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Phoenix Publication
“Love Marriage” is a debut novel by V.V. Ganeshnathan who is residing in United States but her parents are from Shri Lanka who moved to United States when trouble started in Shri Lanka. So she made and effort in this novel to describe present, past and future of Srilankan turmoil and how it is affecting people who are long moved away from the country.
This is the first ever novel I read which has absolutely inappropriate title. The name “Love Marriage” suggests the book will be romantic one. But it is not about love or marriage but it is more about political and social problems in Shri Lanka. It is the book about infamous LTTE. LTTE has been declared as terrorist group by Shrilankan Government and many other countries. It is an organization which is claiming separate country for Tamilians in the Shrilanka and fighting for welfare of them. In the process they are considered most deadly and violent organization in the world. I think they are the people who introduce the world suicide bombers and sinyde eating cadets, only Lashkare Tayeba will come close to them in recent time. But author being Shrilankan and a Tamil is trying to defend them not that she is supporting their violent and inhuman ways of operation. Instead she wants to make a point that people behind LTTE has strong motive behind whatever they are doing. So they should not be compared to other terrorist groups like Laskare Tayeba who kills innocent people just to make their point heard by the world. That must be the reason she has quoted many times in the book that “Governments all around world declared any group terrorist as they want to wipe out motive behind their motive.” This may not be her exact words but it meant something like that.
As for the book it is confused you more than anything. It happens because author is confused herself, she is not sure she should openly support LTTE or not. So book does not come out with whole hearted emotion of main protagonists. And more importantly book has not free flowing there are so many unnecessary obstructions. So many times in the book chapters are not able to occupy single page. There are so many half page chapters so that you feel like you are reading someone’s personal diary. It does not make novel reading that exciting. I prefer novels which are freer flowing. She has chosen excellent subject to write a novel on. There are many people who want to know about LTTE, about their motives, about their lives. And the purpose behind the support they get from Tamilians not only in Shri Lanka but from all over the world even from India. So much support that Tamilnadu’s Chief Minister Mr. Karunanidhi threaten the Central government of India from pulling out the support over the matter of unjustice on Shrilankan tamilians.
So I wanted to read this book to clear out mysteries around the LTTE and the war going on in Shri Lanka for decades. Although it gave me brief idea of the background of this tussle between Shrilankan Government and LTTE but there are many questions remain unanswered. I think the author should try to write this book again on the subject without any inhibitions she will surely do better. If I have to rate this book now I will give 4 out of 10.
1 comment:
I agree...this books is so different from its title...I also thought it would be an easy read and it proved to be quite a heavy one.
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