Published by Atlantic Books
For some of the younger generations, thinking of Sri Lanka conjures up images of white beaches and blissful backpacker adventures.
Yet of course the country’s devastating Civil War between the Tamils and Sinhalese only finally ended in 2009, and the country is still far from healed.
Travelling from town to town, Indian journalist Subramanian meets people who were involved in the war in every possible way. From Ravi the Tamil who was part of the Sinhalese army, to Nirmala who helped the Tigers (the violent group who campaigned for an independent Tamil state) until they killed her sister, to those who were even close to the monstrous Tiger leader Prabhakaran.
Piece by piece, the details of the terrible war are put together by the stories of those who lived through it.
The horrific mass killings and acts of brutality described are truly shocking, and several passages are tear-jerking. The writing is both sensitive and powerful, but there’s also light humour in parts and a sweet sentimental way of looking at the Sri Lankan people.
As a Tamil himself, the writer is clearly very involved in what happened. This Divided Island is an engaging and moving education, and one that will certainly increase your fascination with this little, complicated island that is “joined like a tugboat” to India.