Some books are meant to entertain and some to educate this for me did both things and did them well. Following the fortunes of a Siri Lankan Tamil family from the colonial days through to the 21st century this is a story of love and of heartache of loyalty and of suffering. Although I was aware of the civil wars in Sri Lanka I did not know or appreciate the length of time they lasted or the ferocity and of them or of the outrages and cruel acts carried out by both sides.The family in this story eventually leaves Sri Lanka for the safety of Australia but never loses. Its ties with the homeland and the one member who remained.
Through the book each generation adapts to the changing world and has different views to the one before but family values remain at the core.
It is a times shocking with it’s depiction of violence, torture and rape but overall all it is a story of love and dedication to family. I am very glad that I have read this book.

A very engaging story made for an interesting read.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I think there's a lot of food for thought and this is a poignant and well written book. Somehow the story didn't involved me but I will read again as I think it's a matter of mood
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“Every generation should have the chance to be better and freer than the one before it.”

Incredible novel that follows four generations of a Tamil family over a period of 80 years.

Nala and Rajan are happily married and have a good life in Sri Lanka with their family. Until ethnic tensions lead to a decades-long civil war; a terrible genocide of Tamils. Eventually they decide to leave and try to adjust to a new country and culture. What are they holding on to and what are they letting go of?

The writing is so beautiful and the themes are handled with great depth and tenderness.

What I loved most was how wonderfully the characters and their interactions were portrayed. How they made sacrifices so that their children could have better lives. How hope and love, as well as disappointments and expectations, shape the bond between mothers and daughters.

5✨

Song of the Sun God is a family saga which follows Nala and Rajan and their descendants for 80 years. They are Tamils living in Colombo, Sri Lanka and deals with family issues as well as the effects of the cruel Civil War there.
I enjoyed finding out more about the life of the Tamil family and Sri Lanka. At times got a bit confused though as timelines switched and with family nick names of relatives as I am not familiar with them.

This was an epic drama set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) on the brink of independence from Britain and the civil war that ensued. It follows the life of a couple after their arranged marriage, and the lives of their children and grandchildren and shows that wherever you may end up, your home country may be deeply embedded in your psyche.

This was an ambitious novel weaving a family saga into the political history of Sri Lanka. The writing was often beautiful with a moving poetic sensitivity which didn't shy away from incredibly difficult truth.

I found the history and political situation was explained in a compelling, moving way and whilst hard to read I was interested to learn more about a country I only knew a little about.

The family relationships were very realistic and the characterisation was vivid and charming.

I think any novel trying to span decades in time is a challenge and for me this was where the reading experience was let down a little. The pacing fluctuated between large chunks that felt slow and a little repetitive and then, what I felt were important details which were skimmed over. The strong plotlines felt like they signalled times for the narrative to speed up, almost like the author was afraid to dwell too long on her very well handled moments of trauma. Unfortunately this led to some detachment for me between the events and my emotions which was a shame. Family sagas which span vast time periods run the risk of creating distance between their readers and the writing and I felt this happened in this novel, even though the content should have been very moving. It was absolutely at moments, but then I felt jarred out of it by the change of pace.
But I enjoyed this book overall, the family were heartwarming and the historical context informative and illuminating.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This is an enthralling family saga, deeply embedded in Ceylon’s/Sri Lanka’s history from the 1930s until 2010. It is the story of a Tamil family whose fate we follow through independence, decades of political unrest, civil war and finally their emigration.

Understanding what happened to that family and the fate of each of its members charts the perils of post-colonialism: they are caught up in the political unrest and civil war following independence, and the story of each one of them is as heart-warming as it is heart-breaking. Extensive organised and state supported anti-Tamil riots eventually force the family out of the country. All of them but one – Dhara, who is prepared to stay and to to risk everything because she thinks she has nothing more to lose.

Dhara’s family, now emigrants in Canada, had to make a new start embracing all the trials and tribulations of emigration: being grateful to their new hosts but also resentful for being ‘othered’, feeling guilt towards the people they left behind and the homesickness that pulls them back to the place they used to call home. We are made to understand that even when a war is over, the persecution continues and people still flee the traumas of their past and the hopelessness of their future.

Family secrets, tensions and the quest to find the right next move for the family are also big themes of this novel. There is a strong focus on mother-daughter relationships, exploring the disappointments, expectations and criticisms universally inherent in such relationships. At the end however there is all-encompassing love, healing and reassuring.

This book taught me a lot, it captured my imagination and kept me under its spell long after I had finished the last page. It comes highly recommended.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Ultimo Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an important contribution to the history of Ceylon/Sri Lanka. It traces the fortunes and misfortunes of four generations of the various tribes which make up the citizens of this country as it leaves British dominance. Starting with an arranged marriage in 1946, which lasts the course, it details the ethnic issues that dominated that time and destroyed the happiness of thousands of people. It is certainly carefully written, which is why it is an important contribution to the history of the period. The book is unlikely to appeal ,to readers who have no connection to the country or reason to want to know about its history. Nevertheless, the author has done her country a service.

This family saga spanning several decades is set against the bloody civil war in Ceylon/Sri Lanka. Tender moments of family life contrast with horrific details of the atrocities committed by the Tamils fighting for their rights and the Sinhalese dominated government. The extended family have to make difficult decisions that have repercussions across the generations. The engaging characters, descriptions of rituals and food as well as the use of myths from Hindu texts helped me to understand a little of the Tamil culture. The importance of family and heritage were strong themes as were the need to make sacrifices and acceptance.
The novel makes an interesting companion to Shehan Karunatilaka"s The Seven Moons of Maaii Almeida and highlights the role that fiction has in ensuring that recent history is compellingly told and shared.

An account of a Sri Lankan Tamil family over 3 generations. The story begins in earnest when Nala and Rajan marry in the 50s in Ceylon. The story follows them, their children, and their grand children, as they build lives in Sri Lanka and then abroad, feeling, often viscerally, the effects of the civil war and the tensions between Tamils and Sinhalese. The story is a family saga, touching on questions of national identity, parenthood, sisterhood, what it means to be a child of parents, immigration and migration, and love. It is also the story of social change and upheaval, and often the tensions these foment within families. It is also a historical novel of the tragedy of modern Sri Lanka, and the blood that was shed there due to populism and nationalism.

I loved this book. It is among the best I have read, and squarely fits into some of the most inspiring and influential family sagas I encountered. What I loved most is the tenderness with which the characters were depicted. Perhaps similarly to Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy, the characters all feel like they have flesh and blood. Even better than Seth, they have more emotional depth and they grow as the story progresses, feeling more real than one could have ever imagined. While each and every character was interesting, in their own right, the contrasts between them, especially across generations, is perhaps even more intriguing. I also liked the fact that the characters were kind and good, but also flawed. Nala's personality is particularly fascinating, especially in the way she treats Dhara.

One can't talk about this book without talking about the historical context. What I found to be the best part is how integrated the story of the country was with the story of the family, and how the political events affected and shaped the fate (and psychology) of many of our characters. Naturally, Dhara stands out as by far the most nuanced portrait of such effects, and one can't but feel for her and cry for her as the story progresses. Hers is, in many ways, the story of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

I also found the references to Hinduism throughout the story complementary and holistic. Quoting scripture or mythology can often come across as condescending or preachy, but in this case it was elegant and completed the understanding of our protagonists' mindsets and behaviours.

I cannot recommend this book enough. There is everything here - history, romance, family intrigue, immigration and its effects, etc etc. I was moved to tears, I chuckled, and I learned.

This an exceptional achievement, and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.

A rather wonderful book that tells an epic tale. I don't think people are aware how much courage it takes to up sticks and move to another country to create a new life. One line struck me- So much of the story was communal. Indeed. Despite being about a completely different culture to my own there were definitely things I could relate to This author's other books have just joined my TBR pile

I recently read read Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and absolutely loved it. There are many similarities between both books. Firstly, the covers on both are stunning!! Secondly they are both family sagas set against the horrors of the Sri Lankan civil war.
Song of the Sun God tells Nala, Rajan and their families story which is a compelling, eye opening and at times overwhelmingly sad read, it makes you realise how privileged many of us actually are!

Another outstanding offering by Shankari Chandran. I look forward to reading anything else she releases.

It took me a little while to get into this book as at first nothing much seemed to be happening. But just as I was wondering where it was going, the horrors started and I was dragged into the story.

Terrible and tragic incidents are recounted as well as accounts given of the day to day lives of an extended family. The lives of Nala and Rajan are set against the civil war in Sri Lanka and when their children and grandchildren come along, there is no let up. The troubles continue.

Tamils are faced with the choice of emigrating (if they are able to) or joining the fight, because even when they try to avoid it, it insists on involving them.

Heartbreaking, horrifying and unfortunately, full of truth.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I found the book a very interesting and sometimes difficult read. It’s really engaging but very emotional at times.

I am sure this is a very and interesting story, but I just wasn't drawn in. I think that's because I find the writing uninspiring and at times, stilted. That meant I wasn't drawn to the characters, which is a shame, but I can see from reviews that others feel differently.

This is a book about the Sri Lankan civil war, and the brutal toll that it took on its people, but it is also a book about families, love, sacrifice and again love. I must admit, reading about the violence endured by the people of Sri Lanka is heartbreaking.

The characters are flawed and human, which makes you love them more.

It is also a book about refugees and immigrants and making another place your home.

Nala and Rajan are married. He is quiet and studious, she is more vivacious and social. The story tells of the lives of their children, grandchildren and beyond. Both terrible and beautiful things happen, there are personal secrets and family secrets, all of which have consequences.

This is a serious book but there are also light moments, as there are with all families, and the joy that children bring.

Read this book, it will stay with you for a long time.

What an emotional roller coaster of a story, powerfully written in beautiful language & so much of it based on actual events some of which are awful & so inhumane & in many countries including Ceylon or Sri Lanka as it is now known as , had had a very unsettled history much because of ethnic and caste lines as well as religious groups. I laughed with the characters at joyous events , cried & sobbed at the awful inhumane events some either encountered or had dealt themselves . But what deeply saddens me is these events continue to happen in so many countries around the world even as I write this review , when will people of all faiths , skin colours & walks of life finally live together peacefully & in harmony .#Netgalley, #GoodReads, #Amazon.co.uk, #FB, #Instagram, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/8a5b541512e66ae64954bdaab137035a5b2a89d2" width="80" height="80" alt="200 Book Reviews" title="200 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>

Once again Shankari Chandra’s has written a beautiful, heart wrenching novel about Tamil Sri Lankins. I recently read Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and absolutely loved it. This novel is more of a family saga and reveals such a wealth of historical information that I was unaware of but is so important to learn about.