Suncatcher

I was blown away by Romesh Gunesekera's gorgeous prose throughout Suncatcher. It's such a beautifully written novel which vividly captures the sweltering and stifling atmosphere of 1960s Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was called back then). We see the nation at a social and political turning point, but through the eyes of young Kairo who isn't yet even old enough to really understand the dynamics of his own parents' relationship let alone the manoeuvrings of a whole nation. Gunesekera has created a completely convincing character in Kairo and, surprisingly, one with whom I could easily empathise, despite never having been a young boy myself! His desperate need for the older boy, Jay's, approval carries Suncatcher's compelling narrative. We know something must go wrong because this glorious coming-of-age summer cannot last indefinitely, however we have no way to tell where the threat to Kairo's innocence lies. There are several fate-tempting contenders.

I loved how Gunesekara portrays the unintentional callousness of teenagers. Jay has no real idea of how his actions affect others or the impact his ill-chosen insults have. He stands up for a bullied child, but then crushes his mother with a few words. The aviary is an interesting metaphor too. I saw in it reflections of most of the adult characters surrounding the boys, each trapped by circumstances beyond what they believe they can control. Suncatcher, I think, can be understood on various levels. It is an excellent historical novel which also has a lot to say about human relationships ostensibly in Ceylon, but similar interactions occur the world over. Indeed the multifaith Ceylon community could be a useful template for more fragmented societies. At the time of Suncatcher, we can see that religion will become divisive, but it hasn't happened yet. Instead two boys have one last burst of freedom before the adult world closes in.