There are a few spoilers below about the book I Am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera.
Overall it is an interesting book. It had a few bumps for my personal tastes, but for the aged 10 and up crowd (and me back then) it is a will love title. The themes are mostly familiar, but the setting is fresh. You should read the afterwards and author notes for the extra background, information and author commentary. The format while prose poetry flows as full prose, the set up not the stereotypical “one poem per page” but one follows the other and moves quickly.
The main two themes are growing up/coming of age and culture/country. The growing up issues/fitting in, are familiar, but the ones about the Sri Lankan civil war and classism and cultures are different. It is told from the point of view of a Sinhalese-Buddist child, whose father has lost a leg in the war (and later dies suddenly of a heart attack, but we do realize the narrator has “rose colored glasses” about things as she’s only 10), her best friend (a male) is a pro-Sinhalese supporter and her family is changing (a step father, a new baby on the way), and she has won a scholarship to any school she wants. Of course, she is of the “maid class and a scholarship kid” and tries to fit in with the wealthy, popular girls. Things happen but eventually she learns the real value of who, what, and where she is from.
The part I found interesting is that the author grew up as a Sinhalese-Buddhist but was well-off (not SUPER rich, but had privileges that shielded her from most of the war, the injustices of society). She said she tried to show the ‘big picture” but you, the adult reader, can decide if her biases came out. There is only a token mention of the “other side,” first as the villains and second as the fiancée of the chauffeur of the family she and her aunt live with in Colombo. There is a lot about being a “proper” young lady, a “good Buddhist,” a “good daughter,” and of course, knowing your place. It has its moments, but I was not OMG BEST BOOK EVER but I like the idea of it.
I also liked that it was quick, but I should have started earlier than I did as I took my time reading and went over my bedtime! As there was a bit going on and I needed to backtrack a few times. It feels almost translated (or at least English is obviously not the first language and was taught proper English). But it was a nice change of pace, even with the idea of war. The reliability of “growing up problems” happens any place. is nice too. Again, overall it is an interesting book that is a book we all should probably read.
