Ruins
Rajith Savanadasa

Ruins
Rajith Savanadasa
Review
by Nina Kenwood
Set in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Rajith Savanadasa’s debut novel Ruins is a sweeping family saga that looks at class, wealth, gender, intergenerational conflict, cultural conflict, politics and more. It follows the fortunes and misfortunes of a family, with each chapter narrated by one of the five central characters in the household.
Mano and Lakshmi are the patriarch and matriarch, and their marriage has grown strained. Mano is under increasing pressure at his workplace, and he’s tired of trying to keep everyone in his family happy. Mano’s wife Lakshmi is affected by the Sri Lankan civil war and the fate of a missing Tamil boy, and feels isolated and misunderstood by her family. Their two children – Anoushka and Niranjan – are both grappling with traditions and cultural beliefs that they find restrictive, and struggling to figure out who they are and who they want to be. The book’s fifth voice belongs to Latha, the family’s long-suffering servant, who is torn between loyalty to the family she works for and the family she left behind in her hometown.
This is a book bursting with plot and drama. It’s a genuine page-turner, filled with deeply flawed, interesting characters who I kept thinking about (and worrying about) long after reading the final page. Ruins stands out from other Australian debuts for its ambitious structure, its vibrant setting, and the depth and complexity of the Sri Lankan family at the centre of the story. Highly recommended.
Nina Kenwood is the marketing manager for Readings.
This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in 3-6 days
Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.

Stranger Country
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Room for a Stranger
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Australia Day
$22.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

No Country Woman
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Single Asian Female
$23.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Flood Damages
$24.00Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Permanent Resident
$24.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Growing Up Asian in Australia
$29.95Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Paper Palace
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Where The Fruit Falls
$27.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Believe in Me
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Mountains Sing
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Country of Others
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Vanishing Half
$22.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Florence Adler Swims Forever
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

China Room
$32.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Pachinko
$22.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Ruins
$27.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Big Little Lies
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Nest
$20.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Mrs.
$29.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Ponti
$9.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

The Family Law (TV Tie-In)
$19.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...

Calypso
$36.99Buy now
Finding stock availability...