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If you are hemmed in by life's pressures and other people's aspirations for you, how hard would it be to find and accept your true self?
Can a gay man trapped into an arranged marriage that is wrecking his life and the lives of those around him, find a way out of his nightmare?
The story mainly follows Jagath’s challenging relationship with his wife Sepalika who suffers from bipolar disorder, a fact not in evidence at the time of marriage. The birth of Nuwan complicates matters especially as she does not bond well with the child but Jagath does. Though residing in different countries, his tense relationship with his aggressive father and powerless mother continue to play a part in the main character's confusion.
Unable to handle the duality of their plight, Jagath's long-term love, Ryan breaks up with him and moves to New Zealand. The drama is heightened when Jagath's sister Neela defies their parents to marry a man of her choice and accompanies her husband to Australia. A chance connection with a Buddhist monk in a forest monastery acts as a catalyst for the protagonist to gradually realise that his happiness lies mainly in his own hands.
This modern tale of self-discovery unfolds mainly in Australia with a short stint in and numerous flashbacks to Sri Lanka. The story delves into issues of gender, love, marriage, sexuality, identity and migration. It also focuses on exploring the main character's self-acceptance issues and the differences in the cultural perception of personal freedom in Sri Lanka and Australia.
Author: Samantha Sirimanne Hyde
Paperback Published September 2022 300 pages
“…Sirimanne Hyde offers the reader touching insights into the hearts of those who suffer from oppression, showing how an individual trapped in an abusive family structure is mirrored at a larger social level…” - Bhikku Akaliko, founder of Rainbodhi LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Community