Things my Mother told me

 

"I think of the things I have never told my mother. I know there are some things she can never tell me either."

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After her breakup, Anjali tries to lose herself in others, and everything reminds her of Jack. Good memories are mixed with bad. She searches for comfort in family and friends.

Several times I felt that author Tanya Atapattu really got the feelings of heartbreak down. That is exactly what a breakup is like.

Atapattu's writing style is casual with humourous bits. There's a big of steam , which may be alarming. But it works to further illustrate the differences between Anjali, a modern woman living in Bristol, and her old fashioned Sri Lankan mother.

I enjoyed hearing how Anjali felt on her trips to Sri Lanka, and those memories of her childhood with immigrant parents trying to fit in.

This novel explores themes of mental illness, sexuality, discrimination, and traditional vs modern world values.

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When Anjali finds out that Jack, her boyfriend of ten years, has been cheating on her, it throws her world into chaos. Heartbroken, she fills the emptiness by embarking on a series of flings that her traditional Sri Lankan mother would (mostly) disapprove of.

Yet she can no longer avoid her mother or Shanthi, her distant older sister. And so begins her real journey, one that will make Anjali confront a past she's been desperate to forget. But maybe the past can also be the bridge to her future . . .

Set in Bristol and Sri Lanka, Things My Mother Told Me is a warm, moving and funny story about love, loss, family, cultural divides and the voices we hear in our heads. It will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

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Although not a new release, I surprisingly don't recall hearing about it on Bookstagram. It's a backlist to check out, because I think it would appeal to so many of you!

I received Things my Mother told me in an Instagram giveaway, 🙏🏻thank you @bookwormdownunder !

Until next time,

~Kara