Mosquito

"Has there ever been a country that,once colonized, avoided civil war?"

Set in Tearne’s native Sri Lanka 'Mosquito' has at its core a love story. Theo Samarajeeva is an author, who after the sudden death of his wife, returns to his home land in search of the inspiration to enable him to finish his latest book. Living in an isolated house on the beach he finds friendship with a neighbourhood girl, sixteen year old Nulani Mendis,a talented artist who brings light into his world. Recognizing her talent as an artist Theo encourages her to paint and commissions her to paint his portrait.As they spend increasing amounts of time in each other's company love gradually blossoms between the pair but as tensions between the Tamil and Singhalese show more communities erupt into violence and hatred how will their fledgling relationship survive?

This isn't a conventional love story: Theo is 45 whilst Nulani is only 17 when they realise that they are in love which, although not a scale of Lolita, could make it uncomfortable reading. However, it is Theo's manservant Sugi who makes the reader believe that it is simply the way it must be, that it has been written in the stars. Sri Lanka is a nation full of customs and beliefs that are at odds with western culture and these cultural differences and these are a recurring theme throughout the book.

Tearne doesn't shy away from the brutalities of civil war. In parallel to the developing relationship between Theo and Nulani, are two sub-plots. Vikram, a Tamil and a fellow student at Nulani's school, left an orphan after his family were brutalised by the Army, is being fed a diet of hate and vengeance to turn him into a terrorist. Theo’s friends, Rohan (an artist) and Guilia, escape to Italy just as they too are come under increasing suspicion only to find their marriage crumbling in the upheaval.

Tearne uses the love story as a vehicle to show the suffering, pain and brutality that impact on communities, families and individuals during a civil war. No one has it easy in this book. All her characters experience fear and loss yet it is a book essentially about hope and survival.

In many respects I found that this wasn't an easy book to read. I found that I couldn't simply pick it up and put it down as I pleased but had to really immerse myself in it, to allow it get under my skin and to wash over me like a wave but it was worth the effort. I know that I should be disapproving of the relationship of Theo and Nulani,that I should be taking sides in the civil war but as all sides perpetrate acts of barbarism none of this seems to matter. Tearne doesn't make any judgements either.

Just like her characters Nulani and Rohan, Tearne was an artist before turning her hand to authorship and it shows in her writing. Tearne paints with her words, creating lush, rich scenes whether they be on the shoreline or in the jungle, the fear and isolation of imprisonment, the despair of separation or the tragedy of the young Tamil child-soldiers groomed for suicide missions. You can almost smell the spices, feel the heat of the sun or the mosquitoes on your skin.

"there are places that don't belong to geography but to time."

I must admit that I have a real soft spot for post-colonial stories and this is certainly up there with the best ones that I've read, all the remarkable given that it was the author's first novel. Some may complain that the ending was a little fairy-tale like but after the reader has expended so much emotional energy anything else would have been just plain cruel IMHO.If you enjoy beautiful writing then I would heartily recommend it but expect to go on a roller-coaster of emotions. show less

Life in this paradise, he felt, was exactly as the beautiful mosquito that lived here, composed in equal parts of loveliness and deadliness. (p. 284)

Theo Samarajeeva is a successful Sri Lankan writer, who returned from London to his homeland after his wife's sudden death. He spends long, languorous days in his beach house, grieving, with only his servant Sugi as company. He is frequently visited by Nulani Mendis, a 17-year-old girl whose father was killed in a terrorist incident. Nulani is largely neglected by her mother, who is focused on her son's path to success through a British university scholarship. Nulani is a highly talented painter. The friendship between Nulani and Theo blossoms and, while he writes, she creates sketches, show more mostly of Theo. Eventually she paints his portrait. Theo, ostensibly acting as a mentor, takes Nulani to the city of Colombo to meet his artist friend Rohan, and Rohan's Italian wife Giulia. It's obvious to everyone but Theo that, despite their 28-year age difference, his relationship with Nulani has become more than just friendship.

However, Sri Lanka is also in the midst of civil war. Just as Theo and Nulani acknowledge their feelings for one another, violence explodes with dramatic impact on all of the characters. At this point Tearne shifts tone and pace, yanking the reader away from lazy seaside days into the suspenseful drama of terrorism, suicide bombings, and torture. Each character's story unfolds independently, at times heartbreaking and, at others, inspiring. I felt great sadness for the people of Sri Lanka and other countries affected by long-term civil war. But I also felt inspired by the hope and redemption in this beautifully-written debut novel.

Then, staring at the undulating phosphorescent water, he understood at last that freedom was a doubled-edged thing, which, like innocence lost, was unrecoverable. (p. 253) show less

Sri Lankian writer falls in love with a teenage painter from his homeland, but then civil war interrupts their lives, spending years thinking each was gone for good. Tearne makes you feel what it’s like to live through civil craziness where human lives are worthless and just pawns in a senseless ethnic cleansing.

Mosquito has been compared to The English Patient and Atonement because of its theme of love in a time of war. Sri Lanka is a country torn apart. The Liberation Tigers want a separate Tamil state. Everyone is supposed to speak Singhala, the national language. There is violence over this mandated language. Mosquito is exquisite in its portraits of people. Each person lives and breathes with vitality. Notable author Theo Samarajeeva has fallen under the spell of a teenage artist (twenty-eight years his junoir) and, despite the growing conflicts, is brazen enough to think his fame will keep him safe. His latest book is being made into a movie. Teenaged Nulani Mendis (modeled after the author?) lost her father to the conflict. With a show more brother who can do no harm, a difficult uncle and an overbearing mother at home, Nulani finds solace and happiness painting Theo's portrait over and over again. But she has also attracted the attention of Liberation Tiger convert, teenaged orphan Vikram. To watch Vikram being groomed and manipulated was hard. My favorite character was Sugi, Theo's manservant who had become an unusual friend to the famous writer. His character is critical to the love affair between Theo and Nulani.
Tearne has captures poignant elements of grief. The not wanting to be near reminders of a loved one forever gone is very familiar to me. My only eye-rolling comment is the repeated insistence that 17-year-old Nulani is "wise beyond her years" as if this makes it okay for a man 28 years her senior to be attracted to her. My confessional: at the end of the book I wanted the fairytale ending. I didn't care about the age difference and felt petty for doing so in the first place. show less

In Mosquito, Roma Tearne skillfully juxtaposes the gruesomeness of the
guerrilla war against the lush exotic beauty of the land. It's the
story of a grieving widower and writer who returns after many years in
the UK and naively believes that he is immune to the political
situation in his home country. He meets a young artist who pulls him
out of his misery just as the war escalates. While the novel is set
during a brutal war, it shows love and beauty triumphing.

It's a rare book that makes me cry, but I have to admit my eyes were a
bit moist on the final pages.

Mosquito by Roma Tearne is written in lush descriptive words that paint a vivid picture of n exotic land caught up a violent civil war. Unfortunately the love story that was at the heart of the story lacked emotional depth and I found the book a rather tedious read.

The author, being from Sri Lanka captures the pain, suffering and brutality that this small country was enduring during the 1990's. Where I felt the book lacked believability was in her handling of the complicated relationship between the two main characters. A mature thirty-something year old writer falling in love with a seventeen year old schoolgirl needs delicate handling to evoke sympathy and allow the reader to feel the emotional innocence and poignancy that was needed. show more As the story dragged on I found myself much more interested in the events that were happening around the characters than in their personal story.

This is the author’s first book and although I found Mosquito to be rather flawed, her writing at times was both rich and expressive and I would certainly not hesitate to try another book by her. show less

A beautiful book that explores with insight the impact of the senseless violence of civil war on communities, families and individuals through the medium of a love story. It is very well written, capturing the beauty of the land, of friendship and the art of the main characters whilst also communicating the sense of impending doom as tensions rise. Its weak point is the portrayal of the love story - the basis of the love between the two lovers is rather ephemeral and the idea that it will survive, more or less untouched by the long separation and the experiences of the two, seems somewhat sentimental. I was captivated by this book as I read it but my enjoyment on reflection after finishing it was somewhat weakened by this fairy tale show more ending. 22 June 2016. show less