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What Lies Between Us
What Lies Between Us: A Novel | Nayomi Munaweera
19 posts | 17 read | 85 to read
In the idyllic hill country of Sri Lanka, a young girl grows up with her loving family; but even in the midst of this paradise, terror lurks in the shadows. When tragedy strikes, she and her mother must seek safety by immigrating to America. There the girl reinvents herself as an American teenager to survive, with the help of her cousin; but even as she assimilates and thrives, the secrets and scars of her past follow her into adulthood. In this new country of freedom, everything she has built begins to crumble around her, and her hold on reality becomes more and more tenuous. When the past and the present collide, she sees only one terrible choice.From Nayomi Munaweera, the award-winning author of Island of a Thousand Mirrors, comes the confession of a woman, driven by the demons of her past to commit a single and possibly unforgivable crime.Praise for Island of a Thousand Mirrors:"The paradisiacal landscapes of Sri Lanka are as astonishing as the barbarity of its revolution, and Munaweera evokes the power of both in a lyrical debut novel worthy of shelving alongside her countryman Michael Ondaatje or her fellow writer of the multigenerational immigrant experience Jhumpa Lahiri." - Publishers Weekly"The beating heart of Island of a Thousand Mirrors is not so much its human characters but Sri Lanka itself and the vivid, occasionally incandescent, language used to describe this teardrop in the Indian Ocean." - The New York Times Book Review
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BookishFeminist
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TFW you connect with one of your favorite authors 😭😭 I love twitter for allowing us to meaningfully connect with people that we otherwise may never meet IRL.

It's so important that we tell the writers we love today how much their work means to us while they're still with us. I can't tell you how many times I've wished I could write to an author who's impacted me who has since passed away. 💔

LeahBergen That's so true. Now you've inspired me! 👍🏼 8y
KarenUK Love this 💕 8y
117 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Lauren_reading
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Pickpick

Wow, I feel like my heart has been ripped out after reading this. I knew what would happen after reading the first chapter, but watching the story of the narrator's life unfold was so good. So beautiful, but painful and I couldn't put it down. #litsyreadingchallenge #judgebythecover

81 likes3 stack adds
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RealLifeReading
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#feistyfeb day 12: #diverselovestories
Well at least I hope these have love stories of a sort, as I've only read the Eileen Chang ones. She's pretty much the queen of romance in Chinese lit.
The kids have been excitedly working on their Love Day cards for their classmates and can't wait for Valentine's Day!

anrobe What Lies Between Us was one of my favorites! So beautiful! ❤️ 8y
minkyb Great covers! 8y
AlexMay Good selection! 8y
152 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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ErikasMindfulShelf
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Pickpick

3.5 stars.

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ErikasMindfulShelf
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Current read. Not at all what I expected but I guess that's what happens when you don't read the flaps and just read it because you've heard it's good. #Allisnotlost #ownvoices

BooksForEmpathy Wait! And what do you think so far?? 8y
ErikasMindfulShelf @BooksForEmpathy I'm liking it so far. Did you read it? 8y
44 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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RealLifeReading
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Finally some sunlight in our library means I can take a proper photo for yesterday's #seasonsreadings2016 prompt #weneeddiversebooks
I'm still working on filling my shelves but these four squares hold some of my favourite books (and also plenty I haven't yet read). I'm working on a Keigo Higashino collection as well as an Eileen Chang one. The bottom right holds some books from Singapore writers.

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Ken Liu! 😍 8y
Mc_cart_ny That's a great bookend! 8y
LeahBergen Lovely!! 8y
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the.bookish.valkyrie I agree with @Mc_cart_ny that is truly great bookend! 8y
charl08 Bookend envy here! 8y
RealLifeReading @Mc_cart_ny @Valkyrie923 @charl08 thanks guys! It's from CB2! @LeahBergen thank you! 😘 8y
142 likes1 stack add7 comments
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ZoeyPeacock
Pickpick

I don't usually read books that are so sad, but this one was beautifully written. Def a pick. A rare 5 of 5. I've been lucky to have a streak of these lately.

Michelle_mck I'm looking forward to picking this up 8y
89 likes21 stack adds1 comment
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ZoeyPeacock

So far this is beautiful and shocking and sad.... about halfway through.

JSHouse I read this after it first was released and the writing was lovely, the story touching, yet it's hard to say I "liked" it because it's just so deeply sad. 8y
59 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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ZoeyPeacock
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Started this one today. Anyone read this?

Cinfhen I did, it was sad but completely engaging. 8y
KellyK I'll be interested to hear about the Ivan Doig book in your stack. I haven't read that one but I loved Last Bus to Wisdom. 8y
Devlindusty Its a wonderful though sad book 8y
batsy Looking forward to the Munaweera book and also Monterey Bay. 8y
107 likes5 comments
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ErikasMindfulShelf
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Book mail and used bookstore finds.

ErikasMindfulShelf @CherylRussell Thanks for the recommendation. I found it at Book Outlet so couldn't resist. 8y
cariashley Bel Canto 😍 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 8y
BookNotes 👍🏻 8y
28 likes3 comments
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anrobe
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Pickpick

Oh boy! This book is sooo good! She writes like a dream. And this book packed such an emotional punch! It affected me like A Little Life did. Wow! Highly recommend!

shawnmooney Even though I haven't – and probably won't, at least not for five or more years – read A Little Life, you've totally sold me on this novel! 8y
anrobe It's such a good book, @shawnmooney! I love that I learned so much about Sri Lanka and it explores so many important themes. It is such a great book! 8y
51 likes7 stack adds2 comments
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anrobe
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Excited to start this one ... A reviewer I admire suggested it made her feel emotional devastation along the lines of A Little Life so I couldn't resist getting started with this one!

BookishFeminist This made me feel emotionally heavy, too, and not much takes me aback in books. But it's SUPER good. Spot on commentary about women in society & how we treat immigrants. 8y
Mayread Damnit. I shall perish from my TBR pile toppling upon me during my sleep. 8y
48 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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Cinfhen
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Pickpick

Sad, sad book. Disturbing and haunting. Passionate and fierce. Not an easy read but one that will linger. Not a five star book for me but definitely a worthwhile read.

6 likes1 stack add
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Cinfhen
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WHOA! This book just offered a wtf moment!!! Such an unexpected turn. Really loving this book!
It's haunting and magnificent

9 likes1 stack add
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Cinfhen
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Off to a good start...didn't care for the prologue but the story is captivating and the writing flows like poetry. The setting is Sri Lanka and the descriptions are lush and colorful.

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KarenaFagan
Pickpick

Omg I was promised a gut wrenching book and it delivered.

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peacegypsy
Pickpick

Books about motherhood impact me greatly, but none so great as this one. A stellar, gripping book.

4 likes1 stack add
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BookishFeminist
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Pickpick

A Sri Lankan woman writes her traumatic life story and confessional from prison. Lyrical and emotionally brutal, it offers a sharp critique of cultural morals & how women are treated. As the protagonist emigrates & struggles w/mental illness, she explores the power of memory, identity & tradition. #ReadWomen

squibblesreads oh this sounds TOTALLY like my cup of tea! going on the TBR! 9y
BookishFeminist @squibblesreads I hope you love it as much as I do! I was really not expecting this book to pack such an emotional punch, but this story will stay with me for a long time. 9y
Notafraidofwords Is the story graphic ? Trigger warnings? 9y
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BookishFeminist @Ryanira9 Yes, it is at parts. Short scenes with sexual abuse but not very graphic. Self harm is a recurring theme and is more graphic but not overdone. Primarily it focuses on emotional trauma rather than graphic descriptions. 9y
BookishFeminist @Ryanira9 I should also forewarn that there are some intense flashbacks in here, often more descriptive than the events themselves--I know that's a big trigger for me. 9y
Notafraidofwords @BookishFeminist thank you so much. That helps a ton. Sometimes when I order a book, I have to do my research to make sure. Thanks for your input. Helps a lot ! 9y
Orbeck33 This is so up my alley! 9y
BookishFeminist @Ryanira9 I totally understand- I am easily triggered so it's important to me too. Happy to help. :) 9y
BookishFeminist @Orbeck33 hope you enjoy! 9y
18 likes10 stack adds9 comments