這是一個發生在十九世紀，英國殖民地上的愛情故事。

It’s a love story set in Mauritius in the 1820s, a country on the brink of massive change as rich, slave-owning planters deal with the impending abolition of slavery. Lucy Gladwell, an orphaned young Englishwoman, has arrived on the island to live with her aunt and uncle who are part of the British administration. Lucy is dazzled by the beauty of her new exotic life, but also stifled by the restrictions and pointless duties that are deemed appropriate and necessary for a young lady. She meets Don Lambodar, interpreter to the prince of Ceylon, living in exile from his kingdom. Don is a mystery to Lucy – his past steeped in shifting loyalties and enigmatic ambitions. The two are drawn to each other, even as the society around them starts to break apart. In this bold novel of intimate passions and colliding destinies, Romesh Gunesekera weaves together the story of two young lovers in search of freedom, and the eloquence of the bonded heart.

 

Romesh Gunesekera is the author of Reef, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Guardian Fiction Prize; The Sandglass, won the inaugural BBC Asia Award; Heaven's Edge, shortlisted for a Commonwealth Writers Prize and a New York Times Notable Book; and The Match. He has also written two collections of short stories: Monkfish Moon and a bilingual limited edition book O Colleccionador de Especiarias. He grew up in Sri Lanka and the Philippines and now lives in London.

 

'Gunesekera is quite simply a very good, often inspiringly lyric writer who feels as deeply as he sees.' Irish Times 'Full of the uncertain sadness of exiles and dreamers ... Gunesekera's characters become memorable emblems of solitude and despair.' Vogue 'Gunesekera's language has a simple surface - but the simplicity is deceptive; his observation is as close as the stare of a voyeur.' Independent 'A master storyteller.' —— The New York Times