Amma by Saraid De Silva
Amma, published in 2024 is the debut novel by acclaimed playwright Saraid de Silva.
From the very first pages, I knew I was going to love this book. Saraid de Silva’s writing immediately draws you in, the choice of words, the rhythm of her prose, and the way she evokes places and emotions are beautifully crafted. However, what truly stayed with me were the characters. Their stories unfold throughout the book, allowing readers to piece together their lives like assembling a puzzle.
Amma is a richly layered family saga that follows three generations of Indian and Sri Lankan women from the same family, spanning decades and continents.
The book opens with a cropped genealogy chart:
Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of these women, clearly dated and located. We begin in 2018 with Annie Fernando, who has just arrived in London to meet someone for the first time. The details are sparse, but we understand that this encounter will be life changing. The next chapter shifts to Invercargill, New Zealand, in 1984 where we meet Annie’s mother, Sithara, a teenager living with her widowed mother, Josephina, and younger brother, Suri. They are still adjusting to life in a country where they are visibly different, grappling with grief and the burden of being outsiders.
Then, we travel to Singapore in 1951, where we meet Josephina. She is just a child but experiences horrific betrayal from her parents. The trauma she endures has repercussions for generations to come.
Saraid de Silva is a talented writer who effectively gives voice to these three generations of strong women. She portrays each character with remarkable eloquence, capturing their complexities and contradictions while immersing the reader in the distinct atmosphere of various cities, countries and periods.
The author has a gift for showing how the past lives on in the present, how trauma, silence and resilience are not just lived but also inherited.
Amma explores profound themes: intergenerational trauma, displacement, domestic abuse, identity, and survival. However, the book offers hope through its reflections on love, forgiveness, and the strength to carry on.
Amma is a deeply affecting, beautifully written novel that lingers long after you’ve finished it. I highly recommend it.
Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2025
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