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Island of a Thousand Mirrors


A stunning literary debut set during the Sri Lankan Civil War
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Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Created: 09/15/14

Replies: 7

Posted Sep. 15, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

When Nishan goes to Los Angeles, he is suddenly referred to as Thatha ("grandfather"). Did this familial term contribute to your understanding of that family?


Posted Sep. 15, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joyces

Join Date: 06/16/11

Posts: 410

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Actually, it totally confused me at first. Of course the names throughout the book were an effort to keep track of and then adding family forms of address complicated it all a bit more. In the pre pub copy I received there are two blank pages at the beginning of the book marked map and family trees. I must admit that they would have been helpful many times as I was reading.


Posted Sep. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mariannes

Join Date: 12/17/12

Posts: 206

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

The name Thatha didn't really matter to me. I agree that the names were really confusing. A family tree would have been very helpful!


Posted Sep. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Marianne - As you probably know, the finished book does have a family tree. The copy you read was an early reader edition before the final editing process and they are usually missing the final touches such as maps and family trees. I realize this doesn't change your reading experience but should make the matter of who's who less of a problem for those reading a copy of the published book - Davina, BB Editor.


Posted Sep. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
asha

Join Date: 05/01/13

Posts: 44

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Being from the region, the term Thatha was familiar to me...But, I do understand if it caused confusion to most non-regional readers.


Posted Sep. 26, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Suzanne

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 281

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

I didn't realize Thatha was the name grandfather and only figured it was the father of the Los Angeles girls. And I still don't understand why he was called that name.


Posted Sep. 29, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bobbie7

Join Date: 09/19/13

Posts: 65

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Thantha did not add to my understanding. I agree with other comments that the "familiar" terms and "nicknames" had me baffled, and I read this book twice. I finally made my own family tree with the first, last, nickname and relationships documented. That helped


Posted Oct. 01, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mal

Join Date: 09/09/13

Posts: 164

RE: Did the familial term Thatha (grandfather) contribute to your understanding of the family in Los Angeles?

Familiar with the term from previous cultural reads. Did help in understanding.


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