If the Moon Smiled

by Chandani Lokuge

'I go down to the river, unheeding my mother’s disapproval. I dip into the lazily flowing water. Here, at least, nothing has changed.The bath-cloth balloons around my body and I press it down. I loosen my hair and let it spread where it will. I open my hands upwards on the water’s surface, languidly remembering. All, that is familiar. The promise. The promise of life.'As a young woman in Sri Lanka, Manthri marvels at the promise of life and yearns for a future of fulfilled dreams. Years on, she finds herself in a loveless marriage, in a foreign land, and estranged from her two Australian children. Torn between an idyllic past to which she cannot return and a present that breaks her heart, she never loses touch with those dreams, nor abandons her passionate enchantment with life.

Genres: Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Chandani Lokuge migrated to Australia from Sri Lanka. Her first novel, If the Moon Smiled was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards - Best Novel and Community Relations categories - in 2001. Chandani is also the author of the critically acclaimed Moth and Other Stories. Her short fiction is widely anthologised including in Gas and Air: Tales of Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond, Penguin Summer Stories, Heatwave and Penguin Anthology of Modern Sri Lankan Short Stories. She is also the editor for Oxford University Press of the Classic Reissue series of Indian women's autobiographies and fiction written in English. Her latest novel Turtle Nest was released in 2003. Chandani lives in Melbourne and is a Senior Lecturer in English, and Director, Centre for Postcolonial Writing at Monash University.
[Source]

Professional profile at Monash University website

Reviews

[Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time disintegrates into beautiful poetic, yet short blunt sentences. With the tragedy of motherhood and an absence of control on full display in this book, I found it valuable in its introverted karmic honesty. This book is like a nostalgic nightmare with a convergence of tradition and internal writhing at its centre. 5 stars.

[Nikki Sojkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A revealing peek into the life of a Sri Lankan woman and her struggles with her husband, children, and personal mind set.

[Sanchita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant storytelling, flitting from fantasy to reality in nebulous ways.

[Glennis]

Was engrossed in the sad rhythm of Manthri's life. The emotions of those changing countries and settling in to a strange new culture are beautifully described. More a book for women although her husband and son play a significant role in Manthri's inevitable decline & illness. Strange to say I enjoyed this book - but I think many would identify with the dislocation, pain and upheaval that immigrants feel on settling into Australia.

[Himanshi Yadav · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really admire lyricism in books, and despite of being overwhelmingly sad and depressing, I actually loved the writing style of this Sri Lankan author. But the story was too abysmal to actually hold me or make me ponder on the poignant life of a domestic woman.
It is though a very light and short read so I wouldn’t not recommend if you want to enjoy just the style of prose.

[Sarah Low · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautifully written but overwhelmingly sad and hopeless - more beauty and strength needed.

[Sundas · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is best book

[Tanushree Haorungbam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It read like a poetry, the expressiveness of the words and the emotions attached and imbibed are unimaginably beautiful. It was as if I could feel each and every word hitting my senses.

[Tracie Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revealing of the disappointments of life and the mindsets that we imprison ourselves with. Really enjoy Chandani's work. She is so thoughtful and always surprising.