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What an awesome novel is Aditha Dissanayake’s newest work titled 10.34. It’s her best so far in my opinion. A trove of creativity, cream of beauty for nature lovers, with a dramatic thread in its structure.
Thematically it is a revelation of love. Not one that sentimentalizes, but one demandingly spiritual. It comes to light only at the very end of its structural composition though underneath it signifies confrontations at the beginning and turns and twists taking place.
Kumi is the running character throughout the story. From Colombo, she has come to one of the most remote areas in the country – Kothmale, to her grand uncle’s residence surrounded by trees, plants of clove and coffee, and bushes of various types with a “gurgling stream”. The Katuvita property has the nature of a haunted house. She has come to take photographs of the premises owned by her grand uncle in Australia for his use for publicity for the sale of the property. She is engaged to a cousin, Nadush who is preparing to go to New Zealand.
Botanist, Dr. Kavana Wadugodapitiya has entered for research assuming it an abandoned site. In the meantime Kumi enters the property and discovers the trespasser. She manages to send him away but subsequently allows him to carry on his research understanding what sort of person he is. Elements of sympathy and humanity embolden her decision.
The development of Kavana’s behaviour and character dramatically is mysterious and intriguing. This, I find a superb mechanism of Aditha’s inherent talents. This is so with other characters too, Kumi, Nadush, Vinoo and the no more living souls, Martha and her grandfather, including the minor ones as well, especially Shantha, Karthi, Maggi akka, Samarasekera, and the dog Tilly.
The most fantastic element of the novel is the portrayal of the natural habitats of flora and fauna with various echoes and whistles of birds surrounding the massive building. She now imagines this property to be converted feasibly as a Holiday Resort which Vinoo too as a friend, has suggested. She finally proposes this project to her granduncle.
Kumi is also very adventurous. This aspect she divulges all the way through the novel, exceptionally in the earlier parts.
She is also a social commentator. This is quite evident from pages 57- 58 when Kumi has to alight from a bus on the orders of the bus conductor and driver. It highlights the discourteous nature of the transport personnel. On the other hand I also find how humanely she treats the passengers on a train offering her own seat to a standing female passenger with a child, and the conversation that takes place between them.
Aditha Dissanayake’s novel 10.34 is absorbing and readable. I am sure it will reach the status of a modern classic for its novelty of restrained structural construction and its brilliant theme interlaced with humanity and compassion, and presented dramatically knotted with dynamism.
| Book facts | |
| 10.34 -by Aditha Dissanayake Published by Vijitha Yapa Reviewed by Dr. Namel Weeramuni |