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Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5)
Genre: Fiction, Political Fiction, Sri Lankan Literature, Social Commentary

Book Review:
Malinga H. Gunaratne's ''Tortured Island and The Price of Peace'' is a powerful and provocative exploration of Sri Lanka's enduring social and political conflicts. Drawing on his experience as a planter in the deep south, Gunaratne offers a perspective that is both deeply personal and broadly analytical.

The book weaves together multiple narratives—caste conflicts, power struggles, and the human cost of division—to paint a vivid picture of a nation grappling with its identity. Gunaratne asks uncomfortable questions about why the Sinhalese people remain fragmented even in the face of common peril, and his search for answers leads him through the complex terrain of Sri Lankan history, politics, and social structure.

What makes this book particularly engaging is its stylistic range. As critic Earnest Dalgety notes, it is ''serious... also humorous, irreverent and an excellent read.'' Gunaratne manages to tackle weighty subjects without becoming ponderous, leavening his analysis with wit and personal anecdote. For readers interested in understanding the underlying forces that have shaped modern Sri Lanka, ''Tortured Island'' offers valuable insights wrapped in an eminently readable narrative. It's a worthy addition to Gunaratne's body of work, which includes the controversial bestseller ''For a Sovereign State'' and ''Plantation Raj.''