A poetic story of love and loss against the backdrop of civil war, set on an island paradise. Writer Theo, having survived the death of his wife, returns to his native Sri Lanka in the hope of finding long-lost peace among the beautiful landscapes. Plunging deeper into the life of a tormented country, Theo falls in love with his native island, imbued with its calm and at the same time electrifying atmosphere. Walking along a deserted beach, he meets a very young girl. Nulani, whose father was burned alive before her eyes, is considered mute in the village; she prefers to communicate with the world through drawings. Shocked by the girl's gift, Theo decides to help her escape from a country stricken by the leprosy of war. But along with the rainy season, a new wave of violence covers the idyllic island, separating the heroes. Powerful, sophisticated, sad and flickering with hope, the novel by the British writer and artist Roma Tirn is a dense, sparkling canvas in which the mesmerizing beauty of Sri Lanka and human love are woven into a tragic but optimistic story. The novel was nominated for the prestigious Costa literary award.