Customer reviews:

 

Long Awaited Dawn, a book of style and substance. I have just completed reading the novel “Long Awaited Dawn” and thoroughly enjoyed every word. Captured within an important historical setting, the author succeeds in telling a great story. I thought he demonstrated a thorough understanding of the human condition and the author has a particular ability to enable his characters to express their profound feelings/emotions. The passage, for example, on pages 278-280 when Logan writes his mother is incredibly rich in style and substance and displays powerful writing talent. It is also with great pleasure that I learned more about a different culture. Importantly, while the book depicts numerous depths of the human condition, one is left with the feeling that hope, given proper attention, can overcome despair.

Jean-Claude Dubois

Great story combined with unique narrative. When I read a story, if I find the characters seem to lack emotions, I lose interest. Also if the writing style is dead I lost interest. This was not the case with “Long Awaited Dawn” by author Dexter Nathan. I enjoyed reading the story, sentence by sentence, just for the writing style alone. It is a believable and interesting story, and informative as well. I learned a lot about the history of Sri Lanka and all about the trouble and tragic disorder it has experienced in the last few decades. The unique word usage of the author is very unusual in that giving the narrator’s voice an idiom peculiar to the part of the world where the story is really taking place. It is one of the charms of this book.

Terrence Rickard

This author brings three bygone writing legends to life. I could compare the style of storytelling, especially in the way in which author Dexter Nathan handles his characters and the settings they exist in…. to the styles of three famous (now dead) authors… Ernest Hemmingway, Arthur Miller, and Tennessee Williams. Author Dexter Nathan has written an excellent story!

James C. Harwood

Only a MASTER could write like this. I have always been disturbed at the brutalization, torture, and murder of Tamil political prisoners at the hands of extremely evil beings in Sri Lanka. With his vivid imagination and exceptional writing skills author Dexter Nathan has brought the July 1983 jail victims to life in full light. His writing style is gripping and unique, not only in the West, but in Sri-Lanka as well. Only a Master could write the way he has handled this masterpiece saga.

Anthoney Sunderarajah,

My views on 'Awaiting the Dawn' In the novel “Long Awaited Dawn” we are introduced to De Silva family, Elmo, Marla, Travis, and Larry. They are good caring and loving people. Little Travis becomes very close to his new neighbor Kasthuri and looks to her as a mother. The author describes his characters in detail, so that you can actually picture in your minds what these people may have looked like. He then goes on to explain what the “red pottu” the Indian women wear on their foreheads means. I found the way that the author described the “red pottu” in his story to little Travis was interesting, informative, and humorous, all at the same time. The author goes on to tell the readers about certain types of trees that grow in Sri-Lanka that bear some delicious fruits. As the story progresses you are introduced to two evil characters Elsie, who is Elmo’s stepmother and Claudia, Elmo’s half sister. Elsie and Claudia cause all kinds of disruption and turmoil in the De Silva family, but even then, Elmo responds to them in a humane way. Elmo had a cook whose name was Ramani. Elmo's children hated Ramani's cooking, and the way the children described the food she cooked was very humorous. At a very young age Travis discovers his hidden talents as a writer and later on in life that talent becomes a big asset to him. The story then revolves around Kasthuri’s family members and the various roles they play in her life. Rajaskar, Kasthuri’s husband, had a hard childhood, and things went really sour for him from the time he was a young boy until his teen years. Then just as things started to go good for him he runs into some bad luck that turned his life upside down, as a result of which, Rajasekar starts doing bad things and treats people badly too, namely his wife Kasthuri who was much younger than he and was married to him against her will. Rajasekar mistreats his whole family, but towards the end sees his erring ways, and tries to make amends. The story goes on to tell how the lives of each family member in the De Silva and the Rajasekar family had to face tribulations and triumphs. Though all of the family members of both families had to endure the hardships in their lives such as financial disparities, racial and political riots, and physical suffering, in the end the ones that remained, came together in victory and in love. They found their ultimate peace in one form or the other. It is a story that goes through a timeline and tells of historical events that actually took place during those particular times, and the individuals that were involved in those events. The story also deals with issues related to different cultural beliefs. It also vividly describes how inhumane men can be when things don’t go their way, and how they can be so barbaric as to commit horrendous violent acts of mutilation and murder. Some of the characters in the story, I found to be very selfish and others I found to be very selfless. Sister Veronica, Kasthuri, and all the De Silva family members were among the ones that I found to be the most selfless. Therefore, they were my favorite characters throughout this story. My emotions were moved by the characters and events in “Long Awaited Dawn.” I was so drawn into this story, and felt so much a part of it that I laughed at the humorous events, and cried at the tragic events. My heart shared the joys of victorious triumphs, and felt the sorrow of great losses for these characters. In conclusion, it is in my opinion that the author Dexter Nathan, is nothing short of brilliant as a writer in bringing “Long Awaited Dawn” to life. He is an outstanding writer and I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Cynthia B. Shaver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Home