'A quiet masterpiece' Gay Times

In the world of his large family - affluent Tamils living in Colombo, Sri Lanka - Arjie is an oddity, a 'funny boy' who prefers dressing as a girl to playing cricket with his brother.

But as Arjie comes to terms with his own homo-sexuality and with the racism of the society in which he lives, Sri Lanka is plunged into civil war as fighting between the army and the Tamil Tigers gradually begins to encroach on the family's comfortable life.

Sporadic acts of violence flare into full-scale riots and lead, ultimately, to tragedy.

'A graceful and intelligent account of the random nature of growing up' Observer