Sri Lanka’s history, its beautiful landscapes, and its complex society have inspired some incredible stories. If you enjoy reading novels that transport you to another place, this list features sixteen books set on the island.
You’ll find tales that stretch from ancient legends to modern-day struggles, covering family sagas, personal journeys, civil war impacts, and even science fiction.
This book throws you into the world of W.G. Karunasena, an aging, alcoholic sports journalist. He becomes fixated on finding Pradeep Mathew, a brilliant Sri Lankan cricketer who vanished years ago. Karunasena’s quest takes him all over Sri Lanka.
He talks to old teammates, ex-lovers, and anyone who might know something, all while he reflects on his own messy life. The story is full of dark humor and gives a real feel for Sri Lanka, especially through the lens of cricket culture.
Anil Tissera is a forensic anthropologist born in Sri Lanka but educated abroad. She returns during the intense civil war years as part of a human rights investigation. She works with Sarath, a local archaeologist.
Together they examine a skeleton, nicknamed Sailor, found in a restricted government zone. Their search for Sailor’s identity forces them to confront the island’s hidden histories and the brutal realities of the conflict.
This story follows Arjie Chelvaratnam from his childhood in the 1970s into the early 80s in Colombo. Arjie realizes he is different from other boys; he prefers dress-up games with his female cousins over cricket.
His journey of self-discovery happens against the backdrop of rising ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities. The reader sees family secrets and societal prejudices through Arjie’s young eyes, right up to the devastating riots of 1983.
Krishan lives in Colombo and receives news that Rani, his grandmother’s former caretaker, has died unexpectedly. He decides to travel north to her village for the funeral.
This long train journey becomes a meditation on his past, including memories of Rani’s difficult life marked by the civil war and thoughts about a past relationship with Anjum.
The novel explores grief, memory, and the quiet, lingering effects of war on individuals and the landscape.
Leonard Woolf, who was a civil servant in colonial Ceylon, wrote this stark novel about life in a tiny, isolated village. It centers on Silindu, a hunter, and his two daughters.
They face dangers from the jungle itself—wild animals, disease—and the cruelty of other people, including the village headman and a local exorcist. The jungle feels like a powerful force that surrounds them and dictates their struggles against poverty and superstition.
This classic of Sri Lankan literature is set in the southern village of Koggala. It shows the decline of a traditional, aristocratic family and the rise of a new entrepreneurial class.
Nanda, the daughter of the noble family, is caught between her feelings for Piyal, a bright young man from a lower social standing, and the expectations of her family. The story captures the social shifts that were changing village life in the early 20th century.
Sam Obeysekere is a sharp lawyer from a privileged Ceylonese family in the colonial era. The novel follows his life, starting with his childhood fascination with detective stories and moving through his career.
A sensational murder case involving an English planter, the “Hamilton case”, becomes a pivotal point. Sam’s involvement reveals hidden connections, personal ambitions, and the complex social layers of British Ceylon.
This intense novel unfolds over about twenty-four hours in a makeshift refugee camp during the final, brutal stages of the Sri Lankan civil war. Dinesh, a young man displaced by the fighting, is unexpectedly asked by an older man if he will marry his daughter, Ganga.
In the midst of constant shelling and death, Dinesh and Ganga try to find some human connection and normalcy. The writing focuses tightly on their immediate experiences and fragile emotions.
This is a powerful memoir, not a novel. Sonali Deraniyagala was on holiday with her family on the Sri Lankan coast when the 2004 tsunami hit. In an instant, she lost her husband, her two young sons, and her parents.
The book is her account of that day and the immense grief and disorientation that followed. She shares memories of her life before the wave, which makes the scale of her loss incredibly clear.
Set in British Ceylon, this story centers on a tea plantation called Elephant Walk. It earned its name because it was built across a traditional path used by elephants. George Carey, the plantation owner, brings his young English wife, Ruth, to live there.
Ruth struggles with the isolation, her husband’s obsession with the plantation, and the constant tension between the colonial estate and the power of nature, represented by the elephants.
This novel is the sequel to Gamperaliya. It follows Nanda and Piyal after they marry and move from their village to Colombo. They adapt to city life and the changing social landscape of Sri Lanka.
The book examines the challenges they face in their marriage and family life as traditional values confront modernity and urban influences. It continues the exploration of how Sri Lankan society was transforming.
Yalini is a young Tamil woman growing up in Toronto with her family, who fled Sri Lanka during the civil war. The story unfolds through her perspective as she learns more about her parents’ arranged marriage and the secrets they carried from their past in Jaffna.
It moves between Canada and Sri Lanka, revealing the impact of the war, family obligations, and the difficulties of navigating cultural identity across continents. Yalini uncovers stories about an uncle involved with the Tamil Tigers.
This historical novel brings ancient Sri Lanka to life. It follows the legendary Prince Vijaya, traditionally considered the founder of the Sinhalese people. Exiled from his kingdom in India, Vijaya sails south and lands on the island of Lanka.
The story imagines his adventures, his battles with the island’s inhabitants, and his efforts to establish a new kingdom. It’s a tale full of action, romance, and the myths surrounding the island’s origins.
Set during the Sri Lankan civil war, this novel looks at how the conflict affects different people. It follows several characters whose lives intersect in Colombo and other parts of the country.
Among them are two friends whose paths diverge due to the war, one becoming involved in political movements while the other tries to maintain a normal life. The story examines loyalty, betrayal, and the moral choices people make under pressure.
This novel connects the lives of several characters in different parts of the world—Sydney, Paris, and Sri Lanka. One central figure is Pippa, an Australian writer who drifts through life, observing others.
Another is Christabel, a Sri Lankan woman living in Australia who feels dissatisfied and disconnected. Their stories, along with others, touch upon themes of migration, ambition, literature, and the search for meaning in contemporary life.
Sri Lanka appears through memories and connections.
Science fiction master Arthur C. Clarke lived in Sri Lanka for many years. In this novel, he sets the story on a thinly disguised version of the island called Taprobane.
Visionary engineer Vannevar Morgan plans to build a revolutionary space elevator, anchoring it to a mountain peak on the island. His ambitious project faces technical challenges, political opposition, and resistance from Buddhist monks whose monastery sits atop the mountain.
The plot also weaves in the tale of an ancient king who built a palace fortress on a similar peak.