The Unmarriageable Man

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Sanjay de Silva lives in Colombo, constrained by a controlling father after losing his English mother. When his father is diagnosed with cancer, the power dynamics shift, leading Sanjay to an unexpected opportunity: he can live in England due to his half-English heritage. He arrives in south London in 1980, amidst the vibrant Thatcher years, where he meets Janine, a fellow Sri Lankan with a notorious reputation in their community. Despite their age difference, he falls in love with her. Sanjay manages to purchase a dilapidated house in Brixton and, against the odds, converts it into two flats. However, the house harbors secrets, with unsettling voices at night. This narrative follows the journey of south London's first Asian builder, who, over eight years, develops and sells eighty-four flats, profiting just before the 1988 crash. At its core, the story explores grief and the unique ways individuals cope with family mysteries and loss. Sanjay learns that grief is a transformation of love, a fluid connection that shifts from one form to another, like ice melting into water.