Through much of the book, Daya needs this physical pain in order to deal with her emotional pain and grief over her parents’ death and the survivor guilt she feels. There’s nothing better than being physically bruised and then poking and pressing the wounds in order to really feel the pain. But this confident and capable exterior is misleading since, when she’s alone, Daya seeks comfort and control through self-harm. She is a first-generation Sir-Lankan Canadian and an excellent athlete who excels at boxing, skateboarding and eventually roller derby. Emotional bruises, physical bruises, Daya is happy to have them all!ĭaya is a complicated character who grows and matures throughout the novel. In fact, she looks forward to the physical aspects of the sport since it’s another way she can add to the many bruises she already has. Although Daya isn’t keen on being part of a team and becoming involved with, and potentially dependent on, so many others, she certainly likes the rough and tough world of roller derby.

By chance, she is introduced to the sport of roller derby, and suddenly everything seems to fall into place. It’s demanding and often bruising but gives her time on her own to try and figure out how to handle things. Boxing with her dad may be over, but Daya chooses to take up skateboarding to keep in shape. She survived, and now she has to learn to cope with overwhelming grief and move on with her life. Daya Wijesinghe’s parents have recently been killed in a car crash.

Bruised by Tanya Boteju