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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved it. Previously I’ve only described physiological thrillers as “page-turning”, but this book had me enthralled. Intricate history and development of each character and even characters I hated had shades of light and dark. I also really enjoy Australian based books and it was a timely read for me with the election (upcoming at the time of reading). The ending had me in tears with a satisfying narrative conclusion that had earned its pay off.
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Deportation
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a deeply moving novel that explores themes of migration, racism, identity, grief, and love. Set in Cinnamon Gardens, an aged care home in Western Sydney, the story revolves around Maya, a Sri Lankan Tamil migrant, and her family. Initially run by Maya and her husband, the home is later taken over by their daughter, Anji.
The novel also follows the lives of Nikki, Anji’s best friend, and Ruben, a Sri Lankan immigrant linguist and caregiver.
Chandran vividly portrays the hardships faced by Tamil people in Sri Lanka and the racism they encounter in Australia.
Tamil words like Maghal (daughter) and Amma (mother) enrich the narration, making the story feel authentic and immersive.
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a novel of loss, love, and survival. It’s a testament to the power of community and the stories that keep us connected to home even when home is a distant memory.
The novel also follows the lives of Nikki, Anji’s best friend, and Ruben, a Sri Lankan immigrant linguist and caregiver.
Chandran vividly portrays the hardships faced by Tamil people in Sri Lanka and the racism they encounter in Australia.
Tamil words like Maghal (daughter) and Amma (mother) enrich the narration, making the story feel authentic and immersive.
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a novel of loss, love, and survival. It’s a testament to the power of community and the stories that keep us connected to home even when home is a distant memory.
I borrowed this as an audio book from the library, only reading the first couple of lines of the blurb which mentioned aged care home. It is a lot deeper than that as we get to learn about the characters in the nursing home and some bits were very hard to listen to (racism, war). Thoroughly enjoyed it.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes