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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
No
Wow, what a book! Wow! Ready to read ALL of Shankari's books asap!
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
damn this ate hard tho. sillee sori oon huono selittää näit LOL mut tää kirja kosketti todella paljon.
This book did an excellent job of making me feel at least some of the anger and frustration that Anjali felt in the later part of the book. To me, that's what books should do - help you see others points of view - so that makes this some pretty great writing. The characters and places felt very real very quickly and I learned heaps about Sri Lanka - which after reading Anil's Ghost as a teen with zero knowledge of the country, was very enlightening.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
The characters in this book were beautiful and complex. It made me realise how little I know about Sri Lanka and I’d love to learn more. A thoughtful and provoking story about colonisation, compassion, forgiveness and community.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am conflicted about this one
First off, didn't expect the heavy nature of this book from the title, I was fully expecting fun little hijinks and adventures from old people in a nursing home. That one's on me for not reading the synopsis tho, I never learn honestly.....
I think my adverseness to this is primarily the fact that this is unfortunately the reality I am still living in today and I think about this book everytime I see a trumpet of patriots ad. It's so god awful and despite Gareth fully knowing how awful he is and how his actions are affecting literally everyone around him, he continues to double down. This had me scoffing at literally anything he did and I would also punch him if I could.
The jumping timeline got me a few times, but I'll fully admit that's a user error. Time is an illusion and apparently a very difficult concept for me.
While I think this is quite an important piece that's really telling and important particularly now in Australia, I think maybe i wasn't in a headspace to appreciate it fully. I did find myself rooting for the entire Cinnamon Gardens retirement home and would love to end up there one day for sure.
Despite all my gripes and the heavy content, I did end up following the entire plot and the writing and narration was engaging and captivating.
First off, didn't expect the heavy nature of this book from the title, I was fully expecting fun little hijinks and adventures from old people in a nursing home. That one's on me for not reading the synopsis tho, I never learn honestly.....
I think my adverseness to this is primarily the fact that this is unfortunately the reality I am still living in today and I think about this book everytime I see a trumpet of patriots ad. It's so god awful and despite Gareth fully knowing how awful he is and how his actions are affecting literally everyone around him, he continues to double down. This had me scoffing at literally anything he did and I would also punch him if I could.
The jumping timeline got me a few times, but I'll fully admit that's a user error. Time is an illusion and apparently a very difficult concept for me.
While I think this is quite an important piece that's really telling and important particularly now in Australia, I think maybe i wasn't in a headspace to appreciate it fully. I did find myself rooting for the entire Cinnamon Gardens retirement home and would love to end up there one day for sure.
Despite all my gripes and the heavy content, I did end up following the entire plot and the writing and narration was engaging and captivating.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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:
No
A truly moving book and extraordinarily relevant and heartbreaking story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Colonisation
Moderate: Child death, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury