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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
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
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Torture, War
Moderate: Domestic abuse
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing at times was gorgeous; at others, suffered from literalism: believing that its reader is too distracted or ignorant to pick up on context clues. I don't think anything is lost from working that dialogue into the story naturally, and everything is gained for the reader, the plot, and the characters.
But, that wasn't my main issue with this novel. When it was a more insular story of these people's lives, their histories, and their mysteries, I was engrossed. The plot took a hard left turn on a red light when it opened itself up to the rabbit hole of going viral and introducing a broader spotlight onto Cinnamon Gardens. The characters, the message, and me, as a reader, were lost to this. It did end with some of its original gorgeousness but I was left wondering if we could have gotten there anyway, if the characters were left to work out their wounds amongst themselves. Instead, we were left with the same characters we started with: no growth, few wounds healed.
But, that wasn't my main issue with this novel. When it was a more insular story of these people's lives, their histories, and their mysteries, I was engrossed. The plot took a hard left turn on a red light when it opened itself up to the rabbit hole of going viral and introducing a broader spotlight onto Cinnamon Gardens. The characters, the message, and me, as a reader, were lost to this. It did end with some of its original gorgeousness but I was left wondering if we could have gotten there anyway, if the characters were left to work out their wounds amongst themselves. Instead, we were left with the same characters we started with: no growth, few wounds healed.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran had a promising premise, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Set in a close-knit community, the story follows several characters navigating life, love, and personal struggles, all tied together by their connection to a local café. While I was initially drawn in by the setting and the theme of community, the book ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.
One of the major issues I had was with the pacing. The story dragged in parts, with long stretches of introspection that seemed to go nowhere. The dialogue, while well-intentioned, often felt forced, and I struggled to connect with the characters. They felt more like sketches rather than fully realised people, and their arcs felt predictable and superficial.
The writing style was clear, but it lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. The story had moments of potential, especially when exploring themes of belonging and identity, but these were often lost in the meandering plot.
While I understand the appeal of a book that centres around food and community, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I found it difficult to stay engaged, and the story never quite resonated the way I hoped.
One of the major issues I had was with the pacing. The story dragged in parts, with long stretches of introspection that seemed to go nowhere. The dialogue, while well-intentioned, often felt forced, and I struggled to connect with the characters. They felt more like sketches rather than fully realised people, and their arcs felt predictable and superficial.
The writing style was clear, but it lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. The story had moments of potential, especially when exploring themes of belonging and identity, but these were often lost in the meandering plot.
While I understand the appeal of a book that centres around food and community, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I found it difficult to stay engaged, and the story never quite resonated the way I hoped.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Listened to the audiobook. 3.5 stars. A timely novel and quite an achievement in storytelling. Chandran skilfully weaves present day suburban 'Australia' with civil war in Sri Lanka as well as explorations of the importance of recording histories/stories. Insightful storytelling with just the right balance of tenderness and humour.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced