865 reviews for:

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens

Shankari Chandran

4.23 AVERAGE

lyd_gnt's review against another edition

5.0

challenging 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

klmnz's review against another edition

4.75

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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I went into this book assuming it was a cute rest home adventure, perhaps an Australian Thursday Murder Club, but I could not have been more wrong about the tone and the aim of the book. This is a beautifully written exploration of racism, multiculturalism, immigration, colonialism, and family set against twin backdrops of modern Australia and Sri Lanka during the civil war. Often dark, harrowing, and graphic, but also loving, warm, and uplifting. The themes are blatant and not handled with subtlety but maybe in today's world, we're back to needing to be told it straight. 

morally_gay's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-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: Complicated

jordanish's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

chanimilo's review against another edition

3.75

emotional sad 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

seawave's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War

melkh's review against another edition

4.25

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

clairea2's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional 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: Complicated

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Beautiful story, so complex and many challenging topics are covered. Definitely worth the read. 

bangsthetics's review against another edition

4.5

emotional 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

mo_loves_books's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes