Reviews tagging 'War'

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

29 reviews

drellejay's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Blood, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Minor: Sexual assault

terranovanz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

cathy61r's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Child death, Dementia, Death of parent, and Colonisation

livingbeyondbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This exceptional text was my first read of 2024. It is a timeless and poignant piece. I can’t recommend this book enough.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, and War

shornified's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, Colonisation, and War

eloiseatthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was an emotional rollercoaster but well worth reading.

The only piece I'm not really sure if I liked or understood was Gareth - it felt like he went back and forth in an illogical way, but maybe that was the intention.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and War

quirkyaquarian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Xenophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Islamophobia and War

Minor: Child death

indubidablyali's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Chai time at cinnamon gardens is 3 parts a cozy narrative with rich characterisation and culture, and two parts political awareness in the best way. The plot lulls you into a peaceful sense of comfort, while providing subtle (and sometimes not so) hints of a more troubling plot brewing. Everything comes to a head and suddenly you are plunged into a harsh reality of the senseless violence that can escalate when people think their actions are justified by those in power. I found myself urgently flipping through those final chapters, hoping and praying for a happy ending. What I got wasn’t a ‘happily ever after’, but also found it fitting. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Hate crime, and Violence

Minor: Islamophobia and War

ieemee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This is the kind of books that everyone should read. It follows the story of refugees who live in Australia. The author has a great way show a scenario and allowing the reader to reflect on their own position. This is art that truly says something and while it was emotionally difficult to read at times. I feel I have a richer understanding of the world.  I will be recommending this book widely 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and War

Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

bee_eviljoy36's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book holds a mirror up to Australia's racist past and present and the view is not pleasant. 

It follows the stories of residents and staff of a nursing home called Cinamon Gardens in Sydney. Many of whom are refugees that fled Sri Lanka which was undergoing genocide and ethnic cleansing.

The stories unfold slowly in a gut wrenching and emotional tail of finding forgiveness for the decision made while under extreme trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Torture, and War

Moderate: Child death and Rape