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Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
11 posts | 4 read | 9 to read
Deftly traversing time, culture and continent to weave a tale of both home and unbelonging, this is truly a novel not to be missed. - Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of Foreign Soil and The Hate Race Chandran is an excellent storyteller. - The Weekend Australian This is an engaging story that feels both urgent and necessary. It is also a terrific read. - The Daily Telegraph this story burns with anger and sings with optimism, sprinkled through with moments of levity and humour. - The Canberra Times Welcome to Cinnamon Gardens, a home for those who are lost and the stories they treasure. Cinnamon Gardens Nursing Home is nestled in the quiet suburb of Westgrove, Sydney populated with residents with colourful histories, each with their own secrets, triumphs and failings. This is their safe place, an oasis of familiar delights a beautiful garden, a busy kitchen and a bountiful recreation schedule. But this ordinary neighbourhood is not without its prejudices. The serenity of Cinnamon Gardens is threatened by malignant forces more interested in what makes this refuge different rather than embracing the calm companionship that makes this place home to so many. As those who challenge the residents existence make their stand against the nursing home with devastating consequences, our characters are forced to reckon with a country divided. Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is about family and memory, community and race, but is ultimately a love letter to storytelling and how our stories shape who we are. 'Wise and dignified.' - The Australian Women's Weekly An engrossing, urgent, warm, wise and utterly, utterly beautiful novel. - Emily Maguire, author of An Isolated Incident and Love Objects This is a book that requires concentration and full immersion but it will reward the reader for that investment. - The Guardian a powerful, compassionate novel about friendship, family, community-building, and the racism faced by members of diasporic communities in this country. - The AU Review
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mjtwo
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Pickpick

6-9 Dec 23 (audiobook)
Despite winning the Miles Franklin, I would have been unlikely to listen to this if it were not free Audible book of the month. I am pleased I did.
The parallel experiences in post-colonial countries throughout the world interest me, as does the attitude of the dominant group when they perceive they are being discriminated against. Gareth portrays a laughable lack of insight which is all too common.
Worth a listen.

blurb
Centique
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Its not you book, its me. I got to 80% and there is a lot to love in you, but life has thrown some curve balls and i havent got the bandwidth to finish you at the moment.

I guess you can take this as a testament to the power in some of the brutal truths on your pages. (Also one character is being despicable right now)

I think im going to need a few cosy mysteries until life calms down a little!

dabbe Bring on the cozy mysteries! 🩵🩶🩵 4mo
Bookwormjillk That was me last month. Sometimes it‘s good to just know everything will work out at the end of the book. Hang in there. 4mo
Leftcoastzen Sometimes life is like that, I‘ve had some I had to abandon this year , bandwidth issues , well put! 4mo
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LeahBergen Good for you! Move on to something comforting. Sending ❤️❤️❤️. 4mo
Centique @Bookwormjillk @Leftcoastzen im glad im in good company! 4mo
Centique @dabbe yes! 🙌 4mo
Centique @LeahBergen thank you Leah 😘 4mo
batsy Hope life gets a bit easier, Paula. Lots of love to you. 4mo
CarolynM That‘s where I‘m at too. Still listening to those favourite romances on repeat and only reading things that are light and undemanding. Sending love and hugs💕🤗 4mo
sarahbarnes 💙💙💙 4mo
Centique @batsy thank you Suba. Most of it should resolve by Christmas i think 💕 much love to you and your family too. 4mo
Centique @CarolynM thank you Carolyn 💕 Its a relief to picture other book friends reading comforting books too 💕 A reread is a good idea i think! 4mo
tpixie Take care of yourself! Reading is for comfort 💚🩵 4mo
Reggie Ughhh the 80% dnf. I hope life calms down for you a lot, Paula. 4mo
Rissreads I‘m sorry to hear that things are rough at the moment. Yes take comfort in easy reads. Thinking of you and sending good vibes 😎🦄🌈 ♥️ 4mo
58 likes15 comments
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JMPemberton
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Pickpick

This book was SO good. It follows the lives of the owners of a nursing home in Sydney and their families and friends. The book follows several characters perspectives going back and forward in time. Many of the characters have emigrated to Australia (or come as refugees) and had faced violence and war in their native Sri Lanka but then also faced racial violence and discrimination in Australia. Very eye opening.

CarolynM I‘m hoping to get to this one soon. 🙂 I noticed the library label on your book. Are you in Mount Barker in South Australia? 5mo
JMPemberton @CarolynM I am. Do you know Mount Barker? 5mo
CarolynM Yes. I grew up in Adelaide. My childhood best friend lived in Mount Barker for a few years when it was still a country town. I have many happy memories🙂 It‘s nice to have another Australian on Litsy. There aren‘t many of us. 5mo
JMPemberton @CarolynM that‘s awesome. It is nice to meet people from round here, as you said there‘s not many of us. 5mo
4 likes4 comments
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MrsMalaprop
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Tackling racism and gender politics using children‘s playground behaviour as the vehicle.
I felt this was a little contrived and Gareth‘s behaviour somewhat OTT, but all pretty interesting none the less.

review
MrsMalaprop
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Pickpick

That was unexpected. The cover, title & subject matter did not appeal. However it just won Australia‘s biggest literary award & people like @Sue who I follow on Insta (‘cause she‘s not on here anymore) rated it.
I‘m so glad I read it because it‘s one of a kind. It packed a whole lot into one book. Contemporary Australia, racism, the history & politics of Sri Lanka and the impacts of colonization in both countries. Clever & worth the effort.

LeeRHarry Great review - has made me more interested in reading it. 😊 7mo
43 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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#currentlyreading #ozfiction
Well this has just taken a turn. I am halfway through this 2023 Miles Franklin prize winning novel. The Miles Franklin is an award for books depicting Australian life. I was reading this one, wondering whether it even meets the criteria given it is about a nursing home of Sri Lankin expats. But wow, I now see it is very much about Australia. What a fascinating connection the author has made. Now, back to it…🤓📖.

Jeg I heard her on the radio talking about this book. I‘ll get around to reading it I‘m sure. I love that bun. Makes me feel a little sad. As you know I lost my taste and smell for a year. I still can‘t taste or smell cinnamon which is one of my all time favourites. 🥲. 8mo
MrsMalaprop @jeg Just finished reading it. The cinnamon scroll is from our local IGA & they are so good. It‘s very sad you can no longer appreciate cinnamon. It‘s one of my faves. Maybe your taste & smell will return. Here‘s hoping 🤞. 8mo
35 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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MrsMalaprop
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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🤭😆💖 Purchased for the female aged care residents. Love it 😍
P.S. Just realise I assumed everyone knows what a ‘Womanizer‘ is? (vibrator)

Rissreads 🤣🤣🤣 8mo
24 likes1 comment
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CarolynM
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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If you‘d asked me to say which book on the Miles shortlist was least likely to win I think I would have nominated this one. Got that wrong, then. Looking forward to reading it. #ozfiction

LeeRHarry I would have said that too. 8mo
julesG It looked the most interesting to me when I saw the list. 8mo
CarolynM @LeeRHarry I fully expected Limberlost to win 8mo
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CarolynM @julesG It does look interesting. They usually go for more obviously “serious” books. 8mo
MrsMalaprop Just got myself a copy 😊 8mo
Rissreads Yep I‘ll be buying it next time I get to a book shop. I hope it‘s fantastic as I loved Limberlost. 8mo
Teresereading It‘s a beautiful read with some serious historical themes. 8mo
Freespirit It‘s next on my list!! 7mo
46 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Teresereading
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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1. Yes I always seem to have multiple books on the go.
2 Adored Chai Time at the Cinnamon Gardens (tagged).
Bailed P G Wodehouse Uncle Fred in the Springtime
#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

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Teresereading
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Book - tagged
Author - Ann Cleeve
Movie - Cinema Paradiso
Singer - Carly Simon
Song - Cats in the Cradle
#manicMonday
#LetterC
@CBee

CBee Thanks for playing 😊😊 2y
13 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Teresereading
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens | Shankari Chandran
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Eggs 💚💜💗 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome cover!! 2y
22 likes2 comments