Diksia.com - If you are looking for a novel that will take you on a journey across time, culture and history, then you might want to check out Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran. This is a book that explores the lives of a diverse group of elderly Australians who share a common bond: they are all survivors of trauma and oppression in their home countries. In this article, we will review this novel and tell you why it is worth reading.
Introduction
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is the third novel by Shankari Chandran, an Australian author of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It was published by Ultimo Press in 2022 and won the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2023. The novel is set in both modern-day western Sydney and the Sri Lankan civil war, and tells the story of Maya and Zakhir, a couple who fled the violence and persecution in their homeland and established a nursing home for culturally diverse seniors.
The novel also follows their daughter Anjali, who runs the nursing home and faces a political attack from a local councillor who accuses them of racism and anti-colonialism. The novel is a complex and compelling portrait of a multicultural community that is challenged by the forces of intolerance and ignorance.
Novel Details
- Title: Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
- Author: Shankari Chandran
- Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Australia, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Chapters: 24
- Language: English
- Publisher: Ultimo Press
- Rating: 4.24 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
Synopsis
The novel begins with a flashback to the 1980s, when Maya and Zakhir, two Tamil academics, escape from Sri Lanka after being tortured and threatened by the Sinhalese government. They arrive in Australia as refugees and buy a rundown nursing home in Westgrove, a suburb of Sydney. They rename it Cinnamon Gardens, after a district in Colombo, and transform it into a sanctuary for elderly migrants from different backgrounds and cultures. They also have a daughter, Anjali, who grows up in the nursing home and becomes a successful lawyer and writer.
The novel then shifts to the present day, when Zakhir is missing, presumed dead, and Maya is suffering from dementia and living in Cinnamon Gardens. Anjali is now in charge of the nursing home and has to deal with the financial and emotional challenges of running it. She also has to cope with her personal problems, such as her failing marriage, her affair with a married man, and her estranged son.
Her life is further complicated when Gareth, a local councillor and her childhood friend, discovers that Maya and Zakhir once toppled a statue of Captain Cook that stood on the nursing home’s grounds, as a symbolic act of resistance against colonialism. He accuses them of being racist and ungrateful, and files a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. This sparks a media frenzy and a public backlash against Cinnamon Gardens and its residents, who are seen as threats to the Australian identity and values.
The novel alternates between the present and the past, revealing the secrets and stories of the characters, as well as the historical and political context of their experiences. The novel also explores the themes of memory, trauma, identity, belonging, family, community, and race, and how they shape the lives of the characters and their relationships. The novel also pays tribute to the power of storytelling and how it can heal, inspire, and connect people across time and space.
Where To Read Novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
You can read this novel by ordering it online from Amazon2 or other online bookstores, or by borrowing it from your local library. You can also listen to the audiobook version on Audible1 or other platforms. If you want to learn more about the author and her other works, you can visit her website or follow her on social media.
Conclusion
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a novel that will make you think, feel, and learn. It is a novel that celebrates the diversity and resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of compassion and understanding in a world that is often divided and hostile. It is a novel that will touch your heart and mind, and leave you with a lasting impression.
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