Cinnamon Gardens

After reading this author's first book, "Funny Boy," I went right to this. Like "Funny Boy," it is rich with culture, history and politics, all wrapped up in a fulfilling, captivating story. This book, set in the 1920s, has two parallel narratives. The first is of Annalukshmi, a young, independent woman from Ceylon who struggles with her family's (and society's) insistence on an arranged marriage. The other narrative is about her uncle Balendran, a businessman who has obeyed familial restrictions and expectations, at great emotional sacrifice. Both of their worlds get turned upside down--by the actions of others, and how they choose to react to others in light of their own internal changes. The many other characters are well-drawn, and it's a gripping story you don't want to end. When all the plot lines are tied up, though, it leaves you with a feeling of deep satisfaction and of having seen, and learned from, important lives of an earlier time. Quality writing, superb story-telling and peerless creation of a environment little known to most Westerners.

This book was given to me while I was in the hospital. Even though I was finding it difficult to concentrate on anything for more than 5 minutes I could not put this book down. Everything about the book was fascinating to me, the culture, the characters and the politics. I was transported from my drab hospital room into a warm flower scented country. I was struck by the relevance of this book; the conflict and misunderstanding between ethnic peoples who share a country is happening all over the world, atrocities continue and innocent people are caught in the crossfire. This story could be set in Rwanda, Serbia or the middle east.I have since read Funny Boy and I eagerly await Mr. Slavaduri's next book.

I became interested in Shyam Selvadurai's novels after he came to read at my high school a little while ago. He read from "Funny Boy", and I got so intrigued I went right to the library to pick it up. I had it read in three days. About a month and a half later, I picked up "Cinnamon Gardens"Selvadurai's novels both deal with Sri Lanka (Ceylon during the 20s), politics, and the social constraints of Asian society. I've read a lot of books, but for some reason, Selvadurai's strike me as the most honest.It's so refreshing to read a novel in which nobody is simply "Good" or "Bad". The people are real, rounded characters with dreams and fears, desires and regrets. The prose is written in the third person but there is none of the tiresome self-absorbed banter that often plagues novels about serious issues such as homosexuality, self-government, and women's rights. Reading Selvadurai's prose, you feel as though you are experiencing events, not being told that they are occurring. I actually found "Cinnamon Gardens" more enjoyable than "Funny Boy" if only because it was a continuous novel, allowing for more character development than the six short stories in "Funny Boy". Somehow, with his plain style, Selvadurai made the characters real. I found myself sympathizing with them right from the very beginning. It's too bad the book was double spaced and in large font, because I could have read a thousand pages of this novel and still felt like it was too short. I can't wait until Mr. Selvadurai's next novel is finished. He told us it would be set in Toronto, which promises a very interesting perspective.A real achievement.

I loved reading this book. The characters are likable - the setting is interesting - the tension is just perfect. I agree with The Advocate review: An old-fashioned page turner with a literary heart . . . . melodrama that does not ignore the mind." Thank you Mr. Shyam Selvadurai!

This is such a lovely book, evocative of another time and place which is beautiful and scented, that you might miss its real substance! This would make a wonderful Merchant-Ivory film or Masterpiece Theatre. It's full of modern concerns which are actually timeless. The writing is beautiful and serves the great diversity of characers well. They come from all strata of society, mixing up caste and religions and nationalities in a very believable way. The characters strive to make choices which are true to themselves yet sometimes work against those of others - again, in a very believable and touching way. I really loved this book and its many-faceted people, and would give it five stars in any company.