Cinnamon Gardens - Softcover
Set among the upper classes in the gracious, repressive and complex world of 1920s Ceylon (Sri Lanka), this evocative novel tells the story of two people who must determine if it is possible to pursue personal happiness without compromising the happiness of others. A young teacher, Annalukshmi, whose splintered family attempts to arrange an appropriate marriage for her, must decide whether the independence she craves will doom her to a life without love and companionship. It is also the story of Balendran who, respectably married, must suppress-or confront-the secret desires for men that threaten to throw his life into chaos. With sensuous atmosphere and vivid prose, this masterfully plotted novel re-creates a world where a beautiful veneer of fragrant gardens and manners hides social, personal, and political issues still relevant today.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap:
Set in 1920s? Ceylon, during the turbulent closing days of colonial rule, this evocative story of intertwined lives takes us behind the fragrant gardens and polished surfaces of the elite who reside in a wealthy suburb of Colombo to reveal a world of splintered families, conflicted passions, and lives destroyed by class hatred. Annalukshmi, a spirited young schoolteacher, finds herself caught between her family?s pressures to marry and her own desire for a more independent life. Then there is her uncle Balendran, whose comfortable life of privilege is rocked by the arrival of Richard, a lover from his past. Their uneasy reunion re-ignites tensions with Balendran?s powerful father, and threatens all on which Balendran has built his present life. Sensual, perceptive, and wise, Cinnamon Gardens is a novel of exceptional achievement ? an exquisite tapestry of lives.
From the Back Cover:
“A near-miraculous capturing of life and love (both gay and straight), family tensions, political upheaval, labour unrest and feminism in the Ceylon of the 1920s....”
–Edmonton Journal
“Faultlessly elegant....Selvadurai is expert in capturing the nuances of this particularly precious time and place.”
–New York Times Book Review
“Subtle and deeply humane...Shyam Selvadurai has established himself firmly as an important chronicler of the complexities of social and cultural difference....”
–Books in Canada
“Selvadurai’s nuanced prose evokes the country’s dense climate and lush beauty.”
–Toronto Star
“Richly rewarding....This is a novel that deserves, and will surely gain, a wide readership.”
–Sunday Times (U.K.)
–Edmonton Journal
“Faultlessly elegant....Selvadurai is expert in capturing the nuances of this particularly precious time and place.”
–New York Times Book Review
“Subtle and deeply humane...Shyam Selvadurai has established himself firmly as an important chronicler of the complexities of social and cultural difference....”
–Books in Canada
“Selvadurai’s nuanced prose evokes the country’s dense climate and lush beauty.”
–Toronto Star
“Richly rewarding....This is a novel that deserves, and will surely gain, a wide readership.”
–Sunday Times (U.K.)
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherAnchor
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 1862300739
- ISBN 13 9781862300736
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Rating
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001307234
Buy Used
US$ 2.80
Convert currency
Stock Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Published by
Transworld Publishers Ltd, United Kingdom, London
(2000)
ISBN 10: 1862300739
ISBN 13: 9781862300736
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 2
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. In Shyam Selvadurai's masterful second novel, set in repressive and complex 1920s Ceylon, the Cinnamon Gardens is a residential enclave of wealthy Ceylonese. Among them is Annalukshmi, an independent and high-spirited young teacher intent on thwarting her parents' plans to arrange her marriage. In a parallel narrative, her uncle, Balendran Navaratnam, respectably married but secretly homosexual, has his life disrupted by the arrival in Ceylon of Richard, a lover from long ago. 'Richly rewarding .this is, in many ways, an old-fashioned novel, brimming with old-fashioned virtues. The characters and setting are established in a measured, finely judged manner, allowing us to feel at home with them. Annalukshmi's Jane Austen-ish domestic life -- anxious mother, bossy aunt, catty sisters, endless talk of prospective husbands -- is brought to life with glancing humour. Not least of the novel's virtues is the way he seems to conjure up a whole social panorama. With its vivid evocation of time and place, its wise characterisation, its involving emotional dramas, this is a novel that deserves, and will surely gain, a wide readership' Adam Lively, Sunday Times 'Subtle and deeply humane .a fine novel that is both delicately written and very, very wise . .Selvadurai has established himself firmly as an important chronicler of the complexities of social and cultural difference' Books in Canada. The book has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Some minor wear to the spine. Seller Inventory # GOR002042656
Buy Used
US$ 5.59
Convert currency
Seller Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Published by
Anchor Books
(2000)
ISBN 10: 1862300739
ISBN 13: 9781862300736
Used
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. Seller Inventory # wbb0023942855
Buy Used
US$ 2.48
Convert currency
Stock Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Published by
Anchor Books
(2000)
ISBN 10: 1862300739
ISBN 13: 9781862300736
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Cinnamon Gardens This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9781862300736
Buy Used
US$ 11.06
Convert currency
Stock Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Befriedigend/Good: Durchschnittlich erhaltenes Buch bzw. Schutzumschlag mit Gebrauchsspuren, aber vollständigen Seiten. / Describes the average WORN book or dust jacket that has all the pages present. Seller Inventory # M01862300739-G
Buy Used
US$ 8.34
Convert currency
Stock Image
Cinnamon Gardens
Published by
Anchor Books 03/08/2000
(2000)
ISBN 10: 1862300739
ISBN 13: 9781862300736
Used
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781862300736
Buy Used
US$ 11.06
Convert currency