What do you think?
Rate this book
Safe Haven
The new novel from the Miles Franklin award-winning author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. It was a beautiful evening. The wind gathered speed, lifting the frangipanis from the grove behind him, pink and yellow petals defying gravity. Beyond the trees, hidden by the foliage and rows of towering palm trees, the detention centre slept fitfully in the heavy summer heat. The palms blocked the ocean gust that now swirled around him, filling his lungs with the taste of temple flowers and salt. It reminded him of home. He took a deep breath, stepped off the escarpment and felt the red sand rush up towards him. After arriving in Australia seeking asylum, Fina dedicates herself to aiding the refugees held in a detention centre at Port Camden, a remote island outpost. Appalled by the mistreatment of those in custody, Fina speaks out to the media about the poor conditions within the facility, as a result she is arrested, taken from her home in the small country town of Hastings and threatened with deportation. When a security officer dies under suspicious circumstances, Lucky, a special investigator, arrives to uncover the truth. Her mystery is tied to Fina’s fate—and the secrets of the detention centre will divide the town and the nation.Safe Haven is about displacement and seeking refuge—but ultimately it is a story about finding home—and the lengths you’ll go to find safety and love.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2024
145 people are currently reading
3474 people want to read
About the author
Shankari Chandran
8 books508 followersShankari Chandran uses literary fiction to explore injustice, dispossession and the creation of community.
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is her third novel, published by Ultimo Press in 2022 and short-listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023. Her first novel, Song of the Sun God, was also re-published by Ultimo Press in 2022.
Before turning to fiction, Shankari worked in the social justice field for a decade in London where she was responsible for projects in over 30 countries ranging from ensuring representation for detainees in Guantanamo Bay to advising UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Her work helped her understand the role and limitations of international humanitarian law in conflicts. It also showed her what happens to society when governments subvert civil liberties. These issues form major themes in her writing.
Shankari wanted to write from childhood but kept her stories and her courage inside her head for a long time. She finally committed to creative writing when faced with the life changing events of returning from London to her home in Australia, and the birth of her fourth child in 2010.
In January 2017, she published her first book, Song of the Sun God with Perera-Hussein, about three generations of Australian Tamil women and the choices they make to survive Sri Lanka's civil war. Her second book, The Barrier, was published by Pan Macmillan Australia in June 2017. It asks, what would happen to the world if an Ebola pandemic and religious wars converged?
Song of the Sun God was long-listed for the International Dublin Literary Award (2019) and short-listed for Sri Lanka's Fairway National Literary Award (2018). The Barrier was short-listed for the Norma K Hemming Award for Speculative Fiction (2018). Song of the Sun God is being adapted for television, starring Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran (no relation).
Her short stories have been published in the critically acclaimed anthologies, Another Australia and Sweatshop Women (Vol 2) by Affirm Press/Sweatshop and she is the deputy chair of Writing NSW.
She continues her work in social impact for an Australian national retailer. She is based in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband and her four children.
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is her third novel, published by Ultimo Press in 2022 and short-listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023. Her first novel, Song of the Sun God, was also re-published by Ultimo Press in 2022.
Before turning to fiction, Shankari worked in the social justice field for a decade in London where she was responsible for projects in over 30 countries ranging from ensuring representation for detainees in Guantanamo Bay to advising UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Her work helped her understand the role and limitations of international humanitarian law in conflicts. It also showed her what happens to society when governments subvert civil liberties. These issues form major themes in her writing.
Shankari wanted to write from childhood but kept her stories and her courage inside her head for a long time. She finally committed to creative writing when faced with the life changing events of returning from London to her home in Australia, and the birth of her fourth child in 2010.
In January 2017, she published her first book, Song of the Sun God with Perera-Hussein, about three generations of Australian Tamil women and the choices they make to survive Sri Lanka's civil war. Her second book, The Barrier, was published by Pan Macmillan Australia in June 2017. It asks, what would happen to the world if an Ebola pandemic and religious wars converged?
Song of the Sun God was long-listed for the International Dublin Literary Award (2019) and short-listed for Sri Lanka's Fairway National Literary Award (2018). The Barrier was short-listed for the Norma K Hemming Award for Speculative Fiction (2018). Song of the Sun God is being adapted for television, starring Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran (no relation).
Her short stories have been published in the critically acclaimed anthologies, Another Australia and Sweatshop Women (Vol 2) by Affirm Press/Sweatshop and she is the deputy chair of Writing NSW.
She continues her work in social impact for an Australian national retailer. She is based in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband and her four children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
May 1, 2025
If one seeks asylum by arriving on a people smuggler's boat in Australia, they will be mandatorily detained and processed offshore on Manus Island or Nauru. People often languish there for years, with no guarantee of asylum being granted. The hopelessness of the situation has led to dozens of suicides. This is the real-life inspiration for this book, which tells a story of a government agent investigating two alleged suicides on a fictional offshore detention island. One suicide is reminiscent of reality, whereas the other (not based on reality) serves as a stimulus to explore clandestine aspects of the Sri Lankan civil war.
This book effectively portrays the inhumanity of Australia's offshore detention policy, and its plot was gripping (I read it in a day). However, I believe there was room for the author, Shankari Chandran, to explore more deeply the political background of this policy. In short, Australians generally oppose asylum seekers arriving by boat and seek to deter people from coming. Offshore detention was the answer, and it has bipartisan support (a major party will not win government if it relaxes this law). Moreover, in parts, the story felt 'tick-boxy' by going on small tangents about other marginalised groups in Australian society, which, in my opinion, did not add substance to the story.
The fictional offshore detention centre is patrolled by a private security company composed of former special forces. This phenomenon has become increasingly common in the 21st century. The state outsources its monopoly of violence, which had solidified with the onset of total war in the early 20th century. However, the neoliberalisation of the military under the neoconservative Bush administration during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has "advanced" modern warfare to its ancient and medieval mercenary antecedents. Private military contractors now permeate contemporary conflicts—Sri Lanka, Syria, Ukraine, etc—to conduct plausibly deniable operations for national governments or undertake undesirable security jobs
This book effectively portrays the inhumanity of Australia's offshore detention policy, and its plot was gripping (I read it in a day). However, I believe there was room for the author, Shankari Chandran, to explore more deeply the political background of this policy. In short, Australians generally oppose asylum seekers arriving by boat and seek to deter people from coming. Offshore detention was the answer, and it has bipartisan support (a major party will not win government if it relaxes this law). Moreover, in parts, the story felt 'tick-boxy' by going on small tangents about other marginalised groups in Australian society, which, in my opinion, did not add substance to the story.
The fictional offshore detention centre is patrolled by a private security company composed of former special forces. This phenomenon has become increasingly common in the 21st century. The state outsources its monopoly of violence, which had solidified with the onset of total war in the early 20th century. However, the neoliberalisation of the military under the neoconservative Bush administration during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has "advanced" modern warfare to its ancient and medieval mercenary antecedents. Private military contractors now permeate contemporary conflicts—Sri Lanka, Syria, Ukraine, etc—to conduct plausibly deniable operations for national governments or undertake undesirable security jobs
January 4, 2026
An incredible character-driven story exploring displacement, immigration detention, seeking asylum and refuge, and the lengths that humans will go to for safety and belonging.
This is a beautifully crafted story that explores Australia’s immigration policies.
Shankari Chandran is an auto-read author for me, and I am interested to read what she writes next!
4.5 stars (rounded up).
This is a beautifully crafted story that explores Australia’s immigration policies.
Shankari Chandran is an auto-read author for me, and I am interested to read what she writes next!
4.5 stars (rounded up).
May 21, 2024
Shankari Chandran unpacks the terrors experienced in immigration detention, those escaping persecution and torture, and the bleakness of the asylum seekers with a perspective of mystery thrown in that slowly unfolds around events that are stark and un-nerving. Her writing is challenging the very fabric of society that equally holds us together and drives us apart - who decides who belongs here in Australia and who decides what is worthy in each of us to be a part of this country. She has also held a light to the xenophobic nature of Australia's migration laws, and how deeply they can divide a nation for all the wrong reasons. This book was meant to disrupt our perceptions about border protection. Eerily, the accounts of the locations where this book is set are breathtaking and hostile. The lush surrounds of Port Camden are contrasted with the inhospitable complex of detention housing, barbed wire and perilous cliff faces staring down at the razor sharp coral reefs.
Fina and Lucky are women of strength, strong morals and resilience. Sister Serafina “Fina” Daniels offered love and support to all, giving selfless comfort and security to those, including to the people who were taking it away from her. Lucky (or by her Tamil name, Lakshmi Dharman) is an investigator wanting to get to the bottom of recent harrowing events at Port Camden, able to cut through the façade that is hiding the truth. She is empathetic to the disturbing reality of the impact of the detention policies that are in effect.
Hearing Shankari Chandran talk about this book in person reminded me of how valuable everybody is in this world and how that there always will be goodness out there: but sometimes we just have to look a little bit harder to find it in order to cherish it. The darkness and the trauma that exists in this book is held aganist the kindness and a sense of hope that so many asylum seekers are looking in their life in detention.
Fina and Lucky are women of strength, strong morals and resilience. Sister Serafina “Fina” Daniels offered love and support to all, giving selfless comfort and security to those, including to the people who were taking it away from her. Lucky (or by her Tamil name, Lakshmi Dharman) is an investigator wanting to get to the bottom of recent harrowing events at Port Camden, able to cut through the façade that is hiding the truth. She is empathetic to the disturbing reality of the impact of the detention policies that are in effect.
Hearing Shankari Chandran talk about this book in person reminded me of how valuable everybody is in this world and how that there always will be goodness out there: but sometimes we just have to look a little bit harder to find it in order to cherish it. The darkness and the trauma that exists in this book is held aganist the kindness and a sense of hope that so many asylum seekers are looking in their life in detention.
May 3, 2024
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran is a richly detailed and powerful book to be savoured, it’s a beautifully written and thought provoking tale that is clearly skilfully researched. I found the story very confronting and written with compassion for the asylum seekers in the Australian detention system.
The story begins with a perilous journey escaping from the civil war in Sri Lanka and reaching Australia in a frail boat where more people have drowned than saved and the heroism of the emergency services and boats who rescue them.
Fina a former asylum seeker has settled in the town of Hastings, NSW where she supports other asylum seekers in the Port Camden detention centre which is situated on a remote island surrounded by coral reefs. After not being able to keep her silence any longer Fina speaks to the media after a horrific event at the detention centre, she is later arrested, returned to the detention centre and threatened with deportation.
Lucky is from the Office of Special Investigations and arrives to Port Camden to investigate the suspicious suicide of a security guard at the centre after a media outrage.
The story weaves through many layers and there are many intense moments, it’s a deeply emotional story that explores displacement, finding home, seeking refuge and safety, love, kindness and injustice. I’ll certainly be thinking about this story for a long time to come.
Publication Date 01 May 2024
Publisher Ultimo Press
Thank you so much Ultimo Press for the opportunity to read this book.
Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran is a richly detailed and powerful book to be savoured, it’s a beautifully written and thought provoking tale that is clearly skilfully researched. I found the story very confronting and written with compassion for the asylum seekers in the Australian detention system.
The story begins with a perilous journey escaping from the civil war in Sri Lanka and reaching Australia in a frail boat where more people have drowned than saved and the heroism of the emergency services and boats who rescue them.
Fina a former asylum seeker has settled in the town of Hastings, NSW where she supports other asylum seekers in the Port Camden detention centre which is situated on a remote island surrounded by coral reefs. After not being able to keep her silence any longer Fina speaks to the media after a horrific event at the detention centre, she is later arrested, returned to the detention centre and threatened with deportation.
Lucky is from the Office of Special Investigations and arrives to Port Camden to investigate the suspicious suicide of a security guard at the centre after a media outrage.
The story weaves through many layers and there are many intense moments, it’s a deeply emotional story that explores displacement, finding home, seeking refuge and safety, love, kindness and injustice. I’ll certainly be thinking about this story for a long time to come.
Publication Date 01 May 2024
Publisher Ultimo Press
Thank you so much Ultimo Press for the opportunity to read this book.
December 3, 2024
Wow, where to start?
The main characters, Lucky and Fina are strong, intelligent and incredibly ballsy women.
Although the cover is colourful and the overall vibe is one of hope and strength, this novel gets really dark. There is a strong murder mystery vibe, as our main characters investigate recent suicides in an immigration detention centre in Australia.
We see firsthand accounts of the atrocities of the Sri Lankan civil war. Though it has been 15?ish years since the end of the war, the roots of the conflict remain unresolved.
I highly recommend reading Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan if you're interested learning about it via historical fiction.
There is a lot of heart in this story as well as pain. I love Chandran's writing and will continue to keep an eye out for her new releases as they come.
TW: SH, war crimes, violence, SA, child suicide, suicide, torture.
The main characters, Lucky and Fina are strong, intelligent and incredibly ballsy women.
Although the cover is colourful and the overall vibe is one of hope and strength, this novel gets really dark. There is a strong murder mystery vibe, as our main characters investigate recent suicides in an immigration detention centre in Australia.
We see firsthand accounts of the atrocities of the Sri Lankan civil war. Though it has been 15?ish years since the end of the war, the roots of the conflict remain unresolved.
I highly recommend reading Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan if you're interested learning about it via historical fiction.
There is a lot of heart in this story as well as pain. I love Chandran's writing and will continue to keep an eye out for her new releases as they come.
TW: SH, war crimes, violence, SA, child suicide, suicide, torture.
September 30, 2024
It’s been almost two weeks since I finished this book and I can’t stop thinking about it! A deeply moving novel that is a must read for all Australians!
December 8, 2024
hope that her and magnuss got freaky in the end 😞
April 30, 2024
That's it, I’m calling it - Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran is my favourite book of the year so far! It’s a beautifully written, powerful story with so many thought-provoking elements that I will be unpacking my thoughts on this one for quite some time but the feelings it gave me will stay with me forever.
I would prefer not to give too much away about the plot as I think it’s an important book to discover for yourself but essentially we meet two women; Fina, is rescued from the waters off Australia after travelling from her war torn country to seek asylum and Lucky, is a special investigator for the Australian Government who arrives at the Port Camden Detention Centre to investigate the suspicious death of a security guard.
The power in this book for me is how Shankari has weaved such an engrossing narrative around such universal human issues such as dispossession and trauma while adding voice to important issues of social justice around our asylum seeker detention policies in Australia today. It makes for an intense, at times difficult read, but Shankari skilfully balances this with showing us the small acts of kindness and compassion that shine through in dark times within her characters. An interesting crime/mystery aspect of the storyline makes some of the bigger issues explored more accessible and that part of the storyline, had me guessing the whole way through.
I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys a book that has you thinking long after turning the final page. Shankari has firmly cemented herself as one of our countries best authors writing yet another book that opens eyes and minds to what is happening right now within our borders and society.
A huge thank you to @ultimopress for sending me this one for honest review.
I would prefer not to give too much away about the plot as I think it’s an important book to discover for yourself but essentially we meet two women; Fina, is rescued from the waters off Australia after travelling from her war torn country to seek asylum and Lucky, is a special investigator for the Australian Government who arrives at the Port Camden Detention Centre to investigate the suspicious death of a security guard.
The power in this book for me is how Shankari has weaved such an engrossing narrative around such universal human issues such as dispossession and trauma while adding voice to important issues of social justice around our asylum seeker detention policies in Australia today. It makes for an intense, at times difficult read, but Shankari skilfully balances this with showing us the small acts of kindness and compassion that shine through in dark times within her characters. An interesting crime/mystery aspect of the storyline makes some of the bigger issues explored more accessible and that part of the storyline, had me guessing the whole way through.
I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone who enjoys a book that has you thinking long after turning the final page. Shankari has firmly cemented herself as one of our countries best authors writing yet another book that opens eyes and minds to what is happening right now within our borders and society.
A huge thank you to @ultimopress for sending me this one for honest review.
October 10, 2024
I saw and heard Shakari Chandran speak at the Sydney Writer's Festival this year. She was unflinching, funny, insightful, and in her words, fuelled by rage. This novel was an expression of her rage. Chandran has taken the very real and inhumane treatment by the Australian Government toward offshore processing of asylum seekers who entered our sovereign border via boats (ie illegally), specifically Sri Lankan refugees. To paraphrase her words, she has channelled her helplessness at the situation and turned to her skill with fiction, using extensive research, and then applying it to a story that, rather than preaching at her audience, entices them with mystery, suspense and even a little romance. Chandran's intent is to encourage readers to keep turning the page, and hopefully engage their intellect and empathy at the same time.
Chandran, herself of Sri Lankan descent, was raised in Canberra. She is a wife, mother and social justice lawyer. She has delivered a story that reflects not only her rage and grief, but also resilience and hope.
I was engrossed in the story of Sister Fina, the Catholic Tamil nun. The story opens with the terrifying sinking and last minute rescue of the small boat of asylum seekers, not all survive. Four years later, we witness the tragic suicide of 14 year old, Kannan. Along with Sister Fina he was one of the survivors of the capsized boat on that terrible journey. Sister Fina's desperate and unsuccessful attempt to save Kannan set in motion the rest of the events in the novel.
This made me want to read Chandran's Miles Franklin winning novel, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
Chandran, herself of Sri Lankan descent, was raised in Canberra. She is a wife, mother and social justice lawyer. She has delivered a story that reflects not only her rage and grief, but also resilience and hope.
I was engrossed in the story of Sister Fina, the Catholic Tamil nun. The story opens with the terrifying sinking and last minute rescue of the small boat of asylum seekers, not all survive. Four years later, we witness the tragic suicide of 14 year old, Kannan. Along with Sister Fina he was one of the survivors of the capsized boat on that terrible journey. Sister Fina's desperate and unsuccessful attempt to save Kannan set in motion the rest of the events in the novel.
This made me want to read Chandran's Miles Franklin winning novel, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
September 17, 2024
Beautifully written. So sad, but felt so tragically real. Highly highly recommend!
October 8, 2024
Excellently researched, moving, poignant!
A hard read, torturous topics covered. An intense and emotional book!
Fina and Lucky are inspiring characters.
A hard read, torturous topics covered. An intense and emotional book!
Fina and Lucky are inspiring characters.
May 7, 2024
Thank you Ultimo Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
The world has many issues and humanity is non existent in some parts.
People flee from such places and seek a life in a perceived better country.
Desperate situations lead to dire risks on rickety boats and greedy people smugglers.
Sister Serafina Daniels is seeking refuge from the persecution of her people in Sri Lanka.
Landing in Australia and a detention centre will test her to the core as the fight for justice and freedom while developing friendships and loyalties.
A vocal advocate for the detainees creates a profile and leads to more dramas.
The death of a security guard unravels mystery and pushes the urgency as Fina is facing deportation.
The narrative does place the spotlight on the refugee situation but also incorporates peripheral emotional detail to humanise it even more.
The friendships and loyalties that formed were beautifully illustrated.
I particularly liked having the contrast of Fina and Special Investigator Lucky.
Both Tamil, but lived complete opposite lives as one escaped war and the other born in Australia.
A well written story that highlights a solution is needed as global instability and internal turmoil continues.
The world has many issues and humanity is non existent in some parts.
People flee from such places and seek a life in a perceived better country.
Desperate situations lead to dire risks on rickety boats and greedy people smugglers.
Sister Serafina Daniels is seeking refuge from the persecution of her people in Sri Lanka.
Landing in Australia and a detention centre will test her to the core as the fight for justice and freedom while developing friendships and loyalties.
A vocal advocate for the detainees creates a profile and leads to more dramas.
The death of a security guard unravels mystery and pushes the urgency as Fina is facing deportation.
The narrative does place the spotlight on the refugee situation but also incorporates peripheral emotional detail to humanise it even more.
The friendships and loyalties that formed were beautifully illustrated.
I particularly liked having the contrast of Fina and Special Investigator Lucky.
Both Tamil, but lived complete opposite lives as one escaped war and the other born in Australia.
A well written story that highlights a solution is needed as global instability and internal turmoil continues.
April 5, 2025
‘People are briefly outraged, and then they forget. Everyone forgets us’
Haven’t read a book in a long time that has weaved itself into my brain as much as this did. Has had me almost constantly thinking about it whenever I wasn’t reading it and jumping back in at every opportunity. A heartbreaking tale of the plight of asylum seekers in Australia and the abhorrent treatment they receive in detention centres. As an immigrant to Australia myself I found I could not stop comparing my experience of being welcomed into this country to theirs. 4 stars as I feel like the ending was too abrupt and there was just more I wanted to know about the characters and what happened to them, I’m not a huge fan of a ‘leaving it open to your interpretation’ ending, however I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody. I think the crime/mystery element made it a really easily digestible and gripping read whilst teaching me so much on a topic I knew very little about (Sri Lankan culture and the civil war).
Haven’t read a book in a long time that has weaved itself into my brain as much as this did. Has had me almost constantly thinking about it whenever I wasn’t reading it and jumping back in at every opportunity. A heartbreaking tale of the plight of asylum seekers in Australia and the abhorrent treatment they receive in detention centres. As an immigrant to Australia myself I found I could not stop comparing my experience of being welcomed into this country to theirs. 4 stars as I feel like the ending was too abrupt and there was just more I wanted to know about the characters and what happened to them, I’m not a huge fan of a ‘leaving it open to your interpretation’ ending, however I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody. I think the crime/mystery element made it a really easily digestible and gripping read whilst teaching me so much on a topic I knew very little about (Sri Lankan culture and the civil war).
April 15, 2025
[ TW ✖️ suicide ✖️ self-harm ✖️ deportation ✖️ near-death experiences ]
There's no wonder after finishing this that the author's previous book won the Miles Franklin! I was nervous picking this up because of that, however, thinking it might be too literary for me. But this read like any other piece of commercial fiction and was a real page-turner.
The cover is so beautiful for this book, and it doesn't immediately make you think it will be about what it is about. This is an exceptionally good book that really shines the spotlight on the conditions asylum seekers are kept in when trying to seek refuge in Australia.
It follows two perspectives - one a refugee on a Save Haven visa, the other a special investigator into the conditions on the island - and we slowly get to know the characters and unveil the realities of the situation for the people who are detained.
The book has far more mystery and intrigue going for it than you might expect, too. The author has done a marvellous job of mixing politics with fiction to present the reader a story that is super engaging and yet eye-opening to a real-life situation. And this sure is a hot-topic for any Australian readers like me.
In addition to the trigger warnings I listed at the beginning of this review, I will say that this book is intense. The opening chapters focus on two suicides/attempted suicides and they are up-close to details. It's full-on, but it also immerses the reader into the horrors of detained life very effectively and sets the scene very well.
I can't recommend this enough - so if you were put off a little by the intimidating Miles Franklin association, please don't be. I know that I will be queuing up her other two books, because if this was THIS good, then they must be something special too.
There's no wonder after finishing this that the author's previous book won the Miles Franklin! I was nervous picking this up because of that, however, thinking it might be too literary for me. But this read like any other piece of commercial fiction and was a real page-turner.
The cover is so beautiful for this book, and it doesn't immediately make you think it will be about what it is about. This is an exceptionally good book that really shines the spotlight on the conditions asylum seekers are kept in when trying to seek refuge in Australia.
It follows two perspectives - one a refugee on a Save Haven visa, the other a special investigator into the conditions on the island - and we slowly get to know the characters and unveil the realities of the situation for the people who are detained.
The book has far more mystery and intrigue going for it than you might expect, too. The author has done a marvellous job of mixing politics with fiction to present the reader a story that is super engaging and yet eye-opening to a real-life situation. And this sure is a hot-topic for any Australian readers like me.
In addition to the trigger warnings I listed at the beginning of this review, I will say that this book is intense. The opening chapters focus on two suicides/attempted suicides and they are up-close to details. It's full-on, but it also immerses the reader into the horrors of detained life very effectively and sets the scene very well.
I can't recommend this enough - so if you were put off a little by the intimidating Miles Franklin association, please don't be. I know that I will be queuing up her other two books, because if this was THIS good, then they must be something special too.
July 28, 2024
On a number of levels for me this is a fantastic book. I’ve read Chai Time and Song of the Sun God by this author and loved both of them. Her writing is magic. Every word demands to be read, no words are wasted. Her characterisation is extraordinary. She understands the nuances of human nature. She catalogues human atrocities in a careful measured but incredibly powerful way. This is partly the story of Tamil asylum seekers (boat people) held in an offshore detention centre and a Sri Lankan nun who came with them and is allowed to treat them as well as work in an Australian town helping refugees. Chandran exposes the horrible truth of Australia’s treatment of refugees but she also shows that this is not who the Australian people are. The story is partly socio-political but it is also a mystery almost detective story and the denouement is superb. I made myself read this book slowly so that I wouldn’t miss out on anything.
July 20, 2025
This was yet another story that had me equally gripped and mortified. I always learn something about Sri Lanka’s history with a Chandran novel, and Safe Haven is no exception. Coupling it with the very real atrocities that occur on Australian soil and in international waters only furthers my horror at how little compassion exists at government levels.
This was extremely well researched and the characters were beautifully crafted. While some of the plot tended a little towards the unrealistic, I enjoyed the journey and the rallying around refugees. My only disappointment was the abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying ending.
I highly recommend this and The People Smuggler if you truly think that “stopping the boats” is a just and reasonable policy.
This was extremely well researched and the characters were beautifully crafted. While some of the plot tended a little towards the unrealistic, I enjoyed the journey and the rallying around refugees. My only disappointment was the abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying ending.
I highly recommend this and The People Smuggler if you truly think that “stopping the boats” is a just and reasonable policy.
June 29, 2024
Inspired by the 'Biloela family' + memoir 'The Power of Good People', Safe Haven addresses Australia's fked asylum seeker + refugee response of detention centres. It explores the trauma of fleeing a war, the journey & the lasting mental health effects for these people fleeing to end up being held in detention centres for years.
It is mixed with a fast-moving 'mystery' style plot which I really enjoyed.
Highly recommend!
It is mixed with a fast-moving 'mystery' style plot which I really enjoyed.
Highly recommend!
September 27, 2024
4.5* Definitely one of my top reads of the year, I loved the writing style of this book and found it very powerful. The subject matter is confronting, but I think the author has done a fantastic job of exploring the huge issue of Australia's immigration policy, and the dehumanising impact it can have on asylum seekers.
Read
October 12, 2024Another STUNNER
June 23, 2024
This was an intense look at off shore detention and the humans involved. Shankari's writing is amazing so it made this difficult topic captivating. A lot went on in this story and it was emotional but I really appreciated it. 4.5 stars. I think it's hard to "enjoy" a story so intense but I was hooked on characters and the intriguing mysteries, humanising a topic that is poorly reported in the media when the real people behind the politics are not highlighted.
March 1, 2025
I had no thoughts going into this book, and that was a good thing. Incredibly written, the characters are diverse and have so many different back stories. It is moving, suspenseful and I genuinely loved it. I do need a re-read of it because I did not see the ending coming and I definitely did not give the book the time of day it deserves. Cannot wait to read the rest of the catalogue by this wonderful (Australian!) author.
April 11, 2025
5⭐️ another 5 star book!? What a read. Beautiful writing, a gripping story, horrific tales of offshore detention and ‘the not knowing’ that asylum seekers have to live with for years in these detention centres. A heavier read in parts, but also shows the lengths a community will go for its own
September 13, 2024
A clever blending of genres. Will read anything Shankari Chandran writes.
June 14, 2024
3.5 Stars
This book finished too early! There were also a lot of characters and as often happens I felt like there wasn’t enough time spent on a lot of them. There were also some unfinished threads at the end
Will leave you furious about the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia
This book finished too early! There were also a lot of characters and as often happens I felt like there wasn’t enough time spent on a lot of them. There were also some unfinished threads at the end
Will leave you furious about the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia
November 16, 2025
Although not as good as Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, Shankari's writing is still magical and descriptive. Each one of her books I learn more about Sri Lanka and I really enjoy that.
April 26, 2024
“The yearning to save so many can come from the failure to save one.”
No words will be able to truly express how I felt reading this book. I don’t want to give away too much as I really want you to experience what I just have, first hand.
In Safe Haven, we meet two strong, amazing women; Fina, who arrives in Australia, seeking asylum and Lucky, a special investigator who arrives to uncover the truth about a security officers death at the detention centre.
It was heart warming reading about Fina’s time in the Hastings community, helping others and building new relationships. Her time in the detention centre was admirable as well as stressful. Her emails from Magnus, comforting. Her past, painful to read about. She really was a remarkable woman.
I wasn’t expecting so much to unravel while Lucky investigated the death of the security officer. There were many times I held my breath, or paused to regroup because it was so intense. A good, edge of your seat, can’t turn the pages quick enough, intense. I’ve never read a book that I could visualise so vividly.
This story was filled with a lot of mystery, questions, theories, thoughts, it really had me thinking and guessing. It also had me thinking a lot about Australia’s detention systems and policies. I cannot imagine the amount of research that went into this book.
Shankari is an amazing and unique storyteller, her words are powerful and beautiful at the same time. I am in total awe of another incredible, thought provoking book by this amazing author. Highly recommend, definitely one of the best reads of 2024!
Huge thank you to the team at @ultimopress for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
No words will be able to truly express how I felt reading this book. I don’t want to give away too much as I really want you to experience what I just have, first hand.
In Safe Haven, we meet two strong, amazing women; Fina, who arrives in Australia, seeking asylum and Lucky, a special investigator who arrives to uncover the truth about a security officers death at the detention centre.
It was heart warming reading about Fina’s time in the Hastings community, helping others and building new relationships. Her time in the detention centre was admirable as well as stressful. Her emails from Magnus, comforting. Her past, painful to read about. She really was a remarkable woman.
I wasn’t expecting so much to unravel while Lucky investigated the death of the security officer. There were many times I held my breath, or paused to regroup because it was so intense. A good, edge of your seat, can’t turn the pages quick enough, intense. I’ve never read a book that I could visualise so vividly.
This story was filled with a lot of mystery, questions, theories, thoughts, it really had me thinking and guessing. It also had me thinking a lot about Australia’s detention systems and policies. I cannot imagine the amount of research that went into this book.
Shankari is an amazing and unique storyteller, her words are powerful and beautiful at the same time. I am in total awe of another incredible, thought provoking book by this amazing author. Highly recommend, definitely one of the best reads of 2024!
Huge thank you to the team at @ultimopress for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2024
This was the latest book sent to me by my online book club, WellRead. I had not heard of this author before, which is exactly one of the reasons I joined WellRead, to be exposed to interesting and exciting new authors (or old authors that I had not come across before). I started ‘Safe Haven’ with no real expectations, just some hope that it would be good.
We have two main characters in this book; two women; Fina, who is rescued from the waters off Australia after travelling from her war torn country to seek asylum and Lucky, who is a special investigator for the Australian Government who arrives at the Port Camden Detention Centre to investigate the suspicious death of a security guard.
There is a skill in writing to be able to weave an engrossing narrative around such universal human issues such as dispossession and trauma while adding voice to important issues of social justice around our asylum seeker detention policies in Australia today and Chandran does this really well. I didn’t feel preached to during the book and I found that I had genuine compassion and care for the characters. I felt that the crime/mystery aspect of the storyline made some of the bigger issues explored more accessible and that part of the storyline had me guessing for a while.
Overall I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it. I think it is a book I would recommend to others but I think I’d let people know that it’s not a gripping read that you couldn’t put down. It was a nice book that tackles an important issue and is written well, it’s just not super engrossing.
We have two main characters in this book; two women; Fina, who is rescued from the waters off Australia after travelling from her war torn country to seek asylum and Lucky, who is a special investigator for the Australian Government who arrives at the Port Camden Detention Centre to investigate the suspicious death of a security guard.
There is a skill in writing to be able to weave an engrossing narrative around such universal human issues such as dispossession and trauma while adding voice to important issues of social justice around our asylum seeker detention policies in Australia today and Chandran does this really well. I didn’t feel preached to during the book and I found that I had genuine compassion and care for the characters. I felt that the crime/mystery aspect of the storyline made some of the bigger issues explored more accessible and that part of the storyline had me guessing for a while.
Overall I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it. I think it is a book I would recommend to others but I think I’d let people know that it’s not a gripping read that you couldn’t put down. It was a nice book that tackles an important issue and is written well, it’s just not super engrossing.
August 25, 2024
Unfortunately this book felt like the award winning author did not know what genre or style of writing she wanted to write. We start with the compelling and heart wrenching plight of asylum seekers in offshore processing detention centres, with a particular focus on Sri Lankan asylum seekers, however we then quickly dive into a form of romance writing and /celeste ng-type suburban drama, before metomorphising into a whole dunnit murder mystery for a side character and seemingly a side quest.
Then tie up and ending attempts to neatly complete the character circle Liane Moriarty style but is way too implausible to make any sense.
Loved Chai Time, unfortunately did not like this novel.
Then tie up and ending attempts to neatly complete the character circle Liane Moriarty style but is way too implausible to make any sense.
Loved Chai Time, unfortunately did not like this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2024
This book blew me away.
It’s most certainly in my top 5 books for the year (and I’ve read a lot of great books this year!).
It’s a heavy read but constructed in an incredibly approachable manner. Sometimes Miles Franklin award winning authors are a step too hard to get through but this was intoxicating.
Safe haven is the story of an asylum seeking nun, Sister Seranfina.
She arrives in Australia by boat, rescued from the sinking vessel then detained in the Port Camden detention centre.
She is granted a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa and allowed to resettle in Hastings, county NSW.
Here she finds family and a strong and loving community.
She regularly treks back to Port Camden to provide pastoral care to the refugees.
On one such visit she discovers the lifeless body of Kannan, a child who came over on the same boat as her four years ago.
‘Kannan’s family came to Australia seeking protection, and instead they found themselves in a situation so inhumane that this child chose to die by suicide rather than submit to it any longer’.
Within the same week, a security officer also takes his own life.
Serafina speaks up about these atrocities and is promptly arrested and threatened with deportation back to Sri Lanka.
One of my favourite characters was Lucky, an agent for the Office of Special Investigations, bought to the island to investigate these deaths.
It’s a delight when her world and Serafina’s overlap.
It’s so beautifully written.
It shows but doesn’t tell.
It doesn’t preach but it’s not hard to read between the lines.
I loved reading about the myriad of ways the asylum seekers enriched the Hastings community. As tutors of skills they amassed in their past lives. Shared experiences building a more cohesive understanding of culture and customs and food and language.
I will definitely be reading #chaitimeinthecinammongardens now!
‘The yearning to save so many can come from the failure to save one.’
It’s most certainly in my top 5 books for the year (and I’ve read a lot of great books this year!).
It’s a heavy read but constructed in an incredibly approachable manner. Sometimes Miles Franklin award winning authors are a step too hard to get through but this was intoxicating.
Safe haven is the story of an asylum seeking nun, Sister Seranfina.
She arrives in Australia by boat, rescued from the sinking vessel then detained in the Port Camden detention centre.
She is granted a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa and allowed to resettle in Hastings, county NSW.
Here she finds family and a strong and loving community.
She regularly treks back to Port Camden to provide pastoral care to the refugees.
On one such visit she discovers the lifeless body of Kannan, a child who came over on the same boat as her four years ago.
‘Kannan’s family came to Australia seeking protection, and instead they found themselves in a situation so inhumane that this child chose to die by suicide rather than submit to it any longer’.
Within the same week, a security officer also takes his own life.
Serafina speaks up about these atrocities and is promptly arrested and threatened with deportation back to Sri Lanka.
One of my favourite characters was Lucky, an agent for the Office of Special Investigations, bought to the island to investigate these deaths.
It’s a delight when her world and Serafina’s overlap.
It’s so beautifully written.
It shows but doesn’t tell.
It doesn’t preach but it’s not hard to read between the lines.
I loved reading about the myriad of ways the asylum seekers enriched the Hastings community. As tutors of skills they amassed in their past lives. Shared experiences building a more cohesive understanding of culture and customs and food and language.
I will definitely be reading #chaitimeinthecinammongardens now!
‘The yearning to save so many can come from the failure to save one.’
October 12, 2025
“Safe Haven” (SH) is by Australian author Shankari Chandran.
SH tells the story of refugee/asylum seeker Sister Fina Daniels. Four years after Fina’s rescued along with other asylum seekers from Sri Lanka Fina finds safety and security in the town of Hastings. Splitting her time between her new community and those still held on the detention centre at Port Camden Fina is dedicated in providing pastoral care to those in need. However, when a young detainee commits suicide, closely followed by a security officer dying under suspicious circumstances, an Australian government investigator arrives to uncover the truth.
Soon after the investigation starts, Fina is arrested and taken back to Port Camden as she awaits deportation back to Sri Lanka. How are these deaths linked and how is Fina involved?
In SH Chandran has written a book which is focused on many storylines. There is discussion of the difficulties and potential unjust treatment of asylum seekers; about human nature; all under the guise of a whodunnit mystery.
* The mystery/whodunnit approach was delivered in a very much by the numbers way and not meant to be solved by the reader but merely observed. Many elements seemed predictable, foreshadowing was a little obvious, and some key plot points seemed a touch too contrived;
* The main characters in the book both protagonist and antagonist played their parts as expected however one characters actions by the end of the book seemed totally at odds with their role There were also a few side characters which I didn’t think added much to the book;
* While definitely raised, if the Chandran’s intention was to raise awareness of the harshness of conditions faced in detention camps and Australian detention policies this was only done at a very high level.
Overall, I think the intentions of the author were good, the themes, narratives, and plot were spread far too thin to be fully effective.
With themes of displacement, seeking asylum, redemption, secrets, and identity SH is a solid read but not a great one.
SH gets 3 treacherous reefs around an island detention centre out of 5.
SH tells the story of refugee/asylum seeker Sister Fina Daniels. Four years after Fina’s rescued along with other asylum seekers from Sri Lanka Fina finds safety and security in the town of Hastings. Splitting her time between her new community and those still held on the detention centre at Port Camden Fina is dedicated in providing pastoral care to those in need. However, when a young detainee commits suicide, closely followed by a security officer dying under suspicious circumstances, an Australian government investigator arrives to uncover the truth.
Soon after the investigation starts, Fina is arrested and taken back to Port Camden as she awaits deportation back to Sri Lanka. How are these deaths linked and how is Fina involved?
In SH Chandran has written a book which is focused on many storylines. There is discussion of the difficulties and potential unjust treatment of asylum seekers; about human nature; all under the guise of a whodunnit mystery.
* The mystery/whodunnit approach was delivered in a very much by the numbers way and not meant to be solved by the reader but merely observed. Many elements seemed predictable, foreshadowing was a little obvious, and some key plot points seemed a touch too contrived;
* The main characters in the book both protagonist and antagonist played their parts as expected however one characters actions by the end of the book seemed totally at odds with their role There were also a few side characters which I didn’t think added much to the book;
* While definitely raised, if the Chandran’s intention was to raise awareness of the harshness of conditions faced in detention camps and Australian detention policies this was only done at a very high level.
Overall, I think the intentions of the author were good, the themes, narratives, and plot were spread far too thin to be fully effective.
With themes of displacement, seeking asylum, redemption, secrets, and identity SH is a solid read but not a great one.
SH gets 3 treacherous reefs around an island detention centre out of 5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews