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Clarion Review writes: (Highlights)

One Flew Over the Banyan Tree is rich with meticulous detail and digression, and the payoff for the many escapades is worth the wait.

The talent displayed in drawing the eccentricities, habits, speech, and inner lives of both major and minor characters is deep. This is a satisfying, picaresque feast.Characters are drawn with insightful clarity. Standouts include Grandmummy, a “Dragon” whose belief in apartheid keeps her own household divided; Rohan, her scrappy, clever grandson and dogsbody; Salgado, Rohan’s classmate and a witty glutton; Bellakay, an intellectual, impoverished raconteur; and Oswald, a cowardly, petty uncle whose aspirations fuel the well-drawn misadventures in the chapter “Young Love and a Tyrant.” Other characters include regulars at the Nameless restaurant, family, and an out-of-place, anthropomorphized canine.

The contrast between the book’s elevated language and the everyday material is a splendid mash-up of mock-seriousness and humor.

 

 

Blue Ink Review writes: (Highlights)

This gentle comic novel is set in a fictional island nation called Victoria, suffused with bitter sweet Post-Colonial nostalgia and populated with quirky characters. Jansen brings so much light-hearted affection to this tale of growing up in a fondly remembered place that readers will find it hard to resist its warmth.frog

 

 

Net Galley Reviews

Delightful and warm, with wonderful characters!

Carol Scheherazade (Reviewer)

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One Flew Over the Banyan Tree by Alan Jansen was received in exchange for an honest review. This book, which is a fictional "coming of age" story that introduces many eclectic characters, is a great read. I will not go into the plot line but the story never got boring to me and the laughs just kept coming, often in unexpected manners. Get this book now.

Jay Whales (Author)

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A very funny coming of age story about a boy, Rohan sent to live with his grandparents on a fictional tropical island. The characters are wonderful and well drawn. The style of writing takes some getting used to though. All in all a great read!

Eileen Hall (Reviewer)

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Amazon customer review

This was an ok book. I enjoyed some parts and thought it got a little draggy towards the last two or three chapters. The story itself was very good. I liked the idea of the family having to move in with other family members when they were down on their luck. It was also interesting to learn about others in this fictitious town. I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity for a fair and honest opinion.

Virginia Winfield

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One Flew Over the Banyan Tree by Alan Jansen was received in exchange for an honest review. This book, which is a fictional "coming of age" story that introduces many eclectic characters, is a great read. I will not go into the plot line but the story never got boring to me and the laughs just kept coming, often in unexpected manners. Get this book now.
Kindle Customer
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I thought this book was relatively funny. I thought the author did a great job with the writing even though some of the stuff I didn't quite get but I think that's just because I'm not used to some of the lingo in other languages.

There are a lot of funny scenes in the book and some that were like oh no, are we talking about this! lol, the one I'm most thinking of is the dogs being stuck together and I think everyone knows what I'm talking about. There was a bit of a section on this as well.

There were just other random things too. I can just picture the family going on about the different things.
Melissa Martins 

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This novel portrays a cross section of post-colonial urban society of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Author's advanced language skills and the presentation are some of the tools he is in possession of to intensify the conveyance of his message to the reader. The other tool he has made use of is the humour which does not draw the reader's attention elsewhere.

Dhamminda Bandara

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The novel recounts the daily escapades of Little Rohan's life in the fictitious island of Victoria. A story that weaves you back in time to a wonderful place and time, full of the richness of yesteryear, warm in its rendition and funny at the occasional turn, captivating you and taking you on a journey through time. And what you will experience through these are the powerful yet human characters without whom, the beauty of the tale would not have stayed grounded in reality.

Amazon Customer

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A very warm and wonderful book, packed with quirky characters and humour. Its a cant put down.

Alan Joseph

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Goodreads customer review

This book was great! I found out about it on Amazon and agree with those who have read it, it's really funny. I hope the Author will release more books 

David Larsson

I recd this book for free - compliments of an old friend in the UK. I rate this book highly. Its kind of raw, and the editing was a bit lacking at times, but Boy! What a story! And what a Feel-good ending. What was most pleasing was that each chapter was a mini-story in itself

Roberta

iuniverse customer reviews

The book does justice to its cover description. I found it spellbinding, every single of its 400 odd pages. Colonial nostalgia mixed with an impressive cast of quirky, yet lovable characters.
Roberta Antheas 

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Its a long time since I really enjoyed reading a book. This book is captivating.
Desiree Goonetilleke 

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Takes you on a beautiful exciting and hilarious adventure. The thoughts and observations of the narrator makes the novel one of a kind. Each page builds up your curiosity to read the next page! Amazing novel!
Nawya 

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Daringly witty. A tale of Rohan's childhood spent with an authoritarian Grandmother, that most of us can relate to. Loved it.

Sharmani 
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Librarything customer reviews

This was an ok book. The story itself was very good. I liked the idea of the family having to move in with other family members when they were down on their luck. It was also interesting to learn about others in this fictitious town. I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity for a fair and honest opinion.

Virginia51
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Well written, quite humorous in places, "One Flew Over the Banyan Tree" is a delight to read - and shouldn't be missed!

DBettenson
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A very funny coming of age story about a boy, Rohan, sent to live with his grandparents on a fictional tropical island.
The characters are wonderful and well drawn!
The style of writing takes some getting used to though.
All in all a great read.

Welsh_eileen2

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Overall, this is a humorous and in-depth look into one boys coming of age journey in the 1960’s on an island loosely based on Post-Colonial Sri Lanka. Bright descriptions brought this section of the island alive, especially the food, and there is a lot of food! Rohan’s journey’s led him to many interesting places with even more interesting people. 

Mishker

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