Curating a list of Singapore prose that I had read and enjoyed, including translated works. My reviews / thoughts are mostly coming from the point of view of an average reader (so don’t expect any deep analysis or insights), as well as thoughts on translation. It’s either very interesting, interesting, or not that interesting.
Singapore Translated Prose
Costume by Yeng Pway Ngon (tr. Jeremy Tiang)
I really love this and it’s one of my top recommendations for those interested in SingLit. It tells the story of a three-generation family, focusing on the first and third. The novel covers many important themes, of Chinese diaspora and the decline and loss of dialects and traditional culture over time. The title references the Cantonese opera costume, which is the element binding the three generations and the book together, and its associations with childhood dreams, regrets, idealism vs practicalities, and later on, a way through which the granddaughter tries to get closer to her estranged brother and her grandfather’s past. While my dialect group is not cantonese, the story makes me reflect on the loss of languages and intergenerational communication over time. The translator note by Jeremy is insightful and I appreciate his sharing on the challenge of translating the work, where there are Cantonese dialogue interspersed with the Mandarin text. Highly highly recommended.
Get it at Balastier Press
Unrest by Yeng Pway Ngon (tr. Jeremy Tiang)
Given its title, one might have thought that the book is centered on political themes. While it does to a certain extent (the four main characters took part in political activism in then-colonial Malaya), a case of adultery ties the characters and stories together, giving a different spin to the title. It’s interesting that there’s no single narrative voice, jumping from one character to another, and at one point in time, the author inserted himself into the prose to engage with the reader. There’s also several jumps in time and space, across Singapore, Hong Kong and Mainland China. It was an interesting read as I barely knew about pre-independence Singapore and the political landscape back then. Jeremy’s prowess as a translator cannot go unmentioned as I would not have been able to tell that it’s a work in translation without the cover acknowledgment. Definitely a recommended read.
Get it at Balastier Press
Singapore Fiction
Heartland by Daren Shiau
It’s a quintessential Singaporean novel and I love it. NS and (romantic) relationships are two key themes in the coming-of-age story, but what I particularly enjoyed is its exploration of class and identity, as seen through the scenes of Wing Seng and his interactions with his two girlfriends from very different familial backgrounds.The characters and the story are relatable, but the icing on the cake is definitely the references to 1990s Singapore (places, language, school etc) peppered across the book. I feel right at home here.
I think I would have enjoyed literature more (as a subject) if this was the set text of my school days, but alas, the stars were not aligned.
Definitely agree that this is the definitive Singaporean novel and would recommend it as an introduction to SingLit.
Get it at Ethos Books
Singa-Pura-Pura Edited by Nazry Bahrawi
I love speculative fiction for its not-real-but-still-real vibes, more so if they are satire or social commentary; a challenge or reimagination of the status quo, steeped in cultural associations. I was super excited to dive into this collection of homegrown Malay speculative fiction.
I like it when reading throws up questions beyond the stories and make me think about my identity, perspectives and society at large. A great read, and I wish to see more anthologies of speculative fiction from Singapore
Can we also take a minute to appreciate the cover?! I love how there’s a page dedicated explaining the illustration and how it incorporates elements in the stories. I had a fun time trying to figure out what’s from where.
Link to full review | Get it at Ethos Books
17A Keong Saik Road by Charmaine Leung
The memoir recounts the author’s childhood years growing up on Keong Saik Road in the ’70s, where it was a prominent red-light precinct and it also details her mother’s life as a young child put up on sale to becoming a brothel madame.
Came across this book when I was searching for stories with a strong tie to time and place in Singapore. Keong Saik Road to me has always been part of the hipster cafes/restaurant area and I enjoy the laid-back vibes there. It never occurred to me find out the history of the place, nor that once upon a time, it had another identity and was a home and place of livelihood for many women in those times.
It’s a poignant read giving voice to the marginalised and forgotten women who once made a tough living there and a rich lesson in history as well. It’s a personal story, and more.
Get it at Ethos Books
Vanishing Point by Felix Cheong
SO GOOD. Definitely one of my favourite reads in 2021 and I can only regret not discovering it earlier. I’m usually slower reading short stories, but this just keeps my eyes glued on the pages. Felix is an amazing writer, both in style and substance. I borrowed my copy from the library, but am thinking of getting my own to bookmark/highlight to my heart’s content.
Disappearance. People go missing every year, but are disappearances only physical? The collection explores different types of disappearances and each story is as intriguing and thought-provoking as the next.
I need to read more Felix Cheong.
Get it at Ethos Books
Singapore Siu Dai Series (1/2/3) by Felix Cheong
Reading this series right after Vanishing Point really makes me in awe of Felix Cheong’s breadth of writing style. Here, it’s about humor. Cackling funny, whimsical funny, laugh-out-loud funny, sadly funny, satire funny. In bite-sized prose, Felix Cheong manages to cover a wide variety of Singapore issues, and the Singapore identify. It’s funny, but it’s also a pretty sombre and sharp read.
Get it at Ethos Books
Ten Things My Father Never Taught Me by Cyril Wong
I’m usually not a big fan of short stories collection and I find it hard to read them in a sitting—but not this one. There’s a lyrical quality to Cyril’s prose that draws the reader in, and I find myself unable to put down the book.
Get it at Epigram Bookshop
Where I Was by Constance Singam
An important account of current advocacy movements in Singapore, and about the life of Constance, who is truly a role model for her efforts in helping women and marginalized communities in Singapore.
Get it at Ethos Books
Potong by Johnny Jon Jon
Two plays: Hawa (2015) and Potong (2018)
In Hawa, a new Muslim covert finds herself tasked with overseeing the funeral arrangements of her partner. In Potong, a son is sent away by a mother to return to Singapore to undergo the coming-of-age rites of passage that await him: circumcision and conscription
Get it at Ethos Books
Inheritance by Balli Kaur Jaswal
A story about a traditional Punjabi Sikh family against the backdrop of two decades of Singapore’s political, social and cultural landscapes change. Reading this made me look for other stories by the author.
Get it at Epigram
A Bad Girls’ Book of Animals by Wong May
One of my favourite poetry collections. Read full review here.
Get it at Ethos Books
The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng
What is breathtaking about the novel is how well it brings us through the upheavals of Singapore’s nation-building while keeping the story firmly rooted in Ah Boon and the fishing village. It’s like seeing Singapore’s history from the perspective of the kampung — somewhat removed from the different forces sweeping through the nation yet very much affected at the same time. Read full review here.
Eternal Summer of My Homeland by Agnes Chew
The Singaporeanesss of the stories stirs up a whirlpool of emotions, sometimes leaving behind a reflection of myself, and other times, bleakness. I love the theme about complexity of choice, and there’s this undercurrent of nostalgia mixed with disillusion that ties the stories together. While I have my personal favourites, I enjoyed every single story and devoured the book in a sitting. Rare, for a short story collection. Love it.
Get it at Epigram