Transporting us back into the bright lights and dark alleys of 1960s Singapore, Ming Cher’s novel paints the picture of a time when a group of boys emerged from teenagers to adults, making decisions that impact the roads their lives eventually take. Isa Kamari has thrown a deft hand by using the life of a fictional character, Rawa, an Orang Seletar to tell the tale of the "sea people" and their lives in the modernization and eventual independence of both Malaysia and Singapore. These are some of the original inhabitants of the region before the colonial powers took over in the 19th century. RawaĪ much needed work that shines a light on the "sea people" of the Malay Peninsula. Set between Singapore and Japan, Kappa Quartet tells the story of a young man without a soul whose chance encounters with a host of characters are both strange and serendipitous. He is Singapore’s Haruki Murakami, but with the depth and youthful gravitas of Jorge Luis Borges. Kenny Leck, the proprietor behind Singapore’s beloved indie bookshop, Books Actually, shares a reading list of his current favorite Singaporean titles.ĭaryl Yam’s debut novel comes across as the most effortless piece of writing I have ever read.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |