tripleheaven's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
judithhuang's review
5.0
I’m so glad I pushed past judging this book by its (hideous) cover and bought and read it. A landmark work in Singapore literature, it tells the tale of an artist in her late thirties as she comes into her own in her art and struggles in love. So much about this book resonated with me because of the accurate portrayals of race and gender relations in Singapore as well as the history of our ancestors. The particular dynamics of the two interracial relationships were very well observed and illuminating. Lim does show some teething problems with awkward transitions between the present day and stories from the past, but overall the prose is beautiful and nuanced and the characters well drawn. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope more people read it!
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