sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
4.0
This was a Shelterbox Book Club pick that I was quite behind on, and I found myself reading it amongst other books I'd committed to. I don't usually read more than one book at a time, and I'm annoyed I did it with this one as I think it would have hit even harder had I devoted my full attention to it. Having said that, I still thought it was really good.
On the face of it this is a story about Ah Hock - a Chinese man from a Malaysian fishing village who is being interviewed about a murder he committed. He has served his time, and is now on parole; his crime and victim are known, but what isn't understood is why he did it. During these interviews, Ah Hock examines his life from all angles - not just the events that led up to him killing a man, but his whole existence. And that's where this book departs from the surface, and dives so much deeper, looking at the immigrant experience, migrant workers, poverty, friendship, race and class.
I can't lie, this is a bleak and almost stark book. But I was very invested in not only what Ah Hock's reasons for his crime were, but in understanding the trajectory his life took. For me, the murder itself isn't the most devastating or interesting part of this story at all. I will say, some of my enjoyment of this book was less about the story and more about understanding the realities of a country and culture that I haven't read about before. However, that isn't to say that the almost memoir-like quality of the narrative was without it's own merit, as it absolutely was.
Very compelling.
On the face of it this is a story about Ah Hock - a Chinese man from a Malaysian fishing village who is being interviewed about a murder he committed. He has served his time, and is now on parole; his crime and victim are known, but what isn't understood is why he did it. During these interviews, Ah Hock examines his life from all angles - not just the events that led up to him killing a man, but his whole existence. And that's where this book departs from the surface, and dives so much deeper, looking at the immigrant experience, migrant workers, poverty, friendship, race and class.
I can't lie, this is a bleak and almost stark book. But I was very invested in not only what Ah Hock's reasons for his crime were, but in understanding the trajectory his life took. For me, the murder itself isn't the most devastating or interesting part of this story at all. I will say, some of my enjoyment of this book was less about the story and more about understanding the realities of a country and culture that I haven't read about before. However, that isn't to say that the almost memoir-like quality of the narrative was without it's own merit, as it absolutely was.
Very compelling.
misspalah's review against another edition
5.0
*Changing this book to 5 stars after finishing 5 star billionaire*
.
“It didn't take us long to drive back into town. At that time the traffic is always light, but that night it seemed quieter than usual. Who knows - maybe the port business was slow, and fewer container ships were docking, so all the lorries ferrying goods up to KL had called it quits. Sometimes work at the port slowed down and you'd see migrants drifting into town looking for a few days' casual work here and there, from whoever would employ them. During these periods the town appeared to function normally, which is to say that a visitor like you wouldn't notice anything unusual. You'd see the buses and the markets, shopkeepers sweeping the pavements outside their doors, people sitting down at roadside food stalls - but you'd miss the feeling of anxiety, the knowledge that the entire town depended on trade from faraway places, goods being bought and sold by people we would never know. Some politician in America decides that they can't buy Malaysian rubber gloves; suddenly ten factories in the area have to shut down. The Europeans want to save the fucking planet so they ban the use of palm oil in food; within a month the entire port is on its knees. Life continues, but you feel it slipping quietly away, and you worry that it'll never return. And because of that fear, you feel caught in a suspended state. On the outside, life seems normal, but inside it's drawn to a standstill”.
- We the survivors by Tash Aw
.
.
- [ ] The synopsis that publisher put on the cover : Its about murder
- [ ] The true synopsis after i have finished this book : If you are marginalised and disadvantaged, the world is going to fuck you up and you have to do whatever you can to survive.
I finally picked up Tash Aw’s we the survivors this year. It was long overdue as my best friend love his writing hence i am expected to read at least one of his books. As Ah Hock narrated his story in 2 different settings, one in an interview with Su-Min and another when he recalled back his childhood, teenage-hood, and adulthood memories. One can simply deduce from those stories that he was born in poor and broken family, his parents officially divorced once his mother received the letter from Singapore, his mother had a constant presence in his life until she died. Keong is another character that crucial in his life especially in portraying how contrast he is with Ah Hock. I have to be honest, while it may work in alternating the pages between the conversation that Sumin had with Ah Hock and Ah Hock’s flashback, I wish Tash Aw did not put this dual narration. Undoubtedly, Tash Aw is a brilliant writer and i am looking forward to read Five star billionaire and his other works. The book did well in exposing the subtle racism of south asian (they were referred as ‘black devils’ and southeast asian foreign workers from Malaysian Lens (The locals vs the outsiders). The struggle of foreign workers and Immigrants in Malaysia and how majority of them were being exploited by the capitalists also were shown as both Keong and Ah Hock work in the industry that employed them. Ultimately, the story maybe bleak for some but it is an important one to tell. It was supposed to make us uncomfortable especially if we are already living in bubble and failed to understand the impacts of inequality and prejudice. Its a slow read for me but the ending is where the masterstroke happened. As Su-Min enjoyed her achievement on Ah-Hock’s story, they parted ways without acknowledging that huge class differences, status and privileges existed between them. Overall, a highly recommended book!
.
“It didn't take us long to drive back into town. At that time the traffic is always light, but that night it seemed quieter than usual. Who knows - maybe the port business was slow, and fewer container ships were docking, so all the lorries ferrying goods up to KL had called it quits. Sometimes work at the port slowed down and you'd see migrants drifting into town looking for a few days' casual work here and there, from whoever would employ them. During these periods the town appeared to function normally, which is to say that a visitor like you wouldn't notice anything unusual. You'd see the buses and the markets, shopkeepers sweeping the pavements outside their doors, people sitting down at roadside food stalls - but you'd miss the feeling of anxiety, the knowledge that the entire town depended on trade from faraway places, goods being bought and sold by people we would never know. Some politician in America decides that they can't buy Malaysian rubber gloves; suddenly ten factories in the area have to shut down. The Europeans want to save the fucking planet so they ban the use of palm oil in food; within a month the entire port is on its knees. Life continues, but you feel it slipping quietly away, and you worry that it'll never return. And because of that fear, you feel caught in a suspended state. On the outside, life seems normal, but inside it's drawn to a standstill”.
- We the survivors by Tash Aw
.
.
- [ ] The synopsis that publisher put on the cover : Its about murder
- [ ] The true synopsis after i have finished this book : If you are marginalised and disadvantaged, the world is going to fuck you up and you have to do whatever you can to survive.
I finally picked up Tash Aw’s we the survivors this year. It was long overdue as my best friend love his writing hence i am expected to read at least one of his books. As Ah Hock narrated his story in 2 different settings, one in an interview with Su-Min and another when he recalled back his childhood, teenage-hood, and adulthood memories. One can simply deduce from those stories that he was born in poor and broken family, his parents officially divorced once his mother received the letter from Singapore, his mother had a constant presence in his life until she died. Keong is another character that crucial in his life especially in portraying how contrast he is with Ah Hock. I have to be honest, while it may work in alternating the pages between the conversation that Sumin had with Ah Hock and Ah Hock’s flashback, I wish Tash Aw did not put this dual narration. Undoubtedly, Tash Aw is a brilliant writer and i am looking forward to read Five star billionaire and his other works. The book did well in exposing the subtle racism of south asian (they were referred as ‘black devils’ and southeast asian foreign workers from Malaysian Lens (The locals vs the outsiders). The struggle of foreign workers and Immigrants in Malaysia and how majority of them were being exploited by the capitalists also were shown as both Keong and Ah Hock work in the industry that employed them. Ultimately, the story maybe bleak for some but it is an important one to tell. It was supposed to make us uncomfortable especially if we are already living in bubble and failed to understand the impacts of inequality and prejudice. Its a slow read for me but the ending is where the masterstroke happened. As Su-Min enjoyed her achievement on Ah-Hock’s story, they parted ways without acknowledging that huge class differences, status and privileges existed between them. Overall, a highly recommended book!
etakloknok's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aidasofia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
alexweeke's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5, rounded up.
It’s ripe with political commentary and filled to the brim with ideas of class, but I felt it felt short of the mark in terms of doing anything more than superficially exploring themes of education and the inequality that globalisation’s spread creates. Despite this, it was an enjoyable read, and had me invested-ish almost all the time.
It’s ripe with political commentary and filled to the brim with ideas of class, but I felt it felt short of the mark in terms of doing anything more than superficially exploring themes of education and the inequality that globalisation’s spread creates. Despite this, it was an enjoyable read, and had me invested-ish almost all the time.
francaramen's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn’t honestly go after page 80. The prose might be very good but the story itself is intensely boring. I need to agree with the other low-grade reviews I read: the characters are not credible, you cannot feel any empathy and it makes me so frustrating to keep reading the same path over and over for every one of them. No mention to culture or anything that could make me a little bit more educated on the topic: it just simply state an inequality I’m already quite aware of, but nothing on why those people have to move, why they do what they do in the end. Very confusing and shallow.
rinnie's review against another edition
5.0
I really really enjoyed this one. picked it up at random from the bargain bookshop, and fell into the story immediately. the narrative style is gripping and well-crafted.
something I noticed from the very first page: Aw builds such a sense of place. it's descriptive and you sink into the feeling, the idea of the setting, not just in a physical sense but an emotional one too, not overly flowery or exceedingly detailed, but detailed in just the right ways that it feels like a real place, like you could be there alongside Ah Hock as he describes his life.
this is not a book about a murder, in the end. it's about society and class and ethnicity and what fighting to escape poverty can do to someone. it's about societal relationships in every way. the murder is secondary, in a way, even though the entire book builds to it. there's a reason you only find out exactly what happens at the end (I saw a review complain about this) — it's because the rest of his story sets the scene and context for that moment, until the murder itself becomes almost irrelevant, despite also being the core of the story.
“The rhythmic arc of her arm. The strength of her back as it curved to bring the blade down onto the foliage, time and time again. She moved methodically, as if she knew the effect of every cut of the parang — as if she was trying to match her strength to that of nature, and she knew she could win… I was not yet thirteen, and my body was ready to imitate my mother's. I copied her movements, learned to use the axe with speed and certainty, until after just a couple of days I no longer had to think about what I was doing. The tools became part of me."
“The number didn't hold any meaning for me. It was the same as if they'd told me it was a hundred, or a thousand times. I remember raising my arm time and time again until it felt like the one thing my arm was capable of doing, that it had been created for that purpose and nothing else.”
these paragraphs, combined with how the entire book makes a point of how work wears on the body, imprints on the body, how the body remembers or becomes (un)used to certain kinds of work, the emotional state of trying to survive in a brutal and uncaring and corrupt world… it's clear how the story ends where it does. plus the brusqueness of the ending, almost out of place. again, someone richer than Ah Hock, someone with more power and more status and more everything, using him. the labor he does for her in telling his story so that she can make a book of it. how he says it's her book, and she can do what she wants, and why is she asking him for permission? the way he attempts to recoup control through a sort of violence — verbal, by telling her OF the violence that weighs heavy on him. despite a feeling of a reciprocal relation, it's really not. having his mother appear by that pond at the end at the party is maybe a bit heavy-handed, but it certainly is effective.
this building of the story and of the purpose of the book through parallels and repeated symbols and themes across time and moments is something I love in storytelling, and Aw did this really well
something I noticed from the very first page: Aw builds such a sense of place. it's descriptive and you sink into the feeling, the idea of the setting, not just in a physical sense but an emotional one too, not overly flowery or exceedingly detailed, but detailed in just the right ways that it feels like a real place, like you could be there alongside Ah Hock as he describes his life.
this is not a book about a murder, in the end. it's about society and class and ethnicity and what fighting to escape poverty can do to someone. it's about societal relationships in every way. the murder is secondary, in a way, even though the entire book builds to it. there's a reason you only find out exactly what happens at the end (I saw a review complain about this) — it's because the rest of his story sets the scene and context for that moment, until the murder itself becomes almost irrelevant, despite also being the core of the story.
Spoiler
in particular the segment on p. 184 describing him and his mother working their plot of land with p. 320, when the violence happens:“The rhythmic arc of her arm. The strength of her back as it curved to bring the blade down onto the foliage, time and time again. She moved methodically, as if she knew the effect of every cut of the parang — as if she was trying to match her strength to that of nature, and she knew she could win… I was not yet thirteen, and my body was ready to imitate my mother's. I copied her movements, learned to use the axe with speed and certainty, until after just a couple of days I no longer had to think about what I was doing. The tools became part of me."
“The number didn't hold any meaning for me. It was the same as if they'd told me it was a hundred, or a thousand times. I remember raising my arm time and time again until it felt like the one thing my arm was capable of doing, that it had been created for that purpose and nothing else.”
these paragraphs, combined with how the entire book makes a point of how work wears on the body, imprints on the body, how the body remembers or becomes (un)used to certain kinds of work, the emotional state of trying to survive in a brutal and uncaring and corrupt world… it's clear how the story ends where it does. plus the brusqueness of the ending, almost out of place. again, someone richer than Ah Hock, someone with more power and more status and more everything, using him. the labor he does for her in telling his story so that she can make a book of it. how he says it's her book, and she can do what she wants, and why is she asking him for permission? the way he attempts to recoup control through a sort of violence — verbal, by telling her OF the violence that weighs heavy on him. despite a feeling of a reciprocal relation, it's really not. having his mother appear by that pond at the end at the party is maybe a bit heavy-handed, but it certainly is effective.
this building of the story and of the purpose of the book through parallels and repeated symbols and themes across time and moments is something I love in storytelling, and Aw did this really well
chocobearx2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
elliotthefrog's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0