Scan barcode
remainsofabook's review
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
How We Disappeared was a page-turner. A novel that weaves the past atrocities of the WWII Japanese Occupation in Singapore, specifically on comfort women, and its aftermath. The story follows 2 perspective, Wang Di and Kevin, through 2 different timelines. Personally I enjoyed the 2 different timelines and Kevin's story. It is very slow paced and a little long but I think it's a welcomed break from Wang Di's heartbreaking past. The present timeline also provides some Singaporean Chinese cultural context and it makes the story fuller and realistic. Lee handles the topic with sensitivity and she presented different aspects of the misogyny Wang Di faced, the shaming and shunning and the internalised misogyny. I didn't enjoy the ambiguous ending but I could guess the reason why Lee had done so. Overall, I think this is a book worth reading. However, don't expect a history lesson from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, War, Slavery, Trafficking, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Trafficking
qqjj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, War, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Trafficking
alenezela99's review
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery
waybeyondblue's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, War, Trafficking, and Slavery
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, and Confinement
r0se's review
emotional
informative
sad
tense
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Blood
deedireads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
How We Disappeared is a moving, well-written novel that brings to life the experiences of “comfort women” in Singapore during WWII.
For you if: You are a fan of literary historical fiction.
FULL REVIEW:
I picked up How We Disappeared because it was longlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize. I don’t think I would have read it otherwise — historical fiction (even literary historical fiction) isn’t one of my go-to genres — but I enjoyed it, and it definitely made a nice addition to my list.
The novel is a portrayal of the imagined experiences of “comfort women” (sex slaves) during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during WWII, centering on a young girl named Wang Di. It alternates between the past and today, as she grapples with the loneliness of new widowhood and a secret past that sits heavily on her shoulders. Meanwhile, a young boy named Kevin seeks to solve a mystery left behind by his recently deceased grandmother.
The characters in this book are what makes it shine — I rooted so hard for Kevin, and my heart broke for Wang Di. As you might expect from a book about sexual enslavement, there are parts that are difficult to read. But the novel stands as a beautiful ode to and remembrance of the women who suffered. I recommend this one if you like historical fiction, and especially if you’re looking for a time period and location that isn’t often featured in novels.
TL;DR REVIEW:
How We Disappeared is a moving, well-written novel that brings to life the experiences of “comfort women” in Singapore during WWII.
For you if: You are a fan of literary historical fiction.
FULL REVIEW:
I picked up How We Disappeared because it was longlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize. I don’t think I would have read it otherwise — historical fiction (even literary historical fiction) isn’t one of my go-to genres — but I enjoyed it, and it definitely made a nice addition to my list.
The novel is a portrayal of the imagined experiences of “comfort women” (sex slaves) during the Japanese occupation of Singapore during WWII, centering on a young girl named Wang Di. It alternates between the past and today, as she grapples with the loneliness of new widowhood and a secret past that sits heavily on her shoulders. Meanwhile, a young boy named Kevin seeks to solve a mystery left behind by his recently deceased grandmother.
The characters in this book are what makes it shine — I rooted so hard for Kevin, and my heart broke for Wang Di. As you might expect from a book about sexual enslavement, there are parts that are difficult to read. But the novel stands as a beautiful ode to and remembrance of the women who suffered. I recommend this one if you like historical fiction, and especially if you’re looking for a time period and location that isn’t often featured in novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Trafficking, Slavery, Confinement, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Ableism
maggie_desu's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Where to start? Oh, this book.
It is definitely a painful reading, such beautifully written passages about the horrors experienced during the Japanese occupation of Singapore and its impact on their people and future generations.
This is a hard book to read. Not only for its contents/story, but also for the way the author manages to convey such strong feelings through her writing, how she makes us feel while reading it. There are times when it's just too much and a break is quite needed. I didn't cry reading it, but was very close to and felt an enormous sadness.
The story tells us about "comfort women", sex slavery, how others reacted to them, how those women started to disappear, what happened during the Japanese occupation in Singapore, the impact it had on their lives and others' lives, the shame, how it still tormented them in the present. So much in this little (big) book. It's so important to talk about this, they need to talk about it.
I have to admit that I was way more interested in reading about Wang Di's story than Kevin's. I still enjoyed his side though. Wang Di is a very interesting character and all I wanted to do was to hug her and be there for her.
I have already found a few more books to read about this period while I was still reading this one. "Pachinko" is still on my shelves to be read, I hope I'll get into it soon.
I have so many parts of this book underlined and I wish I could write them all here.
____________________________________
"Sometimes all you had to do to get someone to talk was to be silent."
"There was nothing left. It was as if I had dreamed it all, what happened. I was the only one who could prove it but the only evidence I had was the absence of things...
"Don't tell anyone. Not me or your father or any of the neighbours. Especially not your future husband, no matter how kind you think he is. No one must know. You need to forget her, Huay, and the other girl. They didn't exist. You understand?"
It is definitely a painful reading, such beautifully written passages about the horrors experienced during the Japanese occupation of Singapore and its impact on their people and future generations.
This is a hard book to read. Not only for its contents/story, but also for the way the author manages to convey such strong feelings through her writing, how she makes us feel while reading it. There are times when it's just too much and a break is quite needed. I didn't cry reading it, but was very close to and felt an enormous sadness.
The story tells us about "comfort women", sex slavery, how others reacted to them, how those women started to disappear, what happened during the Japanese occupation in Singapore, the impact it had on their lives and others' lives, the shame, how it still tormented them in the present. So much in this little (big) book. It's so important to talk about this, they need to talk about it.
I have to admit that I was way more interested in reading about Wang Di's story than Kevin's. I still enjoyed his side though. Wang Di is a very interesting character and all I wanted to do was to hug her and be there for her.
I have already found a few more books to read about this period while I was still reading this one. "Pachinko" is still on my shelves to be read, I hope I'll get into it soon.
I have so many parts of this book underlined and I wish I could write them all here.
____________________________________
"Sometimes all you had to do to get someone to talk was to be silent."
"There was nothing left. It was as if I had dreamed it all, what happened. I was the only one who could prove it but the only evidence I had was the absence of things...
"Don't tell anyone. Not me or your father or any of the neighbours. Especially not your future husband, no matter how kind you think he is. No one must know. You need to forget her, Huay, and the other girl. They didn't exist. You understand?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Slavery
More...