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anjalisudarsan's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure what to think of this book, especially how open-ended the story was. Jazzy, the protagonist's tone is super clear, the use of Singlish and her inner monologue really defining her character and personality. Although unlikeable, you can see where her reasonings are coming from, seeing all these unfaithful men around her and poverty making her want to date an ang moh and love playing no role in this. She's shallow, but you see moments of clarity seeing how desperation takes women, and how the married men frequent shady places. It was entertaining but also had me thinking about how life can be
daumari's review against another edition
2.0
Eh, it was ok... my mom picked this up at the dollar store but couldn't get into it (about 20 pages, and she had DNF'd other books in the past for language and bad behavior, so it's probably just as well due stopped) and gave it to me to read.
Sarong Party Girls feels like Crazy Rich Asians' classy betch cousin from another part of town. Told in first person, Jazzy (Jazeline, because as many Jasmines and Celines are out there, there's only one Jazeline) feels pretty ripe at the age of 26, making it a goal for her and her girlfriends to get white husbands or at least boyfriends within the month. The bar/club scene probably isn't the best marriage market, but it's the hunting ground she knows. As I read, it didn't feel like she was getting anywhere, though? There's some self realization at the end in the literal last pages but ehhhhh.
The thing SPG has going for it is that it is entirely I'm first person Singlish, the hodgepodge dialect of English, Hokkien, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay. I had my phone at the ready to look up slang every other paragraph or so, but the narrator's voice is consistent and unmistakably Jazzy. I liked Ms. Tan's nonfiction work, A Tiger In the Kitchen much better, so I dunno.
Sarong Party Girls feels like Crazy Rich Asians' classy betch cousin from another part of town. Told in first person, Jazzy (Jazeline, because as many Jasmines and Celines are out there, there's only one Jazeline) feels pretty ripe at the age of 26, making it a goal for her and her girlfriends to get white husbands or at least boyfriends within the month. The bar/club scene probably isn't the best marriage market, but it's the hunting ground she knows. As I read, it didn't feel like she was getting anywhere, though? There's some self realization at the end in the literal last pages but ehhhhh.
The thing SPG has going for it is that it is entirely I'm first person Singlish, the hodgepodge dialect of English, Hokkien, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay. I had my phone at the ready to look up slang every other paragraph or so, but the narrator's voice is consistent and unmistakably Jazzy. I liked Ms. Tan's nonfiction work, A Tiger In the Kitchen much better, so I dunno.
twstdtink's review against another edition
I couldn't get past the halfway point of this book. Reading Singlish (Singapore and English) didn't bother me, although it made it more difficult to understand what was happening. I had to use a lot of context clues. But I found the characters wholly unlikeable and the plot uninteresting. I felt Tan was trying to make an Asian "Bridget Jones Diary." But all the descriptions of sexual misconduct from her boss and other males, the main character's ruthless gold-digging paired with her gross stereotyping of every other Asian culture around her, just felt icky.
starrysea98's review against another edition
2.0
lmao why was this advertised as modern emma?
anyway, the singlish made me laugh but it did get a bit too much the more i read (if anyone comes for me, im malaysian, manglish is probably worse).
i had zero sympathy for the protagonist and honestly there was nothing much going on in this book except for jazzy and friends getting drunk and clubbing. wouldn’t recommend unless you want to learn some singlish - although, I’m pretty sure some of the slang is outdated already.
anyway, the singlish made me laugh but it did get a bit too much the more i read (if anyone comes for me, im malaysian, manglish is probably worse).
i had zero sympathy for the protagonist and honestly there was nothing much going on in this book except for jazzy and friends getting drunk and clubbing. wouldn’t recommend unless you want to learn some singlish - although, I’m pretty sure some of the slang is outdated already.
han_nur's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ashleyandabook's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
freddie's review against another edition
5.0
The book's description is unfortunately inaccurate, painting this book as an aspirational story with a strong female protagonist. What this book really is, however, is an over-the-top, borderline slapstick satire about white worship and general classism, sexism, and racism in Singapore (and possibly the nearby regions also). The Singlish used throughout provides a vivid voice and an ironic layer to the narrative.
jillcaesar's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why the rating is so low, it was more fun than I expected. Review to come!
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
#book3 done for #readathon!
A really interesting Singlish novel that follows the efforts of Jazzy and her friends (who at 27 are falling on the "old" side) to secure an ang moh (white Western and RICH) husband. I've read some readers made comparisons to Emma but I was reminded a lot of Thackeray's Becky Sharp. The most interesting (and disheartening) aspect of this book is the way white expat men (and men in general) treat women, as toys.
And don't worry about the Singlish - you'll pick it up after a few pages.
A really interesting Singlish novel that follows the efforts of Jazzy and her friends (who at 27 are falling on the "old" side) to secure an ang moh (white Western and RICH) husband. I've read some readers made comparisons to Emma but I was reminded a lot of Thackeray's Becky Sharp. The most interesting (and disheartening) aspect of this book is the way white expat men (and men in general) treat women, as toys.
And don't worry about the Singlish - you'll pick it up after a few pages.