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A Crowd of Twisted Things by Dawn Farnham
In December 1950, the worst riots Singapore has ever seen shut down the town for days, killing 18 people and wounding 173. Racial and religious tension had been simmering for months over the custody battle for wartime waif Maria Hertogh between her Malay Muslim foster mother and her Dutch-Catholic biological parents. In May 1950, Eurasian Annie Collins, following this case and filled with hope, returns to Singapore seeking her own lost baby Maria. As the time bomb ticks and Annie unravels the threads of her quest into increasingly dangerous territory, she finds strange recollections intruding, ones that have nothing to do with her own memories of her wartime disturbing visions and dreams which force her to doubt not just her past life, but her whole idea of who she truly is and even to question the search itself. Finding Maria is at once a mother's quest for her child, an unravelling mystery and a journey into suppressed memory and the nature of self-delusion.
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 10, 2023
Not your average fiction novel. A Crowd of Twisted Things by Farnham is not a novel I would recommend to anyone looking for a light entertaining read.
On the contrary, Farnham's work is rich in descriptive prose making it at times tedious to read. However, the novel is well researched and the backdrop of 1950s Singapore is depicted well, often in excruciating detail.
I give the novel four stars as it held my interest and provided insights into Singapore society in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese occupation during World War Two. However, I only recommend the book to readers who have an interest in historical fiction set in Singapore.
On the contrary, Farnham's work is rich in descriptive prose making it at times tedious to read. However, the novel is well researched and the backdrop of 1950s Singapore is depicted well, often in excruciating detail.
I give the novel four stars as it held my interest and provided insights into Singapore society in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese occupation during World War Two. However, I only recommend the book to readers who have an interest in historical fiction set in Singapore.
August 11, 2018
Novel set in 1950s SINGAPORE
Annie returns to Singapore in 1950 to search for her baby, who had been given away (without her knowledge) 5 years before. A story of changing times in Singapore and the contrasting lives of ex-pats and locals, with thought provoking glimpses into the hardships of living through those times.
Alongside Annie’s fictional search for her child is a factual account of a custody battle for another child. Should that child stay with her Malay foster mother, or be returned to her Dutch birth parents; a fascinating story. Meanwhile Annie finds some friends to help her search for her own child and tries to improve the lives of some of the locals she meets.
The politics of British rule in Malaya and Singapore, and the occupation of Singapore by the Japanese, are all drawn into this novel about life in Singapore after, and during, the war. Alongside the main story runs the true court case of whether a child is better staying with foster parents, or being returned to birth parents (and a religion) she has never known.
I found the start of this book difficult going. The language in the first chapter was too descriptive for my taste, however as the book progressed so did my liking for it. There were many, many words of (I assume) Singapore origin, which I did not know, so it might have been easier (and less irritating) to read this book via an e-reader. I am very glad I finished the book, though at times my attention drifted.
A 4* rating from me as, by the end of the book, this history of the Japanese occupation was very interesting, as was the factual custody court case that is a theme running through the book. There are plenty of places within Singapore mentioned, and the history of Singapore at this terrible time is well described. Definitely worth reading for anyone interested in the history of Singapore. Also plenty of themes here to make for a lively discussion for book clubs.
Annie returns to Singapore in 1950 to search for her baby, who had been given away (without her knowledge) 5 years before. A story of changing times in Singapore and the contrasting lives of ex-pats and locals, with thought provoking glimpses into the hardships of living through those times.
Alongside Annie’s fictional search for her child is a factual account of a custody battle for another child. Should that child stay with her Malay foster mother, or be returned to her Dutch birth parents; a fascinating story. Meanwhile Annie finds some friends to help her search for her own child and tries to improve the lives of some of the locals she meets.
The politics of British rule in Malaya and Singapore, and the occupation of Singapore by the Japanese, are all drawn into this novel about life in Singapore after, and during, the war. Alongside the main story runs the true court case of whether a child is better staying with foster parents, or being returned to birth parents (and a religion) she has never known.
I found the start of this book difficult going. The language in the first chapter was too descriptive for my taste, however as the book progressed so did my liking for it. There were many, many words of (I assume) Singapore origin, which I did not know, so it might have been easier (and less irritating) to read this book via an e-reader. I am very glad I finished the book, though at times my attention drifted.
A 4* rating from me as, by the end of the book, this history of the Japanese occupation was very interesting, as was the factual custody court case that is a theme running through the book. There are plenty of places within Singapore mentioned, and the history of Singapore at this terrible time is well described. Definitely worth reading for anyone interested in the history of Singapore. Also plenty of themes here to make for a lively discussion for book clubs.
May 4, 2023
The story reveals an aspect of Singapore and a viewpoint that is less well known- as the narrator is a woman who is perceived as an "ang-Mo" but who's actually Eurasian. Well written except that the conflict was not fully resolved at the end of the novel. I finished the book and would recommend it to anyone who would like to get a feel for how it was in the 1950s in Singapore.
July 25, 2020
I really enjoyed this book - Annie returns to Singapore in search of her missing daughter. Annie is a Eurasian and married to a white guy; her daughter was much darker.
It's a very simple story, told from Annie's perspective where she mingles among the whites / upper-class; while she makes "friends" with the Asian servants, there's still that class/race difference. (And Annie is rich, even among whites.) I liked how the novel presented it as it is, leaving the modern-day reader room to reflect on the situation.
The theme of missing children, disrupted by the Second World War, runs through this. Annie thinks of adopting Joseph, an orphaned boy that plays in her neighbourhood, instead . Annie's main lead is to
There's also a bit about what Annie was doing during the Japanese occupation, and the impact on Eurasian women. Again, this is generally sanitised, except for one moment when Eileen .
It's a very simple story, told from Annie's perspective where she mingles among the whites / upper-class; while she makes "friends" with the Asian servants, there's still that class/race difference. (And Annie is rich, even among whites.) I liked how the novel presented it as it is, leaving the modern-day reader room to reflect on the situation.
The theme of missing children, disrupted by the Second World War, runs through this. Annie thinks of adopting Joseph, an orphaned boy that plays in her neighbourhood, instead . Annie's main lead is to
There's also a bit about what Annie was doing during the Japanese occupation, and the impact on Eurasian women. Again, this is generally sanitised, except for one moment when Eileen .
January 9, 2014
I loved this book. I have read the first story in her quartet which I also really enjoyed ( I think she was still writing the second when I was reading it) and I will now go back and read the the other three. She writes well about Singapore and I find her descriptions of the people and place totally absorbing. She is obviously well researched but avoids the temptation to make her novels a history lesson. Because I know Singapore well and have an interest in it's history it was especially enjoyable for me.
One criticism I have is that the story did not fully resolve. I felt there were still ends left untied with regard to the main character. It marred my satisfaction with the ending - although obviously a deliberate move by the author, but if it's a means for a follow up, I think it's cheap. The book needed the resolution a little .
That said I have still given it a solid four stars as a thoroughly entertaining and compulsive read and one I would most certainly recommend to book clubs and friends.
One criticism I have is that the story did not fully resolve. I felt there were still ends left untied with regard to the main character. It marred my satisfaction with the ending - although obviously a deliberate move by the author, but if it's a means for a follow up, I think it's cheap. The book needed the resolution a little .
That said I have still given it a solid four stars as a thoroughly entertaining and compulsive read and one I would most certainly recommend to book clubs and friends.
March 9, 2016
Another good read if you live in or are interested in Singapore. As far as Farnham's books go I much preferred this to the Straits Quartet. I do feel that the conclusion was a bit weak, it just petered out. But the story is interesting and the historical backdrop of 1950s Singapore is quite fascinating.
June 15, 2018
perfect holiday read, short in length but captures an amazing story. Looking forward to reading more by the same author
May 20, 2025
“Our children are not our children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself”
Finished another historical fiction read and this one felt especially close to home - set in the 1950s Singapore, just a few years after WWII. The story unfolds alongside the real-life backdrop of the Maria Hertogh/Natrah case, which really adds a deeply emotional and political weight to the narrative.
It follows Anne, a Eurasian woman who returns from Australia to post-war Singapore in search of her daughter, lost during the chaos of the war. Her journey of grief, identity and healing is deeply layered and thought-provoking.
What I really appreciate was Dawn Farnham’s descriptive writing - it truly transported me to that era. Her portrayal of the setting made 1950s Singapore feel so vivid and alive. I could almost hear the sounds of the city and feel the heaviness of the humidity and history.
I also found it especially clever of how the novel weaves in themes from the Maria Hertogh case - not just as a backdrop but thematically, exploring the question of whether children truly belong to their biological parents or the ones who raise them. That question really sits heavily in the book, and it made me think a lot about identity, belonging and what defines “family.”
Despite some heartbreaking moments, the story also carries a sense of hope. And while I’ve seen a few readers on Goodreads say the ending felt weak, I actually found it fitting and quietly satisfying. It didn’t need to be loud to leave a mark.
Finished another historical fiction read and this one felt especially close to home - set in the 1950s Singapore, just a few years after WWII. The story unfolds alongside the real-life backdrop of the Maria Hertogh/Natrah case, which really adds a deeply emotional and political weight to the narrative.
It follows Anne, a Eurasian woman who returns from Australia to post-war Singapore in search of her daughter, lost during the chaos of the war. Her journey of grief, identity and healing is deeply layered and thought-provoking.
What I really appreciate was Dawn Farnham’s descriptive writing - it truly transported me to that era. Her portrayal of the setting made 1950s Singapore feel so vivid and alive. I could almost hear the sounds of the city and feel the heaviness of the humidity and history.
I also found it especially clever of how the novel weaves in themes from the Maria Hertogh case - not just as a backdrop but thematically, exploring the question of whether children truly belong to their biological parents or the ones who raise them. That question really sits heavily in the book, and it made me think a lot about identity, belonging and what defines “family.”
Despite some heartbreaking moments, the story also carries a sense of hope. And while I’ve seen a few readers on Goodreads say the ending felt weak, I actually found it fitting and quietly satisfying. It didn’t need to be loud to leave a mark.
February 19, 2023
Since I am currently living in Singapore, this book is so timely. It is beautifully written and though the characterization may be somewhat lacking, I completely empathize with the story. I do certainly now have a greater appreciation for the history and people of this place. It is amazing how much I can see the remnants of the history relayed in this book still impacting all facets of life on this tiny island city. At one point I was sitting in a cafe reading, and the road that I was on was mentioned. The street I live on is mentioned in the book as well. It made me feel quite connected to the plot. I don't know if I would feel the same way about this book if I did not currently live here, but since I do it was most perfect for this moment in my life.
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November 7, 2017Live in Singapore. The story is REAL here.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews