Separation: A History

by Christine Chia

The sequel to The Law of Second Marriages, the best-selling and critically acclaimed poetry book by Christine. With "terrifying sparseness and intensity", as Cyril Wong observes, Christine threads together stories of the Separation between Singapore and Malaysia with the separation between her parents. Her searing vision, ambitious and intimate, opens up emotional spaces in unlikely places.

Genres: Poetry

94 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Christine Chia is the author of The Law of Second Marriages (Math Paper Press, 2011 and 2014). She is the co-editor of a forthcoming poetry anthology A Luxury We Cannot Afford (Math Paper Press, end 2014) and a featured writer at the Singapore Literature Festival in New York (Oct 10-12, 2014). Christine contributes poetry variously to such projects and publications as Prairie Schooner, softblow, Blue Lyra Review, Drift Index and the Substation Love Letters Project.

Reviews

[Alvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sat down and read Christine Chia's new volume of verse, SEPARATION: A HISTORY (Ethos Books, 2014), in one sitting.

A bold juxtaposition of family dynamics at the individual and national levels, it succeeds (but for a few oddly placed poems -- perhaps filler?) in evoking a sort of stereoscopic vision, with the reader having to hold both scales in mind at the same time. The big picture never quite resolves clearly -- but this astigmatic effect is perhaps not inappropriate for a collection about the disjunctive rather than the conjugal.

I wanted more language; I wanted more poems; I wanted -- not closure, but the beginnings of a way out of the spare claustrophobia of two photographs, two histories, two mirrors endlessly reflecting each other.

But there is, I gather, a closing chapter to this trilogy. If the technical leap from Chia's first book to the second is any indication, the third will be something to watch for. May it be soon, but not rushed.

[Bobbinus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An early reviewer mentioned how this book is not the best representation of history nor the border, but as someone who actually grew up traversing the Woodlands Causeway and between the histories of Malaysia and Singapore I am going to say that this collection was one of the truest pieces of Singaporean literature that I've read.

Though, admittedly, "tropical winter" irked me a little too.

[Pheng Heong Tan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My experience of reading this title? I found myself highly misled.

This book has the subtitle of 'A history' but in the colophon, the reader sees the words 'This is a work of fiction'. Quotes from various political figures are strewn throughout the book; am I to take those quotes as fictional too? Or, in reproducing those quotes, is this book trying to make a point about non-fictional history? Fiction or non-fiction? I found myself confused, unpleasantly so. And such inconsistency marred my reading experience, highly.

Two poems stand out to me in how noisome they are.

On Page 58, in the poem 'Homing', the poet comes across to me as being highly disingenuous - and too off-handed for my liking, given the subject matter - as she poses certain questions about 'broken homes', not to mention coming across as being insensitive to those who do come from broken homes/families.

I forgot which one the second noisome poem was (I say 'second' but not in any particular order) but the one on Page 42 ('Wakeful') might do. The words 'tropical', 'winter' and 'rain' appear in the same line - the opening line - and it was too much of a dissonant combination for me to stomach. Winter? Winter in the tropics? Rain? Wait, what, in which part of which tropics is there winter? Even if one allows for so-called 'artistic licence' - and for how this book has been called 'a work of fiction - I found myself repulsed at the opening line of this poem.

In Minae Mizumura's non-fiction book 'The fall of language in the age of English', Mizumura points out how Singapore resembles an Anglophone country even though some people view Singapore as a place where bilingualism has succeeded. In the book under review, Chinese ideograms appear in the page of Dedication (to the author's father). That's the only place where Chinese ideograms appear, although they make a poignant appearance so early in the book. I think, in the same way that Muzumura sees through the supposed bilingualism in Singapore - pointing out Singapore the Anglophone country - and in the same way that a reader can see that Chinese ideograms appear in only one page of the book under review (as far as I am aware), I think the astute reader is able to see what is really going in this book of poems, without me having to say too much.

[leia]

I don't know how to write poetry reviews, so this is based on the 'vibes'. Sorry.

But I liked it! I liked how it uses a lot of historical quotes and all to supplement the poetry. To me, it really enhanced the emotional overall idea of these poems by tying them back to like Singaporean values of pragmatism. Out of the three Ethos poetry books I've read, I definitely like this the most.

A thing I've personally found with Singaporean poetry is how a large amount don't seem to have a lot of meat? I mean this as a student who studies poetry, and Singaporean poems usually don't have enough to analyse for an essay, but I think most poems in this collection do, so instantly I love it.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal veers into the political, a tad too much. Thought-provoking and fantastically humanizing at some points (dancing in the dark, my lifelong struggle, the last leaf), trite at others (plenty in the first half- short, end). Some of the more on-the-nose poetry/prose poetry here does thus struggles to highlight the interplay between her own intimate, familial history and those of the nation.

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this thinking it was a short story or novel but turns out it’s a book of poems. I’m not really into poetry but I do like some of the poems here. It’s short enough and available from NLB for borrowing if you want to give it a try.

[nur · Rating 3 out of 5]

the poems were able to tell the stories of love, union and separation

once again i get to read the history of our nation - the
process, progression & hard truth on what it takes to govern its people and land

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars*

[Melvin Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something disturbing about Christine Chia’s poetry. As a newbie poetry reader, I can’t quite place a finger on it. I grew up in a normal home so it might be her dysfunctional family. She weaves political tumult with familial discord and draws a parallel with her parents’ separation. She intersperses humor throughout and that shows she has moved on. She has forgiven ever since but not forgotten (who can?) Thanks for sharing, Christine!