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Feng Shui Detective #5.5
Singapore Noir
"The 14 contributors to this all-original anthology, Singapore natives and non-natives alike, expose the Asian city state in all its noir glory."
--Publishers Weekly, Spring Announcement
Launched with the summer ’04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.
Brand-new stories by: Colin Goh, Simon Tay/Donald Tee Quee Ho, Philip Jeyaretnam, Colin Cheong, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, Monica Bhide, S.J. Rozan, Lawrence Osborne, Suchen Christine Lim, Ovidia Yu, Damon Chua, Johann S. Lee, Dave Chua, and Nury Vittachi.
From the introduction by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan:
“Say Singapore to anyone and you’ll likely hear one of a few words: Caning. Fines. Chewing gum.
For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore--a modern Southeast Asian city-state perched on an island on the tip of the Malay Peninsula--has been marked largely by its government’s strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them...As much as I understand these outside viewpoints, I have always lamented that the quirky and dark complexities of my native country’s culture rarely seem to make it past its borders...
Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows...And its stories remain. The rich stories that attracted literary lions W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling to hold court at the Raffles Hotel (where the Singapore Sling was created) are still sprinkled throughout its neighborhoods. And in the following pages, you’ll get the chance to discover some of them...
You’ll find stories from some of the best contemporary writers in Singapore--three of them winners of the Singapore Literature Prize, essentially the country’s Pulitzer: Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho, tells the story of a hard-boiled detective who inadvertently wends his way into the underbelly of organized crime, Colin Cheong shows us a surprising side to the country’s ubiquitous cheerful ‘taxi uncle,’ while Suchen Christine Lim spins a wistful tale of a Chinese temple medium whose past resurges to haunt her...
As for mine, I chose a setting close to my heart--the kelongs, or old fisheries on stilts, that once dotted the waters of Singapore but are gradually disappearing. I have a deep sense of romance about these kelongs, along with the many other settings, characters, nuances, and quirks that you’ll see in these stories. They’re intense, inky, nebulous. There is evil, sadness, a foreboding. And liars, cheaters, the valiant abound.
This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature--until now. No Disneyland here; but there is a death penalty.”
--Publishers Weekly, Spring Announcement
Launched with the summer ’04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book.
Brand-new stories by: Colin Goh, Simon Tay/Donald Tee Quee Ho, Philip Jeyaretnam, Colin Cheong, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, Monica Bhide, S.J. Rozan, Lawrence Osborne, Suchen Christine Lim, Ovidia Yu, Damon Chua, Johann S. Lee, Dave Chua, and Nury Vittachi.
From the introduction by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan:
“Say Singapore to anyone and you’ll likely hear one of a few words: Caning. Fines. Chewing gum.
For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore--a modern Southeast Asian city-state perched on an island on the tip of the Malay Peninsula--has been marked largely by its government’s strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them...As much as I understand these outside viewpoints, I have always lamented that the quirky and dark complexities of my native country’s culture rarely seem to make it past its borders...
Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows...And its stories remain. The rich stories that attracted literary lions W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling to hold court at the Raffles Hotel (where the Singapore Sling was created) are still sprinkled throughout its neighborhoods. And in the following pages, you’ll get the chance to discover some of them...
You’ll find stories from some of the best contemporary writers in Singapore--three of them winners of the Singapore Literature Prize, essentially the country’s Pulitzer: Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho, tells the story of a hard-boiled detective who inadvertently wends his way into the underbelly of organized crime, Colin Cheong shows us a surprising side to the country’s ubiquitous cheerful ‘taxi uncle,’ while Suchen Christine Lim spins a wistful tale of a Chinese temple medium whose past resurges to haunt her...
As for mine, I chose a setting close to my heart--the kelongs, or old fisheries on stilts, that once dotted the waters of Singapore but are gradually disappearing. I have a deep sense of romance about these kelongs, along with the many other settings, characters, nuances, and quirks that you’ll see in these stories. They’re intense, inky, nebulous. There is evil, sadness, a foreboding. And liars, cheaters, the valiant abound.
This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature--until now. No Disneyland here; but there is a death penalty.”
Paperback
First published June 1, 2014
44 people are currently reading
679 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
8 books76 followersCheryl Lu-Lien Tan is a New York City-based food and fashion writer whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, InStyle, Marie Claire, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Family Circle, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and many other outlets.
She is a regular contributor to the Atlantic Food Channel. Born and raised in Singapore, Tan graduated from Northwestern University and completed two residencies at Yaddo, the artists colony. A Tiger in the Kitchen is her first book. Follow her at: twitter.com/cheryltan88."
She is a regular contributor to the Atlantic Food Channel. Born and raised in Singapore, Tan graduated from Northwestern University and completed two residencies at Yaddo, the artists colony. A Tiger in the Kitchen is her first book. Follow her at: twitter.com/cheryltan88."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
October 16, 2017
I have expectations as the authors are well-known Singaporean authors but omg so disappointing. More than half of the stories are bleh and the writing is mediocre. I'm not sure if it's me. On a whole, I don't think the editor did a good job.
June 12, 2014
I won an advanced reading copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
Singapore Noir is a short story collection focusing on the darker side of Singapore. I've never previously heard of the Noir books, but apparently Akashic has a whole line of them from a variety of cities and countries such as Boston, Istanbul, Rome, San Diego and Wall Street! From the back of the book: "Say Singapore to anyone and you'll likely hear one of a few words: Caning. Fines. Chewing gum. For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore has been marked largely by its government's strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them. Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows and in the following pages, you'll get the chance to discover some of them. There is evil, sadness, a foreboding. This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature."
This book is comprised of four sections with three or four stories each pertaining to the themes: Sirens, Love (Or Something Like It), Gods & Demons, and The Haves & The Have-Nots. I can't remember if I've read much (or anything) set in Singapore, so this felt like a new experience for me. Most of the tales contain murder, or at least violence, so it might not be for the faint of heart - the material doesn't have a lot of graphic detail***, but if you don't want to read about murder and betrayal, then this probably isn't the book for you.
***Note: There is one tale - Detective In A City With No Crime - that is very sexually explicit, and I wasn't expecting that, so it grossed me out a bit. However, the writing itself was well done and I still enjoyed the story, just not the sexual scenes.
I felt all the stories fit together nicely. Rather than feeling like I was reading a bunch of random murder/mystery stories set in Singapore, it felt more like a novel but with different viewpoints and I enjoyed that. The characters in these stories aren't all natives to Singapore either, so the reader gets more than one type of outlook or lifestyle - one I particularly enjoyed was Kena Sai, which follows an American who relocated to Singapore with his wife and child. Rozan, the author, made the father likeable and his appreciation and experience in Singapore actually made me want to go there, but with this fictional character as my guide!
If you're into murder, mystery and betrayal, this book is for you! I imagine that the other Noir collections are just as gripping and interesting. There were a few stories that left me scratching my head at the end though (which could be a failing on my part), and I get frustrated when I don't understand the ending, especially in a short story, but other than that I really enjoyed this collection!
Singapore Noir is a short story collection focusing on the darker side of Singapore. I've never previously heard of the Noir books, but apparently Akashic has a whole line of them from a variety of cities and countries such as Boston, Istanbul, Rome, San Diego and Wall Street! From the back of the book: "Say Singapore to anyone and you'll likely hear one of a few words: Caning. Fines. Chewing gum. For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore has been marked largely by its government's strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them. Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows and in the following pages, you'll get the chance to discover some of them. There is evil, sadness, a foreboding. This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature."
This book is comprised of four sections with three or four stories each pertaining to the themes: Sirens, Love (Or Something Like It), Gods & Demons, and The Haves & The Have-Nots. I can't remember if I've read much (or anything) set in Singapore, so this felt like a new experience for me. Most of the tales contain murder, or at least violence, so it might not be for the faint of heart - the material doesn't have a lot of graphic detail***, but if you don't want to read about murder and betrayal, then this probably isn't the book for you.
***Note: There is one tale - Detective In A City With No Crime - that is very sexually explicit, and I wasn't expecting that, so it grossed me out a bit. However, the writing itself was well done and I still enjoyed the story, just not the sexual scenes.
I felt all the stories fit together nicely. Rather than feeling like I was reading a bunch of random murder/mystery stories set in Singapore, it felt more like a novel but with different viewpoints and I enjoyed that. The characters in these stories aren't all natives to Singapore either, so the reader gets more than one type of outlook or lifestyle - one I particularly enjoyed was Kena Sai, which follows an American who relocated to Singapore with his wife and child. Rozan, the author, made the father likeable and his appreciation and experience in Singapore actually made me want to go there, but with this fictional character as my guide!
If you're into murder, mystery and betrayal, this book is for you! I imagine that the other Noir collections are just as gripping and interesting. There were a few stories that left me scratching my head at the end though (which could be a failing on my part), and I get frustrated when I don't understand the ending, especially in a short story, but other than that I really enjoyed this collection!
September 6, 2014
Akashic has another win with Singapore Noir, edited by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan. Most of the authors have an ethnic or ancestral association with Singapore and this shows in their writing. Typical of Akashic's Noir series, Singapore Noir's short stories are organized into themes, here: Sirens, Love (or something like it), Gods & Demons, The Haves & the Have-Nots - the themes are wonderfully appropriate and the shorts fit the themes well.
There is no love in the stores of Singapore Noir - not parental, not romantic, not platonic. You might argue that schizophrenic Eddie pushes his mother into the sea out of love in Bhide's Mother, or that the unnamed investigator's passion for a shared professional is true in Tee Quee Ho's Detective in a City With No Crime, but if these are instances of love, they are perverted and almost obscene. There is no trust, no integrity - just consider the betrayals in Chua's Saiful and the Pink Edward VII. All relationships are built on some contrivance, convenience, exchange or evil. There is no hope, and no despair. There is just the eternal moment, no matter what the class or caste of concern in the tale, the culmination of centuries of tradition and superstition, of lives and lifetimes lost to Singapore's wiles.
Thanks Akashic for the review copy. Just love the series (yes, love).
--Ashland Mystery
There is no love in the stores of Singapore Noir - not parental, not romantic, not platonic. You might argue that schizophrenic Eddie pushes his mother into the sea out of love in Bhide's Mother, or that the unnamed investigator's passion for a shared professional is true in Tee Quee Ho's Detective in a City With No Crime, but if these are instances of love, they are perverted and almost obscene. There is no trust, no integrity - just consider the betrayals in Chua's Saiful and the Pink Edward VII. All relationships are built on some contrivance, convenience, exchange or evil. There is no hope, and no despair. There is just the eternal moment, no matter what the class or caste of concern in the tale, the culmination of centuries of tradition and superstition, of lives and lifetimes lost to Singapore's wiles.
Thanks Akashic for the review copy. Just love the series (yes, love).
--Ashland Mystery
March 4, 2017
An entry in a large series of dark ("noir") short stories set in various urban locations. Stories are OK but there were no real stand-outs for me.
January 24, 2025
"Singapore Noir," edited by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, is a captivating and unsettling addition to the Akashic Noir series. This collection plunges into the shadows beneath Singapore's polished surface, revealing a darker, more complex side to the city-state than is typically portrayed. As someone fascinated by the contrast between Singapore's squeaky-clean image and the undercurrents of its society, I found this collection particularly compelling.
The stories, written primarily by authors with ties to Singapore, resonate with authenticity. They explore themes of betrayal, self-interest, and the darker aspects of human relationships, often within the context of Singapore's unique cultural landscape. The thematic organization—"Sirens," "Love (or something like it)," "Gods & Demons," and "The Haves & the Have-Nots"—works effectively, creating a cohesive reading experience despite the diverse narratives.
I appreciated the variety of settings, which ranged from iconic locations like Raffles Place and Orchard Road to more obscure and atmospheric locales like the disappearing kelongs (fishing platforms). This breadth of setting added to the immersive quality of the stories, painting a vivid picture of Singapore's diverse urban and coastal environments. One story that particularly stood out for me was "Kena Sai," which offered a unique perspective through the eyes of an American expatriate navigating life in Singapore. It provided a relatable entry point into the complexities of the city-state.
While a couple of the stories left me slightly perplexed by their conclusions, the majority were evocative and engaging. They captured a sense of unease and foreboding, offering a glimpse into a Singapore rarely seen in Western literature. The writing is often sharp and insightful, effectively conveying the nuances of Singaporean culture and the complexities of its characters.
"Singapore Noir" isn't a lighthearted read. It's a collection that delves into the darker corners of human experience, set against the backdrop of a fascinating and often contradictory city. If you're a fan of noir fiction and are looking for a unique and thought-provoking exploration of Singapore, I highly recommend this book. It offers a powerful and unforgettable glimpse beneath the city's glittering facade.
The stories, written primarily by authors with ties to Singapore, resonate with authenticity. They explore themes of betrayal, self-interest, and the darker aspects of human relationships, often within the context of Singapore's unique cultural landscape. The thematic organization—"Sirens," "Love (or something like it)," "Gods & Demons," and "The Haves & the Have-Nots"—works effectively, creating a cohesive reading experience despite the diverse narratives.
I appreciated the variety of settings, which ranged from iconic locations like Raffles Place and Orchard Road to more obscure and atmospheric locales like the disappearing kelongs (fishing platforms). This breadth of setting added to the immersive quality of the stories, painting a vivid picture of Singapore's diverse urban and coastal environments. One story that particularly stood out for me was "Kena Sai," which offered a unique perspective through the eyes of an American expatriate navigating life in Singapore. It provided a relatable entry point into the complexities of the city-state.
While a couple of the stories left me slightly perplexed by their conclusions, the majority were evocative and engaging. They captured a sense of unease and foreboding, offering a glimpse into a Singapore rarely seen in Western literature. The writing is often sharp and insightful, effectively conveying the nuances of Singaporean culture and the complexities of its characters.
"Singapore Noir" isn't a lighthearted read. It's a collection that delves into the darker corners of human experience, set against the backdrop of a fascinating and often contradictory city. If you're a fan of noir fiction and are looking for a unique and thought-provoking exploration of Singapore, I highly recommend this book. It offers a powerful and unforgettable glimpse beneath the city's glittering facade.
August 10, 2024
5 A really interesting collection of short stories shining a light on, for me, a little known city and lifestyle. Some descriptions/characterisations of other nationalities bordering on insulting but if that is their reality then so be it. Some righteous endings, some none at all leaving me wondering what will happen next which I am sure was the intention. I don't think that I have read anything by the contributing writers which is exciting as I now have a few more authors to track down and read
Part I: Sirens
“Last Time” by Colin Goh (Raffles Place)
“Detective in a City with No Crime” by Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho (Tanglin)
“Strangler Fig” by Philip Jeyaretnam (Bukit Panjang)
“Smile, Singapore” by Colin Cheong (Ang Mo Kio)
Part II: Love (or something like it)
“Reel” by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan (Changi)
“Mother” by Monica Bhide (Kallang)
“Kena Sai” by S.J. Rozan (Bukit Timah)
“Tattoo” by Lawrence Osborne (Geylang) - I found this quite unsettling
Part III: Gods & Demons
“Mei Kwei, I Love You” by Suchen Christine Lim (Potong Pasir) - named a finalist for the Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award for Best P.I. Short Story
“Spells” by Ovidia Yu (Tiong Bahru)
“Saiful and the Pink Edward VII” by Damon Chua (Woodlands)
Part IV: The Haves & The Have-Nots
“Current Escape” by Johann S. Lee (Sentosa Cove)
“Bedok Reservoir” by Dave Chua (Bedok). - wow - more troubling to me was the relationship between maid and employer
“Murder on Orchard Road” by Nury Vittachi (Orchard Road)
Part I: Sirens
“Last Time” by Colin Goh (Raffles Place)
“Detective in a City with No Crime” by Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho (Tanglin)
“Strangler Fig” by Philip Jeyaretnam (Bukit Panjang)
“Smile, Singapore” by Colin Cheong (Ang Mo Kio)
Part II: Love (or something like it)
“Reel” by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan (Changi)
“Mother” by Monica Bhide (Kallang)
“Kena Sai” by S.J. Rozan (Bukit Timah)
“Tattoo” by Lawrence Osborne (Geylang) - I found this quite unsettling
Part III: Gods & Demons
“Mei Kwei, I Love You” by Suchen Christine Lim (Potong Pasir) - named a finalist for the Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award for Best P.I. Short Story
“Spells” by Ovidia Yu (Tiong Bahru)
“Saiful and the Pink Edward VII” by Damon Chua (Woodlands)
Part IV: The Haves & The Have-Nots
“Current Escape” by Johann S. Lee (Sentosa Cove)
“Bedok Reservoir” by Dave Chua (Bedok). - wow - more troubling to me was the relationship between maid and employer
“Murder on Orchard Road” by Nury Vittachi (Orchard Road)
March 24, 2018
I picked up Singapore Noir (2014) edited by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan as background reading for a recent trip to Singapore. I feel that it did provide atmosphere and context of the place in that each story was subtitled with the location within the island country where the story took place. Most of the authors, save for Lawrence Osborne, were new to me. That being said, I enjoyed most of the stories. The stories are arranged into four sections: "Part I: SIRENS", "Part II: Love (or Something Like It)", "Part III: Gods & Demons", "Part IV: The Haves & the Have Nots." It seemed as if the stories at the beginning and end of the collection stayed with me the most. But I can't really remember any of the stories being completely disappointing nor standing out too much from the others. As someone who has live din Japan for a long time I found the fact that Osborne names the son in the story-Tomiko jarring since I have never met a male Tomiko. Otherwise the story is fine, and I enjoyed his memoir Bangkok Days. Anyway, I was unaware that there were so many different volumes in this series, so I expect to be reading more of them as background for future excursions
January 21, 2018
I will admit I was not aware what the book is really about, apart from the fact there are many short stories set in Singapore. To my surprise the stories aren't light and easy to read, these represent the darker shades of the city/capital life what only locals may have heard.
I have been following the news and media to know it still got all the problems other countries are facing, it's not a country without a crime, but what made me like and appreciate the writers work is - having written a negative story, implementing culture marks and mentality, setting the atmosphere doggy and unpleasant.
I won't say I enjoyed all the stories, some I left unfinished and some read till the end.
Apparently, the "Noir" is a series set for cities across the globe, not sure I will be reading the rest of the series any time soon, but I am sure it would be interesting to read those and have a culture shock, perhaps, and see how various writers from the globe has chosen to represent the city "noir" atmosphere.
If you are looking for something very slightly different, grab the book and read!
I have been following the news and media to know it still got all the problems other countries are facing, it's not a country without a crime, but what made me like and appreciate the writers work is - having written a negative story, implementing culture marks and mentality, setting the atmosphere doggy and unpleasant.
I won't say I enjoyed all the stories, some I left unfinished and some read till the end.
Apparently, the "Noir" is a series set for cities across the globe, not sure I will be reading the rest of the series any time soon, but I am sure it would be interesting to read those and have a culture shock, perhaps, and see how various writers from the globe has chosen to represent the city "noir" atmosphere.
If you are looking for something very slightly different, grab the book and read!
July 7, 2019
Singapore feels like the perfect setting for stories of the noir. The richest city in southeast Asia. A city-state synonymous with the phrase "nanny state." No guns or drugs allowed but feel free to visit the local legalized and heavily regulated prostitution district. As someone who's taken a 16.5 plane ride across the Pacific to the Lion City, I appreciated this books ability (though sometimes in lackluster form) to capture the feel and uniqueness of the place.
The book is set all across the island in locations such as Raffles Place, the Geylang District, the resort island of Sentosa Cove and Orchard Road. We start off with Last Time, a story, like Singapore itself, reflects the influence of other nations on the city. In this case a reference to past ties with Great Britain and a large current day tie in with China, in particular its pop culture. The short story follows a young lawyer whose work with a Chinese pop singer turns from business, to pleasure, to something much darker. Then Reel is a sharply dark story of a teenage fisherman's encounter with two unsuspecting girls walking home from a local hawker center. Kena Sai follows a father and his son caught in the current of his wife's global career. This one has great flow and repetitiveness to it, leading to a satisfactory conclusion. In Tattoo we meet an over worked expat businessman who has a deep infatuation with a prostitute. His attention drifting more and more to her instead of his work and family. For me the Gods and Demons section of the book was the least entertaining. The stories there often were too convoluted and the spiritual tie ins felt a little watered down. The author's seemed to hint at them without embracing their possibilities fully.
While you don't have to have set foot in Singapore to enjoy the collection, I wouldn't suggest seeking it out if looking for your next book to read. It's not required, but I feel like having been to Asia gives you an appreciation for the stories more so than if you have not.
The book is set all across the island in locations such as Raffles Place, the Geylang District, the resort island of Sentosa Cove and Orchard Road. We start off with Last Time, a story, like Singapore itself, reflects the influence of other nations on the city. In this case a reference to past ties with Great Britain and a large current day tie in with China, in particular its pop culture. The short story follows a young lawyer whose work with a Chinese pop singer turns from business, to pleasure, to something much darker. Then Reel is a sharply dark story of a teenage fisherman's encounter with two unsuspecting girls walking home from a local hawker center. Kena Sai follows a father and his son caught in the current of his wife's global career. This one has great flow and repetitiveness to it, leading to a satisfactory conclusion. In Tattoo we meet an over worked expat businessman who has a deep infatuation with a prostitute. His attention drifting more and more to her instead of his work and family. For me the Gods and Demons section of the book was the least entertaining. The stories there often were too convoluted and the spiritual tie ins felt a little watered down. The author's seemed to hint at them without embracing their possibilities fully.
While you don't have to have set foot in Singapore to enjoy the collection, I wouldn't suggest seeking it out if looking for your next book to read. It's not required, but I feel like having been to Asia gives you an appreciation for the stories more so than if you have not.
February 12, 2025
Disappointing and not really noir
This series of Noir short stories based on city names is inconsistent at best and really mediocre at worst. This one is really mediocre. I love good noir and these stories didn’t fit the mold. Mostly they were a bit gimmicky, sometimes just creepy, and often similar in context (the abused foreign maid, etc.). The endings were often abrupt and didn’t really pay off for the effort of reading. I rarely say this about books I review and I’m saying it here. Don’t bother.
This series of Noir short stories based on city names is inconsistent at best and really mediocre at worst. This one is really mediocre. I love good noir and these stories didn’t fit the mold. Mostly they were a bit gimmicky, sometimes just creepy, and often similar in context (the abused foreign maid, etc.). The endings were often abrupt and didn’t really pay off for the effort of reading. I rarely say this about books I review and I’m saying it here. Don’t bother.
April 24, 2018
This was another quick read with lots of compelling stories contained within its covers. The "Love (Or Something Like It)" section was especially riveting with continuous reminders of the power of sex. The last story in the collection, "Murder on Orchard Road" put me in mind of the types of stories that used to appear in "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine" with its sly humor and twists & turns, leading to an ironic ending. One of the better anthologies in this series.
June 3, 2016
Picked this up at the Brooklyn Book Festival--why this was hanging out with all the kids' books, I have no idea. I've never read noir before, so I figured that short stories were a good way to cut my teeth, even if a couple people scoffed at the idea that noir stories could be set in a city as clean and outwardly respectable as Singapore. (I would argue that makes it an excellent setting.)
My chief complaint, I'm afraid, is probably traditional to the genre and can't be avoided in most cases: that's that, even though this collection did manage to include women writers (5 out of 14), there wasn't a single story with a female protagonist until Part III--though I actually had thought the first story was told from a woman's perspective until about two pages from the end, when another character cemented the lead's gender. Honestly, it would have been more interesting if left ambiguous. In any case, the lack of women or people of other genders was so pronounced that the first story with a female lead was jarring. There are only four stories with women narrators/over-the-shoulders (possibly three--"Spells" is a bit unclear, though I decided there were few enough women to put this in one in their camp).
You know what? Forget tradition. It's just plain lazy not to branch out in this day and age!
It was interesting to read these stories, so on the opposite side of what I saw from my reasonably sunny, short-sighted 5-to-8-year-old perspective. Obviously this is a side of Singapore that I was completely oblivious to, and probably not one that I'll see in a few weeks, since we'll probably stick to touristy areas and sites of nostalgia. But it was fun to read stories set in a place that I knew a long time ago and will be visiting again soon.
Favorite Stories:
"Kena Sai" - S.J. Rozan
Part social commentary, really--a young father falls in love with his son and Singapore just as he falls out of love with his restless, self-absorbed wife, and finds himself in a tight spot when she's ready to move on to the next thing--with child, but not ex-husband, in tow.
"Mei Kwei, I Love You" - Suchen Christine Lim
The first story featuring a woman main character, and a queer one at that. (Don't believe the character was specifically identified as a lesbian, so I'll leave it open.) I also loved the perspectives on religion and privilege--there was really a lot squeezed into this one story!
"Bedok Reservoir" - Dave Chua
A tad predictable, but I'd been waiting so long to get to a story told from a maid's perspective (and a second story clearly from the perspective of a woman) that this horrifying little revenge fantasy was like water in a desert.
"Murder on Orchard Road" - Nury Vittachi
I heartily approve of editor Tan's decision to end on a relatively lighthearted note, with this story
I liked "Reel" until the end--I saw the plot twit coming, but it wasn't explained at all (p94). The killer had no discernible motive, which was extremely strange given how heavily it was implied that they'd deliberately set out to do something heinous.
It seemed a bit as though Part I was stocked up with the heavy, truly dark stuff, with "Kena Sai" the first relative light in the tunnel. Part I was so heavy and adult that I worry sensitive readers might not make it to the lighter fare later on--I'm a voracious reader of fanfiction, but getting shoved into the brooding male sex fantasy of "Detective In a City with No Crime" was about as comfortable as a swim in the Arctic Ocean. Yes, yes, argue that it's par for the course all you want, but the aforementioned fanfiction seems to be making me a dark literature snob.
Quotes
35 - True, the state is a nanny and the bureaucracy does not know how to let a person live without rules, and so they reduce life to a schedule of permits and licenses to be applied and paid for. The have allowed seediness and confined it to certain quarters. The upper class are garrisoned with their respectability in other areas, all with rising real estate values.
Snerk. Perfect setting for a distopia. I'm waiting for the next round of distopian teen fiction set in a place where you start out on the sunny side--Hunger Games from the perspective of Capital City, or something. Not that that's related to noir, really, but I just really like this vision of "seediness confined to certain quarters."
66 - All white men looked the same to him.
I applaud this sentence for existing.
165 - I just found the end of this story very poignant. Here's Cha-Li trying to shoehorn the future she wanted into the present she was given, and it's definitely not going to work. She's still focused on her picture, not the big picture: defining what might happen in terms relative to herself rather than others.
212 - Like Natalia, she had wanted a better life. It was true that sometimes Natalia also considered suicide, but she knew she had to press on. If she died, her debts would simply be passed on to her family.
219 - I loved how the two main women in this story shared a kind of solidarity even though they'd never met.
237 - There was a certain Zen quality about the paradox that would give the race a uniquely Asian flavor.
Quoting the whole paragraph will spoil the ending, but I was delighted with the clever solution to an outlandish problem.
My chief complaint, I'm afraid, is probably traditional to the genre and can't be avoided in most cases: that's that, even though this collection did manage to include women writers (5 out of 14), there wasn't a single story with a female protagonist until Part III--though I actually had thought the first story was told from a woman's perspective until about two pages from the end, when another character cemented the lead's gender. Honestly, it would have been more interesting if left ambiguous. In any case, the lack of women or people of other genders was so pronounced that the first story with a female lead was jarring. There are only four stories with women narrators/over-the-shoulders (possibly three--"Spells" is a bit unclear, though I decided there were few enough women to put this in one in their camp).
You know what? Forget tradition. It's just plain lazy not to branch out in this day and age!
It was interesting to read these stories, so on the opposite side of what I saw from my reasonably sunny, short-sighted 5-to-8-year-old perspective. Obviously this is a side of Singapore that I was completely oblivious to, and probably not one that I'll see in a few weeks, since we'll probably stick to touristy areas and sites of nostalgia. But it was fun to read stories set in a place that I knew a long time ago and will be visiting again soon.
Favorite Stories:
"Kena Sai" - S.J. Rozan
Part social commentary, really--a young father falls in love with his son and Singapore just as he falls out of love with his restless, self-absorbed wife, and finds himself in a tight spot when she's ready to move on to the next thing--with child, but not ex-husband, in tow.
"Mei Kwei, I Love You" - Suchen Christine Lim
The first story featuring a woman main character, and a queer one at that. (Don't believe the character was specifically identified as a lesbian, so I'll leave it open.) I also loved the perspectives on religion and privilege--there was really a lot squeezed into this one story!
"Bedok Reservoir" - Dave Chua
A tad predictable, but I'd been waiting so long to get to a story told from a maid's perspective (and a second story clearly from the perspective of a woman) that this horrifying little revenge fantasy was like water in a desert.
"Murder on Orchard Road" - Nury Vittachi
I heartily approve of editor Tan's decision to end on a relatively lighthearted note, with this story
I liked "Reel" until the end--I saw the plot twit coming, but it wasn't explained at all (p94). The killer had no discernible motive, which was extremely strange given how heavily it was implied that they'd deliberately set out to do something heinous.
It seemed a bit as though Part I was stocked up with the heavy, truly dark stuff, with "Kena Sai" the first relative light in the tunnel. Part I was so heavy and adult that I worry sensitive readers might not make it to the lighter fare later on--I'm a voracious reader of fanfiction, but getting shoved into the brooding male sex fantasy of "Detective In a City with No Crime" was about as comfortable as a swim in the Arctic Ocean. Yes, yes, argue that it's par for the course all you want, but the aforementioned fanfiction seems to be making me a dark literature snob.
Quotes
35 - True, the state is a nanny and the bureaucracy does not know how to let a person live without rules, and so they reduce life to a schedule of permits and licenses to be applied and paid for. The have allowed seediness and confined it to certain quarters. The upper class are garrisoned with their respectability in other areas, all with rising real estate values.
Snerk. Perfect setting for a distopia. I'm waiting for the next round of distopian teen fiction set in a place where you start out on the sunny side--Hunger Games from the perspective of Capital City, or something. Not that that's related to noir, really, but I just really like this vision of "seediness confined to certain quarters."
66 - All white men looked the same to him.
I applaud this sentence for existing.
165 - I just found the end of this story very poignant. Here's Cha-Li trying to shoehorn the future she wanted into the present she was given, and it's definitely not going to work. She's still focused on her picture, not the big picture: defining what might happen in terms relative to herself rather than others.
212 - Like Natalia, she had wanted a better life. It was true that sometimes Natalia also considered suicide, but she knew she had to press on. If she died, her debts would simply be passed on to her family.
219 - I loved how the two main women in this story shared a kind of solidarity even though they'd never met.
237 - There was a certain Zen quality about the paradox that would give the race a uniquely Asian flavor.
Quoting the whole paragraph will spoil the ending, but I was delighted with the clever solution to an outlandish problem.
October 27, 2017
Engaging, yet unsettling read, depicting a darker, disturbing, and shadier Singapore hidden under the squeaky clean image it has. As mentioned, it's like Disneyland with death penalty. Warts and all, these short tales showcase some promising writers that show a more dangerous and noirish side to this island state.
December 26, 2020
Pleasant read, with a few holes here and there.
Some of the short stories are pretty good and develop nicely, while others seem to take you through the "set up" and then close out in half a paragraph as if the author had no time to waste.
Pity, could have been better. Then again, as a foreigner living in Singapore, it is very interesting reading about (some) places I know.
Some of the short stories are pretty good and develop nicely, while others seem to take you through the "set up" and then close out in half a paragraph as if the author had no time to waste.
Pity, could have been better. Then again, as a foreigner living in Singapore, it is very interesting reading about (some) places I know.
October 31, 2021
This has to be one of my favorite Akashic Noir collections so far. There was only one short story that I didn’t like. While the ending on a couple of others left me scratching my head, the stories themselves were evocative and enchanting. The sense of place m, the variety of characters and stories, all combined to make a rich collection of dark tales.
October 14, 2020
I picked this book amongst a bunch of COVID giveaways. What a fun way to travel in an era when traveling is impossible. Each story was different, and an interesting and sometimes painful glimpse into the dark side of Singapore. I recommend this collection highly.
December 29, 2017
Some of the stories were alright, unimpressed by most. Maybe noir's not my genre.
June 18, 2018
Decent only for a quick read.
Only enjoyed the last short story.
The rest were mediocre.
Only enjoyed the last short story.
The rest were mediocre.
August 9, 2019
A collection of noir stories set in Singapore that sadly feels unrealistic and fails to leave any lasting impression. Mediocre on average, it is hard to find any of the stories truly exciting.
November 30, 2021
Taka byłam na to nastawiona, a to jednak spore rozczarowanie. Kilka opowiadań było okej, ale w ogóle nie zapadły mi w pamięć. Wpadły, wypadły...
May 31, 2024
Really enjoyable collection of Singaporean short stories. A small island with a lot of talent.
Read
June 19, 2025mostly middling
January 15, 2025
Listened on Audible. Definitely the most interesting of the Akashic Noir books that I've read so far.
The ones I've read are 1)Manhattan Noir, 2)Sydney Noir, 3)D.C. Noir, 4)Paris Noir, and then this one, 5) Singapore Noir. This one was the only one I've listened to, the rest of the books were actual reads.
I don't know if that is why I enjoyed this one more, due to the narrators. There was something about the speakers and the Asian accents with a sing-song type delivery that added to the authenticity of the characters. But the stories were interesting also. There were only a couple stories that I didn't care for. So far, in each of the other books there would only be two or three stories that I liked.
I have quite a few of these books and will work my way through the twenty(?) or so that I have. This one just happened to be free for me on Audible download at the moment, so I went for it.
Early on there were a couple of glitches in the streaming, two places where the narration repeated itself--just a small section.
Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend listening to the book.
The ones I've read are 1)Manhattan Noir, 2)Sydney Noir, 3)D.C. Noir, 4)Paris Noir, and then this one, 5) Singapore Noir. This one was the only one I've listened to, the rest of the books were actual reads.
I don't know if that is why I enjoyed this one more, due to the narrators. There was something about the speakers and the Asian accents with a sing-song type delivery that added to the authenticity of the characters. But the stories were interesting also. There were only a couple stories that I didn't care for. So far, in each of the other books there would only be two or three stories that I liked.
I have quite a few of these books and will work my way through the twenty(?) or so that I have. This one just happened to be free for me on Audible download at the moment, so I went for it.
Early on there were a couple of glitches in the streaming, two places where the narration repeated itself--just a small section.
Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend listening to the book.
February 12, 2018
Well a lot of dark things happen in Singapore in this book. Imagine that. But I like books that make me feel things, even if they are negative so 4 stars.
July 1, 2014
This collection of short noir fiction dealing with the underbelly of Singapore did not meet my expectations. I liked certain aspects found within some of the stories and a few that, in their entirety, were okay. Yet most did not possess the literary aptitude I anticipated. I was never fully engaged by these stories because I was constantly distracted by the below average to average structural quality and character development. Much of the writing was prosaic and felt unnatural. I had looked forward to that gritty, hypnotic narrative prevalent in the noir genre. Instead, I was extremely underwhelmed and disappointed.
Akashic Books has published a number of books under the Noir series. I read Boston Noir when it was first published, and if I remember accurately, I enjoyed stories by David Foster Wallace, Joyce Carol Oates, Andre Dubus, and authors of similar literary strengths. It was because of this book that I requested Singapore Noir. I mention this because one book can lead a person towards or away from additional books within a series. Had Singapore been my first Noir read, I would never have looked at another from this series. As it stands, I do not know whether or not I will pick up another. I am sure I will look over any that arrive in the Library, just in case. It is possible there are just a few bad apples within this whole batch and I happened to read one of them.
Akashic Books has published a number of books under the Noir series. I read Boston Noir when it was first published, and if I remember accurately, I enjoyed stories by David Foster Wallace, Joyce Carol Oates, Andre Dubus, and authors of similar literary strengths. It was because of this book that I requested Singapore Noir. I mention this because one book can lead a person towards or away from additional books within a series. Had Singapore been my first Noir read, I would never have looked at another from this series. As it stands, I do not know whether or not I will pick up another. I am sure I will look over any that arrive in the Library, just in case. It is possible there are just a few bad apples within this whole batch and I happened to read one of them.
June 29, 2015
Singapore Noir is a collection of fourteen short stories compiled by Akashic Books, as part of its internationally spanning noir series.
It was good fun romping through the shorts, many of which explore our country's hot button issues and speculate on notable crimes that sometimes make shocking headlines in an otherwise safe, sterile petri dish of an island. Many of these stories are rife with grisly murders, shocking scandals, plotting and betrayal. Very exemplary of the theme of the collection.
My personal gripe with most of the stories however, would be the exposition. I felt that while in the midst of including distinctive local flavour in their stories, many of the writers traded off the nuance in their writing for unwieldy chunks of political and social commentary, or fun facts about Singapore that don't really add much to the plot.
Perhaps it's a bit of a semantic thing, as Singapore is a bit of a melting pot of cultures, and thus some of the writers, in the effort to fulfill an obligation to a collection poised at an international audience, begin to sound a little heavy handed with their constant signposting and decoding of Singaporean colloquialisms.
That being said, it was an enjoyable collection, and brings a refreshing dark twist to our sunny little island.
My personal favourites include:
Last Time by Colin Goh
Detective in a City with No Crime by Simon Tay
Smile Singapore by Colin Cheong
Current Escape by Johann S. Lee
It was good fun romping through the shorts, many of which explore our country's hot button issues and speculate on notable crimes that sometimes make shocking headlines in an otherwise safe, sterile petri dish of an island. Many of these stories are rife with grisly murders, shocking scandals, plotting and betrayal. Very exemplary of the theme of the collection.
My personal gripe with most of the stories however, would be the exposition. I felt that while in the midst of including distinctive local flavour in their stories, many of the writers traded off the nuance in their writing for unwieldy chunks of political and social commentary, or fun facts about Singapore that don't really add much to the plot.
Perhaps it's a bit of a semantic thing, as Singapore is a bit of a melting pot of cultures, and thus some of the writers, in the effort to fulfill an obligation to a collection poised at an international audience, begin to sound a little heavy handed with their constant signposting and decoding of Singaporean colloquialisms.
That being said, it was an enjoyable collection, and brings a refreshing dark twist to our sunny little island.
My personal favourites include:
Last Time by Colin Goh
Detective in a City with No Crime by Simon Tay
Smile Singapore by Colin Cheong
Current Escape by Johann S. Lee
May 19, 2014
SINGAPORE NOIR is the latest addition to the Akashic Noir Series and in 14 short stories, uncovers a seedy world most people would not want to become part of but thrill to read about. With topics ranging from lust and betrayal, guns, the unique language that makes the city-state of Singapore operate, prostitution, even black magic, these short stories will suck you into the world beyond the headlines, deep past the neat and orderly streets, the strict laws and their enforcement, into the lower world that exists drawing life parasitically from the straight laced, purer world beyond.
“Smile, Singapore” tells the story of a poor man who finds a gun and the tragic outcome. “Last Time” recounts a tragic love affair that could not happen, and, in true noir fashion, lets the reader know that nothing you hope for will turn out as you wanted. “Mei Kwei, I Love You” is a love story/magic story/lust tale and private detective story all rolled into one, a place where buried passion burrows through common sense and leads to a kind of salvation.
Each tale brings a different view to this Asian jewel, highlighting a facet yet seen. All are nicely written candies certain to please the sweet tooth of the reader. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series but now find myself looking into the Chicago and Dublin collections.
I won the book through Goodreads.
“Smile, Singapore” tells the story of a poor man who finds a gun and the tragic outcome. “Last Time” recounts a tragic love affair that could not happen, and, in true noir fashion, lets the reader know that nothing you hope for will turn out as you wanted. “Mei Kwei, I Love You” is a love story/magic story/lust tale and private detective story all rolled into one, a place where buried passion burrows through common sense and leads to a kind of salvation.
Each tale brings a different view to this Asian jewel, highlighting a facet yet seen. All are nicely written candies certain to please the sweet tooth of the reader. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series but now find myself looking into the Chicago and Dublin collections.
I won the book through Goodreads.
June 4, 2014
I was excited to read "Singapore Noir" because I've visited the city-state and love a good noir story. And this collection did not disappoint! Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan edited the fourteen short stories in this book, including her own, which I really loved. Set amidst a traditional fishing community, Cheryl Tan's story is both informative and haunting. I also enjoyed Colin Cheong's story centered around a taxi uncle that takes many unexpected twists and turns. Two others by Lawrence Osborne and S.J. Rozan told the stories of expats in Singapore who have relationship troubles once they arrive in the city-state. I loved these stories, too, and could empathize with the spouses who were left behind...until they weren't! I recommend this book for anyone who likes noir stories, has been to Singapore, or is interested in reading about Singapore beyond the canings and littering laws.
June 14, 2014
Singapore, the city-state reknown for her cleanliness that borders on sterile conditions, draconian laws, enviable economy and affluence, high property and car prices, and a generally safe society. Singapore Noir, through short stories, exposes the darker side of the little island state, raising to our consciousness that below the glossy surface lurks the roiling beasts of humanity that could strike at any moment.
Singlish, the local patois, a mix of various Chinese dialects, Malay, English and occasionally Tamil, is scattered through the stories, incomprehensible and jarring perhaps to some readers who have yet to be exposed to the language, nonetheless provides the authenticity of the voices in the stories.
Some stories are uncomfortable, some are shocking and some will anger the reader, but what's common among them all is they each elicit a strong reaction.
Singlish, the local patois, a mix of various Chinese dialects, Malay, English and occasionally Tamil, is scattered through the stories, incomprehensible and jarring perhaps to some readers who have yet to be exposed to the language, nonetheless provides the authenticity of the voices in the stories.
Some stories are uncomfortable, some are shocking and some will anger the reader, but what's common among them all is they each elicit a strong reaction.
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