Sugarbread

by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Shortlisted for the 2018 Singapore Literature Prize for Fiction in English
Shortlisted for the 2017 Singapore Book Award for Fiction
Finalist for the 2015 Epigram Books Fiction Prize

Pin must not become like her mother, but nobody will tell her why. She seeks clues in Ma’s cooking when she’s not fighting other battles—being a bursary girl at an elite school and facing racial taunts from the bus uncle. Then her meddlesome grandmother moves in, installing a portrait of a watchful Sikh guru and a new set of house rules. Old secrets begin to surface but can Pin handle learning the truth?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Young Adult, Asia, India, Family, Asian Literature

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2016

About the author

Balli Kaur Jaswal's latest novel is The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters (Harper Collins/William Morrow). Her previous novels include Inheritance, which won the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelist Award, and Sugarbread, a finalist for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize and the Singapore Literature Prize. Her third novel Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows was translated into 15 languages and chosen by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine book club.

Reviews

[Xueting · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow, beautiful read! I love love LOVED the author’s most recent book, “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Women,” so I really wanted to read her earlier stuff especially as they are set in Singapore!!!

I felt quite clearly that the author’s writing improved from “Sugarbread” to “Erotic Stories,” which is great for her!! For “Sugarbread,” I had trouble getting into the story and the narrative style at the start, because of some abrupt and slightly confusing flashbacks, and the overload of descriptions to “set the scene” of 90s Singapore. That last one really slowed the pace down in a frustrating way. There were also a lot of secrets going on that not so much intrigued me as made me impatient, because i could totally guess the basics of what happened in the past, but our young MC, Pin, was too innocent she kept narrating her confusion. Also, i could tell that the impact of the secrets wasn’t such a big deal as Pin and the author made it out to be. What happened in the past turned out to be very serious, of course, and the emotional baggage is warranted. But what I mean is, the revelation wouldn’t and didn’t do anything to affect the characters’ future much.

It’s exciting to spot all these references to my country (where i’ve grown up and been living till today), but there were one too many details and explanations, it was quite clear the author was addressing and trying to cater to non-Singaporeans more than Singaporeans like herself. Nothing wrong with trying to help the book appeal to global readers, but I wish she could have found some middle ground. And it’s not like, the author’s fault at all, but it irks me that books set in the US or England are written like I should just get all these references without explanation, but once it’s a different religion or region we gotta give you the crash course and take away some of that spark which would have been there if we wrote more naturally and to the point. Okay /rant over.

So why four stars if it seems like I got a lot of criticism? Once the story started to get going and the whole ~mystery~ of the secrets got more development, I felt very connected to the main characters: Pin, her mother and her father. They came very much alive and complex. Although I felt like shaking her hard for not picking up some obvious clues sometimes, Pin is endearing, smart and mature. There were also a lot of super incisive, nuanced and eye-opening discussions of racism, sexism and religion in Singapore, I loved that. As a Chinese in Singapore, i will never not need and appreciate these takes on our racial society from a non-Chinese perspective, and i learned a lot about the Sikh community from this book. The writing is ultimately beautiful, all that glorious images of food made me so hungry, and that last paragraph? I re-read it a few times in awe, it was not just a brilliant way to close the story, it also warmed my heart :’)

We also don’t have many contemporary young adult, coming-of-age novels in Singapore too, so this one is special. The author is definitely my favourite local author and I can’t wait to read the book she wrote before this one! Yes i’m going it backwards!

[Mridula Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to the Sikh diaspora residing in Singapore, and as an Indian, a lot of these things resonated with me, especially the food and the importance of Gods in our culture. Our MC Pin, a young and curious duckling, tries to understand why her mother asks her not to be like her. When a grandparent moves to her home, she realizes that there are some differences between her family and her grandmother, one that dates back to when Jini, her mother was a child.
Sugarbread deals with emotional trauma, but in a city whose culture is foreign to this family. They are residents but never the same as the original inhabitants. The book also explores patriarchy and race, the nitty-gritty of it, and how it leaves a long-lasting impact.

Jaswal is detail-oriented and meticulous and writes in an engaging and graceful way. She doesn't provide any instance for us to judge the characters, just a pedestal to see the drama unfold and probably, empathize.
What I loved most about this book is how she took care of most of the aspects of an immigrant life without the info dump. Her characters are struggling, and visibly so. And her stories are poignant and fluid, albeit a little slow.

[Ahtims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread - paperback. June 2025
This time round I feel taht Jinny suffered from atopic dermatitis


Am totally bedazzled with this story. Listened to the audio version. Loved the tale of mother and daughter, past family tragedy which casts a shadow upon the current family , portrayal of dysfunctional relationships , traditions, customs , religions and their integration , role of food in religion and customs , and how various religions live in close proximity and harmony in the melting pot of Singapore .
Won't forget Pin, her sympathetic father or her poor mother with the unfortunate childhood and tragic circumstances.
I kept on wondering what the skin problem which is repeatedly mentioned in the book is...
Am banking upon neurotic excoriations, though it very well can be lichen planus, prurigo or psoriasis.

Am totally in love with this tale
Shall read it again.
May buy a paperback for my collection

[Soumya Prasad (bluntpages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scars, physical or emotional, are called scars for a reason. No matter how you try to cover them up, a faint trace always remains. If you manage to camouflage it, there are people who always make it a point to remind you of it.

Some scars never get washed away, especially those you have since childhood. Childhood trauma is the worst thing that can happen to a child and more often than not, this gets passed on from generation to generation. This is a cross that every child must bear. This barbaric, viscous cycle continues unless someone steps up and says, "That's it. This is where it stops running in the family". I did this decades ago and I hope that every child who goes through this finds the courage to do it too.

Parveen Kaur or Pin, a ten year old, lives with her parents in a middle class society in Singapore. As much as she loves her father, her mother, Jini, is someone she has never understood till date. Her mother seems perpetually angry with life and most of the conversations that she has with her is to say, "Don't become like me". Without the whole story, Pin isn't sure what to make of it. The only way she can decipher her mother's myriad moods is through her cooking. Sweet, spicy, tangy and rich, Pin tries hard to understand her mother through the food she cooks. When her mother's mother comes to live with them, ghosts of the past start tumbling over from every corner.

Jini tries really hard to get along with her ailing mother while protecting her daughter, but there is only so much one can put up with. As much as she doesn't want her daughter to become like her, she doesn't know how to stop that from happening. This breaks your heart. Pin meanwhile, is trying to adjust to the new changes in her house while dealing with shame and bullying at school. Her father is trying his best to keep his family together while finding it hard to keep his wife from breaking.

The characters, the setting, the backstory, the current scenario, everything is near perfect in this one! I loved the importance given to the food which in many ways forms the backbone of the story. The shopping, the storage, the chopping, the cooking, it was all drool worthy.

Gosh! How much I loved this book. The writing is brilliant and the narration hits the center of your heart! The book takes the concept of childhood trauma, mental scars, accidental death, toxic relationships and handles it with utmost sensitivity and with the right hint of innocence through the eyes of the ten year old. It is hard to not get consumed by this one. If you have a heart, you will. Like that delicious sweet and bitter layer of sugar on bread, this story just melts in your mouth while leaving an impactful lump in your throat.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Kirat Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great local young adult novel, i'm really surprised it hasn't been marketed as such. Sensitively written and universally appealing without compromising on the particularities of growing up as part of a tiny, sometimes close-minded minority community in Singapore, Sugarbread tells the story of Pin and her family with compulsion, sincerity and grace. Jaswal does a superb job of writing a complex young character with agency, who's developing and learning as her life unfolds. I'm a bit of a sucker for stories that tie emotions to food and its preparations, and this one certainly delivered on that front as well. Sugarbread, like Inheritance before it, confronts painful and difficult aspects of our existence head on. I was in tears by the end of it, for many reasons, but mainly because we so sorely need stories like these, that emphasise love, fortitude and forgiveness in the face of all the ugliness that the Singapore Punjabi-Sikh community loves hiding in our closets. A novel like this would've changed my life at 18, and i can only imagine how much potential it has to strike a chord with young people now that it's out there in the world.

[Subashini · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 3.5 stars, but not quite 4. Much of this has to do with the typical narrative structure of this book.

This is about ten-year-old Pin (going on eleven) growing up Sikh in late 80s, early 90s multicultural Singapore. It's a coming of age tale that has at its heart family secrets, relationships between women, sexism, religion, tradition vs modernity, and the meaning of food. In many ways, it has all the tropes of realist fiction set in these parts or in and around Asia--the 3.5 stars is less about the book and more about my weariness with this particular narrative. I'm sort of tired of the "family secrets/learning about oneself through a series of events that hint at a hidden trauma and resolved by the end"-type thing. The ending is moving and hopeful, but also predictable and has the usual tinge of "redemption for all". I think she wrote the final chapter with grace, without sentimentality, but the whole arc of the book is still somewhat predictable. There are occasional moments of humour that are very well-done, dry and deadpan, and I did wish there was more of that.

Having said that, it's a well-written book that highlights the life of a minority and the casual racism that's prevalent in Southeast Asia, and it was a nostalgic read for me because it reminded me of the Malaysia I grew up in. I think something crucial about this is not just the outsider status Pin and her family have because of their race and religion, but also because of class. So even though Singapore has the status of an advanced economy, this book is worlds apart from those Kevin Kwan books - about which the less said, the better. It shows you what life is like when you're a have-not in a have-all economy. Definitely recommended if the subject interests you and if you would like to know what Singapore is like for its minorities.

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐️
Me ha encantado todo el proceso de aprendizaje de Pin 💛

[Krutika · Rating 5 out of 5]

• r e v i e w •
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Sometime last year I read Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows and was enraptured by Balli Kaur Jaswal's writing flair. And when Sugarbread came in the mail, I knew I had to immediately read it. Unlike ESFPW, Sugarbread felt more personal probably because of Pin and the relationship she shared with her mother (something that instantly lured me in). But beyond relationships, this novel focuses on Pin struggling to find her identity, acceptance and above all, in knowing that nothing comes close to seeking comfort from family. The author has the ability to make one see Singapore through her eyes and while I devoured this novel, I could picture the market that Pin and her mother frequented to and the warm taste of sugar melting in my mouth as I bit into freshly toasted bread.
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Set in the 90s, Pin's family is amongst the minorities living in Singapore. With a father who never fails to smile and a mother whose moods are depicted in the food that she makes, Pin lives a seemingly normal life until she witnesses a sudden change in the family dynamics. From the very beginning it's clear that Pin adores her mother, right from her beauty to the way she whips us delicious food of various cuisines. They were like other Punjabi families until they stopped visiting the temple, until the portrait of God was taken down and she was permitted to cut her hair. At school, Pin is aware of her family's financial condition as she stands in the queue to receive Bursary. When the Bus uncle calls her 'Mungalee', her face flushes with anger because she's too young to deal with racism. While dealing with subtle racism at school to being part of a familial drama, Pin comes to understand her mother's secret.
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Pin who's just ten notices how her father works hard to keep the family happy and how her mother's rash flares up when she is worried. She understands how her mother's day has been through the food she is served. When her grandmother moves in, she finds a drastic change in her mother's cooking. Everything seems bland, a sign that her mother is exhausted and sad. While Pin's mother and grandmother work on resolving their past, Pin is let in on the secret that her mother has guarded all her life; part of her past which broke families that they are now trying to mend. The book is narrated by Pin, a child who is mature beyond her age but allows a little bit of imagination to let her get through the days. Pin is funny, witty and extremely brave, often making me want to hug her and tell her how proud I was of her. From racism to sexual assault, Balli Kaur Jaswal hasn't held herself back in addressing important issues that plague many countries. Through Pin, she paints a vivid picture of how children perceive racism and uncalled differentiation when they can barely understand those concepts. And through food, she brings together a rich mix of emotions that not only warmed me but left behind a bittersweet taste in my mouth. It's amazing how a novel that is so lighthearted addresses significant flaws in the society.
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Sugarbread was everything I hoped to be and so much more. To read the story from a child's perspective was not only refreshing but was also moving and at times, rib-tickling. Pin was relatable and perhaps this is why I absolutely adore this novel. And not soon after I finished reading this, I made myself Sugarbreads and ate them with the same amount of enthusiasm that Pin did. I highly recommend this.
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Rating : 4.8/5.

[Jason Lundberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to being a compelling and empathetic portrayal of a young Punjabi Sikh girl growing up in Singapore in the 1990s, Sugarbread is also a celebration of women, and it doesn't shy away from the complicated relationships between them. Each of the main female characters—Pin, her mother Jini, and her grandmother Kulwant (Nani-ji)—are evoked with such affection that it’s hard to believe after finishing the book that they are fictional. Jaswal does not shy away from showing us how flawed and human they are, and the small (and not-so-small) tragedies that they suffer through, as well as the triumphs that make the reader let out woots of joy.

All of this, plus an examination of Singapore’s endemic racism, especially toward its South Asian community. Pin has to brook taunts by Bus Uncle, an old man who collects money from the students on the school bus (and attempts, and fails, to keep order), as well as vile comments from classmate Abigail Goh. Pin’s outrage and how she deals with these encounters do more to illustrate how the Chinese majority tends to treat South Asians and Malays than a hundred Racial Harmony Days. This casual racist bullshit has consequence, and Pin’s endurance of it is a social justice punch right to the gut.

Sugarbread is an important book, especially right now, when it seems that public policy seems to be regressing in the wake of LKY’s death last year. And while I can’t claim that the novel would eradicate racism in Singapore if it were assigned to schoolchildren here, I do believe that it could easily become Singapore’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

[Nona · Rating 4 out of 5]

My knowledge of Singaporean literature is... zero. But in my endeavor to read at least one book from each country, I stumbled upon Balli Kaur Jaswal and her "Sugarbread", something that seemed light and fun enough to try out. But the title is deceiving: the novel is neither light nor fun. Instead, I found a story about family, heartache, racism and traditions.

The novel follows Pin, a ten-year-old Punjabi Sikh girl growing up in Singapore in the 1990s. She is a curious child who wants nothing more than to fit in at her Catholic school, where she is one of the few Sikh students. However, as a bursary student, she becomes increasingly aware of the racial and social differences that isolates her from her classmates. At home, Pin's life is shaped by her loving but strict mother, Jini, and by her affectionate but largely absent father. Their peaceful family life is soon disrupted by the arrival of Jini's mother, who is sick and comes to live with them. Nani-ji is traditional, very religious, and her relationship with her daughter is marked by a sad secret from the past and by Jini's decision to marry outside her cast.

This is a first-person narrative, told from the perspective of Pin. Having a child not only as main character, but also as narrator, always seemed to me an act of courage. Often, adults forget what it's like to be a child and many stories told from the perspective of one are unrealistic. But I found Pin's voice fresh, and her struggles with school, fitting in with the other children, navigating the confusion that lives in her house felt authentic. She has no filter - children generally don't -, and this made her endearing. I found no clichés, instead Jaswal gave us a a genuine portrayal of childhood curiosity and resilience.

One of my favorite aspects of "Sugarbread" is that it centers primarily on women. Pin, Jini and Nani-ji each represent an evolutionary stage in this transgenerational story - the very traditional grandmother, who doesn't like change; the mother who tried to break free, but is still held back by her past and who doesn't want her daughter to grow up like her; and the daughter, who is being raised in a more relaxed environment and doesn't feel tied down by religion or cast. It's not exactly a coming-of-age story, but it explores the complex relationships between different generations of women, who are also immigrants in a predominantly Chinese and Malay society. While men exist in the story, they are mostly peripheral, even Pin's father. They play minor roles, instead the author focuses on women as the ones who shape the family’s fate.

Don't read this book when hungry! Food plays a major role in the story - Jini’s cooking mirrors her emotions and her desire to break away from the rigidity of the traditions she grew up with. Her elaborate meals, that include a wide variety of ingredients from different cuisines, is a symbol of love, but also of her desire to be free from the ties of the past.

As a European who has never travelled to Asia, the portrayal of Singapore was fascinating. It's a multicultural but segregated place, with Chinese, Malay, Indian and other ethnic groups living together. The city felt real to me, with its smells, its colors and the ever-present stirring. It's a detailed sensory description. The city feels alive, from the crowded markets to the sticky heat and the smells of different cuisines mixing in the air. While home feels like a restricted, rule-bound space, especial after the arrival of Nani-ji, Singapore is full of possibilities, but also full of danger.

But Jaswal doesn’t present an overly harmonious picture; instead, she points out the racial and social divisions that exist beneath the surface, not only in the adult society, but also in the group of children who play together outside.

I really enjoyed this story of cultural memory and generational trauma. While the plot is not original, every tale of migration and racism comes with its own nuances. It gave me an insight into the diversity of Singapore and a craving for sweetened parathas.

[ash | songsforafuturepoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read Sugarbread for our socially-minded book club and talked about growing up with racism, religion, and Singaporean-ness.

We follow Pin, a young Sikh girl growing up in 1990's Singapore, with the micro lens perspective of a child going about her day to day life. For Pin, her world was school, home and the temple, and sometimes the wet market that her mother will bring her to as she does her marketing. Jaswal have magically captured the ultrafocused details of her experiences that brings about so much nostalgia and feelings of innocence for myself, who also grew up in the 90s in Singapore.

"It was Singapore and it was July. The early morning sun glowed orange and rose between the high buildings; streams of light poured through the still branches of trees and heat rose from the pavement. Ma and I walked in the shade under rows of canvas awnings. All around us, tin grilles were released and unfolded. They rattled loudly, like trains running right over my ears. Shopkeepers grimaced as they dragged out shelves and crates filled with Gardenia bread, jars of coconut kaya, sweet pandan bread, sticky pink cupcakes called huat kueh, packets of prawn crackers, buns plump with red bean filling, and Twisties snacks. These few things could endure the sun."

Like Pin, I also only knew to read my mother's mood through her cooking, and I loved being her little helper at the market. The best part is having a say in what was for dinner. She would occasionally ask me to point out a vegetable that looked interesting to me and then she would cook it for dinner. My mother rarely cooked less than 3 dishes unless she's not feeling good. When she was going through a hard time looking after my sick grandmother, her cooking became quick and simple.

"Ma split the chili with her fingernail, scooped out most of the seeds and pushed them aside, which meant that she wanted the chili for flavor, not to challenge us. If she kept all of the seeds in, she was trying to see how much we could take."

The book club talked about how refreshing it is and how important to have literature that reminds you of your own roots. This may be foreign to countries that have their own literature much more such as the West and maybe the likes of China and Japan, but most Singaporeans grew up reading literature that wasn't their own (ie. mostly white, occasionally from China and Taiwan for the Chinese community), and it's an interesting change to actually read local stories. I haven't read so much local literature since last year when I made a concentrated effort as an adult to look for them.

Reading this book, we came to talk about our experiences of racism in Singapore. As a racial majority, I don't experience racism. I cannot recall any point in my life where someone was racist to me, or if I was denied opportunities because of my race, similar to my experiences as a gender minority. Pin's story was once again a reminder of how pervasive racism is in Singapore. I really enjoyed the scene with Mrs Parasuram, where her teacher refused to take action on the racism that she faced from another young classmate. I found it profound. We debated about how we felt about it. Some felt that the scene showed that even adults can unknowingly perpetuate racism. I felt it showed how powerless a minority can feel, even as an adult unable or unwilling to stand up against it, because of the real consequences for her and possibly her career.

Lastly, we spoke at length about religion. I did not grow up religious, so hence I was very impressed at how Jaswal was able to depict it such that I could empathise.

"Most of the Bursary Girls were apparently not very familiar with the Lord."

I found this such a great quote because it encapsulates something that all Singaporeans are immediately familiar with. Pin is, in her own honest innocent way, pointing out something that goes often undiscussed by adults and that cuts across inequality, race privilege, religion, and much more. Pin goes to a Christian girls school for primary school children. These schools are often located in higher SES neighbourhoods, and often, higher SES citizens are Chinese and Christian. Bursary girls, therefore, are often non-Christian and non-Chinese. The impact of growing up non-Christian and not rich in a Christian school is a huge theme of Pin's story, echoed by some in the book club as well. Constantly being told - either directly (as we see from many unashamed adults in Pin's story) and indirectly - your culture and religion, and therefore identity, is not valid, has lasting impact on these children.

Overall, a beautiful novel that captures the soul of Singapore while addressing issues relevant to its citizens.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why I didn’t read Balli Kaur Jaswal earlier. I had heard of her, but somehow kept myself from reading her books. Never too late, though. Jaswal is a magician and ‘Sugarbread’ is the sort of novel I wish I could write. It’s tight, rich with spice, brimming with flavor, and carrying the cultural intensity of Singapore on every page.

Racism to abuse to family relationships to religion to forgiveness - these and more are the themes that Jaswal writes about. I quite don’t know how to describe my love for this book except to say that like Bilu, one of the characters here, I also like to put sugar on my bread with ghee, and it makes me forget the bitterness that sometimes swirls inside me.

[adelina gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

#56 singapore

4.5*

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rania T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant depiction of growing up Punjabi Sikh in 1990's Singapore. The theme of the "missing" parent occurs in this novel just as it did in Bali Kaur's novel Inheritance. I found the descriptions of the painting of the Guru amusing, especially how Pin, the novel's protagonist describing his facial features changing depending on the general atmosphere in her house. It brought back memories of school life and the Byzantine icons of Jesus in the classrooms looking either stern or angry depending on the general nature of the students in the classroom; a very funny memory actually.

[Neethu Raghavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a Punjabi family settled in Singapore. Pin is a Singapore spirit inside Punjabi attire as she is uncomfortable with the food, dress and keeping her hair long.
What I liked so much was the mother- daughter relationship. Each time her mother and grandmother asked her not to be like her mom, she couldn't ask them why but she feared if she would be like her mom even without knowing why she shouldn't be.
There are many topics discussed in the story right from child abuse to the insults the black/brown/Asians face.
The rule that one must live with the decisions of the society and it's pros and cons are mentioned in this

[Cassia Attard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually lovvvveddd this book. It’s super simple and an easy read. It’s about a girl growing up in Singapore. There’s enough talk about food to keep me thoroughly engaged.

[Aylin Niazai · Rating 1 out of 5]

And this shows it’s not always a great idea to start a book without knowing what it’s about or checking for trigger warnings (child molestation!).
There isn’t much happening in this book. The “big reveal” that is supposed to put blame on someone else, really doesn’t. As far as I’m concerned, the mother was still at fault. Yes yes the things that happened to her are awful, but she left her little brother alone in the house, knowing full well he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself.
I did really like the specifics about Singapore 🇸🇬.

[Wahyu Novian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being told from the eyes of a child and a minority, the old Singapore came to life in an unexpected air. I love it from the first chapter. True, the story might be predictable, but the way it’s written that makes me can’t stop reading it.

The story about family and religion and community in the midst of fast developing country. Pin sounds so innocent and pure here.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Title: Sugarbread
Author: Balli Kaur Jaiswal
Format: Kindle

My Thoughts:
The book is about life. It is about a young girl living in a land where her mother protects her dreams. Pin or Parveen, her deeds are insulated by her mother from the evil and tormenting realities of life. Though the plot looks complicated, it is quite engaging.

What to expect from the story?
This book, Sugarbread by Balli Kaur Jaiswal, is a stunning story of ten-year-old Pin (Parveen), who lives and grows up in Singapore in the early 90s. Hers is a simple life with her friends, football, and a happy childhood with her parents. Right from the start, the story and mention of food go hand in hand. This is one of the interesting aspects of Jaiswal's writing.

Who can read?
I recommend the book for those readers who are the readers of serious fiction. The book will interest those readers who like cross-border issues and nationalities related circumstances.

How good are the characters?
The book's characters are so realistic that a reader might find his or her reflection in the characters. Like in real life, the characters deal with every human emotion. Be it happiness, sadness, disappointments or disagreements; there are life-changing sequences written so realistically that the readers cannot stop lauding the author's writing.

How good is the narration?
The story's narration is flowing, shocking, disturbing, fascinating and haunting. The attractive point of the story is in the initial pages of the story. The story is so engaging from the initial pages itself, and as the readers turn the pages, they will get involved in the story immensely. The situations explained that happen in reality in every part of the world hooks the readers' minds. The chaos, the woes and the cries are vividly explained.

How good are the language and grammar?
The language used in the story is effective. I used the word effective because there are certain places where her writing skills surprise the readers. The idioms and the analogies she uses in explaining some emotions is stunning.

How good is the author's writing style?
Author Balli Kaur Jaiswal is known and admired for her writing skills. This is my second book of hers and her story-telling is absolutely engaging. Wherever possible, Miss Jaiswal points the indifferences and biased shown by the Singaporean nationals. Other than this, the cultural aspects affecting the living of the people in a land different from their land is shown well.

How entertaining is the book?
The book is set up in the 90s era in the country of Singapore. The story is narrated from the perspective of a child which makes the read more interesting. This novel is written in a sensitive tone which has layers of raw emotions of love and empathy. The story also has so much description of food in ever chapters. The mention of food and emotions go hand in hand in the book. As the book is about a Sikh family, there is also a lot of mention about religion and religious Gurus. I found this mention a little difficult to interpret as I cannot relate to the Sigh religion concepts. The readers who concur with these thoughts will find the book good.

Final Verdict
Sensitive, empathetic and interesting!

Rating:
3/5

[Epigram Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This novel is sensitively written, and raises important issues subtly: racism and racialization; religiosity and its relation to identity; patriarchal values; class; and the intersection of Christianity and capitalism in the wonderful speech about 'spiritual bank accounts'. All the characters have depth and complexity and the two layers of the narrative (the experiences of Pin and of her mother Jini) are skilfully blended. There are some beautiful descriptive passages, and I like the way in which metaphors are used sparingly, but to good effect.”
—Philip Holden, editor of Writing Singapore and Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2015 judge

“Pin is an earnest and enchanting child, through whose curious and clear-sighted eyes we see family life and complications and childhood cliques and racism. But this entertaining book also has touching insights into love, hope and wisdom, and characters that will stay with you long after you finish it.”
—Ovidia Yu, author of Aunty Lee’s Chilled Revenge

“This is the most glorious mic drop moment in Singaporean Literature. Sugarbread is such a tender and powerful response to the many celebrated voices in Singapore that represent minority experiences through tokenism or ignore them altogether. Balli Kaur Jaswal has made me feel like my ten-year-old self could be someone’s protagonist, like my skin belongs in the pages of books in my country. She’s turned the mirrors on Singapore and our conversations about identity in a spectacular fashion. Her prose is delicate, precise and aching. Her storytelling lingers with you for days. This novel is triumphant and absolutely essential reading for anyone who cares about living in this city.”
—Pooja Nansi, author of Love is an Empty Barstool

[adya · Rating 1 out of 5]

The best part about this book were the descriptions of food. The narration otherwise, however, wasn't up to the mark. A long and slow read, I found myself getting bored at times, and wishing for the author to get to the main plot point. The style of writing was adequate, if not exceptional.
However, it was a decent, one-time read. I would recommend it to people looking to read more about the different communities in Singapore, and the Sikh diaspora, as they're described really well.
It wasn't a light-hearted read, and people should expect thinking about injustices, and poverty at times.

[Irfan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was pretty hard to read during my lunch break. She transports you so well to her Singapore, a Singapore that I don't really know, in such an evocative and immersive way that you look up and you're confused why you're sitting in your office with a lunch box. I enjoyed her other book, Inheritance, but found this one better.

[Jacqie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's another case of a book that I couldn't bring myself to finish. In this case, I'm willing to believe that it's me, not the book. I got about halfway through and felt like this book was hitting a lot of story beats that I've read before. I started this as mental prep for a southeastern Asia trip that I'm leaving for soon, and I think I'd still recommend it for that purpose, but I've read so much other similar stuff recently that I just got impatient.
This book is told from two points of view. One is Pin, a young Sikh Singaporean student in the 1990's. Pin's grandmother comes to live with them, even though the grandmother has long been estranged from her daughter, Pin's mother. Tensions get higher in a home that was already tense. Pin struggles with how her religion should be a part of her life, how to relate to a mother who is sad and withdrawn, how to be herself in a society that has very strict ideas for how a girl should be.
The next point of view is Pin's mother, Jini, when Jini is a teenager herself. Jini's father has pretty much left the family and her older brother supports them with his military paycheck. The family also has a developmentally disabled brother who is about 6 years old. Jini tries to take on a lot of responsibility, but she is left on her own a lot because of a mother who is depressed, a father who has abdicated his family responsibilities, and an older brother who is working. She takes care of her younger brother, whom she adores.
So, part of the story is leading up to a tragedy for Jini, a tragedy that is in the past for Pin, who doesn't know much about her parents' history. I skipped ahead to see if this tragedy is what I thought it would be, and it mostly is. It's a familiar theme of how women are abused in a rigid and patriarchal society, especially when they don't have men as "protectors".
While I enjoyed reading the book reasonably well, when I put it down about halfway through I found myself impatient with the story and not wanting to pick it up again. If you're in the mood for a book about Sikhism in Singapore (something I know little about) and are okay with a book that's more about the feel than the plot, this might be great for you. I just either needed something a bit more immersive or more time to finish the book in one or two readings so that I wasn't drawn out of the story.

[Arbnora · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "Zuckerbrot" tauchen wir ein in das Leben von Pin, einer zehnjährigen Punjabi, die mit ihren Eltern in Singapur lebt und oft mit rassistischen Angriffen konfrontiert ist. Ihr Zuhause, ein Zufluchtsort vor diesen Herausforderungen, ändert sich jedoch, als ihre Großmutter bei ihnen einzieht.
Sowohl das Cover als auch der Inhalt des Buches haben mich sofort angesprochen. Besonders faszinierend finde ich die Darstellung des Aufeinandertreffens verschiedener Generationen. Darüber hinaus werden wichtige Themen wie Rassismus und Sexismus aufgegriffen, was dem Buch eine tiefe und aktuelle Relevanz verleiht.
Leider gestaltete sich der Einstieg in die Geschichte für mich etwas langatmig, was dazu führte, dass mein Interesse schnell nachließ. Auch der Schreibstil wirkte für meinen Geschmack etwas distanziert.

[Dr Architha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who's your favourite mother-daughter duo?

"The taste and the prickling of tiny bones were bad enough but fish had its own meaning in Ma's world. It was a punishment - not a punishment for me, but Ma's punishment for everything else. The stench of fish; the clumps of blood; the glassy eyes - they were all signs of Ma's frustration. Fish awakened our flat. It made us sit up straight and think about our actions."

Sugarbread: an experimental delicacy made by a child when her mother was pre-occupied with her own distress.

Ingredients: bread, sugar, love

Mothers expect their daughters to be better than them, resulting in them giving us exposure they didn't get during their childhood. What they fail to realise is that daughters want to be like them, because ever since birth, their creator will always be the one perfect woman in their lives.

'Sugarbread' is that story; the story of a mother who doesn't want her daughter to end up like her, but the daughter aspires to be like her mother. Intergenerational trauma plays a major role in this story and makes us realise why a family's past is important: it talks volumes about who we are and our lineage.

Pin is a Sikh girl living in Singapore, the platter of multiple ethnicities. She grows up facing racial slurs, picking lottery numbers for her father, chatting with her friends at school, talking to God, playing football with the boys in her neighbourhood and helping her mother around the house. One day, she is forced to share her bedroom with her grandmother who she despises. One event leads to another, and Pin finds out why her grandmother and mother have a strained/severed relationship.

Why is this book important? It reminds us of the angels who sacrificed so much to make our lives better, while keeping a smiling face. It is a beautiful tribute to motherhood, a role we often forget under the bustle of life.

[Farheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really special book. I never expected that I'd feel so much of myself reflected in these pages; this is a story about learning to know your parents for the children they have been, and the childhood they continue to embody in their adulthood. I also think it's a book about sharing in grief across generations, across cultural differences, and finding connection in that shared experience. It is sometimes impossible to know your mother but there is so much beauty in the process of growing up and finally seeing her. Balli takes the genre of mother-daughter literature and tells a story that is so beautiful and healing that I didn't think could be written.

[Girish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugarbread touches on familiar terrain—the way children carry the weight of their parents' pasts, often unknowingly. Set in Singapore, the novel follows Pin, a young girl coming of age in a strict Sikh household, as she navigates the confusing return of her once-absent grandmother and the effect on her mother who is now transformed into a stricter, more religious version of herself.

Balli Kaur Jaswal shows promise in exploring themes of identity, generational trauma, and cultural repression, especially through the eyes of a child. This works even better in the 1990s world of suppression and exploitation of women. However, the execution feels slightly tentative, with an amateurish touch in prose and character development that sometimes veers into the predictable.

Comparison is not fair, but neither does it commit to the psychological sharpness of Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi, which offered a more visceral and unsettling portrayal of a toxic mother-daughter bond. Nor does it possess the reflective maturity and layered storytelling of Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, where the inheritance of emotion and experience feels earned and complex.

Still, Sugarbread remains a palatable read. It offers glimpses into the nuances of immigrant identity and religious orthodoxy in a multicultural society. It holds potential—even if it doesn’t quite reach the emotional or literary depth of its contemporaries.

[Neha Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

We played “What’s the time, Mr Wolf?” One person was named Mr Wolf and they had to stand against the wall with their back facing the rest of us. “What’s the time, Mr Wolf?” we cried out, and Mr Wolf would call out a time. We crept closer to Mr Wolf according to the number of hours he called out. If he said it was three o’clock, then we took three steps. The moment anybody got close enough to Mr Wolf, they had to try to touch the wall and run before he tagged them back. The person who got tagged became the next Mr Wolf.

Oh the beautiful childhood games. A child, a girl, her mother, her grandmother, her school and her story. Once a wise man said, to fix the past you have to set the future right. Sometimes you visit the history to make sure you don’t repeat it in future.

Read more: https://storywala.blogspot.com/2022/0...