Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal is the story of three very different Filipina women who for various reasons have come to work in Singapore as maids. Corazon, Angel and Donita all have secrets that they are hiding, not just from their employers but also from each other. They are very much seen and treated as second class citizens, not just by most of their employers but also by the state, and feel as though they have no option but to keep their heads down and do as they are told , even when they are being mistreated. When a fellow maid is falsely accused of murder however, they realise that they will have to fight back and try to clear her name as nobody else seems to be willing to.
I really wanted to like this book, and I am sorry to say that it just didn't quite hit the mark for me. It felt like the author was trying to cram a lot of issues into the book, which really took away from what could have been a really interesting and thought provoking account of life for women like these. The "mystery" plotline never really got off the ground and the ending of that storyline felt far too convenient.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Probably more of a 3.5. You could tell a lot of research went into this book. It was interesting to learn about culture and the maids relationships. I just struggled to get into this book. I wish I could have rated this one higher.

I have spent just over a week with Cora, Angel, Donita, and Flordeliza. The four of them are domestic workers from the Philippines, working in Singapore. All four of them have their own secrets, all carry these burdens in solitude, domestic workers go unseen, and un-noticed. Second class citizens forced to put up with racism, homophobia, and false accusations...until one Woman has had enough!...An invigorating, sometimes funny tale of the strength of Women.

Now They See Us is set in Singapore and revolves around the lives of 3 Filipino maids and their employers. Each maids story highlights different issues facing these women on a daily basis. While dealing with daily life in a country that sees them as second class citizens, a woman is murdered and her maid is arrested for the crime. When it is obvious the police are not considering there may be any other suspects Donita, Cora and Angel take it upon themselves to investigate to try to clear their friends name.

This book really gripped my attention from the beginning. I thought it was well written, and easy to read. I will definitely be recommending this.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollinsin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Now You See Us" is a moving and thought-provoking novel that will appeal to readers interested in family dramas, cultural exploration, and the complexities of human relationships. It is recommended for fans of authors such as Celeste Ng, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Jaswal's writing is poignant and emotionally resonant, with vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters that bring the story to life. The novel also features elements of mystery and suspense.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Now You See Us
by Balli Kaur Jaswal

I really wanted to love this story. I enjoyed both "Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows" and "The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters" for their nuanced characters, their well plotted narratives, their relationship dynamics and their strong sense of place but most of all for the lens on cultures I was unfamiliar with. I was so excited to delve into Singapore, but sorry to say, this one didn't hold up to my expectations.

The premise of blowing the doors off the mistreatment of Filipino maids employed by exploitative Singaporean Ma'ams is very appealing. On it's own, it might have made for some in-depth observations, perhaps a further exploration of how this particular migration pattern evolved, the culture of emigration from the Philippines into service across the globe. Instead the author threw issue after issue into the mix, which muddied the message and reeked of desperation to elicit a negative reaction to all things Singaporean. The plight of the domestic workers was crystal clear within the first three or four chapters, but she continued to hit us over the head with it again and again and again.

I didn't connect with any of these characters. For me, there just isn't enough nuance to make them believable. I understand from the author's note that they are based on real people, but they came off like figures in a diorama.

While there are plenty of references to food, locations, customs and habits, I never really felt much sense of place. The information is there, but somehow it lacks the intimacy required for authenticity. Maybe my annoyance at the unaccomplished storytelling reduced my capacity to absorb the vibe.

This book will definitely find it's audience because the author has a solid reputation in the commercial market. I just wanted better writing with more developed motivations.

Publication date: 25th May 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #harpercollins for providing an egalley in exchange for my always honest opinions

Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal is both a social commentary on the lives of migrant workers in Singapore and a classic Whodunit. Jaswal takes the readers to Singapore and shows them the Red Dot through the eyes of Filipina workers. Having lived in SG for close to a decade, I enjoyed traversing the little island once again and relived those memories. Ah, nostalgia!

Balancing a mix of fictionalised events and real occurrences, Jaswal narrates an engaging story that shows the readers different sides of Singapore. Her research into the lives of domestic workers is visible in the minutest details she shares, like balikbayan boxes, Sundays at Orchard Road, extremely hard living and working conditions, demands from families back home, and the desire to find love.

The author reveals various social themes and balances mystery and drama with finesse. She sheds light on the unseen lives of domestic workers and makes the readers aware of the hardships, prejudices, poverty, and classism existing in Singaporean society.

I didn’t enjoy the mystery part of the story as much as I did the Singaporean aspects of the story. The trio as detectives weren’t really that convincing, and the eventual discovery was predictable. But as I mentioned, the story is much more than a whodunnit.

Now You See Us is a story of friendships, abuse, and social disparity. A good onetime read.

“Devious maids” meet “Crazy rich Asians” in this riveting story of hardship and friendship. Based loosely on the living and working conditions of Filipino women in Asian countries, it will make you feel angry and sad but also hopeful and warm. A really different book respectfully and masterfully written. A must read!

"Often unseen until something goes wrong, they are vulnerable to exploitation in systems that do not protect them." -Author's Note (Now You See Us).

An insightful read into the lives and plight of Filipino migrant workers in Singapore. This book followed the lives of three Filipina maids; Cora, Angel and Donita. This may have been a work of fiction, but their stories seemed to ring true to reality of how domestic help is treated; they lead invisible lives and are treated with disdain a majority of the time.

As serious as the book was, Jaswal has cleverly interwoven some comic relief into it with the Ma'am Facebook page inserts.

This was well written and I really enjoyed the story about domestic help. It really makes you think how the women whom
do this cope and what they put up with.

In 1995, Flor Contemplacion, a Filipina domestic worker in Singapore, was executed for murder. In this novel, loosely based on the case, Flor is accused of a murder she could not have committed. Her case forms the backbone of the narrative as her friends struggle to exonerate her, and battle their own demons (and employers) in the process.

Donita, Flor’s best friend, is new to Singapore, strong-headed, stubborn, and rather sexy. This does not bode well with her employer, Fann Po Ching, who straddles abusing Donita with mega church activities, and overthrowing the secular leadership of a women’s rights group. Angel is a lesbian whose coming out has alienated her from her sister, who has chosen to work in Saudi Arabia to wean her reliance on Angel’s remittances. She has a tender relationship with her elderly employer Mr Vijay, to whom she acts as a nurse-substitute, but the lascivious attentions of his son unnerve her. Cora is haunted by the death of her nephew at the hands of Duterte’s thugs, and is frequently disconcerted by her employer Elizabeth’s desire to treat her like part of the family - Elizabeth’s well-intentioned actions cross an invisible line that spectators punish Cora for flouting.

Now You See Us examines life as a domestic worker under a system that has not been created to protect you, but to control, restrict, and limit. It is hard to read such a well-researched and accurate representation of a relationship that is often uncomfortable to navigate. It cuts unnervingly close to the bone, laying bear the biases, little acts of thoughtlessness, and assumptions of hierarchy that govern how Singaporeans interact with domestic workers.

#NowYouSeeUs #BalliKaurJaswal

Many women from the Philippines go to work in Singapore, looking after local families. They largely go unnoticed and are often exploited.
This book tells the tale of four such women, their relationships with each other, their employers and their environment.
A compelling read about people emerging from the shadows.

A modern tale of domestic service . Leaving family and children behind and paying high fees to agencies to arrange work. Looking at the lives and abuse of women in domestic service in the far East. The racism, abuse and terms of employment are archaic.
I know this was a work of fiction but I feel as if it has it's root's in fact.
A powerful and thought provoking book

This is a well-researched and well-written book, set in Singapore, that highlights the plight of three domestic workers from the Philippines. It is an eye-opener, but I’m sorry to say I found it hard going and was glad to get to the end. I almost gave up at one point as I lost interest and nothing exciting was happening. I was hoping for a really thrilling murder but was disappointed, and I kept getting flashes of anger at the way the workers were treated by their employers. A great read for some, but not for me – sorry. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the electronic copy.

The story follows three Filipino domestic workers in Singapore, who for the most part are well-crafted, interesting characters. But every now and then the story takes a turn that would be better suited to an episode of Scooby Doo than to this otherwise compelling novel. During these turns, the women make choices that are implausibly foolish and out-of-character. In one scene a confession is obtained by such farfetched and juvenile methods, the whole story loses credibility because of it.
But otherwise, this was an insightful look at the poor treatment of domestic workers in Singapore.

This book is inspired by the execution of a Filipino domestic worker who was accused of murder in Singapore. The story is not a retelling of this particular event but there is a murder where the truth is not what it seems. However, the plot really centers around the experiences of Corazon, Angel and Donita who have all left their home in the Philippines to work in Singapore. I loved getting to know them and their backstories, the struggles they are facing with their employers. Many themes are discussed and the author tackles them well. Overall, this was a very enjoyable and interesting read.

The premise of the story makes you really want to pick this book up. However, I didn't really get a chance to really get as absorbed and invested in the story and the characters as much as I really had hoped to. I definitely think it's a good read - just not for me

Phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. The characters were wonderful and I just could not put this down. A true gem of a book that I cannot wait to see flying off the shelves.

This was actually a lot more heart wrenching than I expected it to be, Now You See Us shines a light on the 'invisible' Philippine maids and nannies that get hired and mistreated in Singapore. I was shocked at their treatment and found this so engaging and eye opening. I also found the mystery itself very engaging, not the best but overall the book was a good read.

This story highlights the lives of Philippine maids and nannies in Singapore. It's very shocking to read how badly they are treated and are almost "invisible". I realise that this is a fiction story but I imagine the situations described and conditions suffered by the characters in the book are taken from real life stories. I am pleased to see how the characters find life and love in such a difficult working environment.