A complicated and thought provoking tale of protest and politics in Singapore and Malaysia in the 20th century. This book focuses on a young girl who becomes involved in the political turmoil at the expense of her personal and family life showing the wider impact on those around her.

This novel follows a family deeply affected by politics in Singapore over the post-independence period. It’s deeply researched and the author clearly cares a lot about this topic - according to the introduction this history is still not well known in Singapore today.

The first chapter of this book is terrible, the rest is pretty good. Each chapter follows a different character - the first one is pretty unsympathetic and you can tell from the writing the author doesn’t like this character either. I almost quit reading.

The rest of the chapters are much more interesting. It’s best to treat this book as historical first and novel second - the character work and plot, while not bad, are also clearly not the purpose of this work. I did learn something and was excited about reading this book, and I wouldn’t have read a nonfiction book even though a lot of my outstanding questions would have been answered by nonfic.

I’d recommend “Home” by Leila S Chudori for a southeast Asian political novel that is more serious about the novel part. This is still worth a read if you’re interested in Singaporean history.

This was my first foray into Malaysian and Singaporean history and literature, and State of Emergency left a profound impression. It’s a stunning book that cleverly weaves together the lives of its characters across intersecting timelines and connections, offering a nuanced portrait of a tumultuous period in history.

The book is largely narrative-driven, with minimal dialogue—a feature I didn’t consciously notice until another review pointed it out. On reflection, I realized how well this choice serves the story and its characters. The narration, intertwined with the characters’ inner thoughts, mirrors their situations perfectly.

For instance, Jason spends much of the novel in solitude, contemplating his life and grieving lost loved ones. The absence of dialogue amplifies his isolation. Similarly, Siew Li’s involvement in covert communist activities forces her to carefully guard her words and thoughts, underscoring the pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and danger. In this way, the scarcity of dialogue becomes a strength, immersing the reader in the characters’ realities.

Tiang’s writing is masterful, balancing character development and plot with rich historical context and atmosphere. State of Emergency is both a deeply personal and broadly resonant story, shedding light on a complex history while delving into themes of loyalty, identity, and sacrifice.

Overall, this is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend to anyone interested in history, literature, or simply a well-told story.