Singapore Love Stories by Verena Tay

Singapore Love Stories Reviews

• 
  Eleanor Carter

  I won this book in a Good Reads giveaway and was intrigued by the unique theme. I am not always the biggest fan of short stories but I was keen to get started on this one.
  
  The theme of both love and Singapore made the short stories seem more cohesive than some anthologies but there was a broad range of different writing styles and topics. Some dealt with romantic love whereas others were the love for friends. Some mourned dead lovers, some explored the complex feelings behind falling out of love, some looked at the pain of unrequited love and some looked at lust.
  
  There are some really exciting new literary voices in this collection and I'm excited to see more from some of the writers featured.
  
  I would definitely recommend this to any fans of contemporary fiction who enjoy discovering new writers. I would also imagine this would appeal to anyone with connections to Singapore as the portrayal of the country felt - to me - rather authentic.
• 
  Anna Tan

  I might have been a little too distracted to enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Similar in concept to
  LOVE IN PENANG, Singapore Love Stories is an anthology of love stories set in Singapore. The themes and stories are a little darker, and a lot grittier, though.
  
  The anthology opens with the brilliant A Poor Man by Audrey Chin, which immerses you in the life of a poor immigrant Indian construction worker in rich, cosmopolitan Singapore. Written in epistolary style, the richness of the tone and voice is the first thing that struck me. A reader unfamiliar with the tone and style of speaking of the region would struggle with the non-standard grammar and the strange, sometimes awkward style of the text, but for me, reading it felt like having the person stand beside me and tell his story.
  
  A Bad Decision by
  Damyanti Biswas was another one I quite liked, though the ending felt a little too open-ended to me. I could also be a little biased on this one because I've read quite a few of Biswas' work before.
  
  At first, I didn't really think much of Clarissa Goenawan's The Things We Hide. The story jumps between present and past, and there's a ghost. Right. But as a whole, it's beautifully and simply told, with very soft, gentle undertones to the harsh truths that are revealed.
  
  The Gardener by Raelee Chapman is another one that caught my attention with its voice and tone--whilst not as impactful as A Poor Man, it was still delightful to the ear.
  
  I cannot fail to mention
  Wan Phing Lim. The Ruby Case is amusing and vividly told in Lim's distinctive style. I'm not sure if the police work that way in Singapore, but who knows?
  
  Space, Time and Chicken Rice by Kane Wheatley-Holder is another piece that I didn't quite appreciate--until it suddenly became sci-fi. I did not expect the ending at all. But it was very aww-inducing.
  
  One of my favourites of this anthology has to be
  Melanie Lee's ATM Agony Aunt which is basically a girl asking relationship advice from the quotes provided by the ATM machine. It's also very Singaporean in sound, which I like.
  
  S. Mickey Lin closed off the anthology with Merlion's Magic, which I initially really liked because woohoo! magic! Alternate magical Singapore history! And then the twist in the end came (no spoilers) and I was all what. =.=
  
  But at any rate, Singapore Love Stories is as vibrant and eclectic as its inhabitants. The stories cover both new love and old, uncertain relationships, filial love and loss, long-distant relationships and longing. The recurring themes of divorce and affairs do make me wonder about the state of love and marriage in Singapore, though.
• 
  Tripfiction

  Valentine's Day Love Stories set in SINGAPORE
  
  This is a compendium of short stories, featuring the myriad, sparkling and darker permutations of love. All set in Singapore. There are little snippets of life in Singapore sprinkled liberally throughout the beautifully put together stories, all different, and all interesting.
  
  This little tome would be a good read to enjoy on a flight into the island city-state, the stories are wonderfully varied and entertaining and would definitely get a traveller in the mood to explore. Many cultures, religions and people meld together to make this a special place and the diversity is reflected in the narratives.
  
  Each story is penned by a different author, each story is individual – from ghostly interventions, to the relationship one could have with ATM machines. The stories are populated by the peoples and cultures of this multiethnic city, from the Westerners to the elderly Chinese men with sweatbands and bamboo sticks who are described as powering “along the path outside, chanting vocal breath exercises as they went.” (I have certainly seen them on a visit to the city!). Clarke Quay, Chinatown, Orchard Road, these stories can be set nowhere other than Singapore.
  
  Singapore itself conjures up the “cool image of palm trees and pineapples, of white sandy beaches. Of refuge and peace”.
  
  There’s Nicole who is very practical about whether she should marry her much elder beau – conditioned as she is by her family and society. Charlotte caring for her grandmother now she is in her twilight years… and Jon Gresham (no, not John Grisham, but they do share the same profession of lawyer) talks about falling in love with a young woman at his intern firm. He ends up taking the challenge to ride a bicycle into the ocean to show his commitment (you will have to read the book to see why he is driven to these extreme measures). And many more literary delights waiting to be discovered. All built around love and specifically love in the wonderful city of Singapore.
• 
  Anne

  The book's title is a misnomer, but I thoroughly enjoyed the short stories in this anthology. Some of the stories left me hanging, but it was a good kind of feeling. I haven't felt this good after reading a book in a long time.
• 
  Karien Ditzhuijzen

  I am not always the biggest fan of short stories, but as this is set in Singapore, my home since four years, and features local authors, I gave it a go. And I'm glad I did, as I really enjoyed it. As with most collection of stories by different authors, some appealed to me more than others, but there are definitely some gems in there that make the whole collection worth its while.
  
  Singapore love stories addresses a number of different types of love, romantic, filial, desperate, sweet or dark, and by a whole lot of different people to. I particularly enjoyed that the less affluent migrants in this city were not forgotten either.
  
  If you love Singapore, love reading, love love, and like to support the local writers scene, I'd definitely recommend you read this book.
• 
  Chloe Trindall

  This is a great and really solid book of short stories. It covers an interesting variety of themes and experiences. And it gives you a real insight to life inSingapore. If you are planning to spend any length in Singapore then I highly recommend you get yourself a copy.
• 
  Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings)

  Not read - passed on.
• 
  Mabel Y-A

  I got transported from one spot to another within Singapore while reading the book.
• 
  Fang J.

  Each story was satisfyingly concise and it passed on to another very seamlessly!! Though written by different authors, the language, the pacing, and something I couldn't put my finger on blended together so well as if it was a book by just one single author. So the reading experience was pleasantly smooth!
  
  This book was beautifully structured to explore a wide range of Singaporean classes, from blue collars to upper-middle class citizens, with surprising twists.
  
  The overall mood was not lighthearted as expected but instead reflective with a slight inclination to depressing. It didn't go on indicating insights of Singapore straightforwardly but rather let readers decipher underlying messages from the crafted, fictional stories by themselves.
  
  The last chapter was a perfect finale for this book! Wholeheartedly impressed and loved both its name and its content!
• 
  Eunice Helera

  Collection of short stories and different notions and definition of Love. Some stories are interesting as it injects heritage and culture of a country that is young im history. Some stories are a bit dragging and might have not close its ending properly. I find it interesting that everything happened in Singapore, and as I actually read this book, I even had a map of the metro and would imagine the places. Geographically interesting and is fleshed out effectively.
• 
  Teresa

  It was an easy, enjoyable read. I appreciated how the stories were lined up and the difference in storytelling formats + style. Was surprised for some, touched by some, laughed for a few. Loved how easy it was to relate to these stories too. I docked off a star because some of the ending left a LOT more to be desired. I get why it had to end so abruptly but, it really ended far too abruptly!
• 
  McKinley Reid

  3/5. Like most books that are a collection of short stories this was very hit or miss for me. Some of the stories I really enjoyed and others just didn’t do it for me. Very average read.
• 
  Natalie

  A great collection of stories of different types of love that all sound like they were lived experiences! Some of them I got into, and wanted more! Overall a great quick read!
• 
  Felicia

  I enjoyed reading this one story, one night. It's mixed of a lot of genres, some of them were a bit futuristic, some of them are around everyday themes, love, family, and grief. My favorite short story has to be Things We Hide by Clarissa N. Goenawan, The Ruby Case by Wan Phing Lim (God I love both of these), and ATM Agony Aunt by Melanie Lee (It is written in a fresh new format which is fun!). Some of the stories are... involving grief in the best possible way and how much this book reminds me of little details about Singapore! This is the best random buy I bought this year. I don't think it is mass-produced anymore.
• 
  Beth Lawson

  In spite of the terrible title and cover -both of which bring to mind smarmy romances - this little book turned out to be a delight. Seventeen short stories are included, with each one depicting love in all its strange, unique, and frequently awkward and ugly forms. The stories all bear unpredictable outcomes, yet they are relatable, portraying the protagonists in vulnerable ways in which we can empathize. Highly recommended.
• 
  Bronwyn

  Really solid themed short story anthology. Nicely-rounded - the collection is sprinkled with a variety of tales such that there's something for the romantic, the tragic, the humorist... etc, but it still hangs together as a whole. Lots of quality writing. Refreshing to hear from the Singaporean corner of the globe as well.
• 
  Sue

  Goodreads giveaway, thanks to Monsoon books.
  As snapshots into the life and seemingly eclectic culture in Singapore of which I know very little,I found these stories interesting. They cover not just a wide variety of scenario but also of age, nationality and social group. I find both the title and hearts on the cover misleading as many seem to be more about the complexities of life, not love.
• 
  dedd

  The book is an anthology of 17 stories set in Singapore. Some stories were good others not so much. Also some of the stories required the reader to be familiar with the Singaporean humor and slang. Thank you to GoodReads and Monsoon books for a copy of the book.
• 
  Tan Clare

  "You know all this talk about magic? It's really just love. That's the greatest magic in the world."
  pg 223
  
  Indeed. I was especially moved by the two stories of familial love (the one about the grandma, and the one about the father) in this collection.
• 
  Varsha Sundar

  Some of the stories sketched out really lovely characters, and some just left so much to be desired.. For the sake of breadth, this anthology sacrifices depth. I didn't find very many of the stories particularly gutting, or moving.
  
  It served its purpose as a quick read while on the MRT to and from work, but otherwise I think it's only worth a cursory read, if you have any attachment to Singapore.
  
  The second half is much better than the first.
• 
  Panchaali

  A great collection of stories.
• 
  Daniel Smith

  Won in the Goodreads Giveaways