Reviews

The Minorities by Izyan Hussain, Shelby Sekar, Suffian Hakim

sometimes_iread's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s been a while since I last sank my teeth into something meaty that I thoroughly enjoyed. Having Singapore as the backdrop to The Minorities by Suffian Hakim made everything so much more fun. From HDB living and famous landmarks, to snooty attitudes in an exhibition meant to challenge those very attitudes, it all felt so familiar to me. Also, it is always a good thing to be reminded of how privileged I am, no matter how subtly.

While we’re on the topic, I really appreciated the theme of how humanity is universal. No matter the arbitrary differences that seem to separate us into various groups across various parameters, we are all still human. Each of the five main characters are people who live on the fringes of Singaporean society so it was lovely how each of them had a story to tell. 

I would have loved it if the story had just kept to its original vein without veering off into frenzied action but that might just be me. As it stands, I felt that quite a lot of detail introduced in the first half wasn’t fully addressed. Plus, events unfolded in a way that really wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny. For example, how would the narrator’s injuries not trigger a police report on the part of the hospital? And in all honesty, did none of the five think about how they would get back home while planning their little road trip? I guess if we’re already going to believe in Pontianaks and toyols, we can suspend our disbelief a little more.

Still, home as where our loved ones are was a nice way to end the book. It doesn’t need to be a physical place, but just being with people who accept you for who you are. In a way, it felt quite open ended because suddenly everyone became displaced and I’m pretty sure jail is looming in the horizon for them. But they still had each other and our unnamed narrator can finally let go of his need for his father’s approval as symbolized by that infernal mouldy almond. 

Diversity meter:

Migrant characters

Mixed heritage character

Strong female characters 

esa's review against another edition

3.0

*3.5
Strangest yet captivating book I've read this year.. maybe ever

femmenova's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This book is lots of fun to read. I breezed through it and am thinking of rereading it just to go through the adventures that the friend group went through. I adore his quick wit writing!