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ggermaine's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nonfirqtion's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
pagesofelly's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I cried reading this book - an emotional reaction that I did not expect - largely because of how much the character of Nithya felt so relatable to me. I felt my struggles were articulated into words, to some extent. The deep sense of disappointment and betrayal that Nithya felt resonated with me. This novel, written in an investigative report-like format, follows senior civil servant Boon Teck and his young colleague Nithya who are dispatched to take another look at a case that was previously closed. Teck is a middle-aged Chinese male who is also representing many around us in Singapore, I feel, making his personality so familiar... And I was stifled by his character. Perhaps even emotionally scarred by the lines he repeats to Nithya that I had once heard too many times as a young civil servant. If you ever wondered what it is like working in the public service in Singapore, this book offers a glimpse into the maze of Singapore’s bureaucracy, where troubling secrets keep brewing beneath our status as a "world-class nation".
Through their investigation and discoveries, we come to understand his deep-rooted beliefs in the system, which is distressing, to say the least. On the other hand, we witness Nithya, a new civil servant with a genuine and faithful desire to fight against the prevailing injustices, and systemic flaws that came to light. I felt their relationship reflects the paternalistic, and often condescending, nature of the way this country is run. In the first chapter, Teck explains the importance of guidance for young civil servants: ⠀
⠀
"Experience, you see, is only raw material; it can be refined into all the wrong lessons. A budding public servant needs, above all, guidance. The cultural wisdom bequeathed by our forebears, guarded through our careers, and passed to our successors, flowing through the veins and the nerves of the service. Guidance gives experience value, by helping the young to properly interpret what they encounter and assess how to respond."⠀
⠀
Evidence must inform policy and action - but what if so much evidence is buried deep in the ground? Entah la eh...
PS: Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Through their investigation and discoveries, we come to understand his deep-rooted beliefs in the system, which is distressing, to say the least. On the other hand, we witness Nithya, a new civil servant with a genuine and faithful desire to fight against the prevailing injustices, and systemic flaws that came to light. I felt their relationship reflects the paternalistic, and often condescending, nature of the way this country is run. In the first chapter, Teck explains the importance of guidance for young civil servants: ⠀
⠀
"Experience, you see, is only raw material; it can be refined into all the wrong lessons. A budding public servant needs, above all, guidance. The cultural wisdom bequeathed by our forebears, guarded through our careers, and passed to our successors, flowing through the veins and the nerves of the service. Guidance gives experience value, by helping the young to properly interpret what they encounter and assess how to respond."⠀
⠀
Evidence must inform policy and action - but what if so much evidence is buried deep in the ground? Entah la eh...
PS: Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
yuzureads's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sammiseah's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
slightlyliterary's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After The Inquiry, in an interesting report-like format (complete with footnotes!), details the inquiry into a puzzling Russian roulette game that led to a police sergeant in a coma. Headed by senior civil servant Boon Teck and his young protégé, Nithya, readers are led on a simmering, slow-burn mystery where the truth lies in the entangled web hiding beneath Singapore's shiny exterior.
With the report in the perspective of Teck, we not only see the mystery unfold as he interviews those involved, but also come to understand his deep-rooted beliefs in the system and bureaucracy, all of which will permeate throughout the investigation and manifest in deeply troubling ways. Alongside him is Nithya, a new civil servant with a genuine desire to better Singapore and fight against injustice. Acting as Teck's foil, their relationship highlights the paternalistic, often inflexible streak of the government through the way Teck gives Nithya guidance as a senior. Already in the first chapter, Teck comes outright and strongly endorses this:
"Experience, you see, is only raw material; it can be refined into all the wrong lessons. A budding public servant needs, above all, guidance. The cultural wisdom bequeathed by our forebears, guarded through our careers, and passed to our successors, flowing through the veins and the nerves of the service. Guidance gives experience value, by helping the young to properly interpret what they encounter and assess how to respond."
Although After The Inquiry is classified under the genre of mystery, its themes serve to unpack much more than just an adrenaline rush—it explores many social issues prevalent in Singapore in an accurate and unsettling way, pinning 'rationality' against justice, indifference against action. And while these themes are embodied in several of the characters, Tan also writes humanity into their personalities such that they feel like real, nuanced people. Teck in particular was an extremely interesting (albeit, sometimes insufferable) character who, while maintaining a staunch belief in what he does and why he does it, also very occasionally seems to display some minute instances where he feels a deep unsettlement or uncertainty in his gut (as a result from his interactions with Nithya).
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I found its conclusion an apt one, which may prove to be quite divisive—you'll either love it or hate it. Nonetheless, this was an extremely insightful and engaging read on Singapore and the public service sector, and one that I highly recommend to all Singaporeans!
Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
With the report in the perspective of Teck, we not only see the mystery unfold as he interviews those involved, but also come to understand his deep-rooted beliefs in the system and bureaucracy, all of which will permeate throughout the investigation and manifest in deeply troubling ways. Alongside him is Nithya, a new civil servant with a genuine desire to better Singapore and fight against injustice. Acting as Teck's foil, their relationship highlights the paternalistic, often inflexible streak of the government through the way Teck gives Nithya guidance as a senior. Already in the first chapter, Teck comes outright and strongly endorses this:
"Experience, you see, is only raw material; it can be refined into all the wrong lessons. A budding public servant needs, above all, guidance. The cultural wisdom bequeathed by our forebears, guarded through our careers, and passed to our successors, flowing through the veins and the nerves of the service. Guidance gives experience value, by helping the young to properly interpret what they encounter and assess how to respond."
Although After The Inquiry is classified under the genre of mystery, its themes serve to unpack much more than just an adrenaline rush—it explores many social issues prevalent in Singapore in an accurate and unsettling way, pinning 'rationality' against justice, indifference against action. And while these themes are embodied in several of the characters, Tan also writes humanity into their personalities such that they feel like real, nuanced people. Teck in particular was an extremely interesting (albeit, sometimes insufferable) character who, while maintaining a staunch belief in what he does and why he does it, also very occasionally seems to display some minute instances where he feels a deep unsettlement or uncertainty in his gut (as a result from his interactions with Nithya).
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I found its conclusion an apt one, which may prove to be quite divisive—you'll either love it or hate it. Nonetheless, this was an extremely insightful and engaging read on Singapore and the public service sector, and one that I highly recommend to all Singaporeans!
Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
gothookedonbooks's review
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
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