Reviews

Ministry of Moral Panic by Amanda Lee Koe

Only show reviews with written explanations

blau_elmo's review

reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of local short stories. It covers many aspects of Singaporean culture in an explosive and unique way. A large theme of this book is the breaking of various taboos in our society. Below are my favourites:

Chick -

A woman who grows up without love sexually and emotionally manipulates all the men around her to get what she wants.

It is messed up in its cruelty, but that makes it very striking and memorable. It is a story of the necessity of love and compassion, and of the propensity for certain people to be unkind just to be cruel.

Carousel & Fort - A story about the art scene in Singapore. Carousel represents the cyclic failures of love, and fort represents the ire of controversy that is concomitant with producing art.

The destruction of both arts at the end, coming together to form a brutal showpiece, that was beautifully put together.

Very visceral and raw.

Content Warnings

jowixx's review against another edition

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4.0

4+
Czułe studium rozmaitych samotności. Na pozór wszystko już było, autorka chętnie korzysta z wysłużonych miłosnych schematów, ale potem delikatnie je przekracza - opowiadania są wtedy jak zgrane romantyczne ballady, w których ktoś niepostrzeżenie zmienił kilka wersów albo nut, prowokując nowe doznania. Na początku wydawało mi się, że to nie wystarczy, ale zbiór zyskał z czasem, kiedy kolejne historie ułożyły się w spójną, smutną całość. Trudno bowiem po lekturze nie ujrzeć na chwilę każdego jako jeszcze jednej smutnej historii i samej nie umieścić się w tej samotnej panoramie.
Kultura Singapuru jest drżącym tłem akcji, czasem opowiadania czyta się jak menu lokalnej restauracji (mnóstwo nazw potraw), zwraca uwagę wiele języków i kultur, próby dookreślenia narodowej tożsamości i patriarchat w bardzo dobrej formie. Miłość jest przecież w prozie Amandy Lee Koe całkiem polityczna, a jej bohaterki walczą o prawo do samostanowienia i samodzielności, gdy inne usilnie próbują znaleźć dla siebie miejsce w bezlitośnie męskim świecie.

ibnu12's review

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4.0

Flamingo Valley: The kind of senitmental era-capturing romance that simply does not work for me 3/5

Carousel & Fort: A more abstract and mordern romance that again I find a bit off and trite, not much of interest here. 2/5

Pawn: Realy great story about desperation and the cost people beer for companionship. Liked the perspective here and setting of her lifestyle. Observation at the end was chilling 5/5

The King of Cadelecott Hill: Somewhat derivative, A fan obssessing over a star that they meet once and who then commits suicide is a bit weird. I didn't get much meaning from it. 2/5

Every Park on this island: Interesting enough romance with a weird hook, does feel a bit indulgent. 4/5

espressoroast's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

runforrestrun's review

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dark reflective medium-paced

4.5

varsha14's review

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4.0

Overall- would definitely recommend reading this. An honest, compelling, and often disturbing set of Singaporean short stories.

Some are much better than others, some are just confusing.