You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This novel looks at the affluent nation of Singapore through the eyes of three Filipina domestic workers. Donita is young and recently arrived in Singapore; Angel is worried about being replaced as the caregiver to her elderly boss; and Cora said she’d permanently retired to the Philippines, but is now back for secretive reasons. When the island is set abuzz with the story of a Filipina maid who murdered her employer, the three women are determined to find out what really happened.
Each of the three protagonists in this novel brings something very different but equally powerful in this novel. Their voices weave together seamlessly to show a different side of Singapore. The mystery element was the least compelling part of the book for me personally, but that's more because there was so much else going on than because it was lacking. The epilogue was perfection!
Each of the three protagonists in this novel brings something very different but equally powerful in this novel. Their voices weave together seamlessly to show a different side of Singapore. The mystery element was the least compelling part of the book for me personally, but that's more because there was so much else going on than because it was lacking. The epilogue was perfection!
This was a solid read but I felt that if I had not been to Singapore and if I had not participated in very detailed and honest private tours explaining the good, the bad, and the horrendously vicious reality of that wonderfully messed up city state utopian dictatorship, I would have had a harder time to connect to this novel's characters, as I am unimpressed by "oh woe is me" class drama and actually looking for realism and depth. Luckily, all of the aforementioned scenario happened in real life and this sad urban story made sense to me, even though some aspects were boringly insisted upon (the church vs lgbt bla bla as always) and other, more interesting themes (like the actual horror of the Philipino war on drugs) were not prevalent enough.
Generally speaking, a good, real read.
Generally speaking, a good, real read.
Very tender and touching, I really appreciated the care that was given to sharing the stories of the domestic workers coming from the Philippines. While I can’t speak to the accuracy of the description being from neither Singapore or the Philippines, it appeared that the author did a good bit of research into the realities of the treatment of these women.
I felt like the book did have quite a lot of exposition before moving into the action of the plot. I wouldn’t say that it is “slow” per se, but it is a lot of waiting before you really get to any of the plot movement.
I felt like the book did have quite a lot of exposition before moving into the action of the plot. I wouldn’t say that it is “slow” per se, but it is a lot of waiting before you really get to any of the plot movement.
I’ve read two books of the author and both are just okay for me. The only reason I read this one because it featured Filipinas in the story and it centers around them. After reading it, I don’t know how to feel about this book, I didn’t love nor like this book.
Now You See Us is a story about three Filipina domestic workers, Corazon, Donita and Angel, working in the wealthy part of Singapore. News about a Filipina domestic worker, Flordeliza Martinez, is arrested for the murder of her employer. Though the three do not know her well, they know she is innocent and they must help her, despite their own personal struggles. She could be any of them, accused and scapegoated for crimes they didn’t commit.
There are so many going ons in my mind while reading this book, the good, the bad and the ugly:
(The good one) I like how the story brings about the sorry plight the domestic workers working outside their home countries, not just of Filipinos but to all workers working hard to give better life to their families back home. Not that everything is bad but the fact that they leave their families behind to give them a better life, they work doubly hard just to send money for food, schooling, and other expenses are true heroic deeds. Also, I like that the main characters here come together for one another and turn to one another for help. And from someone not a Filipino, the author knows what she’s talking about, I can commend her for that.
(Then bad one) But I will feel uncomfortable telling stories about other people’s culture just so you lived in their home countries and have domestic helpers. Also, while I appreciate the book brings about the plight of the workers, I don’t like it solely concentrated on just Filipina workers, giving bad light to Filipinas in Singapore. That actually gives a bad taste in my mouth, to be honest, as there are other voices that can be given focus here.
(Now, the ugly one) I love Singapore and it will always be one place I would love going back again and again. Though this book will give readers only a small glimpse of the situation of the domestic workers there, I hope it won’t give bad impressions to Singaporeans. There might be cases of maltreatments and helpers treated as second class citizens but not everybody treats their helpers badly. This happens everywhere and not just in Singapore. There will be always be horror stories and good stories as well.
My other random thoughts on the book:
I don’t consider this a mystery / thriller book, far from it. This feels like a social commentary, too many happening all at once, from the main characters themselves as well as their homeowners. The murder aspect here is just a small part of the story. Another thing, I listened to this and honesty I got turned off with the narrator, maybe that was partly why I didn’t like this book. While I appreciate the Filipino accent of the characters, there is one, Donita, that talked not with Filipino accent but with Singaporean accent and it just irritates me as to why. And fyi, not all Filipinos speak with heavy accent with the p and f, lol!
Now You See Us is a story about three Filipina domestic workers, Corazon, Donita and Angel, working in the wealthy part of Singapore. News about a Filipina domestic worker, Flordeliza Martinez, is arrested for the murder of her employer. Though the three do not know her well, they know she is innocent and they must help her, despite their own personal struggles. She could be any of them, accused and scapegoated for crimes they didn’t commit.
There are so many going ons in my mind while reading this book, the good, the bad and the ugly:
(The good one) I like how the story brings about the sorry plight the domestic workers working outside their home countries, not just of Filipinos but to all workers working hard to give better life to their families back home. Not that everything is bad but the fact that they leave their families behind to give them a better life, they work doubly hard just to send money for food, schooling, and other expenses are true heroic deeds. Also, I like that the main characters here come together for one another and turn to one another for help. And from someone not a Filipino, the author knows what she’s talking about, I can commend her for that.
(Then bad one) But I will feel uncomfortable telling stories about other people’s culture just so you lived in their home countries and have domestic helpers. Also, while I appreciate the book brings about the plight of the workers, I don’t like it solely concentrated on just Filipina workers, giving bad light to Filipinas in Singapore. That actually gives a bad taste in my mouth, to be honest, as there are other voices that can be given focus here.
(Now, the ugly one) I love Singapore and it will always be one place I would love going back again and again. Though this book will give readers only a small glimpse of the situation of the domestic workers there, I hope it won’t give bad impressions to Singaporeans. There might be cases of maltreatments and helpers treated as second class citizens but not everybody treats their helpers badly. This happens everywhere and not just in Singapore. There will be always be horror stories and good stories as well.
My other random thoughts on the book:
I don’t consider this a mystery / thriller book, far from it. This feels like a social commentary, too many happening all at once, from the main characters themselves as well as their homeowners. The murder aspect here is just a small part of the story. Another thing, I listened to this and honesty I got turned off with the narrator, maybe that was partly why I didn’t like this book. While I appreciate the Filipino accent of the characters, there is one, Donita, that talked not with Filipino accent but with Singaporean accent and it just irritates me as to why. And fyi, not all Filipinos speak with heavy accent with the p and f, lol!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The book highlights an important perspective and advocates for empathy and understanding toward live-in domestic help. Exposing the horrendous conditions most of these workers are subjected to is highly appreciated (and the only good part of the book). As a novel, I thought it was subpar. All the characters felt one-dimensional, with uninspired backstories that intended to provide depth but fell flat. The prose and dialogue are plain. I wasn't eager to read it. Moreover, the narrative seemed burdened by a checklist of "modern" issues, i.e., lesbian, trans people, minor-adult relationships, as well as cross-cultural relationships. I have nothing against examining these topics. What bothered me was that their inclusion felt more tokenistic rather than thoughtfully explored as social issues.
The pacing toward the end was dragging unnecessarily. Several of the last chapters felt contrived. Of course, the ending was a happy resolution wrapped neatly in a big pretty bow.
The pacing toward the end was dragging unnecessarily. Several of the last chapters felt contrived. Of course, the ending was a happy resolution wrapped neatly in a big pretty bow.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Three Filipina maids working for rich families in Singapore become friends and fight to free another maid accused of murdering her employer. Corazon retired back to the Philippines, but escapes back to Singapore after her nephew is accused of dealing drugs and killed by the police. She ends up working for an older woman who owns a café chain and is used by the daughters to try and convince their mother to expand in order to get more money. Donita works for the abusive Mrs. Fann. She and her husband are estranged from their child and she leads a successful coup to take control of a woman's organization and make it more Christian. Donita also starts dating a man from a different immigrant group which causes problems for him. Angel is working for a family where the son seems to be spying on her while she also deals with a breakup from her long-term girlfriend. Flourdeliza is accused of murdering the wife of her employer. Angel, Corazon and Donita investigate and discover that the murderer was actually her daughter and her boyfriend who accidentally killed her when they tried to run away together. They realize that it was recorded on a hidden camera. Donita exposes Mrs. Fann’s treatment of her by locking her in a closet and taking over the interview Mrs. Fann was supposed to do for her new Christian organization. It then also comes out that Mrs. Fann’s daughter is transgender and that is why they are estranged. The daughter comes to thank Donita for speaking out and Donita tells her that her father misses her but her mother was threatening him. Angel leaves the house she was working in and goes to get her physical therapy license. Corazon is able to talk to her employer and draw better boundaries after her daughter continue to try and manipulate her. Donita’s boyfriend decides to not let social pressure from his family dictate his relationships and is able to continue to date her.
I think this book was overshadowed by how much I loved Bandit Queens and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. I really liked this one as well, but the humor and deep friendships in Bandit Queens I think was more well done. I liked that we focused on three main characters and the different types of abusive employers you could have. Even Corazon’s nice employer overstepped boundaries and made her uncomfortable by acting more like a friend and putting her in an uncomfortable position. I also liked seeing LGBT representation, I thought it was really well done.
I think this book was overshadowed by how much I loved Bandit Queens and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. I really liked this one as well, but the humor and deep friendships in Bandit Queens I think was more well done. I liked that we focused on three main characters and the different types of abusive employers you could have. Even Corazon’s nice employer overstepped boundaries and made her uncomfortable by acting more like a friend and putting her in an uncomfortable position. I also liked seeing LGBT representation, I thought it was really well done.
Really great balance btw mystery and examination of a community and culture. This book puts a spotlight on a part of the world many people in my part rarely think about. It balances issues on race, class, gender and sexuality quite well. Highly recommend it. I might round this up to 5 stars.
Life as a maid in Singapore is no walk in the park. There are cruel bosses, complicated family dynamics, and plain hard work to navigate. So when Angel, Cora, and Donita find themselves also facing an event on the small island country where one of their colleagues is accused of killing her ma'am, they feel compelled to find out the truth, even at great risk to their jobs and safety. Meanwhile, each woman contends with her own personal troubles including a loss, a break-up, and a complex blossoming romance.
In a return to a more literary approach compared to Jaswal's last, the more comedic The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, Now You See Us is a fantastic choice for readers who are interested in trying the mystery genre without fully committing to a genre novel. Now You See Us may have a mystery in its plot, but it is much more a literary novel focused on character development and human interest, weaving in topics of social justice that make the book both timely and timeless.
With rotating chapters focusing on different characters, it takes just a little time to sort out who is who, but each perspective is soon made distinct and dynamic. Donita, Cora, and Angel are especially well-drawn with great detail and drivers that make them seem all the more real. Secondary and even tertiary characters, however, also enjoy a fullness that makes the world of domestic workers in Singapore a rich one on the page.
Pacing, tone, and a mix of types of prose (your run-of-the-mill fiction prose, views into Facebook groups, news articles, etc. -- all fictional) make the book move along easily. It's slow enough to savor and fast enough to keep the reader engaged, even though the centrally-advertised mystery plot is a latecomer. Readers who enjoy subtle hints that don't feel like hints will especially appreciate this one.
Now You See Us brings Balli Kaur Jaswal's thoughtful, international perspective back to readers in a book you won't be able to un-see or put down in the best ways.
In a return to a more literary approach compared to Jaswal's last, the more comedic The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, Now You See Us is a fantastic choice for readers who are interested in trying the mystery genre without fully committing to a genre novel. Now You See Us may have a mystery in its plot, but it is much more a literary novel focused on character development and human interest, weaving in topics of social justice that make the book both timely and timeless.
With rotating chapters focusing on different characters, it takes just a little time to sort out who is who, but each perspective is soon made distinct and dynamic. Donita, Cora, and Angel are especially well-drawn with great detail and drivers that make them seem all the more real. Secondary and even tertiary characters, however, also enjoy a fullness that makes the world of domestic workers in Singapore a rich one on the page.
Pacing, tone, and a mix of types of prose (your run-of-the-mill fiction prose, views into Facebook groups, news articles, etc. -- all fictional) make the book move along easily. It's slow enough to savor and fast enough to keep the reader engaged, even though the centrally-advertised mystery plot is a latecomer. Readers who enjoy subtle hints that don't feel like hints will especially appreciate this one.
Now You See Us brings Balli Kaur Jaswal's thoughtful, international perspective back to readers in a book you won't be able to un-see or put down in the best ways.