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twiinklex's review
3.0
✨ "And so it came to pass that National Service became firmly ensconced in the social fabric of life, an accepted fact of growing up male in Singapore. Today, the army is no longer a rude four-letter word. It is many other things. An initiation into manhood, a stepping stone to success, a springboard into adult society. Oftentimes, it is also a pain in the posterior."
Talk about a uniquely Singaporean book!
This is a quick and simple read that follows the author's foray into the mandatory National Service in Singapore. Although brief, the book mentions a few significant memories such as 4.30am days, the quality of army food, and the sacred relationship each solider shares with his rifle.
I enjoyed the author's sense of humour and use of Singaporean lingo. There is also a short glossary explaining common colloquial phrases such as "chicken backside" and "cock up" (both of which mean very different things in a Singaporean context).
While this was a fun and light read, I would have preferred more insight into army life, especially since being a soldier is both noble and challenging and so much more than what you can share in 100 pages.
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