A review by femmenova
The Riot Act by Sebastian Sim

Did not finish book.

This book is written by a Chinese Singaporean man about a retelling of the Little India riot. Apart from the really lackluster writing at the beginning, he begins the book by literally utilizing all the stereotypes of migrant workers and Indian women. He wrote Hashwini to be an irrationally angry Indian woman when her safety was threatened and he wrote the migrant worker that committed the offense to be drunk and hypersexualized. I DNF this book on page 12 because I was severely uncomfortable and unimpressed by Sebastian's writing.  To me, this was lazy and uninspiring writing that uses all these stereotypes to further a plot.  Should I have given this book a second chance? Maybe. Maybe I am just tired of Chinese Singaporean authors only writing about minorities that are typecasted or the model. Maybe I just want more dimensional writing.