A review by sometimes_iread
After The Inquiry by Jolene Tan

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s been a while since my last singlit read and I’m so glad that I picked this up. After the Inquiry by Jolene Tan was an engaging blend of compelling characters, mystery, and a cynical look at the way Singapore is run. Plus, the political events mentioned are barely veiled from their real world counterparts, giving the entire story a sense of realism. 

After an unfortunate shooting in the police force, Teck, a civil servant in an unnamed ministry that sounds a lot like what I imagine the Ministry of Home Affairs is like, and his junior colleague Nithya are directed to take a closer look into the case after it has been closed. This leads to a lot more questions, especially difficult ones that our characters have to grapple with, most of all, what does it mean to be a civil servant?

I think a large part of what kept me so engaged even before the reveals started coming fast and furious, was Teck. Our main character and narrator was written with great nuance that I could practically see him come off the page. An experienced civil servant who has been savvy for the most part in throwing his lot with the right politicians and has no qualms about doing what is necessary to keep the edifice of government going. An efficient man, he disdains emotion and sentiment, even scorning reports by colleagues that stray into flowery. Yet, and this is what tickled me the most, these rules seemingly do not apply to him as I plough through the reports peppered with superfluous language that he penned. Blind spots are so real. 

Plot-wise, I was very captivated by the central question of what is a civil servant, and on a larger scale, what is a government? What is it that those in service actually serve? And can we expect all civil servants to serve selflessly without thought to self-service? The questions explored here do not have straight answers, especially when one doesn’t fall back upon idealism. In the end, all that remains is a vague sense of disillusionment and cynicism. 

Diversity meter:

Singaporean characters