The novel is a richly textured coming-of-age story set in postcolonial Singapore, where the protagonist, a young girl of mixed heritage, navigates the complexities of identity, family, and culture. Through her eyes, readers experience the tension between traditional Chinese beliefs and modern Western values, as she grapples with her place in a rapidly changing society. The narrative weaves together the scents, sights, and sounds of Singapore, drawing on myth, superstition, and the protagonist's own vivid imagination, to explore themes of belonging, transformation, and the enduring power of storytelling.

The 5162nd greatest book of all time