Catherine Lim at her best, celebrating and skewering what makes us Singaporean
Catherine Lim Books
March 21, 1942
Catherine Lim is a celebrated Singaporean author whose work delves deeply into the fabric of its society, exploring the interplay between modern life and traditional Chinese culture. Through her keen observations and sensitive prose, she captures the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of social change. Lim's ability to portray the subtle intricacies of human nature and critically examine societal norms makes her a significant voice in contemporary literature.
The Bondmaid tells the moving story of Han, sold, aged 4 as a bondmaid into the house of Wu, where she forms a close bond with the young heir as she struggles against the forces of trdition and tyranny using the transforming power of love, resulting in a terrifying climax.
Teardrop Story Woman
- 329 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Story is set to the backdrop of 1950's Malaya, at the height of communist guerilla activity. A married chinese women, Mei Kwei falls in love with a priest who saves the wowen caught with Mei's husband from public embarressment.
The Loving and the Dead
- 144 pages
- 6 hours of reading
Original new stories from a well-established and internationally recognised Asian writer- A collection of eighteen easy-to-read and captivating stories- Tales of the supernatural that will fascinate and enthral readers
An evergreen of Singapore literature! A literary exploration of one of Singapore's favourite genres: the supernatural
The Song of Silver Frond
- 400 pages
- 14 hours of reading
'It was a special protection from the gods that Silver Frond's beauty manifested itself only after the barbarians had left...A beautiful child-woman, in that intriguing in-between stage when people could not tell where innocence ended and seductiveness began, and were charmed by both.' One morning in Singapore more than fifty years ago, a wealthy, respected, handsome Chinese patriarch, head of a large household of three wives and many children and grandchildren, takes a walk by a cemetery. There, a young village egg-seller, Silver Frond, is amusing herself with a comic song-and-dance act based on popular gossip - about him. The meeting instantly changes their lives. With characteristic verve and wit, Catherine Lim traces the struggles of an unusual couple through the jungle of human quandaries and predicaments created by the force of tradition, and celebrates the ultimate triumph of an even more extraordinary force - love.
