Welcome to Litsy!

Fictional look at the lives of "helpers" in Singapore. Billed as a mystery but it wasn't, really...

I liked this way more than I expected! This is the story of three Filipina women working as maids in Singapore. It showcases and explores the different ways (mostly, but not all terrible), the varying situations in the Philippines that made them pursue this work in a different country, the the friendship and solidarity they find in each other and their community of workers.

#HumbleHarvest Day 5: there is #friendship among the domestic helpers in this novel. I ended up not liking it as much as I did the other Balli Kaur Jaswar novels I read before. Read for the #EmiratesLitFoundation book club - November pick of the month. And yes for french onion soup with cheese.

#AutumnPlease! Day 16: Epitome of #BadBossDay in most of the domestic helpers‘ stories here. Finished reading this last night for the #EmiratesLitFoundation book club discussion in November. Paired with fish and chips.

#AutumnPlease! Day 11: Not really #SmallTownMurder but more like Small Country Murder. Writing is slightly more chaotic, I find, compared to her other novels - but still intrigued as to where it is taking me. Had to do a double post as I did not realize that full prompt included murder, lols.

#AutumnPlease! Day 10: Domestic helpers need to be like the #Shadow of their employers / masters - who, if they are unlucky, can be cruel just because they can.

#AutumnPlease! Day 9: #FallFlowers reminded me of the flower petals in this delicious halawa cheesecake that is simply divine. Quite distinct here in this part of the world.

#AutumnPlease! Day 8: We see the #Bones (bone, really) sticking out of this lamb dish we had for lunch today. Paired with the #EmiratesLitFoundation book club pick for November. 💕

The story of three Filipino maids working in Singapore. When another maid is accused of murdering her employer, the maids suspect she‘s being made a scapegoat - but what can they do about it?

The three main characters are delightful and the families that they work for are well-developed also. The murder isn‘t really the main plot, so don‘t come in expecting a thriller. It‘s not a comedy, but there are laugh-out-loud scenes. Just really enjoyable.

Set in present-day Singapore, this book highlights the mistreatment of migrant domestic workers and the cruelty they face at the hands of their employers. The three main protagonists work in the lavish homes of the elite and encounter varying treatments. When one of their fellow maids is accused of murder, they are determined to prove her innocence. I found the actual mystery a little lacklustre,but the themes are important.

This book has been eye-opening for me. I was unaware of the poor situation and working conditions for immigrant workers in Singapore. How these maids are treated as property and scapegoats. Just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore....While the book is a work of fiction the authors note tells how she is from Singapore and how she herself didn't know the narrative of the women who come and what they put up with.