How We Disappeared: LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020

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Weaving together two time lines and two very big secrets, this stunning debut opens a window on a little-known period of history, revealing the strength and bravery shown by numerous women in the face of terrible cruelty. Drawing in part on her family's experiences, Jing-Jing Lee has crafted a profoundly moving, unforgettable novel about human resilience, the bonds of family and the courage it takes to confront the past. Too much of the book is dedicated to following a secondary character, Kevin, whose connection to Wang Di is too insignificant to warrant dedicating half the book to his uninspired attempts to solve an emotionally detached mystery. In fact, Kevin's narrative could have been removed altogether in favor of showcasing another comfort woman's experiences during the war. Sherwood, Harriet (18 April 2022). "The God of Small Things to Shuggie Bain: the Queen's jubilee book list". The Guardian . Retrieved 7 May 2022. Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the “Settings & Account” section. What happens at the end of my trial?

We’re a book blog based out of Minneapolis, MN. We feature a group of women writers from multiple countries who all come together over one thing: our love of books! How We Disappeared is a remarkable, original novel that uncovers the long-silenced atrocities that the 'comfort women' in Singapore suffered at the hands of the Japanese during WWII. Through gorgeous prose, tremendous pathos, and even humor, Jing-Jing Lee portrays the intersection of past and present and the courage to bear witness. How We Disappeared is an important, spell-binding debut."-- Spencer Wise, author of The Emperor of Shoes Wang Di was so taciturn about the sufferings she had to go through in the military camp. The war pushed a sanguine young lady into the perils of mental strife. The military subjugated all the young ladies in the camp, and they were treated in a servile manner. By her sheer temerity and unremitting nature, she was able to survive all the wanton acts in the camp. While I appreciated learning about a lesser known, but no less tragic, aspect of WWII, unfortunately, I struggled to become invested the stories, particularly Kevin's. The connections between the two POVs and two time frames were often awkward which influenced the flow of the story. I also felt somewhat dissatisfied that readers are left with so many unanswered questions. A novel set in Singapore about a woman who survived the Japanese occupation and a man who thought he had lost everything.Time is a funny thing. Or time is relative, like I read somewhere. A relatively funny thing – how it speeds by when you have something to look forward to or when you need to get something done desperately (…). How it slows down when you have nothing to do. In a nearby village, Wang Di is captured and sent to a Japanese military brothel where she is a “comfort woman.” In the year 2000, twelve-year-old Kevin is sitting beside his ailing grandmother when he overhears a mumbled confession. He sets out to discover the truth, wherever it might lead, setting in motion a chain of events he never could have foreseen. E questi sono i capitoli più terribili: più e più volte violata, senza sosta, senza amore, fino a farsi scomparire per sopravvivere: “Di tanto in tanto mi addormentavo, ma poi mi risvegliavo di soprassalto, perché il rumore più assordante era il silenzio delle altre ragazze che erano nelle stanze accanto alla mia e in quelle adiacenti, terrorizzate e in attesa come me.”

Blumberg-Kason, Susan (29 August 2019). " "How We Disappeared" by Jing-Jing Lee". Asian Review of Books . Retrieved 7 May 2022.Jing-Jing Lee has woven a net of stories about a family that experiences hardship, loss and trauma due to the occupation of Singapore 1942-45. One main focus lies on Wang Di who is abducted from her parents and forced to work as a prostitute serving Japanese soldiers; another main thread is set in the 21st century and introduces us to Kevin who tries to uncover the secrets of his grandmother - the story is propelled forward by the question how the stories of Wang Di and Kevin might be connected, and while trying to figure that out, we are jumping between timelines and meeting their parents and other family members, thus hearing about various destinies marked by historical events while they where happening and long afterwards. Readers will immediately notice the beautiful cover of this Historical Fiction novel that looks at WWII from a different vantage point - the Japanese occupation of Singapore between 1942 and 1945. And then, after the horror during what was supposed to be her best years, how her mother's words, the shame foisted on her by herself, her family, and everyone around her, had dictated the silence that shadowed her every move after the war."