There must be a word – some German or Inuit term – that describes the stuck, dreadful feeling of disliking a beautiful view just because it is overfamiliar, and synonymous with work and daily boredom.

I have mixed feelings about Ponti. It’s so well written but, at the same time, I had a hard time connecting with it. Also, the plot was not what I expected, but that was an issue of the back cover description (so, I recommend you to skip it). The book centers around the story of three women, altering between timelines. In 2003, Szu an awkward teenager dealing with Amisa, her self-absorbed mother. In the 70s, Amisa a beautiful woman that moves away from her poor family in Malaysia to Singapore, where she lands a job as the main character of Ponti!, a cult horror movie directed by an eccentric millionaire. And, in 2020, Circe, a social media consultant that is dealing with her divorce and working on the marketing campaign of the remake of Ponti!. Szu and Circe meet in high school and, because they share their awkwardness and loneliness, quickly become close friends. Amisa is bitter and angry at life because it didn’t turn out as grand as she expected. Szu and Circe’s lives turn around Amisa’s, which has an energy that draws the girls towards her, yet automatically rejects them.

Teo manages the multi-character perspective wonderfully. Each woman had a unique voice, and a very clear and distinct personality. In spite of this, my biggest issue with the book was that it took me a while to care about the characters, but I thinks this was more an issue related with the plot (or lack thereof). The three women were extremely lonely, but I felt that they needn’t be. I felt like they where suffering without reason. And they were too cruel, also without reason. As I kept reading I could understand their personalities better, but I never got to the point where I said “This is the reason for her behavior…”. I was always expecting for something to happen that explained their behavior, but that moment never arrived.

However, what is amazing about this book is the writing. It is sharp, observational and honest. I could feel the sweat in Szu’s skin when she walks around Singapore, taste the fish soups the Auntie cooked for Szu, smell the dirty fridge at Amisa and Szu’s home or the incense and burned bones of the medium rituals. I could imagine the movie, the costumes, the makeup, the takes, and Amira’s acting. The book transported me to Singapore, and Teo let me feel what Szu, Amisa and Circe were feeling, even if I didn’t understand it. That’s what is worth about this book. Teo is definitely an author to follow.

About Sharlene Teo

Teo was born in Singapore in 1987. She studied Law in the UK, where she’s doing a PhD in Creative Writing. Ponti is her fist novel, and it created huge expectations, winning several fellowships and prizes since its early stages as a draft.

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Singaporean initiatives and Projects that support and empower girls and women

AWARE

AWARE is Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group. Formed in 1985, they work to identify and eliminate gender-based barriers. They have several areas of research and campaigns covering a wide range, from helping victims from sexual violence to low-income mothers. They work directly with policy makers and politicians on issues related to gender equality. They also hold training programs and workshops to increase awareness in schools, businesses and community centers.