How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee @JingWrites ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

I have read many books about the effects of WWII on the people of Europe but this is the first book that I've read about life in Singapore during the occupation by the Japanese. Parts of this book were difficult to read but the novel is beautifully written and a wonderful testament to the women who survived this time period. It is a book that I won't soon forget.

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May 2019; Hanover Square Press; 978-1335953759
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); historical fiction

How We Disappeared is told in 2 time periods. The first time period in 1942 when 16-year-old Wang Di is taken from her home and family and sent to be a 'comfort woman' for the troops. It was difficult to read about her sexual slavery and the life she was forced into. The second time period is 1960. Wang Di lives with her son, daughter in law and grandson, Kevin. Twelve-year-old Kevin is loved by his family but bullied by his friends. When he inadvertently learns a little bit about the secret his grandmother has been keeping for her long life, he decides to do some detective work and bring the secrets to light for the family. He starts down a path that will change his life and the life of his family.

Weaving together these two timelines this debut novel educates us on a little-known period of history, revealing the strength and bravery shown by numerous women in the face of terrible cruelty. A profoundly moving novel, it is based partly on the author's great-grandfather’s experiences.

This ultimately is the story of love and family and the resilience to overcome whatever happens in life.

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About the Author: 

Born and raised in Singapore, Jing-Jing graduated from Oxford’s Creative Writing Master’s in 2011 and has since seen her poetry and short stories published in various journals and anthologies. Jing-Jing's novella, If I Could Tell You, was published by Marshall Cavendish in 2013 and her debut poetry collection, And Other Rivers, was published by Math Paper Press in 2015. Her novel, How We Disappeared, will be out with Oneworld in early 2019.


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Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter

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