Authors who are born from country with history of colonization and fighting from freedom are the best writers.

And in The Great Reclamation, we follow Ah Boon as he navigates life in a fast-changing Singapore during the time of British colonization and Japanese occupation.

This book reads like Pachinko but with less generation involved since we only have a couple of Lee lineage presented in the entire storyline - Ah Boon's parents, Ah Boon as he transformed as a quiet child in kampong to a collared employee, and his future life as a married man.

I enjoyed the fantastical element added in the book that is the magical islands that appear and disappear with the moon. At first, I thought that these islands are just added decoration to entice the reader but the ending of the book answered my question about the presence of these islands.

The way of narration - third person - also worked well in this case since we were given the chance to see the point of views of other characters who surround Ah Boon.

It is a strong debut novel that presented a realistic approach to a character who lived in twentieth century Singapore. Even though there were more than a couple of topics explored such as family dynamics during Singapore's shifting phase, the politics, and what's progress without its own wounds, Rachel Heng was able to navigate the story without feeling of overwhelming the reader.

Overall, I recommed this novel if you want to know more about the history of Singapore + if you're looking for a sweeping tale set in an important historical timeline with a speck of fantasy.

RATING: 4stars