Welcome to Litsy!

I really liked the friendship between Szu & Circe and how that played out, it felt relatable. I wasn‘t as invested in the chapters on Amisa and sometimes it felt like they were there as filler/a bridge between the past and present day. Overall an enjoyable read, glad to have read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

@Mitch thank you, my friend!! I‘d not heard of this one, but it looks excellent 😁😁😁 And the cover is 😍😍
Merry Christmas to you ♥️♥️

Szu, a 16 yo girl, is trying to fit in and become an adult. Her mother's voice goes back to the 70s, when she starred in a trilogy of horror films, called Ponti. Ponti has a cult status. Circe, Szu's friend, who narrates her story in present day. I have mixed feelings about the book. It is a fast and easy read, it flows well, as long as I kept in mind the three different time settings. I did not relate to the story or the characters. #Singapore

In Ponti we follow 3 different timelines with 3 different characters in Singapore. There is Amisa, in the 1970‘s, her daughter Szu in 2002, and Szu‘s friend Circe in 2020. Teo writes with such an effervescent prose that I enjoyed and needed because it contradicted the film of disquiet and disdain that coats every character in here. There is no plot but I could not stop reading. I needed characters to be ok. Teo made me need them to be ok. Pick!!!!

An arresting story of unfulfilled/ing relationships, told from the perspectives of Amisa, forgotten star of the 70s “Ponti” trilogy, her teenage daughter, Szu Min, trying to make it through high school in the early 2000s, and Szu‘s friend Circe, who is battling her own unhappiness in 2020.

Read July 7-13, 19-20
Book 37/55

Set in Singapore, this book is told from the perspective of three women across their lives. Age 16 Szu is lonely as her ex-actress mother ignores her. Amisa, Szu‘s mother tells the story of her growing up and then Szu‘s only friend Circe 17 years later in 2020 is struggling through her divorce. A very well written novel of haunting memories, growing up and friendship.

"Ponti" is funny, sad and awkward, unlike anything I've read in a long time. I loved this book from Sharlene Teo and can't wait to see what she writes next - 5 stars!

My full review is up on my blog now ?

Another month, another book from my Rare Birds Book Club subscription. Have you read this one?

I went to the library only to get a replacement card but came away with this #bookhaul #noSelfControl #unplannedreads

What an amazing giveaway! #litworld2018gb @GatheringBooks

I've been to 21 countries in my reading travels this year (and 13 fantasy/sci-fi lands) 😊
Any of these would be great but #4 is especially catching my eye today.

Super cool #giveaway from @GatheringBooks How many countries have you visited in books this year? I‘m about to find out my total #litworld2018gb

We are giving away 6 books for our Literary Voyage Around the World Reading Challenge. Just REPOST and share how many countries you visited this year through books and you automatically get a chance to win any of these titles. Guesstimate is fine! Open internationally. Indicate which book (#1 to #6) you prefer. Just tag @GatheringBooks and hashtag #LitWorld2018GB. Open until 15 December 2018! Do share! #BookGiveaway! #PayingItForward! #FreeBooks

The lovely @GatheringBooks is hosting a #litworld2018GB giveaway. See her post for details.
I‘ve traveled to 20 or so countries through books this year! I‘ve enjoyed stories set in countries like Afghanistan, Nigeria, Japan, France, China, South Africa and Singapore.
I‘d love to win Ponti (partly because we have the same first name!)
Thank you for hosting this giveaway @GatheringBooks ❤️

Thanks @GatheringBooks for the chance to win in your #LitWorld2018GB Giveaway! I didn't realize how much I'd "traveled" this year, until I actually went back to look at my book list- 19 real countries, and 4 fictional countries! I'm interested in reading #4. ?

This didn't live up to the hype for me. In three intersecting storylines it tells the story of the relationships between Amiss, Szu and Circe, the first two mother and daughter and the second teenage friends. These are supposed to be complex, difficult relationships but I didn't feel any intensity in them, partly because so many interactions were reported rather than seen. It had all the right ingredients but they just didn't come together

@GatheringBooks is hosting a giveaway. #LitWorld2018GB Visit the original post for details.

I‘ve visited around 24 countries through books this year, including Discworld and a few other completely fantastic places, England, Japan, Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, Nigeria, Botswana, Mexico, and so many others!
I‘d be interested in reading Ponti the most of the 6. Thank you @GatheringBooks !

We are giving away 6 books for our Literary Voyage Around the World Reading Challenge. Just REPOST and share how many countries you visited this year through books and you automatically get a chance to win any of these titles. Guesstimate is fine! Open internationally. Indicate which book (#1 to #6) you prefer. Just tag @GatheringBooks and hashtag #LitWorld2018GB. Open until 15 December 2018! Do share! #BookGiveaway! #PayingItForward! #FreeBooks

#BookGiveaway #litworld2018gbgiveaway

Guys, head over to @GatheringBooks profile to check out how you can win one of these books!

I estimate I‘ve travelled 10 countries through the books I‘ve read this year. Thank you for the opportunity, I‘ll like to read the tagged book (book #4). 🙂💗

Such a perfect book! Can not wait to hear the author talk about it as I think there‘s so much there to discuss. I loved the way she made Singapore so vivid, and wonderful to read about even tho she didn‘t describe it adoringly. I loved not being sure whether it was magic realism or not, the characters building slowly over their different timelines.

Still feeling far from 100% 😞 I think I‘ve got a cold on top of the UTI which is... not ideal. omw back to oxford to see a friend who‘s not doing great, which I‘m happy to be doing cause I miss her but is tiring, then a work party tonight which I really wanna go to but can‘t really drink on antibiotics so will be a one drink, say hi then go to bed situation probably. Tomorrow = early night with medicine, bath and scented candles

I‘m seeing the author of this (gorgeous) book speak at the south bank centre in a week so hopefully I have enough time to read this one first!

I love my bookshop!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 full review: https://sixminutesforme.com/2018/08/20/ponti-by-sharlene-teo/

This is between a pick and so-so for me. I loved the writing, genuine characters, and the story told from three perspectives switching between past and present. The plot itself was pretty weak however and I was frustrated we didn't get more from these well crafted characters.
Full review on Goodreads.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Starting this #ARC tonight

A strikingly sophisticated novel that creatively incorporates a well-known trope from horror movies to say something meaningful about the tragic disconnect in relationships which matter to us the most.

Just booked to see Sharlene Teo and a bunch of other authors at the South Bank Centre in October! Literary festivals are like the highlight of my reading life and I‘m so excited. I have a lot of books to get through before then and I‘m pumped to have them on my tbr alongside all the booker ones. I‘m trying to resist this beautiful hardback until the paperback comes out but beautiful books are so hard to say no to.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I fell in love with the writing in this book immediately. It is whip smart, beautifully observational and funny. Tao does a marvellous job of steeping you in a sultry Singapore circa 2003. It is at first a headlong plunge into teenage angst, and while not a YA novel it is at it's best when told from the perspective of it's adolescent characters.
The plot was probably the weakest aspect of this novel, but Tao is an wonderful wordsmith.

Think I am going to love this one. Great opening chapter.

I heard Sharlene speak about Ponti at Sydney Writers' Festival and she was awesome! So excited to read this multi-generational story about film and female power.

I really liked this book about friendship, jealousy and perspective. The writing is really brutally honest and has such an acerbic tone. Have any of you read it ? I‘d be really interested to know what you thought?! I‘m also using this one for the #friendship prompt of #booked2018 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Full review on my blog - link below - if you fancy giving it a read!

https://lifewithallthebooks.com/2018/04/23/ponti-by-sharlene-teo-review/

Sunday lunch and a book: grilled pork (marinated overnight), sweet corn, and mackerel prepared ceviche style with cucumber, green chili, ginger, and a whiff of weekend - courtesy of ze husband. #IReadPonti #LitWorld2018GB-Singapore