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How We Disappeared

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How We Disappeared

By: Jing-Jing Lee
Narrated by: Angela Lin, Ryun Yu
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About this listen

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020

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.

Singapore, 1942. As Japanese troops sweep down Malaysia and into Singapore, a village is ransacked, leaving only two survivors and one tiny child. In a neighbouring village, 17-year-old Wang Di is bundled into the back of a troop carrier and shipped off to a Japanese military brothel where she is forced into sexual slavery. After 60 years of silence, what she saw and experienced there still haunts her present.

In the year 2000, 12-year-old Kevin is determined to find out the truth - wherever it might lead - after his grandmother makes a surprising confession on her deathbed, one she never meant Kevin to hear, setting in motion a chain of events he could never have foreseen.

A profoundly moving novel, based partly on the author's great-grandfather’s experiences.

©2019 Jing-Jing Lee (P)2019 Harlequin Audio 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Political World Literature Singapore Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking Feel-Good Village

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All stars
Most relevant  
Loved it, Excellent. Hard to follow in the beginning, but once in the swing - great!

All Excellent

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Beautifully written and narrated. A sad and thought provoking story about the trauma of war.

outstanding

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A part of recent history that, I think, is not well enough known. Very good narrators. Highly recommended!

Excellent book, vety powerful

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What a beautiful story! So well written- very descriptive and full. The scenes, characters, gestures and emotions were written so vividly and narrated with the right amount of drama, so I was really engaged and transcended at times. I learned so much. I felt so much. I cried too 🥲

So beautiful

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Brilliant, stay with it, I nearly gave up in the first hour, it shines a light on the atrocities of the Japanese occupation, rarely discussed in the UK.

Starts slow, harrowing and truly emotional story

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I knew about the comfort women before I listened to this book. But many of my perception were wrong so this was a eye opener.
The story had several twists and turns that were not expected. Which made it more interesting. I am reluctant to use the word enjoyable but this book was very gripping.
Some parts of the book were very distressing but important to here.
I can definitely recommend this book.

Historical story recalling a difficult time in history.

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I didn't like the male narrative. in some part I felt it is an audio theater rather than a book and I didn't like it.

the audio book

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As a girl growing up in Singapore and Malaysia, during 70’s and 80’s I had heard horrific stories of the Japanese invasion. At that time it was still rumoured that some women used the invasion to their benefit by prostituting themselves to the Japanese soldiers , these women were still spoken about as social pariahs,rejected even by their own families . Due to strict cultural and moral beliefs , these girls were so ashamed of what had happened to them,they could never discuss the horrific truths until they were in their golden years and the world had made the changes necessary to speak out. Although fiction this book is, I believe based on someone’s story .The brutality of the Japanese towards girls taken from their homes , some just mere children is heartbreaking. The trauma suffered by these girls and women is unforgivable, not just during their torture and abuse but long after the war, so shamed , so traumatised so silenced.
Jung-Jing Lee characters recreate in words the true struggles of psychological trauma and the suffering of post trauma throughout a lifetime. The author protectively maintains her characters strength,dignity,hope and the ability to love , which is so cleverly created within its ending.
❤️🙏🏻

A heart breaking story that needs to be heard at last .

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I didn't know much about WW2, but this work by Jing-Jing Lee has been an eye opening and sobering experience. It gives an important voice to people who were silenced for so long: "comfort" women and also gives an account of how the East experienced the attack from the Japanese.

it's a painful "story" — I use quotation marks because many realities were weaved into a single book — and also extremely educational. The characters are well developed and their stories weaved carefully. The narration is excellent, Ryu Yun's performance of Kevin specially really stood out to me endearing, and he added so much charm and life to each voice.

The cruelty endured by Wang Di broke me, and yet her story and life, as full of pain as it was, still had it's precious moments. I'll be thinking about the ending for a long time.

Striking Story & Performance

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I recommend this to anyone who is interested.in broadening their perceptions about other parts of the world. this story manages to be long without meandering. great listen.

Moving account across the generations

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