The Bondmaid

by Catherine Lim

Set in Singapore in the fifties, the novel focuses on the story of Han. Sold as a slave into the House of Wu at the age of four, she forms a close bond with the heir of the household, but the idyllic childhood soon turns into a life of struggling against tradition and tyranny.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Asia, Asian Literature, Childrens

319 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

林宝音 in Chinese

Catherine Lim Poh Imm (Chinese: 林宝音; pinyin: Lín Bǎoyīn, born 21 March 1942) is a Singaporean fiction author known for writing about Singapore society and of themes of traditional Chinese culture. Hailed as the "doyenne of Singapore writers", Lim has published nine collections of short stories, five novels, two poetry collections, and numerous political commentaries to date.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Yalan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm being generous with my 2-star rating. If it weren't for the middle part which was not too bad, I would have given this 1-star. First, I'll talk about the most important thing about any novel: the writing. Catherine Lim, Singapore's most prominent writer in the English language, has a style, at least in this book, that cannot be characterised as "elegant". Her writing, in fact, is painful to read because of the cringe-inducing phrases that she uses (the "wet" of her trousers?) which I did not find relate to my culture at all, and her clumsy style which I think tries to be poetic but really just feels like an amateur trying write above her level.

Second, the story. To give Lim credit, she has created a mostly believable world of slavery and sexual abuse and forbidden love in what is supposed to be olden-day Singapore. However, she seems interested only in developing her main character, Han. This is fine, insofar as the book is titled "The Bondmaid"; but the neglect of an equally-important character, the master Wu with whom Han falls in love, renders subsequent events absolutely unbelievable to the point of ludicrous. I wasn't sure anymore if Lim was serious in writing this or if it was meant to be some sort of badly-executed parody.

Third, the last third of the novel. I don't even know, really. I don't have a problem with novels that deal with mysticism and strange religious beliefs; but Lim takes it a bit too far with the implied fate of the Han character. All the supernatural dream sequences were also really, really, really hard to get through, no thanks to Lim's horrible writing of those scenes.

I think the only group of people that this novel would appeal to is foreigners who look at it and think, "Oh, look, a book about ancient Chinese culture! How quaint!" It is not quaint. I couldn't relate to any of it. It is curious, maybe, but what I find most curious is how Catherine Lim is actually successful and why people actually voluntarily read her novels.

This is my first Catherine Lim novel and it is definitely my last.

[Meri Pindado · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nunca había leído nada de Singapur.
Esta historia está basada en los años 50 y nos cuenta la vida de Han. Una muchacha que conocemos de niña y la vemos crecer.

Esta trama está dividida en 3 partes. La niña, la mujer y la diosa.
He de decir que en ocasiones me he sentido perdida, ya que no conocía nada en torno a la cultura de Singapur y aquí se habla y explica sobre ello, cosa que es interesante, pero que a veces hacía que perdiera un poco el interés. Lo que me ha mantenido más atenta es la historia de la prota, a quien la vida no se lo pone fácil desde que es prácticamente un bebé y su madre la vende por falta de dinero. En una familia en que no paran de nacer hijos, su familia necesita hacer algo así para subsistir y a partir de esto vemos cómo lidia con todo lo que se la viene encima.

En su nueva vida, el personaje que me ha conquistado es Escupitajo. Un hombre que tiene retraso mental y que adora a Han desde el primer día que la conoce. Me parece la persona con mejor corazón y con la que más te encariñas😍

Me parece un libro interesante viéndolo ahora, una vez acabado, pero no creo que sea el mejor acercamiento a una cultura muy diferente a la occidental.

En cuanto al final y sin spoilers, diré que me parece un gran final para Han, ya que cualquier otro habría sido muy forzado y peor, bajo mi punto de vista.

Será un libro que tendré en mis estanterías, pero no estará entre mis favoritos.

[Michelle Kor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the language used in the book is not straightforward, the story was pretty captivating.
A forbidden romance between a bondmaid and the young master of the house.
They met when they were four and five (the elder one is the guy) when the girl's mother, who was really poor and just became a widow, sold her to the house.
The girl, when truth finally dawned on her that her mother is never gonna come back for her after 'quenching her thirst', she was devastated and starved herself and wouldn't move.
A thick headed girl she was, she screamed and refused to come in contact to anyone, if anyone did, she'd bite them or scratch.
Until she was 'exorcised' of the 'demon' in her, she was very hungry and wandered accidentally into the spoilt young master's room.
That's where the story of childhood games which grew into a forbidden romance began.

A book that will definitely stay on my shelf and be read again.

[Kimberly Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first couple of chapters were cringe-y. It seemed like the author tried too hard to used the BIG words and I found myself having to google a few times in a single page. It is very obvious that she (the author) tried to sound poetic and dreamy... but it just didn't work out for me.

However, the quality of writing improves (greatly, I would say) as you move along. I love the story. It is full of rituals, traditions and family hierarchies that I can understand and somewhat relate to. I particularly loved the ritual where the Chinese character "Tiger" is painted on the cheek for healing purposes. I myself had my grandfather did this for me - yay!

Good book overall - you just need to get past the first few chapters where the author might have tried too hard.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Singapore in the 1950s, this book is about a little girl, Han,
from a poor family who is sold to a wealthy family to become a
bondmaid. She grows up with the young heir of the house, an attachment
that lasts into adulthood. When they are grown, the heir is expected
to marry a girl from another wealthy family, and Han is expected to
understand her station in life.

The characters are strong, and the mood of the setting is skillfully
depicted. You really feel for Han and her circumstances, and the
intrigue within the household between the help of the house and the
privileged ones is believable and interesting.

[Annette Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this heartbreaking story about the life of women, and one woman in particular, in 1950's Singapore. I hadn't known about Bondmaids or the lives of the Singaporean elite before reading the novel and Catherine Lim presents it all in a very readable way with an engaging story and a fab heroine.

[Elizabeth Suli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting from the point of view of learning about Chinese Singaporean culture in the 1950s and earlier. The story was also well told and interesting. It was not gripping and I could put this one down and get back to it - but that is a handy type of book to have as I struggle to do anything else if the story is too gripping!

[Myra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was crying ... I wondered has it ever happened?!!! It's terrible knowing how women were treated, how women have no value! And Catherine Lim I love her, that is what called feminist ... just if we are done wrong!!! She is smart anyway, talkative in important stuffs

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried my way though this book. I've read it several times since I first purchased a copy, and I still weep - big, uncontrollable tears for the fates of Wu and Han. This novel is beautiful and devastating, and for me has a sense of familial nostalgia which makes it, I think, even more poignant.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful descriptive writing, though sometimes the point gets lost in the prose. A tragic story of love divided by class and wealth. Couldn't sleep after finishing it, I was still so wrapped up in the story.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. I just wanted to reach into the book and gather up little Han in my arms. The writing is excellent and well worth taking the time to read. The author took a risk by self-publishing this novel but it was a risk that paid off.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bondmaid is the third of three Asian books I am reviewing this month.

This particular book is set in Singapore in the 1950s rather than China, but the two rich families in it are Chinese in origin – as revealed when they run away to China after a series of catastrophes befalls them following the unhappy death of the bondmaid Han.

Han herself is from a poor family, and we don’t know for sure what her family’s origin is, only that they are a very poor family with too many children and not enough income.

When Han is three, her mother sells her to the rich Wu family.

Han is furiously strong-willed. She demonstrates this all through the book. When her mother leaves without her, she throws a fit that lasts the rest of the day and makes herself ill. Only when young master Wu takes an interest in her and feeds her himself does she begin to recover. After this, they become inseparable companions. For several years they are nearly each other’s only playmates.

Master Wu is Han’s whole life, and all she really wants is a little attention from him. As they grow older, the family and the other bondmaids try to discourage the relationship between them. The increasing interference from the other bondmaids and other people surrounding Master Wu and his increasing distance from her drive her to ever more desperate ploys to try to get his attention.

Master Wu is eventually sent away to school, and when he returns, they marry him to Miss Li-Li, a girl from another wealthy family. The families have been trying to encourage Master Wu’s relationship with Li-Li as assiduously as they have been trying to separate him from Han ever since they were all little. Li-Li comes to hate Han with a passion. Most of the other bondmaids seem to hate her too, although Han begins to show kindness to those in the household who, like her are the most abused. She also begins to ingratiate herself with the matriarch, but this seems only to aggravate the hostility expressed by Li-Li and the more powerful bondmaids.

Eventually, Han and Master Wu begin a small affair, meeting at an abandoned shrine nearby once a month. But this is not very satisfactory. It leads to a scene between Han, Li-Li, the matriarch, and the head bondmaid, after which Han is sent away.

Her oldest brother takes her to the House of Flowers, where he is the head pimp. There Han frightens away a rich customer. Master Wu comes to her there angry, thinking she has left him for other men. When they make up, Han tells him that she needs him to make her his second wife and that she can’t live as they have been living. He tries, but his family will have none of it.

This book delves into several cultural issues, but there are two that especially irritate me. This is not a failing of the author; in fact, her coverage of them is probably a major reason for writing the book and is much to be applauded. One is the business of trying to separate people who are in love if they are of different social classes. This is not something that is confined to Chinese people in Singapore, or Chinese people anywhere, or only Asians. As far as I can tell, this is a core belief of humans everywhere and has been since leaders first emerged among cave people, and despite a small amount of enlightened thinking on the subject in a few places over the past hundred years or so, it seems to remain a core belief of most people in most of the world even now. A peasant may occasionally marry a prince or princess, or a secretary may marry her millionaire boss, but it’s very likely their families will try to make their lives miserable for the rest of their lives.

The other issue, once again more pronounced in Chinese culture but not uncommon elsewhere, is the fixation on male babies. In this story, Han and Li-Li become pregnant at about the same time. Li-Li’s child is a girl, while Han’s is a boy. Han is convinced that with the birth of a son, she has earned Master Wu’s love and that he should finally take her home. Instead, her brother, the midwife, the head bondmaid of the Wu household, and the former bondmaid and her husband who have been sheltering Han while she awaits the birth of her child, conspire to steal the boy from her and replace it with Li-Li’s baby girl – all for a large amount of money.

[essem · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but the writing was just too off-putting, the characters too underdeveloped and unlikeable (but in an unintentional way), and the plot middling.

The writing

This entire book is like the "overly verbose" meme. A lot of the sentences were way too complex in relation to the meagre amount of information they conveyed.

The author also seemed to be allergic to referring to people by their names/labels, while borderline abusing the use of pronouns and the word "the", to the point where often it becomes quite unclear who or what is being talked about. Entire sections needed a second read through, and even then you have to use context clues and the process of elimination to figure things out. This is especially apparent in sections featuring two characters with the same pronouns, and is frankly, annoying.

I'm not going to get into the way euphemisms are used in this book, but let's just say that they would have been easy to overlook if the rest of the book was okay, but coupled with everything else working against this book, they stand out in a cringey sort of way.

This doesn't come across as "higher level" writing. It just seems like bad, pretentious writing.

Also, this books ENTIRELY telling and not showing.

The characters

We mainly follow Han (who is referred way too often as "the bondmaid Han" even after we already know her). She's desperately in love/obsessed with the heir of the wealthy house that she works for. Han is the most "developed" character in this book, but we still don't know a whole lot about her, and everything we do know about her is told to us, not shown. On the one hand you kind of cheer for her as she resists the abuse and oppression that she is subjected to, but on the other hand, she is obsessed with a man way above her station, and that entire side of her makes her come across as kind of dumb. Mind you, this could be because every other character is poorly developed and one-dimensional, including her love interest/lover.

Ultimately, the only character I kind of almost liked is Golden Fern, and it really doesn't seem like I was supposed to. She's a supporting character that the author painstakingly describes as dimwitted and ugly, but honestly? Nothing she does really supports this. And even then, Golden Fern does something pretty shitty towards the end of the book so ultimately, I don't even root for her.

The plot

So, first and foremost, this book utilises one of my least favourite tropes: servant girl in love with her master, dies in the end.

The entire plot reminds me of several historical Chinese dramas that my mom likes to watch; they all feature some sort of downtrodden woman from unfortunate circumstances, falling in love with a man far above her station. These dramas run on for way too many episodes, many of which feature contrived conflicts, and an excessive amount of drama that doesn't contribute much to the plot. And then the main character is basically a Mary Sue, and I'm yelling at the TV because I'm so frustrated that she's devoting all her time to an unattainable man who can't even stand up and fight for her.

Now, the thing is, I love those Chinese dramas, but mostly because my mom and I spend time bitching about how foolish the characters are. Not because we are so taken by the plot. Make of that what you will.

If you take away the "tragic love story" (which honestly feels barely like a love story because it goes from "they are besties as children" to "he literally actively ignores her/barely interacts with her for years on end" to "they are in love! Trust me bro"), there is also a harrowing narrative of rampant sexual abuse. It's believable, but also... not handled in a tasteful way.

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose Catherine Lim's The Bondmaid for the Singapore stop on my Around the World in 80 Books challenge. I had hopes that it would resemble work by Lisa See or Amy Tan, but was unfortunately rather disappointed in this respect. I've said this about a few books of late, but The Bondmaid felt purposely complex with regard to its long sentences, and range of less common vocabulary; essentially, it was overwritten.

A lot of the sentences, despite their length, did not say a great deal; for instance: 'In his time, the author too had stood, trembling, in punitive assembly with his siblings, and his father before him, in a long tradition of that cruelty, not just of parents, but of deities and gods themselves in their temples and river shrines, which sees fit to visit upon all the sins of one.' This prose style really put me off, particularly when it was contrasted with short paragraphs, consisting of just one or two very simplistic sentences. The dialogue, too, felt unimaginative and matter-of-fact; the whole novel felt ultimately clumsy. The Bondmaid flits about far too much in time, and whilst I did find the cultural information interesting, I felt from the beginning that the story could have been far better handled than it was in actuality.

You can probably see now why I gave up on it.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t usually give bad ratings to books because I think my interests and range is quite wide. I really do find the topic of Singaporean bondmaids interesting and was excited to pick up a story about a part of history from my own hometown. However, Lim did not bring out the severity of the issue. I think I grew wary of the constant narration of the story — Lim told us the situation rather than showed it to us. I would have appreciated more dialogue in the book. And as someone who loves historical fiction, especially about those who are of lower status and suffer during historical moments, Lim’s portrayal of the severity and suffering of a Singaporean bondmaid was definitely not up to par. I did not feel sympathy, never mind empathy, towards the main character, which seems to be the only character she developed throughout the book. I was also quite confused about the sequence of dreams and reality during the last third of the book. All in all, this book has potential regarding its topic of discussion, but was not carried out well. Perhaps that’s why it took me so Long to complete this book! Ok now I feel bad forgiving a bad review....😥

[SPF Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Catherine Lim is one of Singapore's most prolific authors, but I don't think I'd ever read anything by her. I had high expectations, but this book really did not meet them. The prose was incredibly clunky, the characters all despicable to varying degrees. In a way reading the book felt like an act of sadism. There was so much cruelty within the pages, and nothing redeeming about any of the characters. I understand that those may have been cruel times as well as a cruel situation, but there are ways to handle such issues in terms of narrative in order to create a more enjoyable reading experience. "Enjoyable" doesn't mean to dilute the cruelty of the situation, but rather to provide a lens through which the reader may be able to relate more, or at least feel some form of empathy for the characters. There was also hardly any descriptions of the environment, and I didn't realize the story was set in Singapore until reading other reviews. I was disappointed with this book. Perhaps Catherine Lim is better at short stories, which I suppose is what she's famous for.

[Raechel Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

What could be an interesting story suffers from poor writing and a confusing ending. The characters lack any real depth, and the main character works more as a fairy tale heroine/victim than an engaging protagonist. The sotry is saved from a one-star rating by the tidbits of Singapore folk and ghostlore.

[Jeslyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Captivating story but cringe-inducing use of the English language. Author tried to use too many big words (attempt at being poetic? dreamy?) which rendered some parts of the novel incomprehensible, or simply too tedious to tease out the meaning.

[Natasa Kalacoska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Љубовта е величествена во сета своја болка и сјај.

[Vi Vian · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best book out of catherine lim's novels! it is a fascinating story and especially to those who is intrigued by old beliefs and superstitions, this will be an absolute page turner. =)

[Kong Lingjun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending is too sad

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story about classism and how none of the women in this book had any agency. But I had a hard time understanding when it would skip POV. A bit uneven for me.

[Sylvia Looi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish it. Tried but the book just don't click with me

[Ana]

Desafío "Leyendo a través de Asia": Singapur (créditos a Lee (Books With Lee)).

Novela de ficción histórica sobre la vida de una criada de una familia noble en Singapur. La novela es extremadamente cruda y bastante gráfica en contar las desgracias (que son muchas). El ritmo es bastante lento y la narración es un poco rara a veces, me ha costado terminarlo.

[Вікторія Слінявчук · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я под большим впечатлением от этой книги. Очень понравилось, как пишет Кэтрин Лим - хочется вчитываться в каждую строчку, нет каких-то проходных и неважных фраз.
Действие книги происходит в 1930-50-х годах в Сингапуре. Это история девушки по имени Хань, проданной своей матерью в возрасте четырех лет. Хань попадает в богатый дом У в качестве прислуги. Шок у ребенка был такой, что ее сочли одержимой демонами - Хань отказывалась от еды и чуть не заморила себя голодом. Потом говорили, что спас ее монах-экзорцист, но на самом деле спасло ее знакомство с молодым господином У, мальчиком на год старше. Избалованное дитя, единственный наследник, которого воспитывали бабушка и дедушка, потому что его родители погибли, он обращает внимание на дикую девочку. С этого начинается история их детской дружбы. Для него Хань оказалась единственным товарищем по детским играм, потому что у этого ребенка было всё, кроме друзей. Конечно, они и тогда не были равны, оба всегда знали, что он - господин, а она - служанка, он мог играть с нее, иногда жалеть ее, временами делиться какими-то лакомствами, а мог и приказывать ей, и игнорировать ее, и вести себя жестоко. Не так жестоко, как мог бы себе позволить, но все же жестоко.
Молодой У уехал в 14 лет учиться заграницу, но это не изменило чувства Хань, в течение пяти лет она жила надеждой на его возвращение. Хань уже влюблена в него. Конечно, о�� должен жениться на девушке из такой же богатой и респектабельной семьи, конечно, он женится на ней. Хань не годится даже на роль второй жены или наложницы - слишком низкого происхождения, это было бы постыдно для дома У. Но она живет надеждой. Находит заброшенный алтарь некой богини и начинает молиться ей - в то, что Небесный Бог может услышать ее молитвы она уже давно не верит, а вот забытая всеми богиня может и помочь...
Пока молодой господин У готовится к свадьбе, за Хань начинают охоту другие мужчины. Богатый торговец хочет взять ее в качестве четвертой жены, но хозяин дает отказ. Достопочтенный монах, проводящий религиозные церемонии в поместье, который привык пользоваться телами молодых служанок, положил на нее глаз, так же, как один из родственников, живущих в том же доме. Хань приходится постоянно защищать себя от приставаний этих двоих. Вообще служанки постоянно подвергались домогательствам и изнасилованиям со стороны многочисленных родичей, и жаловаться они не смели. Хозяйка дома регулярно оплачивала им аборты и повторяла, что все мужчины кобели, но не задумывалась о том, насколько добровольно они спят с обитателями поместья.
В итоге между Хань и молодым господином все же возникает тайная любовная связь - совершенно бесперспективные отношения, которые не могут довести ее до добра. Она слишком бескорыстна, искрення и влюблена, чтобы получить от этой связи какую-то финансовую выгоду, как могла бы сделать на ее месте другая... Хэппи-энда не будет, всё закончится весьма и весьма печально.
Всю дорогу испытывала отвращение к этому молодому господину У - какой же трус и подлец! Совершенно недостоин такой любви. Но Хань любит его не потому, что он достоин и хорош, а просто потому, что когда-то в детстве он стал для нее всем, на него одинокая девочка обратила все свои нежные чувства, всю привязанность, ведь у нее не было больше никого.
Еще одна трагическая женская фигура в романе - рабыня Чу. Много лет ее насиловал старый хозяин (прадед возлюбленного Хань), натуральный садист. А до того проделывал то же с ее сестрой. Когда старик тяжело заболел, Чу согласилась ухаживать за ним, и когда он, беспомощный, оказался в ее власти - начала мстить. Ее месть растянулась на много лет - старик дотянул до 95. Но после его смерти у Чу не осталось никаких причин жить дальше, и она покончила с собой.

[MissNYix · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was so-so... Meh... not my favourite book. I could live without this book on my bookshelf. I found the ending a little rush and... (spoiler alert below)


She went insane? What I didn't like would be the cheesy part between Goddess and the Sky God, there were way too much sexual scenes and I found the character a little naive and annoying... yet, she's intelligent and have cheeky ways around things, e.g. teaching a person she doesn't like, a lesson. She's a most straight forward person.

Having more nemesis and less friends, the main character slowly turns to Sky God and Goddess to which she talks about her problems to. (She relies on Goddess to deal with her problems)... it's really more like her conflicting thoughts having a conversation with each other. And besides that... what kind of a coward of a guy, is she running back to?

[MissNYix · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was so-so... Meh... not my favourite book. I could live without this book on my bookshelf. I found the ending a little rush and...

(spoiler alert below)

She went insane? What I didn't like would be the cheesy part between Goddess and the Sky God, there were way too much sexual scenes and I found the character a little naive and annoying... yet, she's intelligent and have cheeky ways around things, e.g. teaching a person she doesn't like, a lesson. She's a most straight forward person. Having more nemesis and less friends, the main character slowly turns to Sky God and Goddess to which she talks about her problems to. (She relies on Goddess to deal with her problems)... it's really more like her conflicting thoughts having a conversation with each other. And besides that... what kind of a coward of a guy, is she running back to?

[Jacq Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tragic love story. The story got me going on and on, as if i was together with Han. Catherine Lim's writing made my emotions reacts with Han's; anger, jealousy, love, sadness and happiness. The descriptive words used were able to make me do a time-travel and see what happens around Singapore back in 1950s, just like what my grandmother had described to me.&& of course, i cried after reading. A good piece of word, however, as i was not used to reading narrative books, i was lost in the middle of the story, but afterall, i got the picture.

[Heather Dune Macadam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the beginning - the child's voice and the choppiness of child memory. I was completely captivated and felt like I was reading an Asian Zora Neele Hurston. In many ways the style and language reminded me of "Their Eyes Were Watching God." The end I found a bit too cliche though, which lands this out of the realm of great literature, which is certainly could have been. Of course, then it probably wouldn't have been made into a movie in China!

[Rukiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book probably 15 years ago, but it has stuck with me as one of my favorites. It made me laugh and cry. It made me happy, sad, angry and excited. Catherine Lim did a great job of painting a picture and drawing me in. I connected with the characters and felt for them. I would like to read this book again.