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The Sound of Sch: A Mental Breakdown, A Life Journey
Co-winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 2016 for English Non-Fiction
Can a life weave along through the same notes and yet come to play forth different sounds?
The Sound of Sch (pronounced S-C-H) is the true story of a journey with mental illness, beautifully told by Danielle Lim from a time when she grew up witnessing her uncle's untold struggle with a crippling mental and social disease, and her mother's difficult role as caregiver. The story takes place between 1961 and 1994, backdropped by a fast-globalising Singapore where stigmatisation of persons afflicted with mental illness nevertheless remains deep-seated. Unflinchingly raw and honest in its portrayal of living with schizophrenia, The Sound of Sch is a moving account of human resiliency and sacrifice in the face of brokenness.
Can a life weave along through the same notes and yet come to play forth different sounds?
The Sound of Sch (pronounced S-C-H) is the true story of a journey with mental illness, beautifully told by Danielle Lim from a time when she grew up witnessing her uncle's untold struggle with a crippling mental and social disease, and her mother's difficult role as caregiver. The story takes place between 1961 and 1994, backdropped by a fast-globalising Singapore where stigmatisation of persons afflicted with mental illness nevertheless remains deep-seated. Unflinchingly raw and honest in its portrayal of living with schizophrenia, The Sound of Sch is a moving account of human resiliency and sacrifice in the face of brokenness.
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
7 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Lim
5 books8 followersDanielle Lim is an award-winning author. Her short story collection, And Softly Go the Crossings, won the Book of the Year and Best Literary Work in the Singapore Book Awards 2021. Trafalgar Sunrise, a novel exploring Sars and leprosy, was shortlisted in the Singapore Book Awards 2019 (Best Literary Work). The Sound of SCH: A Mental Breakdown, a Life Journey, won the Singapore Literature Prize 2016 (non-fiction), and has been translated to Chinese and Tamil, published in Taiwan and India. Danielle is an alumna of the University of Oxford and resides in Singapore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 9, 2021
this is a true story of a journey with mental illness, beautifully told by danielle lim from a time when she grew up witnessing her uncle's untold struggle with a crippling mental and social disease and her mother's difficult role as a caregiver.
some parts are just so relatable to me and cant help but to be reminded of my journey, and my loved ones too. omg idk but i guess its just the way how danielle writes, that is so raw & honest, showing how real it gets. like having to go to a number of hospital visits & showing how one copes when a loved one has a serious mental illness. its definitely not easy but it is always crucial to have an honest communication & keeping it open with people around you in order to help things go smoothly. i also love how it emphasizes how there will always be bad days which are totally okay, but it is also important to keep going and never give up.
based on my own experiences, there is a lot of stigma in our society which can worsen one's mental health problems and this is one of the books that is necessary to read in order to raise the awareness & sort of understand what we go through. caregivers are also often underappreciated so i really would like to take this opportunity to also thank danielle, for bringing light to them and letting readers know that they too, are humans and have feelings - and they deserve all the support and love.
some parts are just so relatable to me and cant help but to be reminded of my journey, and my loved ones too. omg idk but i guess its just the way how danielle writes, that is so raw & honest, showing how real it gets. like having to go to a number of hospital visits & showing how one copes when a loved one has a serious mental illness. its definitely not easy but it is always crucial to have an honest communication & keeping it open with people around you in order to help things go smoothly. i also love how it emphasizes how there will always be bad days which are totally okay, but it is also important to keep going and never give up.
based on my own experiences, there is a lot of stigma in our society which can worsen one's mental health problems and this is one of the books that is necessary to read in order to raise the awareness & sort of understand what we go through. caregivers are also often underappreciated so i really would like to take this opportunity to also thank danielle, for bringing light to them and letting readers know that they too, are humans and have feelings - and they deserve all the support and love.
April 6, 2019
From the first page, Danielle Lim so poignantly brought out the essence of a Singaporean life. Rarely when I read fiction is my mind so immediately filled with images, sounds, and smells so close to my heart that it drew me back into crystal clear snapshots of my life. This is of course because I am Singaporean, and I am Chinese. A story set in America or the UK where most popular fictions are set doesn't do the same for me. It took me this book to realise that.
I am very far removed from my own localness and this book was a timely reminder that I can never stray far from my roots. I am also very emotionally removed from my and my family's own situation of caring for a loved one with mental health issues or dealing with our own mental health issues. You don't really want to think about it.
My mother's a stay-at-home mom. Til now I'm not sure if she left her job by choice. It was definitely verbally agreed between her and my father, but by virtue of being a woman, the role of a caregiver falls onto her automatically anyway. She shared that she felt that it's her duty to do that, although she spoke fondly of being a working woman. "Back then I was valued and I had autonomy," she said.
She is also the reason I'm a feminist.
This is a familiar and comforting scene to me - my Chinese mother frying vegetables in a wok, the smell of garlic and oil permeating the entire house, the smell of sweat when I come close to her. For decades I've sat in the same seat on the same dining table - from working on equations on paper worksheets to writing work reports on my laptop - and watch her cook dinner for us. Usually when she starts cooking I stop concentrating on anything because I get so hungry in anticipation. I think I even asked her the same question and got the same answer with the same happy-sad look in return.
Food also ties in strongly to my mother's self-worth. She must have san cai yi tang - three dishes and one bowl of soup, with rice for all - on the dinner table every weekday evening. Every day she spends about 5 hours cooking and cleaning up after cooking. It takes up most of her day. I make sure never to waste any of her food and always to thank her for cooking. To give her back some small amount of value she deserves, a small percentage of how much has been taken from her the moment she left the working world when she was 35.
The Sound of Sch is a book about caregiving, family, love, and mental health. It has touched the hearts of many Singaporean readers. And it reminds me of all that's important in my life.
I am very far removed from my own localness and this book was a timely reminder that I can never stray far from my roots. I am also very emotionally removed from my and my family's own situation of caring for a loved one with mental health issues or dealing with our own mental health issues. You don't really want to think about it.
"Chu ah, Seng and I have been such a burden on you."
"Don't say like that lah, Ma."
My mother's a stay-at-home mom. Til now I'm not sure if she left her job by choice. It was definitely verbally agreed between her and my father, but by virtue of being a woman, the role of a caregiver falls onto her automatically anyway. She shared that she felt that it's her duty to do that, although she spoke fondly of being a working woman. "Back then I was valued and I had autonomy," she said.
She is also the reason I'm a feminist.
"Chsh! Mum throws the garlic into the wok. There is a fragrance of chopped garlic sizzling in oil, until the plants go in. Next, Mum fries some toufu, and scrambles some eggs with chye poh, which Mum says is preserved radish. I sit there thinking I want to be a great cook like her when I grow up, and I ask her, Mum, how come you can cook so fast? She has a strange happy-sad look on her face, wipes the sweat from her face with the back of her hand, and says that if you do something every day, day after day, year after year, you're bound to be good at it."
This is a familiar and comforting scene to me - my Chinese mother frying vegetables in a wok, the smell of garlic and oil permeating the entire house, the smell of sweat when I come close to her. For decades I've sat in the same seat on the same dining table - from working on equations on paper worksheets to writing work reports on my laptop - and watch her cook dinner for us. Usually when she starts cooking I stop concentrating on anything because I get so hungry in anticipation. I think I even asked her the same question and got the same answer with the same happy-sad look in return.
Food also ties in strongly to my mother's self-worth. She must have san cai yi tang - three dishes and one bowl of soup, with rice for all - on the dinner table every weekday evening. Every day she spends about 5 hours cooking and cleaning up after cooking. It takes up most of her day. I make sure never to waste any of her food and always to thank her for cooking. To give her back some small amount of value she deserves, a small percentage of how much has been taken from her the moment she left the working world when she was 35.
The Sound of Sch is a book about caregiving, family, love, and mental health. It has touched the hearts of many Singaporean readers. And it reminds me of all that's important in my life.
February 6, 2021
The Sound of Sch hit painfully close to home. Danielle Lim writes beautifully about her family’s experience with her uncle’s schizophrenia to tell a story of mental health, caregiving, and family.
I felt like I was reading my mum’s story - she and my grandmother had to care for my uncle for decades because of an incurable illness that eventually led to his passing - so this evoked a lot of bittersweet feelings and a sense of déjà vu. My mum also had to juggle this with work and her own family - I didn’t know how to appreciate this until the end of my teenage years.
What stood out most for me was the cost of caregiving. I think we don’t often see the invisible care work that many women do in private spaces and the sacrifices they make, and this was a much needed reminder, especially in the current pandemic where women are pulling out from the workforce at unprecedented (but not surprising) rates.
All in all a stunning read.
I felt like I was reading my mum’s story - she and my grandmother had to care for my uncle for decades because of an incurable illness that eventually led to his passing - so this evoked a lot of bittersweet feelings and a sense of déjà vu. My mum also had to juggle this with work and her own family - I didn’t know how to appreciate this until the end of my teenage years.
What stood out most for me was the cost of caregiving. I think we don’t often see the invisible care work that many women do in private spaces and the sacrifices they make, and this was a much needed reminder, especially in the current pandemic where women are pulling out from the workforce at unprecedented (but not surprising) rates.
All in all a stunning read.
November 11, 2024
3.5 rounding down to 3 - my enjoyment of the book wasn't super high, I think I expected something a bit different. It was well written and well done, but I think I'd have preferred a bit more about the main character's relationships with her respective family members and a bit more about her. But I did enjoy how mental illness was portrayed here, as well as the toll it takes on caregivers as well as those suffering, with much empathy and care given to both sides.
The book has an audience, I'm glad I read it, and there are some gorgeous passages, but not 100% my cup of tea.
The book has an audience, I'm glad I read it, and there are some gorgeous passages, but not 100% my cup of tea.
June 4, 2020
It's a sad one, and dare I say even a sobering recount of the hidden realities we choose not to see in Singapore around mental illness. That is, if we can even afford to avoid the topic altogether.
The author adopts a very candid approach when retelling the tale of her childhood, her interactions with her family, the relationship between her mom, her uncle and grandmother and how they learn to deal with the unwelcomed guest that long overstayed its welcome and plagued one but affected plenty for the course of a lifetime.
Singapore is small and we have a lot to learn, this book is one sure step forward.
The author adopts a very candid approach when retelling the tale of her childhood, her interactions with her family, the relationship between her mom, her uncle and grandmother and how they learn to deal with the unwelcomed guest that long overstayed its welcome and plagued one but affected plenty for the course of a lifetime.
Singapore is small and we have a lot to learn, this book is one sure step forward.
October 24, 2020
Thank you for writing this memoir Danielle. It was beautifully written and I enjoyed that it was in a local context, and displayed Singaporean culture, our local and Asian ways of communication and expression and Singlish that a Singaporean or someone residing in Singapore can fully appreciative its intentions and nuances.
I've read it with my heart breaking, tears welled up, and my knowledge of schizophrenia being updated.
To the author - Danielle, it must not had been easy for you writing this and I commend your courage and choice to be vulnerable in writing this. I've read your thoughts in the afterword of the book too and you have expressed that this was a story you had to tell.
Thank you for telling this story, and shedding light on the struggles and suffering of people with mental illness and their caregivers. I hope this story will be one driver of fighting stigma towards people with mental illness. I hope like how it did when I read this book, that it would increase the society's empathy towards people suffering from mental illness and increase society's understanding of how their thoughts and actions can contribute to stigma against them.
My tears fell as I read towards the end of the book and I believe the amount was nowhere near the tears you, your family and relatives had shed. Thank you again for writing this moving memoir and allowing us to enter and empathize this journey you penned with your heart.
I've read it with my heart breaking, tears welled up, and my knowledge of schizophrenia being updated.
To the author - Danielle, it must not had been easy for you writing this and I commend your courage and choice to be vulnerable in writing this. I've read your thoughts in the afterword of the book too and you have expressed that this was a story you had to tell.
Thank you for telling this story, and shedding light on the struggles and suffering of people with mental illness and their caregivers. I hope this story will be one driver of fighting stigma towards people with mental illness. I hope like how it did when I read this book, that it would increase the society's empathy towards people suffering from mental illness and increase society's understanding of how their thoughts and actions can contribute to stigma against them.
My tears fell as I read towards the end of the book and I believe the amount was nowhere near the tears you, your family and relatives had shed. Thank you again for writing this moving memoir and allowing us to enter and empathize this journey you penned with your heart.
July 24, 2018
Brought me to tears in the mrt as it deeply resonated. Danielle has put voice to the silent tears and aches of so many of us who live with relatives with schizophrenia. And she does it with beautiful prose that is so powerful in its honest simplicity.
May this book bring forth more understanding and less judgement for those with mental health issues, as well as empathy and support for all caregivers.
May this book bring forth more understanding and less judgement for those with mental health issues, as well as empathy and support for all caregivers.
December 26, 2016
Bucket of tears.
Short and loving memoir by Danielle Lim, it isn't entirely about Uncle Seng, but also about the whole family's struggle due to the public stigma of mental health. Above all, the unconditional love they have for Uncle Seng, and the kindness they showed others despite their own times of despair.
Short and loving memoir by Danielle Lim, it isn't entirely about Uncle Seng, but also about the whole family's struggle due to the public stigma of mental health. Above all, the unconditional love they have for Uncle Seng, and the kindness they showed others despite their own times of despair.
May 4, 2017
The editing could have been quite a bit tighter but I loved this book for its heart, its humour, its homeyness. The characters burst instantly into life and the emotions ring true. It's a story worth telling and well told, and I'm wiser for having read it.
November 26, 2025
5 stars. when i was reading this, there were a few times i wondered how Seng managed to stay uncomplaining and even find the will to live on. one of the things we struggle with is the idea of “wasted potential”, and it hurts to think that in the past Seng had friends with which he could discuss educated matters, only to lose them and essentially all human contact except for family since his illness. and when he loses his job, he can only go for walks all day, where, at worst he gets bullied and oftentimes looked at funnily.
i realise we’re all technically just walking around finding our next new milestone to achieve. so for Seng to make the best of life, working when he could, spending time with his family and such, amid all the dry, bitter medicine he has to take, takes a lot of resilience. i’m inspired because his story wasn’t victimising; he lived on and so can we.
i was pleasantly surprised when Danielle wondered the same thing, “what’s the purpose of Ah Gu’s life?” she still doesn’t have an answer, but through talking with her friend she realises this: while it’s true there’s no “point” to Seng suffering in silence and how well he responds to the suffering because “in the end nobody knows and nobody cares”, she knows. and it’s made a difference to her :”) and i’m so thankful she’s shared it with us too.
the hard-hitting parts were Mum’s and Ah Ma’s stories as caregivers and family members. what can i say about Mum that hasn’t already been said? i’ll be back to reflect more.
when i grew resentful of Ah Ma’s guilt and blamed her for not listening to the doctor in the first place, i remember that she, too, was afraid and trying her best. we are quick to find someone to blame in any situation, but sometimes there simply isn’t anything we could have done better as the person we were at the time. Ah Ma felt more and more like a burden as her arthritis worsened, and she probably knew it did not help Mum to voice her wishes to jump with Seng, but not everyone is quiet like Seng. some things hurt to say/hear but hurt more to keep inside. i feel like life is just an endless cycle of asking yourself “is it better if i communicate this or not? am i withholding information or burdening them if i say it?”
at times i was irritated by Dad’s behaviour, thinking “why couldn’t he offer to do more?” “why does he make things difficult by arguing?” “why can’t he just not drink and gamble?” but again, this is also his life. he’s working to support their family and is inevitably affected by Mum’s caregiving responsibilities, like when Seng had a relapse right when they were going on a family trip. though he’s not always around because he works late, he does his part in other ways and showers their children with love.
that’s the power of reading nonfiction i think; at the end of the day these are all real people with real lives, not fictional antagonists written in. it pushes me to reconsider their perspective of the situation, and ultimately see just how widespread the impact of caregiving is.
anyway, this is my way of reflecting on my thoughts and this book at the same time. there’s so much to take away from this book.
i realise we’re all technically just walking around finding our next new milestone to achieve. so for Seng to make the best of life, working when he could, spending time with his family and such, amid all the dry, bitter medicine he has to take, takes a lot of resilience. i’m inspired because his story wasn’t victimising; he lived on and so can we.
i was pleasantly surprised when Danielle wondered the same thing, “what’s the purpose of Ah Gu’s life?” she still doesn’t have an answer, but through talking with her friend she realises this: while it’s true there’s no “point” to Seng suffering in silence and how well he responds to the suffering because “in the end nobody knows and nobody cares”, she knows. and it’s made a difference to her :”) and i’m so thankful she’s shared it with us too.
the hard-hitting parts were Mum’s and Ah Ma’s stories as caregivers and family members. what can i say about Mum that hasn’t already been said? i’ll be back to reflect more.
when i grew resentful of Ah Ma’s guilt and blamed her for not listening to the doctor in the first place, i remember that she, too, was afraid and trying her best. we are quick to find someone to blame in any situation, but sometimes there simply isn’t anything we could have done better as the person we were at the time. Ah Ma felt more and more like a burden as her arthritis worsened, and she probably knew it did not help Mum to voice her wishes to jump with Seng, but not everyone is quiet like Seng. some things hurt to say/hear but hurt more to keep inside. i feel like life is just an endless cycle of asking yourself “is it better if i communicate this or not? am i withholding information or burdening them if i say it?”
at times i was irritated by Dad’s behaviour, thinking “why couldn’t he offer to do more?” “why does he make things difficult by arguing?” “why can’t he just not drink and gamble?” but again, this is also his life. he’s working to support their family and is inevitably affected by Mum’s caregiving responsibilities, like when Seng had a relapse right when they were going on a family trip. though he’s not always around because he works late, he does his part in other ways and showers their children with love.
that’s the power of reading nonfiction i think; at the end of the day these are all real people with real lives, not fictional antagonists written in. it pushes me to reconsider their perspective of the situation, and ultimately see just how widespread the impact of caregiving is.
anyway, this is my way of reflecting on my thoughts and this book at the same time. there’s so much to take away from this book.
January 28, 2021
It feels so genuine and it’s beautifully written.
It aint specifically about schizophrenia only, but the mental illness itself in general. I don’t know how it looked like precisely in Singapore, but the stigma of mental illness here is also a bit same. (But gratefully, time changes and people these day start to aware) My first heartbreak was Seng, a good guy who actually deserves more brilliant life, should give his future away and he didn’t like to talk much, he just kept and buried all burdens himself, till he diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Second heartbreak went with Ah Ma who simply didn’t want to hurt his son by doing ECT and was prefer to go to any powerful people on earth; and ironically, this’s very common particularly in remote area or to uneducated or less aware people. Third heartbreak’s when it turned out the Ma had to take care of her brother and Ah Ma for the rest of their life. People have their own burdens, problems. But Ma must be one of the most wonderful woman ever, She oftenly gave up most of her times to take care of others and took her personal problems aside; i could see how she prioritize her family above her own happiness. I almost cry to read as if i could just hug her. Also, her husband must be really patient and tried to understand her such situation.
The situations were still not any better i thought, but people started to accept their own selves. Ah Gu still relapsed sometimes. It was sad whenever Ah Ma asked; who’s gonna take care of Ah Gu if i’m no longer here? She’s, too, tryin to take care as much as she could. My fourth heartbreak was when Ah Ma did tentamen suicide by drinking detergen in bathroom; it could be because either to end her pain due to severe arthritis or she didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. I feel sad, really, i hope i could help everyone who ever thought like this; at least, let me hug them. But, in the end, Ah Ma kept trying to die earlier by jumping down from the window. No... The last heartbreak was about Ah Gu that died in peace through his silent sleep.
”Finally Mum says, I bought him a new pair of shoes for his funeral. Such irony right? In life he always wore his old pair of slippers, and only in death he will wear a nice new pair of shoes.”
Of course, i also noticed the man called Dark Man who lived in the same house with Ah Ma and Ah Gu. He’s also the unlucky but still remains a good man. Nevertheless, i’m glad to know the ending; how the children went succeed. I feel such a relieved.
Thank you to the author for writing this story, i wish the people in the world can be more and more aware of the mental illness and also all the diseases that previously gained many stigma around. I wish people could have more empathy towards others and try to listen what’s going on with others and lend a helpful hand or simply say a peaceful words that it’s okay to feel uneasy and to believe that everything’s going to be okay.
It aint specifically about schizophrenia only, but the mental illness itself in general. I don’t know how it looked like precisely in Singapore, but the stigma of mental illness here is also a bit same. (But gratefully, time changes and people these day start to aware) My first heartbreak was Seng, a good guy who actually deserves more brilliant life, should give his future away and he didn’t like to talk much, he just kept and buried all burdens himself, till he diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Second heartbreak went with Ah Ma who simply didn’t want to hurt his son by doing ECT and was prefer to go to any powerful people on earth; and ironically, this’s very common particularly in remote area or to uneducated or less aware people. Third heartbreak’s when it turned out the Ma had to take care of her brother and Ah Ma for the rest of their life. People have their own burdens, problems. But Ma must be one of the most wonderful woman ever, She oftenly gave up most of her times to take care of others and took her personal problems aside; i could see how she prioritize her family above her own happiness. I almost cry to read as if i could just hug her. Also, her husband must be really patient and tried to understand her such situation.
The situations were still not any better i thought, but people started to accept their own selves. Ah Gu still relapsed sometimes. It was sad whenever Ah Ma asked; who’s gonna take care of Ah Gu if i’m no longer here? She’s, too, tryin to take care as much as she could. My fourth heartbreak was when Ah Ma did tentamen suicide by drinking detergen in bathroom; it could be because either to end her pain due to severe arthritis or she didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. I feel sad, really, i hope i could help everyone who ever thought like this; at least, let me hug them. But, in the end, Ah Ma kept trying to die earlier by jumping down from the window. No... The last heartbreak was about Ah Gu that died in peace through his silent sleep.
”Finally Mum says, I bought him a new pair of shoes for his funeral. Such irony right? In life he always wore his old pair of slippers, and only in death he will wear a nice new pair of shoes.”
Of course, i also noticed the man called Dark Man who lived in the same house with Ah Ma and Ah Gu. He’s also the unlucky but still remains a good man. Nevertheless, i’m glad to know the ending; how the children went succeed. I feel such a relieved.
Thank you to the author for writing this story, i wish the people in the world can be more and more aware of the mental illness and also all the diseases that previously gained many stigma around. I wish people could have more empathy towards others and try to listen what’s going on with others and lend a helpful hand or simply say a peaceful words that it’s okay to feel uneasy and to believe that everything’s going to be okay.
August 24, 2025
I know I will love this book since I read the first page. It hits close to home, some puzzle pieces resemblings my childhood memories, and some of it even remembering me from my recent past years event. My sister also has a mental disorder, though different with schizoprenia, I felt the same stigma people addresed to us and the difficult time we experienced during her relapse. I sighed and took break a lot along reading this continuous frustration, suffer, and grief. It was totally roller-coaster experience, but I glad Danielle Lim shared her personal stories with us, that I feel we are not alone, we can bear this life together, and find our purpose from God: why we face all those struggles in life.
PS: I love the way Danielle Lim potrayed her story as Singaporean. On point and warm. It remind me to my Malay superior with her Singlish.
PS: I love the way Danielle Lim potrayed her story as Singaporean. On point and warm. It remind me to my Malay superior with her Singlish.
May 17, 2025
First hand account of dealing with schizophrenia in Singapore.
Author’s uncle is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Author’s mother spends her life caring for him - checking that he takes his medicine, being There/visiting during his frequent hospital visits. There are bits about how he finds meaning through his job, which eventually fires him.
Reading this was touching - and also a testament to the community in Toa Payoh. The fruit sellers / hawkers recur. The ice cream man. The gossipy neighbours. All feel intangible.
I also felt bad for the author’s mother, who was apparently a Top Girl in RGS but became a housewife.
Author’s uncle is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Author’s mother spends her life caring for him - checking that he takes his medicine, being There/visiting during his frequent hospital visits. There are bits about how he finds meaning through his job, which eventually fires him.
Reading this was touching - and also a testament to the community in Toa Payoh. The fruit sellers / hawkers recur. The ice cream man. The gossipy neighbours. All feel intangible.
I also felt bad for the author’s mother, who was apparently a Top Girl in RGS but became a housewife.
December 31, 2025
I really loved this book! I finished it in a day. I felt so seen and validated when I read it. It depicted the struggle of looking after a family member who suffered from a serious mental illness and the toll it could take on the whole family.
However, it also went deeper to explore what meaning one could derive from the hardships and also provide the option not to have to turn it all into a trite life lesson.
I appreciated Danielle’s willingness to talk about heavy subjects such as depression, schizophrenia, suicide attempt, and suicide aftermath without trying to be preachy about it. No wonder this book won an award!
However, it also went deeper to explore what meaning one could derive from the hardships and also provide the option not to have to turn it all into a trite life lesson.
I appreciated Danielle’s willingness to talk about heavy subjects such as depression, schizophrenia, suicide attempt, and suicide aftermath without trying to be preachy about it. No wonder this book won an award!
February 26, 2019
Thank you for writing this memoir Danielle. It was beautifully written and I enjoyed that it was in a local context, and displayed Singaporean culture, our local and Asian ways of communication and expression and Singlish that a Singaporean or someone residing in Singapore can fully appreciative its intentions and nuances.
I've read it with my heart breaking and tears welled up.
May this book bring forth more understanding and less judgement for those with mental health issues, as well as empathy and support for all caregivers.
I've read it with my heart breaking and tears welled up.
May this book bring forth more understanding and less judgement for those with mental health issues, as well as empathy and support for all caregivers.
August 6, 2022
Heart breaking read. I’d always had this short sighted thought that prose had to be poetic or beautifully arranged for it to be a good book. This book completely debunked that in the best way possible (and I’m sorry for my short sightedness) - the author managed to capture all of the dilemmas and burden of being a caregiver in the simplest, most relatable/common words. I’d wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who’s had to be a caregiver to anyone in their life, and you’ll find your experiences validated and shared by many more like you.
August 30, 2018
A page-turner, from cover to cover. Danielle Lim weaves a riveting and deeply personal story in such a beautiful, heartbreaking way. It's a story of true strength and grit through life — one that inspires and sticks with me.
August 19, 2019
A very real, emotion-filled account. The family love in this book is extremely strong, and even though I’m not personally related to the author — I felt a deep sense of sympathy and appreciation towards caregivers after reading this. Danielle Lim is a stunning author.
August 24, 2024
I never knew I could write so well lol. Jokes aside, this was a very readable but nuanced portrait of what is like living with a family member who has schizophrenia. The prose was very approachable but also very emotionally charged.
This is a good entry to Danielle Lim's work.
This is a good entry to Danielle Lim's work.
June 30, 2017
A very raw and down to earth documentation of journeying with people who you love and need to support.
August 28, 2017
Pognant and heartfelt story.
January 3, 2018
This book is a gem. Lim’s first-hand account of living with a mother and uncle with mental health illnesses was raw, understated and touching in its honesty, and clarity of observation. It was a privilege to witness Lim’s family history. I highly recommend this book for anyone (everyone) who needs to know how it feels living with depression and schizophrenia in Singapore.
December 18, 2020
Thoughtful, heart wrenching, eye opener.
January 28, 2021
this is such a meaningful and emotional book such it tells us about the struggle the author's family faced when dealing with mental illness.
April 18, 2021
This comes across as a simple and sincere account of lives complicated by a mental illness. No drama. Just honest.
August 17, 2021
The book portrays the author's perspective of her mum being a caretaker to her schizophrenic uncle, giving the readers insight into the responsibilities and pressures placed on the caretakers and the empathetic, loving and indignant feelings that her family has harboured for her uncle. As readers, we, too, remained ignorant of the patient's perspective; His views about his illness and his internal struggles remain elusive to both the narrator and readers.
While I think the editing could have been tighter and frankly not a fan of the literary style, I still think The Sound of Sch is an important book that holds valuable space in Singapore literature. It demystifies many areas of schizophrenia, and it sheds light on the perspective Singaporeans have towards mental health issues. The book also came across as genuine and full of heart, making it easy for me to empathise and root for the characters and feel sad and indignant for the way their lives turned out.
The book educates readers about attitudes towards mental illnesses when Singapore was developing as a nation. It talked about how bomohs were more believed and respected than electroconvulsive therapies and western doctors. The attitudes Singaporeans held towards the mentally ill were explained as fears of them being violent and different. The disrespect and lack of human decency towards the mentally ill were clearly illustrated, with onlookers having no qualms using a term like "xiao lang" within earshot or directed straight at the neurodivergent. I think it's important to understand the context of mental health in that era as it helps us understand why the older generation remain fearful or discriminatory towards the mentally ill.
Moreover, the writer showed how the sufferers themselves internalise the discrimination, and instead of fighting back, they look down in shame or walk away. The writer described this so poignantly that it was heart-wrenching. She brilliantly humanise both the onlookers and the mentally ill, allowing readers to better understand and empathise for both sides.
The book also showed that mental health does not discriminate and that mentally ill people can be extremely intelligent. Her uncle was highly academic and brilliant in school; however, due to his schizophrenia, he was given a job as a sweeper. It shows not all mentally ill patients are intellectually disabled. And it also educates readers that not all blue-collar workers are uneducated and extenuating circumstances do come into play. This is an important misconception that the book wonderfully cleared.
As a fellow Singaporean, the book didn't just show me the struggles of a brilliant schizophrenic man but also the areas of growth that needs to happen in Singapore. While I am filled with respect for her uncle's persistence, sense of servitude and responsibility, I can't help but feel that society failed him. He was capable and kind, and there should be systems in place for him to utilise his strengths and thrive, even as a neurodivergent. I hope this book educates and inspires people to respect neurodivergents as fellow human beings with feelings like anyone else, allowing them to take space in our society and hold jobs that would utilise their skills while accommodating their health needs. And I do believe that there could be accommodations that would benefit both the company and the patients. If her uncle was born at a different time, he could have completed his university and held a professional job, with accommodations like working from home, allowing more flexible work hours between IMH visits, as some schizophrenic friends have managed to do.
There are still many yellow tapes for neurodivergents in Singapore, and I hope there would be more books like this for people to empathise and understand mental health issues and work towards being a more inclusive nation.
While I think the editing could have been tighter and frankly not a fan of the literary style, I still think The Sound of Sch is an important book that holds valuable space in Singapore literature. It demystifies many areas of schizophrenia, and it sheds light on the perspective Singaporeans have towards mental health issues. The book also came across as genuine and full of heart, making it easy for me to empathise and root for the characters and feel sad and indignant for the way their lives turned out.
The book educates readers about attitudes towards mental illnesses when Singapore was developing as a nation. It talked about how bomohs were more believed and respected than electroconvulsive therapies and western doctors. The attitudes Singaporeans held towards the mentally ill were explained as fears of them being violent and different. The disrespect and lack of human decency towards the mentally ill were clearly illustrated, with onlookers having no qualms using a term like "xiao lang" within earshot or directed straight at the neurodivergent. I think it's important to understand the context of mental health in that era as it helps us understand why the older generation remain fearful or discriminatory towards the mentally ill.
Moreover, the writer showed how the sufferers themselves internalise the discrimination, and instead of fighting back, they look down in shame or walk away. The writer described this so poignantly that it was heart-wrenching. She brilliantly humanise both the onlookers and the mentally ill, allowing readers to better understand and empathise for both sides.
The book also showed that mental health does not discriminate and that mentally ill people can be extremely intelligent. Her uncle was highly academic and brilliant in school; however, due to his schizophrenia, he was given a job as a sweeper. It shows not all mentally ill patients are intellectually disabled. And it also educates readers that not all blue-collar workers are uneducated and extenuating circumstances do come into play. This is an important misconception that the book wonderfully cleared.
As a fellow Singaporean, the book didn't just show me the struggles of a brilliant schizophrenic man but also the areas of growth that needs to happen in Singapore. While I am filled with respect for her uncle's persistence, sense of servitude and responsibility, I can't help but feel that society failed him. He was capable and kind, and there should be systems in place for him to utilise his strengths and thrive, even as a neurodivergent. I hope this book educates and inspires people to respect neurodivergents as fellow human beings with feelings like anyone else, allowing them to take space in our society and hold jobs that would utilise their skills while accommodating their health needs. And I do believe that there could be accommodations that would benefit both the company and the patients. If her uncle was born at a different time, he could have completed his university and held a professional job, with accommodations like working from home, allowing more flexible work hours between IMH visits, as some schizophrenic friends have managed to do.
There are still many yellow tapes for neurodivergents in Singapore, and I hope there would be more books like this for people to empathise and understand mental health issues and work towards being a more inclusive nation.
September 15, 2023
i think the first ever book to make me cry when i read the grandma part...... i just feel the mother's pain throughout the book so deeply
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
An ode to her mother.
July 10, 2016
This was a book that left a lasting impression of me. The suffering faced by all the characters in this book is very poignant and cuts to the bone. It really makes you question what fairness is in life, and how we define luck, destiny and choice and the impact these have on the lives we lead. It also raises the unspoken questions that everyone thinks of but dares not speak of - such as whether the death of the elderly mother will relive the burden on the already struggling daughter (which a very crude but truthful and honest answer to is yes, it will, but does this go against the moral code of life upon which our society is structured? Yes, it possibly does) and brings to light how in some situations there is no right or wrong and it is hard to tell or say what is the best thing to do. We merely move on from whatever choice it is that we decide upon.
The setting is all too familiar and the social stigma surrounding mental illness is all too real as I know it. I read this at a time when i was trying to grasp with my own state of mind and therefore i was particularly empathetic towards those with such struggles.
Regarding the topic of mental illness, i read something someone wrote somewhere on the net (forgive me). She says that it shouldn't be abnormal to take drugs for your brain if you're lacking a chemical substance that causes you to act or feel the way you do. Just like how we take medicine for our body when we're sick, we should be able to do the same for the brain, a complex organ crucial for functioning, without batting an eyelid. I was struck by her words and pondered over it a long time. And while i cannot say that i do not instinctively still shy away from those with mental illness, this novel has really transformed the way i look at such issues and people with it, and inculcated in me a greater sort of understanding and respect for both the sufferers AND the caregivers of these sufferers who suffer as well.
The setting is all too familiar and the social stigma surrounding mental illness is all too real as I know it. I read this at a time when i was trying to grasp with my own state of mind and therefore i was particularly empathetic towards those with such struggles.
Regarding the topic of mental illness, i read something someone wrote somewhere on the net (forgive me). She says that it shouldn't be abnormal to take drugs for your brain if you're lacking a chemical substance that causes you to act or feel the way you do. Just like how we take medicine for our body when we're sick, we should be able to do the same for the brain, a complex organ crucial for functioning, without batting an eyelid. I was struck by her words and pondered over it a long time. And while i cannot say that i do not instinctively still shy away from those with mental illness, this novel has really transformed the way i look at such issues and people with it, and inculcated in me a greater sort of understanding and respect for both the sufferers AND the caregivers of these sufferers who suffer as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2020
What is the sound of Sch? The title was what caught my eye and when the book revealed it, I thought, “oh true, and how ingenious!” That’s why you should read this book- it’s written well: descriptive and so very moving😢. Also, this book won the 2016 singlit non fiction prize and i can see why!
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Here, a sister displays great tenacity in caring for ‘Seng’, who suffers from Schizophrenia. Everyone has their battles to fight and struggles to overcome: there are who have to live -sometimes behind closed doors- with the stigma of a mental illness that cannot be ‘cured’, only kept under control. And then there are those who have to bear the weighty burden of living a life beyond themselves, sacrificing so much of what ‘could have been’, in order that their loved ones may live.
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We need to live with empathy, and be kind.
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Here, a sister displays great tenacity in caring for ‘Seng’, who suffers from Schizophrenia. Everyone has their battles to fight and struggles to overcome: there are who have to live -sometimes behind closed doors- with the stigma of a mental illness that cannot be ‘cured’, only kept under control. And then there are those who have to bear the weighty burden of living a life beyond themselves, sacrificing so much of what ‘could have been’, in order that their loved ones may live.
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We need to live with empathy, and be kind.
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