The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually

by Jinny Koh

When 7-year-old Anna told a lie to get out of trouble, she didn’t expect her older sister to go missing. Faced with her mother’s wrath and riddled with guilt, Anna tries to make amends as she grapples with the aftermath of her actions.

Until her daughter’s body is found, Su Lai refuses to believe that she has simply disappeared. Turning to a medium as her obsession to find her daughter escalates, the family is sucked into a web of pain and deceit that forces them to confront their own measures of loss. A masterful debut by Jinny Koh, The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually boldly interrogates the extent of familial love and expectation while unravelling the complexities of hope and redemption.

Genres: Fiction

Unknown Binding

Published November 10, 2018

Reviews

[cherelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

the gods will hear us eventually tells a grim tale of an average family in Singapore plagued by loss, but at its core an exploration about the duality of love, both emotive and destructive in its wake.

it's a discordant and fractured story that ironically left me conflicted too.

i perused this novel with a certain sense of numbness, and left feeling slightly depressed and not satisfied. i did appreciate how the gods will hear us eventually was relatable in the archetypes of an economically struggling family, caregiving for elderly etc, as well as being snapshots of a family falling apart at its seams.

perhaps it was because it hit too close to home, that i experienced a sense of dissociation, and failed to feel the depth of emotions from the perspective of an overworked mother or a precocious child, but whatever it was, despite the gods will hear us eventually not being the sing lit for me, i can't deny the rawness and realness of the narrative.

rating: 2 stars

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of novel that I cannot talk about the ending at all or else it may ruin the enjoyment of reading it. But I’ll say I had strong emotions after reading the book and immediately texted my sister (the author) about them. She hasn’t reply but I respected the story she told and wouldn’t disagree about the ending (I am willing to discuss with you my reasons for this if you have read the book too).

Many lines were marvellously-written. I was familiar with the setting and didn’t have to imagine as much as recalling “the world” in the year 1996 when I was a young student, in Singapore, like the sisters in the book... “The world” in the book was accurately described. The main characters were relatable and the Singaporean Singlish dialogue was authentic and a nice touch to the culture. For the second half of the book, I could hardly put it down and had to nail-bitingly (not literally) finish it till the end. I wished there was a sequel...

This is not a feel-good-story if you are looking for one but a good read about how people are like under pressing and incomprehensibly painful circumstances, and their complexed emotions. The brilliance of the novel includes having brought me to root and feel for different characters at different points of the book, shifting one character to the other and ultimately, despite their flaws and failures, found myself having empathy for every major family member in this story.

4 stars to The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually.

[Isabella Abigail Ow · Rating 4 out of 5]

The set-up of the book was simple and is based on a single premise of a missing child and the consequence and effect of her disappearance on the family. I didn't expect myself to be moved in any substantial way by the story, but I was and I attribute this to the relatability and familiarity of some of the scenes. The mother's costly and focused investment in the search for her missing daughter is heartbreakingly believable.

At the heart and core of it, is the power of love's twofold nature in being both redemptive and destructive at the same time.

[Tan Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strictly speaking a 3.5, though I'd prefer to grade it down to be harsher. The concept has potential, though the prose and tone of the novel tends to fluctuate a bit, alternating between a proper drama versus a MediaCorp soap opera. Thus it kinds of does itself in by failing to drive the emotional heft that was intended. Nevertheless, a good effort and I look forward to future works from the author.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather grim read for me. The story started off on a happy note, zooming in on a typical, lower-middle income Singaporean family of 4, filled with warmth, joy and celebration. The story then took a downward spiral after one of their daughters, Angie, went missing.

I'd like to believe loss brings people (especially family members) closer, but this book seem to set a stage for a different perspective altogether. Here, the tremendous and painful loss seemed to alienate the family members more & more as each of them struggles individually to cope with Angie's absence. Deceit, secrecy, and uncomfortable distances develop within the home, which was supposed to be a place of support and refuge especially during this difficult crisis.

Crippled by loss of her elder daughter, the mother was unable to love her younger daughter freely and treated the child with a haphazardness borderlining on neglect and abuse. Yet one couldn't blame her, for who knows the extent and depth of a mother's love? There is practically no strong support system for the most affected family member, and she is neither particularly good at expressing her feelings to her husband, nor is her husband proactively taking the lead in the crisis. Their marriage suffered a hit as a result. All these factors contributed to the tragedy.

Even though the characters aren't very likable, this raw and authentic story forced me to confront fears and worries of married life, starting a family in Singapore and so on. I say this because the book also covers aspects of everyday cares like taking care of aging parents, shouldering the financial burden of young children and high costs of living, all these on top of facing other trials and tribulations life throws your way. In portraying how the family grapples with all these tribulations, the book has set a pessimistic and bleak tone, which is why I was praying near the last few chapters that "let not all hope be lost, that the family could still be redeemed regardless of whether Angie returns or not."

Overall, the storyline was able to keep me engaged despite its two-dimensional characters. Yet the payoff in the ending wasn't great, driving home the message the irrevocable damage done by Su Lai and that familial love can only redeem so much. It has its limits. I would say a good redemptive 'happy ending' would be this: Angie remains missing, the pain and hurt of the loss will always be there, but the family finds a way to reconcile and live together contentedly again in this new normal.

This is a book I don't recommend to anyone who's Singaporean (especially if you're not well-to-do) because it hits close to home and makes you feel absolutely depressed. It isn't a feel good book.

[Lim Xin Tian Charmaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the portrayal of young sibling rivalry, parenting, caregiver burnout, growing up, and all the small snapshots of neighbourhood life and heartland mannerisms authentically captured in prose. All the colloquialisms used in the dialogue didn't feel forced, which I personally feel is rare in a lot of Singlit. Against this backdrop is a pretty gripping story of a missing child and how her absence carries such a heavy presence on her family. It's a sobering reminder of how the past impinges on the present, and how, sometimes, pain and desperation just pervades everything else in one's life.

This was heartbreaking and I read this in one sitting.

[Nicholas Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Singaporean novel I finished; I found the novel bitter sweet from start till end. The overall tone of the novel was grim, which I oddly found, refreshing. It hits close to home (perhaps, intentionally) for many of us as I can tell from the rest of the reviews. The novel reminds me of my own childhood; warnings from my parents not to venture alone lest I am kidnapped and sold to beg on the streets elsewhere in Asia. Set in the mid 90s, this novel could also be a throwback to the the time when child abduction rumours and fears were rife. Overall, thoroughly enjoyed the book enough to write a review.

Strong debut in my humble opinion. Looking forward to more from this author.

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a case of if someone had just been a bit less dumb at exactly one point in the story, none of this would’ve happened.

[aqilahreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is about two young sisters, anna & angie. one day, their grandmother got sick and was admitted to hospital. both sisters were told by their parents to stay at home as they settle things at the hospital. however, they could not wait any longer and decided to leave the house to see their grandmother. it turned out to be an unfortunate event when angie suddenly went missing and anna blames herself for it.

such a great start for a debut novel focusing on family love & sacrifice. i love the writing though, it was really easy to follow through the story. the superstitious bits totally gave out that local context omg so relatable!! later in the story, it started to focus more on the mother’s trauma of not being able to find her daughter. however, some parts are predictable and i personally find that the ending was not really satisfying as it felt quite abrupt. but still managed to finish the whole book - its a real page turner.

cant help but to remember the time when i actually got lost in a shopping mall before too…….my sister got worried as we were together when it happened. :’)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually is NOT a feel-good book, I would still recommend it highly. It is a very accurate portrayal of the below-average Singaporean family.

It starts out positively - a Nai Nai (paternal grandmother) telling her granddaughter (the protagonist) a story. One that we're all very familiar with, I daresay. And paints a picture of a happy 3 generation family celebrating the Chinese New Year.

But that pretty picture crumbles pretty quickly, and just keeps on crumbling...

It is a story that feels so close to home, with mentions of the HDBs, green garbage containers, hawker centres, the burden of having a second child, and still caring for the elderly. The dialogue is amazingly close to how we speak - I can imagine the chatter flowing freely with Singaporeans' signature "lah"s peppered all around, but never overdone. And even though the characters aren't particularly likeable, their motivations are so realistic. Who's to say we wouldn't react in the exact same way if such tragedies befall ourselves?

Overall, it is a strong debut by Jinny Koh. And a book I would recommend to friends, with a disclaimer that it is not going to make you happy or anything; just appreciate this well-written novel.

[Qiu Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

People deal with loss in different ways, sometimes unfathomable and most times, irrational. We obsess with the memories we have with them, of them and when they replay in our heads, the tears roll uncontrollably.

This book is written in a heartfelt, simple way that focuses on the immediate concerns within a nuclear family who is/are the primary caregiver(s) to an elderly person. This is the kind of setting we have in an ordinary Singaporean home.

As I began reading, I was reminded of my grandmother (instead of Nai Nai, I often refer to her as Nei Nei, in the Hakka dialect) who is taking care of my grandfather with the help of their domestic helper. My Dad did the paperwork on her behalf, forked out the necessary fees to get things running in the household. We don't stay in the same house, so my Dad shuttles to and fro whenever he feels like heading over to visit my grandparents.

Su Lai, on the other hand, reminds me a bit like my Mum. She is superstitious, gullible who believes everything people say. She believes in going to the temple regularly to pray for goodwill and health. I go with the flow simply because I don't really want to upset her. It's easier to just accompany her there and do what she requires of me.

"Whatever that makes her happy." In a way, I am like Anna in this story.

Similar to Anna and Angie in this story, my sister and I are a few years apart. Growing up, we have had our fair share of imaginary play (with our toys) and sibling rivalry (i.e. being a tattletale and causing our parents frustration over our petty arguments and proclaiming that our parents are biased). Whenever we argue, we make peace with the help of our toys with a secret "toy language" only we share.


"The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually" reminds me of my growing up years and the close kinship ties we share with our family members amongst the cold wars, arguments and unhappiness. In fact, two nights ago, I got to catch up with my parents via a video call. The first thing my Dad did was to show me my room that has been tidied and cleaned, stuff packed away and arranged, waiting for my arrival back home soon. 2 months later.

My Mum asked me about the necessary quarantine requirements they have to adhere to and what they have to do to prepare themselves and the house for it. My sister sends me pictures of her toys, and I do the same to communicate our moods. (Yes, even our toys look like they have feelings. They also get jealous when a new toy joins the family. Our parents also have accepted the fact that they have to live with the prospects of us talking to our toys.)

[Charlynnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve heard raves about this debut novel so it was with great anticipation that I picked up this book, but sadly, I can’t say that I feel the same.

This was such a grim story. The narrative picture was overly descriptive and it felt too real. Like it could happen to anyone I know, or even to me.

I read this in one sitting, at night. After the closing lines, I tossed and turned; the story churning around in my mind. I felt cold, and disturbed.

The story started out well - I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid snapshots of heartland life in 1996 Singapore. Things start to take a turn for the worse when Nai Nai had a stroke on the first day of the Chinese New Year (CNY). Angie and Anna’s parents took Nai Nai to the hospital and were still not home come nightfall. Restless and hungry, the two sisters ventured out to find food. But as customs go during CNY, most coffee shops were closed. The two girls wandered around, couldn’t find food and got into a quarrel. To spite her older sister, Anna purposely hit behind some dumpsters and ignored her sister’s call. Angie went missing from that day on, until the story’s end.

Despair, resentment, anger, frustration. Mothers always claim to have no favorites but it’s not true. It was painful to read of Su Lin’s feelings towards her youngest daughter, swinging from anger to guilt to blame and then to indifference. Anna initially lied to her parents about Angie’s whereabouts which misled the police’s initial search. She later confessed to her parents but it was too late. Her sister had been missing for 24 hours.

If you’re looking for a feel-good Singlit story, this is not it. It hits too close to home and the grim nuances and themes within it didn’t evoke any positive emotions. Stories are a reflection of real life and sometimes missing kids are never found. But sometimes, they are. As a reader, I prefer things neat and tidy even though life is messy. I mean, we read to escape too right? I would have preferred if Angie had been found or at least there’s a tangible conclusion to her whereabouts. If not, Angie could remain missing but the family unit would ideally have tried to move on together. The ending where a mother abandoned her younger daughter to go on an endless search for her oldest didn’t sit well with me.

A well-written debut but unfortunately, a 2.5⭐️ read for me.

[Alyssa Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

or my first ever singlit read, this was a super depressing and heartbreaking book. this was about a family and how they cope with the loss of their eldest daughter, angie. the sisterly dynamic between anna and angie, the maternal bias between the mother and angie and how she chooses to neglect and blame anna for her sisters disappearance, the mistreatment of nai nai post-stroke, the father holding the whole family together… there’s so much familial conflict in this book that is hyperspecific to asian families. i really like the religious commentary on how su lai was so adamant on spiritual summonings and how it affected anna as well. she relied so heavily on the gods and shamans and this idea of a higher order or divinity as her way of coping with the loss of her daughter. i think it was this sense of denial that su lai resorted to as her main coping mechanism that i found particularly relatable. religion as a whole is just reassurance for believers that there is something or someone protecting them, that there is a higher order that we can rely on even in the worst times of life, that it’s all part of some big plan that god has for us. but while this is comforting for us, it makes us stubborn and refuse to admit when things are shitty just because they are. the truth is there is no “larger” plan that god has for us, there is no saviour that will rescue us from our plight. bad things don’t happen for any particular reason or to teach us things, they just happen and maybe we just have to accept that that’s just the way it is.

[Amy ☁️ (tinycl0ud) · Rating 4 out of 5]

as i was reading this book i remembered the saying, “a mother’s love knows no bounds,” and the song that goes “世上只有妈妈好，有妈的孩子像个宝.” in my heart I wished and wished for a happy ending, given how allergic to happy endings some local writers tend to be, but tbh I knew that given the context a happy ending would be trite, or even any kind of a definitive ending. of course it’d be great and a lot less depressing if angie was found, if spirit mediums worked, or if there really was a kidnapper who could be apprehended by the police, but the fact of the matter is that tragedy can be extremely mundane. this book is a stark reminder that faith doesn’t necessarily bring about miracles, but that’s what it means to keep it. i was touched by the portrait of su lai, a mother so torn by grief and so driven to desperation she fails her remaining family members over and over, but honestly i cannot find it in myself to berate her. i think it is too utilitarian to say that she should be grateful she still has her other child, as if children were objects you had spares for. losing either of them would have driven her nuts because that is the kind of mother she is; human lives are not substitutes for one another. (btw this theme was also explored in picoult’s ‘my sister’s keeper’!) and if there is even a sliver of a possibility that her daughter can be saved, i think i would agree that the ends justify the means.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have never been the biggest fan of singlit. though, i wanted to try it this year and decided to pick up this book because of the interesting premise.

i would say that the writing is easy to digest, do not take long to get through the book. generally, well-written with regards to anna and su lai–the main 2 perspective we get. we don't get much characterisations of them but we're privy into their minds and thought process. the other characters were pretty one-dimensional.

my favourite character to read (of the two) is su lai. i think her thought process, at times annoyingly irritating, felt real and raw. however, i felt that it could have gone a bit deeper with the complexities of grief and loss.

but the worst offence of this book is its ending. it was unsatisfactory. although i understand the intention (to let readers feel the same dissatisfaction at the situation as su lai), the actual execution fell flat and felt as if i've stopped in the middle of a book.

in my copy of the book, the chapters always started with a black dot beside the chapter number. this black dot got gradually lighter as the chapters went on. my interpretation of this is the impact of angie's loss on the family at large. no body forgets angie, but it does not weigh them down the way it does for su lai.

[Sharm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angie, Anna, their parents & Nai Nai (grandmother) lived together happily in a humble apartment until one day Angie went missing. When asked by her parents where Angie had went, Anna told a lie to avoid getting reprimanded. Su Lai felt like her world has crashed with the sudden loss of her oldest daughter. For a period of time, the family put blame on one another which caused high tension in the household. If Anna never lied, will Angie avoid going missing?

This Singapore Lit. includes themes of loss of loved one, family, some essence of an average Singaporean household.

I sincerely loved this novel. It is so complete, I feel fulfilled reading it. I found myself getting weaved into the story as I could relate to little details such as the grandma with tattooed green eyebrows, the drinking of ash water for cleansing, my mum’s thoughts of how fish is so expensive and we can do without it, the special Saturday outings and more. This is the kind of heartfelt storyline that a middle-class Singaporean can thoroughly get into. Thank you for making me laugh, cry and have heartache together with Anna and her family.

The gods will hear us eventually — no, the gods HAVE TO hear us eventually. Especially with all the Su Lai had desperately done just to find Angie.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is perhaps the first novel set in Singapore that I have ever read in my life. it was wild (in a good way). felt like reading a book form of a Channel 8 drama or a Jack Neo film (cue I Not Stupid nostalgia). wild. strangely familiar and pretty authentic. I just hated how [SPOILER] there was zero attempt at resolution, it felt like I was just taken for a ride for nothing, but I guess that might be what makes it a successful novel, that it makes you feel these things and get invested, and be extremely distressed and maddened on the characters' behalf (and very much your own) at the lack of resolution. also a sad reflection of the reality of many cases of missing children :'(
On a more positive note, though, I really loved the character of Nai Nai. she reminded me exactly of an elderly lady at the church I grew up in, whom adults and kids alike called "Aunty". it's like I could hear her voice.

[Rong Hui Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gods Will Hear Us Eventually talks about a family dealing with loss, but as the novel progresses we find that it deals with other issues that hit closer to home –– the dilemma of sending elderly to nursing homes, strict parenting and favouritism in Asian households among others. I could easily relate to its storyline and this made it easy to understand the different struggles each character faced, or the different coping mechanisms they adopted. Despite this, I found myself struggling to connect with Su Lai’s character, though her strained relationship with her mother did allow me to sympathise with her to a certain extent. While I did hope for the ending to provide some closure, I appreciated it for how realistic it was, instead of an abrupt attempt at tying up loose ends. Overall, while the ending was quite unsatisfying, it was heartwarming to see the family members slowly work out their differences and come together from their fragmented state.

[Jolyn Moh · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, I was almost certain I would give it a 5-stars.

Riddled with raw emotions so thoroughly layered for each character, the author did such an amazing job describing and illustrating the emotions and thought processes. I could almost imagine each person in my head as I read through the book, not being able to put the book down. There was mystery, suspense and also a lot of relatability from a Singaporean literature.

Nevertheless, I am so disappointed in the ending. I felt that the ending was almost like a cheat, and it really took away the credit that the book has built up in the beginning. I even considered rating the book down to a 2 star.

That being said, I still wanted to give credit for reliving the enchantment of reading for me. I appreciate the way the story is being written, and I even teared towards the end. Hope that the author can rewrite the ending though.

[purvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
i watched a 20 min parenting video the other day and anna’s behaviour is consistent with what the video described so i felt like i could Understand Anna

i love a well written book about familial relationships! it reminded me of my personal essay a bit (familial r/s part, not well written). i like how the author fully explored everyone’s perspective, including su lai’s such that i don’t actually think about what she did was crazy? i understand why everyone did what they did and it breaks my heart so see the fabric of a family unravel like that :( also kim meng is just. such a good guy 👍

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5. Singlit books are beautiful because they capture parts of our surroundings that you don’t realise are so uniquely Singapore until you read them - this book does quite a bit this. Like others, I’m disappointed by the ending, and agree that the book is cliched, with character feelings a bit too in your face. There are also odd characters that confused me as to what their roles were in the story. Despite all that, I did think that there’s a solid attempt to capture the subject of a mother losing her child, of a younger sibling yearning for her parent’s attention and the stress of being a homemaker/caregiver.

[Carissa Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I did enjoy the pace of the book. It’s quite an easy read in terms of difficulty/challenge, though still with quite difficult topics being discussed such as loss & tragedy, and how that affects a family dynamic.

The book ended unexpectedly in my own opinion, but it does leave readers wanting to find out more; which i believe is a good thing for a story. It did leave me wanting more, to see what happens next; but this intrigue also comes with some frustration.

Not a big fan of the mum and how she handled the situation. Quite defensive & I feel that she victimised herself quite a bit.

Do with that as you will! The experience will be different for everyone :)

[mie · Rating 4 out of 5]

su lai made me so angry. she's the epitome of a narcissistic mother. i wanted to hold anna in my arms and shield her from su lai's cruelty. no child ever deserves to go through whatever she did, and the pain of family dysfunction was illustrated with so much clarity i wanted to punch su lai in the face by the end of the book.

maybe i'm just not superstitious, but this definitely opened my eyes to the medium culture that i otherwise would've never known. not entirely sure how accurate the practices are (granted liam and his minions were in fact con-men lol), but reading the processes evoked the same desperation su lai was feeling when looking for angie.

kin meng is a good man, savannah.

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great start. I chionged through this book because I needed a resolution... only to plod through a huge tangle of anxiety, depression, anger and resentment. Not a feel-good book at all... instead it is filled with never-ending dread. You feel so bad for the characters and whatever little hope you hold onto ends up making you feel heartbroken too. This book hits very hard and close to home because it is so realistic. Too realistic?

Good entry to Singlit and I look forward to more books from the author (that is hopefully not so depressing).

[Tess Neo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar debut by a local author (:
Set in Singapore in the early 90s, some of the local slang used and the environment described sounded very familiar to me. Simple story, yet moving and had me coursing through the book in no time. A simple lie escalated into a whole web of lies within the family. The author captured the feelings of the different characters really well. Will be looking forward to other books by the author.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A local Singaporean writer with her debut novel, and I got to say I finished it in 5 days! The narration is filled with emotions that sometimes I get sucked into it as well. Not the typical happy ending kind of novel but it does struck on the heartcords whenever Su Lai, the mum breaks down in ways that she herself couldn't recognise.

Yet, it's the reality of human beings and the love of a mum is indescribable and not understandable.

[saysthequeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grim novel that somehow makes me feel that Singapore is very unsafe whose safety is something we always have to not take for granted. Very palatable to read as a Singaporean because the way Jinny paints day to day life in the book resonates well. However, the pacing is not as fast as I thought it would be and I was slightly bored in the middle.

[Clara Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down until I was done. A very realistic portrayal of Singapore in the 90s and very realistic portrayal of each member dealt with the loss and tragedy, albeit a little two-dimensional. Begs the question of moving on = forgetting?

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters were not very likable but it was a raw and real story.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better singlit books I’ve picked up tho I did not enjoy how the story ended