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The Scent of Frangipani: A tale of love, rivalry and murder in colonial Singapore
Colonial Singapore. A love triangle. Will one woman’s jealousy destroy everyone?
It is 1931 in colonial Singapore. A Chinese bondmaid of fifteen stands trial for her aunt’s murder. Mei Mei, born on the inauspicious double seventh day, feels her doomed destiny taking over.
The tide turns. Mei Mei and an English boy, Richard, fall in love. However, British-born Clementine has set her heart on marrying Richard and the social divide between coloniser and native keep the lovers apart.
It is 1942. Japanese bombs are falling over Singapore. Richard rekindles his desperate romance with Mei Mei. To what lengths will Clementine go to separate the lovers? When Mei Mei disappears in the bombing and Richard is injured and loses his memory, is the path finally clear for Clementine to claim Richard as her own?
It is 1931 in colonial Singapore. A Chinese bondmaid of fifteen stands trial for her aunt’s murder. Mei Mei, born on the inauspicious double seventh day, feels her doomed destiny taking over.
The tide turns. Mei Mei and an English boy, Richard, fall in love. However, British-born Clementine has set her heart on marrying Richard and the social divide between coloniser and native keep the lovers apart.
It is 1942. Japanese bombs are falling over Singapore. Richard rekindles his desperate romance with Mei Mei. To what lengths will Clementine go to separate the lovers? When Mei Mei disappears in the bombing and Richard is injured and loses his memory, is the path finally clear for Clementine to claim Richard as her own?
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Anjana Rai Chaudhuri
6 books3 followersAnjana Rai Chaudhuri grew up in India and studied and worked in India, America and the UK, before settling in Singapore. A retired scientist, she divides her time between writing, reading and social work.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 22, 2021
I love historical fiction set in Asia... and this one definitely shines with its atmospheric, poignant and beautifully written narrative. The rich historical and cultural details transported me to a time and place far removed from today's world and I enjoyed the journey very much!!
My heart went out to Mei Mei, with her life full of twists and turns , difficult times and heartbreaking decisions.. often I felt, Richard could have done so much more to protect her and honour her...
Would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves WW2 fiction
One request to the author... please write more such soon!!
My heart went out to Mei Mei, with her life full of twists and turns , difficult times and heartbreaking decisions.. often I felt, Richard could have done so much more to protect her and honour her...
Would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves WW2 fiction
One request to the author... please write more such soon!!
January 12, 2020
Good read. Fast paced and easy flowing. Descriptions are so explicit, that characters and places are brought to life. Research by the author behind weaving the storyline is evident. Enjoyed reading the book very much.
July 22, 2021
You know, even though the writing wasn’t amazing, there was something about this book that kept me hooked.
Maybe it was the fantastic insights into cultural Chinese norms of the times regarding the Chinese bond maids, the arrangement of marriages, the darker side of the pimps and prostitutes, the farming life, and the war time escapes.
And then there’s the English.... with their own mental health battles and life on the plantations.
I was really engrossed in the characters.
I thought this was a solid read, 4 stars from me.
Maybe it was the fantastic insights into cultural Chinese norms of the times regarding the Chinese bond maids, the arrangement of marriages, the darker side of the pimps and prostitutes, the farming life, and the war time escapes.
And then there’s the English.... with their own mental health battles and life on the plantations.
I was really engrossed in the characters.
I thought this was a solid read, 4 stars from me.
January 29, 2020
Absorbing and poignant tale of love and betrayal, capturing life & customs as well as prejudices in the early to mid 1900s Singapore. Loved way the characters came to life with their hopes & dreams but never wavering from the bounds of tradition & duty. A must read!
February 29, 2020
Excellent storyline.
October 11, 2022
Historical novel set in 1930s SINGAPORE
Set in the early / mid 20th Century (mainly the 1930s), this is a transportive novel that will whisk you away to colonial Singapore. Young Clementine has been banished to the island from England, where her father has remarried (much to Clem’s annoyance) and she is now in the care of her aunt. She sees her environment through fresh eyes and they also alight upon Richard, the upcoming heir to a large rubber plantation, who has an artistic streak and does not relish the future that is mapped out for him by his parents.
The reader is also introduced to the story of Mei Mei who, after the death of her mother, finds herself in the home of her aunt and uncle. Her aunt dies through unnatural causes and Mei Mei has to stand trial, accused of poisoning her relative. The dynamics of the household shift and she finds herself in the role of a mui-tsai, a bondmaid, someone who basically slaves away others. This is certainly not the future that was promised to her. Richard has only eyes for her and manages to exonerate her of the spurious charges and soon she is living nearby. The Westerners frown upon a liaison between the incomers and the natives, and given she is only 15 when they meet, he is destined for a future of unrequited love, unless he can swing things his way.
The setting feels quite rich, you can hear the clanking of the ships in the port, the buzz of business around the city, and the author populates the narrative with multiple references to the smells – so many chapter openings flag the rich fragrances, the smells – and especially the heady frangipani scent – that permeates the heavy atmosphere of the colony,
The writing is quite formal, in an effort, no doubt, to capture the formality of the era, but it sometimes feels a little stilted and wooden, and sometimes I just couldn’t quite relate to some descriptions – for example, I cannot visualise what was meant by Eleanor Harrison’s “..boiled gooseberry eyes..”. The characters are not particularly well developed as they move through the story, and the ending was, for me, a little scatter-gun style. World events from the Great Depression, WW2 through to Japan’s invasion of the island city-state form a credible backdrop, setting the story in historical context.
The cover really didn’t grab me, it’s a bit twee and sugary, and it’s hard to read the title, even though the image has contextual significance for the storyline.
Set in the early / mid 20th Century (mainly the 1930s), this is a transportive novel that will whisk you away to colonial Singapore. Young Clementine has been banished to the island from England, where her father has remarried (much to Clem’s annoyance) and she is now in the care of her aunt. She sees her environment through fresh eyes and they also alight upon Richard, the upcoming heir to a large rubber plantation, who has an artistic streak and does not relish the future that is mapped out for him by his parents.
The reader is also introduced to the story of Mei Mei who, after the death of her mother, finds herself in the home of her aunt and uncle. Her aunt dies through unnatural causes and Mei Mei has to stand trial, accused of poisoning her relative. The dynamics of the household shift and she finds herself in the role of a mui-tsai, a bondmaid, someone who basically slaves away others. This is certainly not the future that was promised to her. Richard has only eyes for her and manages to exonerate her of the spurious charges and soon she is living nearby. The Westerners frown upon a liaison between the incomers and the natives, and given she is only 15 when they meet, he is destined for a future of unrequited love, unless he can swing things his way.
The setting feels quite rich, you can hear the clanking of the ships in the port, the buzz of business around the city, and the author populates the narrative with multiple references to the smells – so many chapter openings flag the rich fragrances, the smells – and especially the heady frangipani scent – that permeates the heavy atmosphere of the colony,
The writing is quite formal, in an effort, no doubt, to capture the formality of the era, but it sometimes feels a little stilted and wooden, and sometimes I just couldn’t quite relate to some descriptions – for example, I cannot visualise what was meant by Eleanor Harrison’s “..boiled gooseberry eyes..”. The characters are not particularly well developed as they move through the story, and the ending was, for me, a little scatter-gun style. World events from the Great Depression, WW2 through to Japan’s invasion of the island city-state form a credible backdrop, setting the story in historical context.
The cover really didn’t grab me, it’s a bit twee and sugary, and it’s hard to read the title, even though the image has contextual significance for the storyline.
January 11, 2025
I loved this book so much. Everything is described so vividly and beautifully, transporting you right to colonial Singapore as if you're really there. I wanted Richard and Mei Mei to be happy together so badly, but something was always in their way. It sheds light on how it was for interracial couples during those times, both characters having to make hard choices defined by their sense of duty.
December 14, 2023
I loved this story, it was a real page turner, which meant I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed how the author wove the story throughout the timeline and kept me uncertain of what would happen right until the end. She is very knowledgeable about the historical and cultural details of colonial and post-colonial Singapore. I highly recommend the book and hope that it gets lots of reads and reviews which will bring the recognition which I feel the author deserves.
August 15, 2022
After reading the 5* reviews below, as an inexperienced reviewer I would copy and paste your reviews.
I’m a lifetime reader and this is one of the best fiction books I ever read.
I learned so much about another time and place, and the descriptive writing took me there in my mind as if I could see and feel it. I would read it again but I loaned it to someone and never got it back or remember who I loaned it to.
I hope there’s an audio version, it would be a great audio book.
I’m a lifetime reader and this is one of the best fiction books I ever read.
I learned so much about another time and place, and the descriptive writing took me there in my mind as if I could see and feel it. I would read it again but I loaned it to someone and never got it back or remember who I loaned it to.
I hope there’s an audio version, it would be a great audio book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews