Gone Case by Dave Chua

Source: www.goodreads.com

Gone Case is narrated by a 12-year-old boy named Yong. Being a typical Singaporean boy, he tells of his everyday experiences of growing up in a Housing Development Board (HDB) estate and the challenges he faces in school while preparing for his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). We also get a peek into his family life as he comes to terms with the death of his grandmother and how his parents' financial difficulties affect his family.

Growing up in Singapore in the 1990's, reading this book was like a trip down memory lane. Using vivid descriptions, Dave Chua provides an honest and real picture of what a typical HDB housing estate in Singapore was like. The heavy use of Singlish in the dialogues also adds to its authenticity. Many issues Yong deals with as a 12-year-old also resonates with many Singaporeans, especially those of the same generation. Preparing for his PSLE, being a prefect in school and the upgrading of the playground in his neighbourhood are just a few striking examples. What I related to the most was how many students viewed the education system then.

"I feel like a liar, a fraud, that all my knowledge is false and that I really do not know anything at all. But this is the way to study. If I do not understand something I read and read and do it until I could do the problem through a method, never really comprehending but able to look like I know, enough to get some marks on a question."

This very clearly echoes the thoughts of many students and educators then and was often a topic for discussion.

Besides issues that are distinctly Singaporean, Yong also experiences many things that are common to any adolescent regardless of country. He constantly struggles to strike a balance between peer pressure and his parents' expectations of him. He also nurses a crush on his best friend's sister. These are common concerns that are part and parcel of growing up and anyone would be able to relate to them.

While Gone Case is a very descriptive book with a very atmospheric and slightly melodramatic feel, it does not draw readers in with a strong and gripping plot. For the most part, we see the protagonist, Yong, merely recounting his experiences and observations. He seems largely disengaged and does not play a significant role in driving the plot. Hence, young readers who are after fast-paced and exciting plots may grow disinterested quickly.