To Know Where I'm Coming From

it's been a year. Can you believe it? Exactly one year ago was the last post I made to this blogspot and I have been tied down with many changes and events in my life. Most recently of course would be my birthday that had just passed. Thomas gave me a book. Well, he gave me many books to be exact. I was half reading LKY's memoirs when I received a new novel by Johann S Lee. Who wouldn't know him? For one, I didn't know he came up with a new book and was pleasantly surprised to get it as a birthday gift. Remembering the magic of "Peculiar Chris", I chucked LKY under the bed and read the new book. I didn't just mean read, I read it furiously. And boy.... the magic's still there.

His writing and skill has matured. It could be felt throughout the pages as you read. The content is rich, elaborate and colorful. It's a parallel story told in tandem between what had happened in London, his return to Singapore to heal, his past relationship catching up to a new relationship he is building. There's a couple so elements involved. Comparing the life of an singaporean living overseas in London, to that of home sweet home Singapore. Free speech, gay rights and expression, singapore contemporary gay scene, love-hate struggles of a relationship and to understand eventually, where all this is heading towards. The author took careful note to write in realism, not in idealism, and by reading, we can know that his experiences may be real.

The standard JSL characters are there. The old boyfriend, the new boyfriend, the straight girl, the hunky boys, the flailing queens etc. But the magic was to put them in a plane more profound than the first book. One topic it touches on which was quite interesting, is physical and sexual infidelity versus that of emotional infidelity. It's nothing new to me but it's worth to explore the concept through his eyes. My favorite character? The cute Peter of course.. simple yet complex, innocent, bold, down to earth, charming and sexy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, we all should read this.

Semplice Simon (Yes I'm back! Reprise)