Our top five reads in 2023

AS the year is drawing to a close soon, participants of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team look back on their most memorable reads in 2023.

For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

Nur Alia Irdina

“The Midnight Library by Matt Haig felt like a self-help book but in fiction form. The themes discussed – choices, regret and loss – are close to my heart. However, due to topics such as mental health and suicide being incorporated into the plot, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

But it’s not all solemn since I had a good laugh in several parts of the fantasy novel.” – Nur Alia Irdina, 19

“The Master Key by Masako Togawa is set in the 1950s, centring around various residents living in an all-women apartment building.

Sshakti

Their apartment conceals the secret burial of a child’s body. As the plot progresses, the culprit is clear, or so you’d think. A sudden plot twist and a big surprise await you at the end of this thriller!” – Sshakti Sundra, 20

“Colour Bar: A United Kingdom by Susan Williams shines the spotlight on Botswana’s founding president Sir Seretse Khama and his journey of leading his country after gaining independence from British rule.

The author delves into a few themes, such as the discrimination of black communities in the United Kingdom, the distrust among Khama’s tribe of his intermarriage with a white British woman named Ruth Williams, and the importance of devotion to serve one’s country.”– Aaron Lim, 18

Aaron

“Babel by R.F. Kuang isn’t for readers hoping for a quick escape; it explores the themes of colonialism, racism, violence for the purposes of revolution, and loyalty to one’s motherland.

The author embellished her novel with footnotes, and the finale is nothing short of explosive. You’d gain knowledge of Britain-China relations which led to the Opium Wars, how BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of colour) were treated in Victorian England, and especially how languages play a pivotal part in furthering colonising ambitions.

The author, a Chinese-English translator, illustrates the anatomy of the Chinese language in deep detail, explaining why certain characters look the way they do and describing entire stories behind idioms.” – Hayley Poh, 16

Hayley

“In The Girl With No Soul by Morgan Owen, the main character Iris has no soul, stripping her of memories and emotions. She lives in a world where the government monitors, and society judges, every citizen’s soul, which is made up of five parts that construct one’s personality and talents.

It reflects how our society can judge anyone just by what they see and how many people are forced to conform to a certain path in life because of societal pressures and expectations, and personal backgrounds.

Hoi Kei

This book has action, adventure, mystery and a little romance, which collectively kept me curious until the end. The plot twist presented in this fantasy fiction is definitely one of the most memorable ones I’ve read.” – Wong Hoi Kei, 21