‘Swimming Lessons’: A coming-of-age novel tackles the immense familial pressures on Asian children

We do not choose our families, nor do we have the choice to sever ourselves from the legacies and burdens of our ancestors. The alliances that we form upon birth are purely by accident too – we spend our entire childhoods in this cocoon and it is only the wisdom and daring of adulthood that lets us see the merits of forging associations that are to our benefit. But for some, this awakening happens too late or sometimes, there simply aren’t enough opportunities to save yourself.

Two sisters

Singaporean writer Malcolm Seah’s debut novel, Swimming Lessons, is an earnest account of those who are left behind. Ten-year-old Michelle’s world comprises her 15-year-old sister Meredith, Mother, and Father (who is all set to abandon his family). In the beginning, we learn something is wrong with Meredith and that Mother and Father have been lashing out at each other more often than they used to. Like the young Michelle, we get snippets of the disharmony in the family that we try to piece together in one comprehensive story.

The plot swings back and forth in time but what stays constant is Michelle and Meredith’s love for each other – as the family crumbles, the two stick together like an inseparable...

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