Worlds Apart was first published in 1991. It is Chan Joon Yee’s first
novel which tells the tortuous love story between a Singaporean medical
student and a factory girl. But love is not the only theme here. The novel also takes us through the lanes and alleys of meritocratic Singapore in 1990. In a society where great opportunities await the talented and industrious, medical student Patrick Lee would discover that his academic success and immense potential would ultimately stand in his way if he happens to fall in love with someone worlds apart.
Teens Magazine:
“An absorbing novel on romance, life, melodrama and fate. The book
retains a truly homely, boy-next-door feel to it, creating a sense of
deja vu for the reader. The beauty of Worlds Apart lies in its
simplicity of style and uncluttered descriptions of its protagonists and
their situations”
The Straits Times
“… and the author’s sketch of their characters is particularly strong.
It is the hope of most writers to capture the nuances of the Everyman.
Worlds Apart has some commendable elements and succeeds best in its bald
statements of some typical Singaporean values.”