Picture a Singaporean storyteller who weaves tales of immortality and identity, captivating readers worldwide—meet Rachel Heng! Born in Singapore, this bestselling author has carved a niche in literary fiction with her thought-provoking novels Suicide Club and The Great Reclamation. With a knack for blending speculative ideas with historical depth, Heng’s stories challenge us to rethink life, love, and societal change.
From her early days in Singapore to her current role as an Assistant Professor at Wesleyan University, Heng’s journey is as fascinating as her books. Her work, lauded by The New Yorker and TIME Magazine, resonates with readers who crave stories that linger long after the last page.
The Making of Rachel Heng
Born in 1988 in Singapore, Rachel Heng grew up in a rapidly changing cityscape that would later inspire her writing. Her childhood, filled with stories from her grandparents about a vanishing Singapore, sparked a curiosity about identity and transformation. After earning a BA in Comparative Literature & Society from Columbia University, Heng worked in private equity in London. But the call to write was too strong. She pursued an MFA in Fiction and Playwriting at the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, where she honed her craft and began shaping her unique voice.
Rachel Heng’s Unforgettable Stories
Heng’s debut novel, Suicide Club (2018), is a speculative masterpiece set in a near-future New York where immortality is within reach—for a price. The story follows Lea, a 100-year-old ‘lifer’ who grapples with a society obsessed with eternal life, questioning the cost of sacrificing art, music, and joy. Translated into ten languages, it drew comparisons to Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go for its haunting exploration of mortality.
In The Great Reclamation (2023), Heng shifts to historical fiction, tracing Singapore’s nation-building through the eyes of Ah Boon, a boy with a mysterious gift. This epic tale of love, loss, and land reclamation won the New American Voices Award and was named a Best Book of 2023 by The New Yorker and TIME. Heng’s lyrical prose and vivid settings make Singapore’s transformation a character in itself.
Heng’s short fiction, published in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and Glimmer Train, showcases her versatility. Her stories often explore themes of identity, societal pressure, and the human cost of progress, delivered with a clarity that feels both intimate and universal. Her non-fiction, featured in The New York Times and The Atlantic, further highlights her ability to tackle big ideas with grace.
Why Rachel Heng Matters
Rachel Heng’s work transcends borders, offering a Singaporean perspective on universal themes. Her novels challenge readers to question societal norms—whether it’s the pursuit of immortality or the cost of modernization. As a voice for Singaporean literature, she brings her homeland’s history and culture to a global audience, enriching the literary landscape. Her fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Arts Council of Singapore underscore her influence, while her teaching at Wesleyan inspires the next generation of writers.
- Born: 1988, Singapore
- Key Works: Suicide Club (2018), The Great Reclamation (2023)
- Awards: New American Voices Award, Gladstone Library Writer-in-Residence
- Education: MFA, Michener Center for Writers; BA, Columbia University
Snag The Great Reclamation or Suicide Club and dive into Rachel Heng’s mesmerizing world of speculative and historical fiction!