Decolonize Your Bookshelf: Malaysian Edition
From magical realism to crime thrillers: A diverse showcase of contemporary Malaysian literature that bridges local traditions with global appeal
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This issue of AWC features was curated by Sharmila Ganapathy of Poetic Journeys with Sharmila, where she writes poetry. Popular articles include “Poetry can heal and so can you,” and “Taking your power back when you’ve been gaslighted.” If you enjoy this post, be sure to subscribe to her newsletter.
Apa khabar? dear friends. I’m Sharmila, a Malaysian-born poet and fiction writer who runs the Asian poetry newsletter Poetic Journeys With Sharmila and I’m here to share with you some of my favourite Malaysian works of fiction in English.
Malaysia has a rich cultural history, having been ruled by the British, Dutch and Portugese, and this past is reflected in contemporary Malaysian literature. The authors in the list below are well known in Asia and some of them have won or been nominated for international literary awards. Not all of them still live in Malaysia, but some of them do. This doesn’t make those who live in the West any less Malaysian than their counterparts, in my opinion.
The beauty of growing up in a culturally diverse country like Malaysia is the wide selection of “glocal” books by Malaysian-born writers. I use the term “glocal” because while the following book recommendations are uniquely Malaysian, they are universally appealing.
Fiction
Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho (2014). I first read the original print edition of Spirits Abroad by publisher Fixi Novo, during the pandemic. The original edition has 10 short stories, and the expanded, 2021 edition has nine extra stories including Cho’s Hugo Award-winner “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again.”
I personally recommend the 2014 edition, which has 10 sci-fi and fantasy stories. Standouts include The First Witch of Damansara, which explores the family dynamics between a non-magical prodigal daughter and her family in Malaysia. Other stories surround a Datin who reminisces about her romance with an orang bunian, a teenage pontianak struggling with first love and life’s tribulations, and an earth spirit who gets embroiled in negotiations with an exasperating landlord.
Iban Dream by Golda Mowe (2012). Orphaned Iban boy Bujang is raised by orang utans in the jungles of Borneo, but his life of peace in the jungle soon comes to an end, thanks to his adult life being decided by Iban warpath god Sengalang Burong. An Iban herself, writer Mowe seamlessly weaves together Iban beliefs, taboos and legends with rich, expansive descriptions of Borneo flora and fauna, resulting in a remarkable work of fantasy fiction. Iban Dreams is the first in a trilogy that includes Iban Journey and Iban Woman.
Ripples and Other Stories by Shih-Li Kow (2008). This debut short story collection by author Shih-Li Kow was shortlisted for the 2009 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Prize, and what a well-deserved honour indeed, as this multi-faceted, multi-cultural anthology of 25 stories realistically depicts modern Malaysian life and the experiences and perspectives of truly believable characters. My favourites were A Gift of Flowers, Reunion, Lies Don't Die and Know My Name.
Devil’s Place by Brian Gomez (2008). First released in 2008, Devil’s Place is a wry and humourous exploration of the darker side of Malaysian life. Protagonist Terry Fernandez is a struggling musician who is leaving behind the life he loves for a very different (albeit sensible) one with his upcoming marriage. On the night of his bachelor party, he finds his friends dead in his hotel room and thinks the Minister of Education is trying to murder him. Gomez is also the author of short stories published in anthologies as such as KL Noir: Red.
King Of The Sea by Dina Zaman (originally published in 2012). Longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Prize, King of The Sea is a short story collection by writer, journalist and researcher Dina Zaman, who runs the think tank IMAN. Among the more interesting stories are about a missing child who comes back as a chicken to her confused parents, a young girl who witnesses an affair by her adulteress mother, and a young man who marries a bunian (a jungle spirit).
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng (2023). Penang-born Tan first got my attention with his debut novel The Gift Of Rain, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2007. The House of Doors is his third novel, and is also set in Penang, like The Gift of Rain.
It is 1921, and Lesley and her lawyer husband, Robert, are residing in Cassowary House on the Straits Settlement of Penang during British-occupied Malaya. When W. Somerset Maugham, an of Robert's, arrives for an extended visit with his secretary Gerald, the duo threaten to turn Lesley’s world upside down. Tan’s writing style here is different from his earlier novels, but refreshingly so. His prose is lyrical and characters are beautifully detailed.
21 Immortals by Rozlan Mohd Noor (2010). Author Rozlan Mohd Noor was a police officer in the Royal Malaysia Police for 11 years as a crime investigator and court prosecutor, before leaving to join the private sector. This book is his first in a series of five crime novels featuring Inspector Mislan.
In 21 Immortals, Rozlan’s protagonist Inspector Mislan Latif arrives at a house in a wealthy part of Kuala Lumpur, only to find a crime scene unlike any he has encountered before. The victims a family seated at the dinner table, frozen in place around the Chinese New Year dish of yee sang and it’s not even the right time of the year. Despite the local references, 21 Immortals should appeal to all readers of crime fiction.
Echoes of Silence by Guat Eng Chuah (2009). “In March 1970, as a direct result of the May 1969 racial riots, I left Malaysia,” says the central character, Lim Ai Lian. Malaysian-Chinese Ai Lian falls in love with Michael Templeton, an Englishman raised in the district of Ulu Banir, in Malaysia. Fast forward to 1973, Ai Lian returns home to be with her dying father. She later visits the Templetons and a murder happens on the same day, leading her to investigate. Chuah’s highly underrated novel is a skilled exploration of history, culture, racial prejudice and womanhood.
Special Mention
Two Figures In A Car and Other Stories by Wan Phing Lim (2021). Lim is a Penang-born writer whose debut short story anthology Two Figures In A Car and Other Stories is a heady, eclectic mix of tales involving Malaysian and Singaporean characters who are not quite right or wrong. Or black or white, by any means. The stories which are largely fantasy, border on horror and the macabre, while also vivid with the lingo and beliefs that colour the residents of both countries. Some of my favourites are Two Figures In A Car, The Red Kemboja Tree and Snake Bridge Temple.
Thank you, Sharmila Ganapathy, for introducing us to Malaysian literature! Be sure to check out her publication at Poetic Journeys with Sharmila.
A question for you: How do you find hidden gems in your reading life?
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Thank you to AWC for featuring these pretty awesome Malaysian writers!
Thanks for these recommendations.