From Vanessa Chan’s ‘The Storm We Made’ to Viji Krishnamoorthy’s award-winning ‘912 Batu Road’, check out 9 works of fiction by these internationally renowned Malaysian authors
There’s nothing quite like a good work of fiction to transport you to imaginary worlds vastly different from the familiarity of your own surroundings. But in the past decade or so, numerous Malaysian authors have come to the forefront, proving that Malaysian stories and experiences have a place in the cultural zeitgeist both locally and abroad.
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This International Women’s Day is the perfect time for bibliophiles to celebrate the female authors contributing to this exciting literary space, using their works of fiction either to tell local stories with diverse perspectives or spell-binding tales with universal appeal. From Karina Robles Bahrin’s The Accidental Malay to Preeta Samarasan’s Tales of the Dreamer’s Son, here are nine fiction titles to add to your IWD reading list this month.
The Accidental Malay by Karina Robles Bahrin
Kuala Lumpur-born Karina Robles Bahrin’s first novel is a thought-provoking tale of a businesswoman, Jasmine Leong, who made her fortune off a successful bakkwa company with hopes of taking it over as CEO until she discovers she was born a Malay.
The Accidental Malay took home Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2022, making her the second Malaysian to win this prestigious prize. Of Malay and Filipina heritage herself, Karina intended the novel to discuss taboos around race, national identity and culture in Malaysia.
Related: Meet Malaysian Author Karina Robles Bahrin on Winning the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2022