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Malaysian Tales: Retold & Remixed
Fables and fairytales. Myths and legends. They are an integral part of our heritage; of the legacy of our forefathers. Handed down from generation to generation. Passed on by word of mouth. Lamplight stories that quietly and cleverly skirt that fine line between childish fantasy and profoundly penetrating philosophy.
This stunning new collection features 16 classic tales as reimagined and retold by some of Malaysia’s brightest raconteurs. They spin stories that are steeped as much in mythology and magic as they are in metaphysics. Fictions that delve into the power of history and fable, that open our eyes to their importance, that are a testament to the enduring nature of our oral tradition. These are tales so immersive, so enticing, so welcoming, that you'll never want to click your heels and wish for home.
This stunning new collection features 16 classic tales as reimagined and retold by some of Malaysia’s brightest raconteurs. They spin stories that are steeped as much in mythology and magic as they are in metaphysics. Fictions that delve into the power of history and fable, that open our eyes to their importance, that are a testament to the enduring nature of our oral tradition. These are tales so immersive, so enticing, so welcoming, that you'll never want to click your heels and wish for home.
204 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 25, 2011
As this book consists of 16 individual stories, I will review them one by one.
A Little Warm Death by Karina Bahrin is a retelling of the legend of Puteri Sa'adong. When I looked at the title, I expected something that is related to murder or crime, but the story turned out to be something else, which was rather bland. 1 star.
The concept of Batu Belah by Zed Adam Idris is new and exciting, but I got confused by the identities of the protagonists. I thought Kenanga is a girl and Tanjung is a boy. But then, the author used the word 'she' when referring to Tanjung. Then, I realized that both the protagonists are girls, and lovers! So does that makes them lesbians? The story was quite refreshing, but the ending of the novel left me feeling bewildered once more. 2 stars.
Bawang Puteh, Bawang Merah by Fazlyn Abdul Malek preserves the charm of the traditional story of the same title while adding some clever twists to the story. In Fazlyn's version of Bawang Puteh, Bawang Merah, the half-sisters are good-natured and kind, but their mothers are always at each other's throats. A series of unfortunate events disrupts their once peaceful lives, but the sisters refuse to give in to their "fates". The story ends without a conclusion, leaving readers to ponder to fate of the sisters. Will they finally live happily ever after? 5 stars.
Don't F*ck with Mother Earth by Jeremy Chin was quite an enjoyable story. It circles around two heavenly princesses, Sania and Sejia who offered themselves to come down to Earth to save the ecosystem. However, they made a huge mistake and had to pay a huge price for their mistakes. 4 stars.
Endless Night by Daphne Lee is told from the point of view of Puteri Gunung Ledang, who is much yearned by the Sultan of Melaka. The Sultan is so obsessive of her that he is willing to fulfill her wanton requests: build her a bridge of gold and silver, collect a few jars of tears and even offer a bowl of his newborn son's blood, but to her all these do not matter even the least to her. 3 stars.
Mahsuri by Preeta Samarasan tells us of a Malay woman who is betrayed by her husband but has to bear the blame of adultery instead. A guy called Dharma liked her, but he never cross the boundaries between them. Her drug junkie brother killed her when he went to her house to demand for money, but he accused his sister of adultery instead. Such was her life, sad and tragic. 3 stars.
Raja Bersiong by Amir Muhammad is written in the form of a proposal to remake the film of the same title in a musical. This proposal is quite funny and witty, and I really liked it. 4 stars.
The plot of Si Tanggang by Preeta Samarasan follows the tale of Si Tanggang, an unfilial son who denies his parents after he prospers. In the end, his heartbroken mother curses him, and the Gods change him and his whole crew to stone. This story, narrated by Tanggang's mother herself, reveals her regret and sadness for cursing her son, as deep inside she still loves him. 4 stars.
Su and Her Natural Love of Swimming by Ann Lee is a quirky story which tells us about the unusual relationship between Su and Bubbles. Not really my cup of tea, sorry. 2 stars.
The Boy who Saved Singapura by Kee Thuan Chye is a tragic tale about a boy who saved the country from swordfish invasion but paid for his life because of having more brains that the bendahara (prime minister in old Malay) . It also revels the heartless character of the sultan who finds it interesting that his people are killed by the todak (swordfish). The moral of this story is, don't be too eager to show off your brains, lest you lose your neck. 5 stars.
Princess Hang Li Po plays a great part in The Gift by Janet Tay. Being sent to Malacca as a tribute / peace offering, Butterfly dreams of flying free in this new country. She is given a new name, Hang Li Po, meaning "The Beautiful Treasure of China", and she yearns to be happy in her new permanent resident. 3 stars.
The Last Voyage by O Thiam Chin chronicles the life of Admiral Zheng He. We know about his public life as an admiral who spends most of his life at sea, but we know next to nothing about his private life. Did he yearn for love like normal people? Did he think big of his achievements? Did he feel tired after those long voyages? This story challenges the boundaries of fact and fiction. 3 stars.
The Legend of Din Ketolok Rehman Rashid was told by an old Malay gentleman to the author himself. While being exaggerated at times, this story still holds the charm of an ancient tale. 3 stars.
The Proper Care of Princesse by Karina Bahrin is inspired by the legend of Puteri Sa'adong. Infused with mystical elements, this story is about a princess who never take her responsibility lightly. 3 stars.
The White Tiger of Temasek by Ho Lee-Ling is about a white tiger who wants to replace the Singha - a mythical lion to rule the whole region. It is also a tale about how Singapore got its name. 4 stars.
In Trick or Tree? by M. SHANmughalingam, the mouse deer and the crocodile work together to save the jungle. And as opposed by tradition, the two are also lovers. Eek! Trick or Tree? is a fun, witty and enjoyable story. 4 stars.
A Little Warm Death by Karina Bahrin is a retelling of the legend of Puteri Sa'adong. When I looked at the title, I expected something that is related to murder or crime, but the story turned out to be something else, which was rather bland. 1 star.
The concept of Batu Belah by Zed Adam Idris is new and exciting, but I got confused by the identities of the protagonists. I thought Kenanga is a girl and Tanjung is a boy. But then, the author used the word 'she' when referring to Tanjung. Then, I realized that both the protagonists are girls, and lovers! So does that makes them lesbians? The story was quite refreshing, but the ending of the novel left me feeling bewildered once more. 2 stars.
Bawang Puteh, Bawang Merah by Fazlyn Abdul Malek preserves the charm of the traditional story of the same title while adding some clever twists to the story. In Fazlyn's version of Bawang Puteh, Bawang Merah, the half-sisters are good-natured and kind, but their mothers are always at each other's throats. A series of unfortunate events disrupts their once peaceful lives, but the sisters refuse to give in to their "fates". The story ends without a conclusion, leaving readers to ponder to fate of the sisters. Will they finally live happily ever after? 5 stars.
Don't F*ck with Mother Earth by Jeremy Chin was quite an enjoyable story. It circles around two heavenly princesses, Sania and Sejia who offered themselves to come down to Earth to save the ecosystem. However, they made a huge mistake and had to pay a huge price for their mistakes. 4 stars.
Endless Night by Daphne Lee is told from the point of view of Puteri Gunung Ledang, who is much yearned by the Sultan of Melaka. The Sultan is so obsessive of her that he is willing to fulfill her wanton requests: build her a bridge of gold and silver, collect a few jars of tears and even offer a bowl of his newborn son's blood, but to her all these do not matter even the least to her. 3 stars.
Mahsuri by Preeta Samarasan tells us of a Malay woman who is betrayed by her husband but has to bear the blame of adultery instead. A guy called Dharma liked her, but he never cross the boundaries between them. Her drug junkie brother killed her when he went to her house to demand for money, but he accused his sister of adultery instead. Such was her life, sad and tragic. 3 stars.
Raja Bersiong by Amir Muhammad is written in the form of a proposal to remake the film of the same title in a musical. This proposal is quite funny and witty, and I really liked it. 4 stars.
The plot of Si Tanggang by Preeta Samarasan follows the tale of Si Tanggang, an unfilial son who denies his parents after he prospers. In the end, his heartbroken mother curses him, and the Gods change him and his whole crew to stone. This story, narrated by Tanggang's mother herself, reveals her regret and sadness for cursing her son, as deep inside she still loves him. 4 stars.
Su and Her Natural Love of Swimming by Ann Lee is a quirky story which tells us about the unusual relationship between Su and Bubbles. Not really my cup of tea, sorry. 2 stars.
The Boy who Saved Singapura by Kee Thuan Chye is a tragic tale about a boy who saved the country from swordfish invasion but paid for his life because of having more brains that the bendahara (prime minister in old Malay) . It also revels the heartless character of the sultan who finds it interesting that his people are killed by the todak (swordfish). The moral of this story is, don't be too eager to show off your brains, lest you lose your neck. 5 stars.
Princess Hang Li Po plays a great part in The Gift by Janet Tay. Being sent to Malacca as a tribute / peace offering, Butterfly dreams of flying free in this new country. She is given a new name, Hang Li Po, meaning "The Beautiful Treasure of China", and she yearns to be happy in her new permanent resident. 3 stars.
The Last Voyage by O Thiam Chin chronicles the life of Admiral Zheng He. We know about his public life as an admiral who spends most of his life at sea, but we know next to nothing about his private life. Did he yearn for love like normal people? Did he think big of his achievements? Did he feel tired after those long voyages? This story challenges the boundaries of fact and fiction. 3 stars.
The Legend of Din Ketolok Rehman Rashid was told by an old Malay gentleman to the author himself. While being exaggerated at times, this story still holds the charm of an ancient tale. 3 stars.
The Proper Care of Princesse by Karina Bahrin is inspired by the legend of Puteri Sa'adong. Infused with mystical elements, this story is about a princess who never take her responsibility lightly. 3 stars.
The White Tiger of Temasek by Ho Lee-Ling is about a white tiger who wants to replace the Singha - a mythical lion to rule the whole region. It is also a tale about how Singapore got its name. 4 stars.
In Trick or Tree? by M. SHANmughalingam, the mouse deer and the crocodile work together to save the jungle. And as opposed by tradition, the two are also lovers. Eek! Trick or Tree? is a fun, witty and enjoyable story. 4 stars.
July 6, 2011
Inspired by Adèle Geras’s The Tower Room Trilogy and Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, two books that sought to interpret western fairytales in a contemporary setting, Daphne Lee challenged thirteen Malaysian writers (and herself) to present both well known and forgotten folktales from the Malay peninsula in a new light for today’s modern Malaysian. These tales were first told in an age when life was hard, filled with superstition and the fate of the people were at the whims of their rulers. So basically not much different from today then.
Old favourites are here, with twists added: M. Shanmughalingam’s Sang Kancil story has the wily mouse deer team up with the crocodile instead of fooling it in their battle against a common enemy, Ho Lee-Ling ponders the question of how Singapura got that named when lions aren’t native to these land? Did Sang Nila Utama see a different animal instead? Preeta Samarasan mixes race and sex in the tragic tale of Mahsuri and Amir Muhammad feels that Raja Bersiong is ripe for a film adaptation again but this time let’s make it a musical set in a secondary school. But don’t forget to add some Muslim values to please the censors (but only add it towards the end of the movie so as not to bore the audience). Many of these tales portray women in submissive roles so these new takes, especially the two tales about Puteri Sa’adong (oh, just Google her name, why don’t you) by Karina Bahrin would please the feminists out there.
Not all stories collected here are from Malay folklore. A couple are from actual history of ancient Malaya which is murky at best. Janet Tay’s The Gift invites us to ask who was Hang Li Po? Who was she before she arrived in Malacca as a trophy wife from China? Was she really a princess as the history books tell us? The other is O Thian Chin’s The Last Voyage which explores the mind of Zheng He, the man, the eunuch, the famous fifteenth century admiral of the Chinese Emperor’s fleet.
These folktales aren’t strictly for children. Even in their original form, they were never for children. As Ms. Lee explains in her blog, “these types of stories are often called folktales, a term that, in the strictest sense, refers to their original oral form, when they were shared with largely illiterate communities by amateur and professional storytellers. There was no idiot box to entertain then and, instead, common folk relied on travelling storytellers, or penglipur lara, who would ply their trade in market squares and other communal public areas, telling all manner of stories to whoever would stop to listen and, hopefully, offer payment in the form of small coins; food, drink and clothing; and even shelter. One can imagine a mainly adult audience who would later re-produce (no doubt with appropriate edits) the stories for the young members of their families.“
Tales are told, re-told and re-told yet again, and each time a new audience is presented with these stories, the storyteller puts his or her own interpretation to them based on who is listening on that particular day. Malaysian Tales is just another attempt at retelling these classics, some from pre-Islamic days, of Malay culture to a new audience who may have forgotten these stories or even worse, have never encountered them before.
And Raja Bersiong as a musical? That’s just awesome.
Old favourites are here, with twists added: M. Shanmughalingam’s Sang Kancil story has the wily mouse deer team up with the crocodile instead of fooling it in their battle against a common enemy, Ho Lee-Ling ponders the question of how Singapura got that named when lions aren’t native to these land? Did Sang Nila Utama see a different animal instead? Preeta Samarasan mixes race and sex in the tragic tale of Mahsuri and Amir Muhammad feels that Raja Bersiong is ripe for a film adaptation again but this time let’s make it a musical set in a secondary school. But don’t forget to add some Muslim values to please the censors (but only add it towards the end of the movie so as not to bore the audience). Many of these tales portray women in submissive roles so these new takes, especially the two tales about Puteri Sa’adong (oh, just Google her name, why don’t you) by Karina Bahrin would please the feminists out there.
Not all stories collected here are from Malay folklore. A couple are from actual history of ancient Malaya which is murky at best. Janet Tay’s The Gift invites us to ask who was Hang Li Po? Who was she before she arrived in Malacca as a trophy wife from China? Was she really a princess as the history books tell us? The other is O Thian Chin’s The Last Voyage which explores the mind of Zheng He, the man, the eunuch, the famous fifteenth century admiral of the Chinese Emperor’s fleet.
These folktales aren’t strictly for children. Even in their original form, they were never for children. As Ms. Lee explains in her blog, “these types of stories are often called folktales, a term that, in the strictest sense, refers to their original oral form, when they were shared with largely illiterate communities by amateur and professional storytellers. There was no idiot box to entertain then and, instead, common folk relied on travelling storytellers, or penglipur lara, who would ply their trade in market squares and other communal public areas, telling all manner of stories to whoever would stop to listen and, hopefully, offer payment in the form of small coins; food, drink and clothing; and even shelter. One can imagine a mainly adult audience who would later re-produce (no doubt with appropriate edits) the stories for the young members of their families.“
Tales are told, re-told and re-told yet again, and each time a new audience is presented with these stories, the storyteller puts his or her own interpretation to them based on who is listening on that particular day. Malaysian Tales is just another attempt at retelling these classics, some from pre-Islamic days, of Malay culture to a new audience who may have forgotten these stories or even worse, have never encountered them before.
And Raja Bersiong as a musical? That’s just awesome.
September 2, 2016
Disappointing.
I can appreciate the motivation behind retelling local folk tales in a more contemporary setting and context. But it seemed that the authors approached here didn't really give their best. The selection presented throughout sort of felt churned at the very last minute for the sake of contributing. That was the impression I got. What a waste! The coordinator should have opened the project to a wider range of writers before shortlisting the gems. It's meaningless to compile crap from established authors. The sarcastic movie proposal by Amir Muhammad was the worst. He wasn't even trying.
I can appreciate the motivation behind retelling local folk tales in a more contemporary setting and context. But it seemed that the authors approached here didn't really give their best. The selection presented throughout sort of felt churned at the very last minute for the sake of contributing. That was the impression I got. What a waste! The coordinator should have opened the project to a wider range of writers before shortlisting the gems. It's meaningless to compile crap from established authors. The sarcastic movie proposal by Amir Muhammad was the worst. He wasn't even trying.
July 25, 2013
A slightly uneven anthology, with some pieces that probably should have been left on the cutting room floor, but others gleam in contrast. The two stories by Preeta Samarasan in particular are incredible pieces of writing, and I'm now keen to seek out her other work. And the editor's own contribution is also wonderfully concise and beautifully written.
It was also a bit difficult for me (a non-Malaysian) to get a sense of the source texts that these stories were riffing on, because I'm just not familiar with them, and it would have been nice if the afterwords to each piece had more directly addressed these differences; some of them did, but others rambled on about other things. I also would have liked a list of compilations of Malaysian legends and folktales so that I could read these sources for myself. But it appears that the editor and publisher were largely aiming this book at Malaysian readers, and unconcerned with a wider international audience.
That said, I was excited to see this collection of retold tales as a mirror into Malaysian folk literature. I hope that other volumes exploring this genre are taken on by this editor.
It was also a bit difficult for me (a non-Malaysian) to get a sense of the source texts that these stories were riffing on, because I'm just not familiar with them, and it would have been nice if the afterwords to each piece had more directly addressed these differences; some of them did, but others rambled on about other things. I also would have liked a list of compilations of Malaysian legends and folktales so that I could read these sources for myself. But it appears that the editor and publisher were largely aiming this book at Malaysian readers, and unconcerned with a wider international audience.
That said, I was excited to see this collection of retold tales as a mirror into Malaysian folk literature. I hope that other volumes exploring this genre are taken on by this editor.
September 10, 2016
I don't remember many Malaysian tales, and I had only ever been exposed to a few of them in my literature classes in school. Some of the stories in this collection became familiar as I read on, but for many, I was reading them as if for the first time. I think I would appreciate these retold stories more if I knew the original tales first - which I am now more curious to find out about! My favourites from this collection included Si Tanggang, Endless Night, Bawang Puteh, Bawang Merah and The Proper Care of Princesses.
May 11, 2012
Bumped up to 3 stars for the brilliant cover. I really intensely wanted to like this. The stories I remember most are the two Preeta Samarasan ones ("Si Tanggang" and "Mahsuri"; I liked "Mahsuri" better -- notwithstanding any issues I had with both stories, Samarasan is a writer fully in control of her craft) and the Zed Adam Idris story, "Batu Belah", which reminded me a bit of Geoff Ryman. Creepy robot monkeys and sticky human-ish relationships. Also totally random endings!
I hope there are more local anthologies with similar themes.
I hope there are more local anthologies with similar themes.
February 1, 2016
Good attempt to bring back the Malaysian folktales in new styles/era/added twist from different ideas of several writers. Some were powerful and give new good vibes compared to the old stories. I especially love The Boy Who Save Singapore, Bawang Putih Bawang Merah and Mahsuri. Reading this, makes me want to reread the old version again, as some I already forget how it were told.
and the book cover cantik gila.
and the book cover cantik gila.
January 12, 2016
Some of the stories are beautifully rethought and retold, and i enjoyed those a lot. Others I thought were a little flat. But overall, its a must read, especially if you love your fair share of local tales.
December 6, 2018
Sixteen tales, fourteen authors, one culture, all united in demonstrating the vitality of narrative traditions from the Malay peninsula. Drawing from myth, folklore, legend and oral history, these are refurbished tales in distinctive voices with individual tones, approaches and narrative styles. A few are straightforward retellings but most spin their stories--as all creative writings do--to give them contemporary relevance, either through placing them in modern contexts or drawing out themes latent in the originals. Daphne Lee has exercised a careful editorial judgement to commission and sequence these, and each tale has a brief afterword to explain how each contributor has arrived at their choice and treatment.
And what a range of treatments we are offered. Modernised tales which bring out psychological truths about personal relationships. A fable analogous to the story of the Gingerbread Man which uses updated language, puns and twists. A legend about a vampiric raja now turned into a pitch for a teenage movie. A tale about how Singapore is saved repurposed to explain why the saviour might have been condemned to death. A curious tradition about a rock that eats a mother is given the science fiction treatment. Each tale is rooted in Malay traditions but hybridised to give startling new blooms.
There are too many tales to mention all of them, but I'll identify a handful of contributions which were standout for me (though another time I've no doubt I'd choose a different selection). Karina Bahrin's 'A Little Warm Death' was a fine opening to the collection, with the implication that it's possible to persuade one's loved one that the idea you've cunningly implanted is their own. The following 'Batu Belah' by Zed Adam Idris is the tale given the haunting science fiction spin that I mentioned earlier, a reflection of the moral ambiguity implicit in the original tale of a 'man-eating cave'. Janet Tay's 'The Gift' gives a personality and history to Hang Li Po, an "alleged princess from China" sent to marry a Malay Sultan from Malacca; while O Thiam Chin's 'The Last Voyage' is presented as a memoir by Zheng He, the famous 15th-century mariner and explorer whose voyages took him from China as far as East Africa in extraordinarily massive sailing ships.
Puteri Saadong merits at least two tales in this book, both by Karina Bahrin, 'A Little Warm Death' (mentioned above) and 'The Proper Care of Princesses', in which the princess learns how to be herself, courtesy of a helpful mermaid. Daphne Lee's own 'Endless Night' relates another Puteri beloved by a Sultan, Puteri Gunung Ledang, and transmutes her into an all-powerful goddess who, by promising pleasure to her suitors asserts her own power. Many of the tales are about women finding inner strength, raising their self-esteem, being more proactive than appears on the surface, taking back control; unsurprising given the editor's Damascene moments encountering the work of Adèle Geras and Angela Carter.
The striking cover design of this collection, with its tawny-golden colours, echoes the skin of the tiger, and takes me finally to 'The White Tiger of Temasek'. The folk etymology of the independent Malay city of Singapore, using a dubious onomastic explanation for its being named after a singha or lion, inspired Ho Lee-Ling to develop a narrative of a tiger disguised as a lion as the root of the legend. It's completely fitting, therefore, that the coat of arms of the country has a pair of tigers as supporters.
Though I read Malaysian Tales over a period of time it made a great impression on me, underlining a great cultural tradition that remains alive thanks to creative writers remembering tales told or read in childhood. One hopes that, in a rapidly changing world, essential truths about cultures remain even as they have to adapt, and -- reverting to the plant metaphor I mangled earlier -- that they are strong enough to resist the pests and parasites that can so easily deform, distort or even kill them. Revisiting these pieces for a review reminds me how thoughtful and enriching these very varied retellings are, and how much I anticipate reading them all over again in the future.
And what a range of treatments we are offered. Modernised tales which bring out psychological truths about personal relationships. A fable analogous to the story of the Gingerbread Man which uses updated language, puns and twists. A legend about a vampiric raja now turned into a pitch for a teenage movie. A tale about how Singapore is saved repurposed to explain why the saviour might have been condemned to death. A curious tradition about a rock that eats a mother is given the science fiction treatment. Each tale is rooted in Malay traditions but hybridised to give startling new blooms.
There are too many tales to mention all of them, but I'll identify a handful of contributions which were standout for me (though another time I've no doubt I'd choose a different selection). Karina Bahrin's 'A Little Warm Death' was a fine opening to the collection, with the implication that it's possible to persuade one's loved one that the idea you've cunningly implanted is their own. The following 'Batu Belah' by Zed Adam Idris is the tale given the haunting science fiction spin that I mentioned earlier, a reflection of the moral ambiguity implicit in the original tale of a 'man-eating cave'. Janet Tay's 'The Gift' gives a personality and history to Hang Li Po, an "alleged princess from China" sent to marry a Malay Sultan from Malacca; while O Thiam Chin's 'The Last Voyage' is presented as a memoir by Zheng He, the famous 15th-century mariner and explorer whose voyages took him from China as far as East Africa in extraordinarily massive sailing ships.
Puteri Saadong merits at least two tales in this book, both by Karina Bahrin, 'A Little Warm Death' (mentioned above) and 'The Proper Care of Princesses', in which the princess learns how to be herself, courtesy of a helpful mermaid. Daphne Lee's own 'Endless Night' relates another Puteri beloved by a Sultan, Puteri Gunung Ledang, and transmutes her into an all-powerful goddess who, by promising pleasure to her suitors asserts her own power. Many of the tales are about women finding inner strength, raising their self-esteem, being more proactive than appears on the surface, taking back control; unsurprising given the editor's Damascene moments encountering the work of Adèle Geras and Angela Carter.
The striking cover design of this collection, with its tawny-golden colours, echoes the skin of the tiger, and takes me finally to 'The White Tiger of Temasek'. The folk etymology of the independent Malay city of Singapore, using a dubious onomastic explanation for its being named after a singha or lion, inspired Ho Lee-Ling to develop a narrative of a tiger disguised as a lion as the root of the legend. It's completely fitting, therefore, that the coat of arms of the country has a pair of tigers as supporters.
Though I read Malaysian Tales over a period of time it made a great impression on me, underlining a great cultural tradition that remains alive thanks to creative writers remembering tales told or read in childhood. One hopes that, in a rapidly changing world, essential truths about cultures remain even as they have to adapt, and -- reverting to the plant metaphor I mangled earlier -- that they are strong enough to resist the pests and parasites that can so easily deform, distort or even kill them. Revisiting these pieces for a review reminds me how thoughtful and enriching these very varied retellings are, and how much I anticipate reading them all over again in the future.
January 10, 2019
A creative and interesting adaptation to folklores from Malay Peninsula and Singapura. I was a tad bit confused with a few but particularly enjoyed the notes by the authors at the end of each tale of their motivation behind their selection of the fable and the twist in the tale.
July 16, 2017
Just, what the hell?
November 18, 2024
My favourites from this collection:
- Si Tanggang by Preeta Samarasan
- The Boy Who Saved Singapura by Kee Thuan Chye
- The Gift by Janet Tay
- The Last Voyage by O Thiam Chin
- Si Tanggang by Preeta Samarasan
- The Boy Who Saved Singapura by Kee Thuan Chye
- The Gift by Janet Tay
- The Last Voyage by O Thiam Chin
December 26, 2014
When putting new spins on old folktales or myths the story should be able to stand on its own, with or without prior knowledge of the source material, such as Angela Carter's feminist reinterpretations of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. None of these stories stand on their own, which is a pity.
I am aware that the editor makes it clear that this collection is not strictly for children but it's still too lightweight for adults.
I am aware that the editor makes it clear that this collection is not strictly for children but it's still too lightweight for adults.
March 15, 2016
Quite an interesting read. Some of the tales are popular, but most of them I haven't read (or heard)before.
There are some editorial errors. For example in 'The Boy who Saved Singapura' by Kee Thuan Chye, there are two paragraphs with the same words. Somebody forgot to delete one. But overall I like the book.
There are some editorial errors. For example in 'The Boy who Saved Singapura' by Kee Thuan Chye, there are two paragraphs with the same words. Somebody forgot to delete one. But overall I like the book.
August 14, 2012
some of the stories were a little clunky or suss but they all held my interest. I particularly enjoyed Preeta Samarasan's two contributions and I will definitely check out more of her writing. also gets points for having a number of stories centering queer relationships.
June 19, 2015
This is one of my top books for Malaysia that inspired me to write stories.
You can read my full comment in my general blog at
http://zliangas.blogspot.gr/2014/05/m...
You can read my full comment in my general blog at
http://zliangas.blogspot.gr/2014/05/m...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews