House of Koi

by Lilian Li

NO LONGER PUBLISHED

House of Koi is about identity and learning that, sometimes, your future is waiting for you in your past.

When Mila is sent to the top of the mountain to live with her grandmother for a year, she cannot avoid her native tongue, even if she does try. How does she reconcile the person she became in an effort to fit into her American international school with the young girl she was; the girl who spoke Mandarin and Malay with ease. Is it too late to embrace both parts of herself?

To make matters worse, Mila must now attend a local private school, and navigate a world she seems to barely understand. Everyone keeps telling her that she should not forget her heritage, but this only takes her deeper inside herself. That is until she meets the “Fish Boy” from the bottom of the mountain. Together, they teach one another what the other is best at.

However, every time Mila asks about the past, he refuses to answer. She resolves to find out what happened that caused her to be unable to look her grandmother squarely in the eye.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction, Slice Of Life, Asian Literature

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2019

About the author

Lilian Li is a Malaysian indie author who accidentally fell into the publishing scene during university. She is an island girl from Penang and grew up in a bookstore (literally), where she writes the stories she wished she had growing up.

She unpublished her first novel but hopes to republish one day. Her novels have hit bestselling lists, and her second book won 3rd at The Star Popular Reader's Choice Awards.

She enjoys listening to audiobooks while baking, and her spirit animal is the Milo Dinosaur. You can follow her book recs and rants at @lilianofli on social media.

Reviews

[irha ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

i’m going to dnf this book i feel so bad but i’m SO bored ☹️

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this book is so wholesome, in terms of friendship, the portrayal of family relationship, and especially all the Malaysia treats/food, places and culture. I love that the author just consistently including so many of our Malaysians childhood memories in House of Koi. For instance, the tam tam snack, pop pop (the mini version firework?), Milo Dinosaur (which is still relevant until today) and many more. I also love how the author tells certain situations with great details, such the hawker center and even the broken lock at school toilets. We all been there, Malaysians, trying to hold that door with one hand while doing our business. We are all legends.

Writing style wise, it’s pretty straightforward, nothing too fancy or hard to understand. It’s just that maybe some sentences were a bit mouthful(?), like I needed to read the sentences few times to understand what was going on. One of my favourite thing about this book is the title of each chapter and how each of them is significant to that particular chapter. The title of this book and the design of the cover also directly connected to the story and I really adore it.

The characters, for me, are okay. I love the togetherness that was portrayed in this book. I feel like all of them are so close to each other and it feels so warm to see how Mila slowly bonded with her grandmother and her childhood friends. BUT I must say, Mila is not my favourite character, at one point I feel like, “Can you just stop being so stuck up and stubborn and think that the world revolves around you?!” but I must also acknowledge that Mila IS a teenager and most characters in YA tend to act that way, so I’m not gonna say much about that. Besides, her attitude contributes to the plot progression a lot (at one point it could get a bit dramatic) but the ending is worth it, imo. I almost teared up.

Now, come the few things I did not enjoy as much about this book. First of all, the technical mistakes in this book, which at one point I wish that I was reading an ARC because it’s just so glaring. If you’re Malaysian, and you read this book, you’ll notice them straightaway. One of the obvious one would be the mistake on SPM and PMR. The main characters are aged 14, hence technically, they’d be sitting for PMR/PT3 (Form 3 examination) the following year but they were all keep worrying about SPM (Form 5 examination) which is like so far away. So, I felt like there was a mismatch there.

I’m also frustrated about the Malay language dialogue in this book. If those words were coming from a Chinese character, I’d understand but if a native speaker speaks that kind of stiff Malay language, I couldn’t accept it. Coming from a Peranakan family, I speak fluent Malay and reading those dialogues weren’t the best experience. Perhaps the author could have referred to a Malay friend and ask them about how they communicate in Malay language, even just by watching Malay movies or dramas could be helpful in creating smooth dialogues in Malay language. The Mandarin pinyin were not very consistent throughout the book and there were also some typos in them, which I hope could be edited in future prints.

It’s such a shame to be honest, because this could simply be one of my best read this year but because of these issues, I wasn’t able to enjoy the story thoroughly. I hope that by pointing out these mistakes, the author would be able to improve in her future works because I really adore House of Koi, content wise and how creative the author is with exploiting every single culture and things that represent Malaysia.

Overall, despite the flaws this book has, I’d definitely recommend it solely for the main theme which is searching for identity as a Malaysian, what it means to be a Malaysian. It doesn’t mean that if you leave your root for a long time, you’re totally lost and you do not belong here any longer. Your family, friends, memories and your whole heritage will still be here, you just need to recall them.

Many thanks to the author for sending her debut novel, House of Koi, in exchange for an honest review. To my Malaysian readers, you can find this book now in Kinokuniya!

[Charlotte (char.lottereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're just too afraid, too embarrassed, to accept your own culture. What's so wrong about it, huh? What's wrong with it? And what's wrong with being me?"

House of Koi Rating : 4.5/5
Reviewing books of my friends always scares me because fundamentally I am always very straightforward in all of my reviews and that is terrifying when it's a book that is written by someone you know. My standard of rating of books has always been different for every genre. Mostly, my five stars read always consists of one line 'does what it sets out to do' obviously this line is extremely blurry considering I will never know what the author wants the book to be. So Instead it becomes what I felt like the book needed to bring out. This book did exactly that for me.

house of Koi have been on my TBR for such a long time that I am so so glad I finally picked it up. it is heartwarming, heart aching, incredibly raw and vulnerable. At least for me.

House of Koi is a Malaysian story feel with everything I loved. From the food, to the rojak languages, to the rich culture and lastly the very identity struggles that is I think unique and yet heartbreaking traits of being a Malaysian.

The characters in this are probably people I've met in my life in some way or another. They are potrayed in a way that makes you go "ah I know these people", they could've been my neighbors, friends from my kampung or simply just one of the people I know from my childhood. This book is rich with Malaysian flavor that makes you feel at home with the 亲切感 that fills you with immense tenderness for this piece of land.

Mila for me was very hard to read and digest, her character reminded me of people around me growing up. I am very lucky in a sense that my parents has always made me have a balance relationship with my own culture, and western culture. I never particularly has a struggle with my chinese identity until my teen years and it has never been in my environment that I grew up in but rather a struggle to make sense of my chinese identity in the world. But in school, there has always been people who have been ashamed of mandarin, or thinking they're more atas for speaking english only. This story provided a more insight to that side. Though I still can't say I like Mila, she was just a very real character that reminded me of some people I've encountered. Some people may relate to Mila some people may dislike her. Sadly, I fell into the latter, the confrontation with Sean in the rain really upsetted me. But honestly every teenager is messed up in ways, we all had our phase where we think that the western world was more 'worthy' to cater to, I hope more teenagers like me get to grow up in an environment that makes us feel okay with us being us.

Sean is just an absolute gem :) He is honestly the sweetest and the most loyal. He reminds me of cousins who has always just given so much with nothing but an open, genuine heart. Every time he calls Mila 'princess' I just go 🥺🥺🥺🥺. His crush on Mila is just absolutely the most heartwarming

I do wish that the Mila gotten a more complete closure with Sean, I wished she apologised more head on and I wish the front parts could have been cut a bit to include a longer ending. The ending felt a bit rushed to me.

this books warmed every ounce of my being. But I have to study now bye <3

[Dilushani Jayalath]

I am not a fan of YA but the premise of a person who is going back to their roots especially one with such rich Asian background seems intriguing. As a person who is no long living her mother country and can see the beauty of my culture, these kind of stories truly affect me.

[Najwa | naj.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…and his eyes twinkled. “I’ll remind you why you love Bukit Mertajam. I’ll remind you what it is to be Malaysian.””

This book was such a nostalgic ride!!!! Being it set in Penang (both island and mainland) makes me miss living there 🥺 Penang was my second home and I miss it everyday and this book was such a cure to my Penang homesickness (?) if that makes sense. Besides making me nostalgic of the place, it also takes me back to the good old good days at school playing games like Pepsi Cola, Pop Pop and eating snacks like Tam Tam.

I love how this book is so truly Malaysian with Mila finding her identity and home through her own culture. Love love love the different languages this book has shown to the world about how diverse Malaysia is. This coming of age book is something I would recommend to my non-Malaysian friends if they want to live the life of a Malaysian because its got everything in it about our country.

The characters in this book are also so lovable and engaging! I love every single one of them - from as little as Mabel to Mila! Sean is obviously my favourite character (if you have not been aware yet 👀). He’s such a soft gentleman who’s not afraid to being true to his roots. He’s also just the cutest bean ever and he deserves the world!!

One thing that bumps my rating down a bit was the lack of Mila and Popo scenes. I was sold off to this book being about Mila and her grandmother and we had so little of that. I was hoping they would get closer as the story goes along but they never did. Maybe we’ll get that in a sequel? 👀 Hoping 🤞

All in all, I think this was such a pleasant and heartwarming read. This is also great for beginners and I highly recommend for you to read this local gem 🥰

[Lilian Li]

February 2024 UPDATE:
I have decided to unpublish and no longer sell this first book baby! This has been weighing on my mind for a few years to be honest, especially while fighting in a somewhat legal battle to get paid for the copies sold across Malaysia (took two years, but we made it!). Since the release of my second book, DUET ME NOT, people have discovered this auto-fiction first-attempt-of-a-book of mine (thank you so much 🥹), but I am no longer as proud of it as I could be. Still, I will always be grateful to the young 19-year-old who took the leap into publishing.

Knowing that there is a bigger audience who have read DMN first and expect something similar for HoK just makes me uneasy since it is for completely different audiences. HoK is like a diary of this young girl going through a major cultural shock, written by a girl going through grief and homesickness, not expecting anyone but family and friends to read it (but forever thankful to bookstagrammers online who found me). Whereas DMN came at a time I was ready for constructive criticism, strangers, and commercial business. When I healed from being bruised and hurt from the local industry and wanted to come back stronger with new skin and better skills.

Simply, if you have read this book and enjoyed it and could see yourself in these experiences, I’m so glad the book has found you as it was meant to.

Hope to see you all in the next one ❤️ If you want to find more updates on this crazy, sometimes awful, publishing journey of mine, I’m always sharing on social media @lilianofli on IG/Tiktok! 🙈

February 2020:
Author here! Just wanted to pop in to say hi and thank you so much for picking up my book.
House of Koi is like a personal thesis I wrote in college, which I technically did. I wrote this book like a love letter to my childhood self. A message from the future to any child, Malaysian or not, finding their identity and where they belong. I hope this book brings you comfort, makes you feel represented, hold your family tighter, and remind you that home is closer to you than you think.

[Nas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of bookstagram community hyped about this book and maynn, they’re RIGHT👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I made the right choice by giving this book a try!!

THOUGHTS :

🌼I LOVE how Lilian describe everything in the story vividly. Her style of writing and her vast use of adjectives are so great!

🌼I LOVE the diversity in this book which is totally unapologetic Malaysian! Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung. Thus, I really hope that more Malaysian writers will bloom and be proud of our own diverse culture and races. Dangg, how I was hoping to pick this book for my fyp proposal had it been written much earlier but sadly I can’t😭😢

🌼I was super emotional when reading this book and I felt like I want to knock Mila’s head on the wall ughh!! The characters portrayal are super alive.

🌼 The narrative structure at the beginning of the story is quite bland (for me), sort of mundane routine but as it escalated to the climax, it gets interesting and tense.

🌼There are some parts of the narration that were not described very clearly and I have to read it twice to understand what was happening. There were also some spelling mistakes in the book.

Overall, I enjoyed it! Kudos to Lilian Li for bringing this book up alive!!

[Fatirah Murtaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I really like how Malaysian references being stated in this book, ranging from the hawker stall food, festive celebration, keropok Tam Tam, 'Pepsi Cola' game, those distant relatives who love to ask a typical question about your status whether you have a boy/girlfriend or not and so on. It's really an incredible feeling to me to see all of those references being written in a book and there's me who keeps nodding in agreement with every relevant situation I unfold in between the pages.

Written from the third person omniscient view, House of Koi by Lilian Li penned about a Chinese Malaysian girl, Mila, who has struggled with her identity being a Malaysian at the same time yearning to grasp her sense of belonging in the world she's living in. Things rather become difficult for her when she's sent to live with her Popo (grandmother) who only speaks Mandarin to her and expects her to do the same.

Considering the fact that she's used to study at American International School, speaking English seems more comfortable to her rather than Malay and Mandarin languages. Thus she believes that she always feels alienated from her big Chinese family and her new classmates for her inner struggle to speak these languages confidently.

In terms of characterisation, I truly adore Mila's braveness in coping with the changing cultures around her. Like she won't give up learning Malay and Mandarin languages despite how learning them actually takes a toll on her mental health. Proof is that how she always feels anxious when trying to speak Mandarin with her Popo to the point that she's thought being silent is the perfect way to deal with this nerve-wracking situation. Nevertheless, she slowly regains her confidence when she has met Sean, her childhood friend, who constantly reminds her that she'll eventually learn these languages in the course of time.

"Because you should practice your confidence. You know the language, Mulan. You do. Now I just need you to know that you can do it." - Sean, 235 pg.

The fluffy moments between Mila and Sean are worthy enough to be mentioned. I just love their banters and their chemistry. Oh, yup, the author surely does have some humor sense. I felt like her writing seems whimsical at times, especially when it comes to the interaction between Mila and Sean. Besides, there are also some Manglish words inside the dialogues which makes them more engaging. As a side note, there's Mandarin in dialogues as well accompanied with direct translation.

Overall, it is an interesting read for me as the story is easy to understand and to follow.

[E-Lynn Kok · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Koi is such a deeply flavoured Malaysian dish that you can eat and eat without having to stop from it being too heavy or too much spice.

Like my food reference? Hahaha, that is because there is SO MUCH FOOD in here. From childhood snacks like sugus and tam tam to roadside motorbike vendors (abang roti) to food courts and household food. Gosh, to be a Malaysia is to be a proud eater XD. Reading this book felt like taking a trip down to memory lane of when I was a teenager at age 14. It explores a person's identity; growing up and discovering who you are. If you feel like you don't belong in your world, you need this book. Mila and Sean are childhood friends who grew up in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. I love how the author worked with the two sides of Penang, the island and mainland. She explored the cultural differences and city/ country surrounding. The story is based in Bukit Mertajam, the mountainside where Mila grew up in her Popo's(grandmother) bungalow home. She moved to Penang city with her parents when she was a kid. Now at 14, she returned to Bukit Mertajam to live with her Popo once more. She switched from a Private Internation School where the syllabus is American to a local school. Education is a very important aspect as it shapes a child's attitude and path ahead. After mingling with her angmo (white people) peers, she develops a distaste for her own culture. Reverting to fantasise about moving to America with her friends who are privileged and entitled. Due to their influence, Mila adapted to their ways. After she was pulled out of her sheltered snowglobe by her parents, she opens her eyes to the true Malaysia. We follow her as she struggles to relearn how to be Malaysian and return to her roots, or rather- Home.

Here are some issues I need to address:

Mental Health
A casual note for people out there, the book touches on having Anxiety. Mila encounters moments of anxiety. I have anxiety, reading the scenes when Mila felt anxious was a tad overwhelming for me. Which is proof of the candid writing to envoke such feelings. I can't stress how real this fictional book is!!

Character development
Mila can be a snob. She has lived a luxurious life where she does not have to work a day to earn her allowance or help out around the house. She is frankly quite ignorant to the Real World. Which makes her character even more interesting as this is the outcome from the pampering she received since she was a baby from her family. In lieu of this, her actions can be childish and disrespectful which may rub off annoyingly on readers. However, it is also because of her family's dote that she is very sweet, when she wants to be that is XD. I gotta say, the author did a fantastic job with Mila. The physiology of character is well thought of. I am happy to announce that Lilian did not make Mila's character development from A to Z. Mila did grow in maturity but she did not change 360 degrees like how most stories would go. That gave it an extra sense of realness. People don't change overnight.

Language
The characters sometimes speak in Malay and Chinese. Their dialogues are in the Chinese pinyin, some of which are not accurate at all. And the translations in English is not correct at times. Which irritates me. I am a Chinese Malaysian thus I know enough of both languages to understand. I do like that she included different languages and Chinese dialects. It gives international readers a chance to learn some new words plus it is what makes Malaysia a multilingual country.

Representation
Majority of the people in the book are Chinese. It lacks characters in other races. The Malays and Indians and others were mostly workers in food stalls or teachers, they were in the background, Lilian chose to give more focus to the Chinese culture in her book as she is Chinese hence writing about one's own culture is easier. Messing up someone's culture is a terrible way to debut. However, I do wish that there was more attention to other races in the book since this is a book based in Malaysia. Cikgu(teacher) and the classroom scenes were a reminiscing read for me since I attended government school and the teachers taught in Malay for most subjects. Nevertheless, I reallyyyyy enjoy the book. The book was Malaysian thanks to her used of local delicacies, slang, languages and her description of everyday life in Malaysia.

The Ending
LOVE IT! Lilian started the book by dedicating it to her late Popo (grandmother) and ended it with a heartwarming scene of Mila's Popo soaking in the loving glow of family. I also love how everything is not wrapped up in a neat bow for the readers, it leaves them to wonder about those untied ribbons, it lets them imagine the endings of the characters. I revert to my 14-year-old self in the book. It felt like I was a teen going through those younglings' troubles and playing schoolgirl again. At the end of the day, we all go back to our roots, to our tree, to our family.

Thank you to MPH Distributors for sending me an e-copy of House of Koi. This book is available at all good bookstores. You can also get it on their website - www.mphclicks.com.

[Ayda Razak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Mila who was sent to live with her grandmother in Bukit Mertajam for a year. She met her childhood friend again there, Sean.

She feels like she couldn't fit in, but Sean is always there as a good friend.

Basically, it was an easy and fun read. I feel like my younger self will enjoy this book more.

Thanks to MPH for the book. I won this signed copy early this year. Thanks goes to the author too

[Naadhira Zahari · Rating 4 out of 5]

House Of Koi is a nostalgic story for Malaysians as they read about Mila’s journey and its partially like walking down one’s memory lane of teenage angst, delicious delicacies and the uncertainties and doubts one might feel in high school. It was the transition of a familiar setting and into a new one which is a normal thing to feel. A feeling like everything isn’t going your way while also having to speak and learn languages amongst new faces and a new environment so different than what you’re used to.


I honestly enjoyed reading this story and I just wanted to take it all in about Mila and her surrounding of old and new as she had to transfer schools from an International School to a Private School where they mostly converse in Mandarin and Malay instead of in English. I get that high school is already tough and having to switch to a new one is definitely something I’m so glad I never get to experience. But for Mila, I think she handled it the best she could have of making new friends, learning a different curriculum and trying to master languages. But there were times when I find her insufferable but that’s just how her character is supposed to be, a bit entitled and spoiled.

I want to broach about the food here, one of the things why I love being a Malaysian is because our food is just so amazing. (I may sound biased because I am a bit ;)) But the way the author described the food and snacks that were mentioned in this book makes my mouth water and the need to go out and go to my preferred stalls to buy my favourite dishes.

There are a few things that I have to pinpoint as I find it disconcerting like how every Mandarin or Malay dialogues need to have the exact translation afterwards and I don’t think that’s necessary. In my opinion, the readers shouldn’t be spoon fed and sometimes leaving it as it is may be exponentially better. There was a scene between Cikgu Shafikah and Sean where they were conversing in Malay and I find that it was a bit awkward. Too ‘baku’. Instead of using anda and changing it to kamu could make it sound more natural. 

For Mila, she’d rather avoid and refuse to interact whether it was with her friends or with her popo. She wasn’t so confident speaking in Mandarin and the language barrier is apparent, immovable unless she makes the effort to help herself. But as she slowly learns new vocabularies, it was the same for me as I managed to pick up a few new ones too. 

I honestly really liked how this story ended. It was vague and not everything was immaculately solved and wrapped up. For one, it was very realistic that Mila didn’t surprisingly turn a 360 degree and became a better teenager. The same thing goes with the budding romance between the two childhood friends, Mila and Sean as they see where it’ll take them and just go with the flow. 

I’m so glad that I get to buddy read this book along with a few readers and it was really fun to discuss this story as we go along. I am also very grateful that I was given the chance to receive a review copy for this book from the author because otherwise I wouldn’t have known and heard about it yet and know the existence of the beauty of this book so Malaysian that it warms my heart because there is nothing more I want than to advocate more of Malaysian literature. 

[azry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The phase of change, of entering a new environment, can be very hard for some people. But what if we return to our old hometown after so long of being away, will we remember everything that was left behind?

Mila, or in her Mandarin name Mei Ling, experienced extreme culture shock when she returned to her old hometown to live with her grandma Popo, when in fact that she had actually lived there for quite a while. She has forgotten her own language like Malay and Mandarin and forgotten all the people who lived there. Not until she met her last childhood friend, Sean.

Set in Penang, readers will experience the exotic culture of mainland Bukit Mertajam and its traditions. The book begins with the celebration of the Chinese New Year till the celebration of the full moon party. Not only that, Malaysians especially will definitely love this book because there’s a lot, lot of foods in every part of the story. As a matter of fact, I would be hungry by the time I finished a chapter. Next, the language barriers Mila faced is the crucial part of this story as there are 4 languages spoken throughout the book (English, Mandarin, Malay and a bit of Hokkien). Fret not, translations are included.

What’s more in this book, there is a little cute romance between the protagonists and the conflict between granddaughter and grandmother. Usually, there’s this little gap between us and our grandparents that sometimes we are afraid to approach them. In this book, we will learn how to overcome that.

As much as I love children's to young adult(YA) books, this book couldn't capture my heart enough that it took me almost a month to finish it. For me, the storyline was quiet slow and dull, but the messages behind it were excellent.

Rating : Definitely a patriotic book for Malaysians (with lots of food). 3 ⭐️

[adeebate · Rating 1 out of 5]

gosh i hate giving 1 star reviews to books that aren't super popular, but i hate lying to myself even more lolz

this book very clearly is a self-insert, written by a malaysian author who also lost her touch with her culture. yet, even though in her acknowledgements she consulted a lot of people, especially malaysian chinese, it still felt like it was written by an outsider, who tried to visualise the colourful setting of bukit mertajam yet failed

as an example, when mila first transferred, the headmistress kept mentioning spm. yet since mila and sean are both form 2, and spm is taken by form 5 students, it in no way makes sense. it's better to mention pt3 (which has already been cancelled in 2021, but still fits better than spm)

mila and sean also drive cars/ride motorbikes fully and...is kind of encouraged(?) yeah a lot of teens drive around in their motorcycles but definitely not 14-y-o driving cars. it was never explained/stated in the book that what they're doing is illegal, which led me to believe that it was written by an author who doesn't really live here. but obviously idk her

and a huge part of the reason i gave a 1 star is because wtf why is mila so annoying. unlikeable mc can be interesting if it's intentional, and the author dives into them. but what happened with mila is that the author made her unlikeable in the beginning, then attempted to fix her but it didn't go through.

what made her unlikeable isn't integral to the plot, and i say this because she doesn't have a true redemption arc. at the end of the book, she literally makes a mental checklist of who to apologise to, none of the sincerity present.

and there's so many subplots that were started but never finished, as well as commentary that could be done but was never done. the actual relationship between mila and jane, her feelings regarding her identity, how and why sean was sidelined during the gurney plaza outing, mila's relationship with her grandma, the robbery that was being referenced throughout the whole book yet mentioned in one tiny paragraph at the end.

the writing style is a headache as well. i get that the author wants to convey the language barrier between mila and her grandma especially, but reading a sentence in mandarin/hokkien, and then the translation in english is tiring and felt superficial. like, the point of this book is for mila to find her identity and stop be whitewashed, yet immediately translating the chinese/malay sentence doesn't really fit. i feel like the author could've relied on other methods of showing the language barrier, or just not immediately translating every sentence that is not english.

to add, the problem with mila is that she doesn't make an effort to be closer with the people around her by overcoming the language barrier. she continues to look down on the people who cannot speak english.

i try to read books by malaysian authors about malaysia, but at the same time i can't fool myself into liking them if they're bad. while the premise is sort of interesting (i still think it's overdone and if an author is to explore their culture, they should take a more fascinating route), the way the book is written is terrible. sadly i already bought duet me not, going to read that next. for my sake, let's pray it's better than this 🙏

[N.F. Afrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book rekindles my love for middle grade/ children's books. It's so wholesome and light, exactly what I needed during these ever-pressing times.

What this book is about: : Mila has to fit into a normal school and live with her Mandarin-speaking Popo (grandmother) after living her whole life in an international school. She reunites with her childhood friend (and cutie, ugh I want a Sean too) and discovers fragments of a past that were threatening to slip by.

What I love most: This book is just so rich with heartfelt details. It's so Malaysian and for the first time, I did not feel secluded reading it as a Malay.

Most English Malaysian books are written by Chinese authors so I can't help but feel left out at times. But Lilian really just knocked over everything and gave us the true Malaysian book. There was no forced diversity, no heavy inevitable discussions on racism... I mean, it's fine to have those in books but sometimes you just want to read a simple Malaysian book in English, you know.

I'm just here for a good time


The Characters : I loved Mila. I think she was relatable in a 'I don't like you that much but I don't even like myself' kind of way. Which is my way of saying she's a character that reminds me of myself when I was younger. Her insecurities and dreams were valid. I mean, who didn't want to be American in high school? The people who had that phase and got over it are the coolest people in their twenties ahah.



Other than that, I also just realised how much I like the word bodoh thanks to Mila's breakdowns. It's just enough malice and subtleness for an adjective, you know. It's all about the intonation and context.

English words could never.



Anyways, my rating for the book is 3.75 rounded up.

[Kamalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Koi is such a warm, delicious and nostalgic book that brought me back to my early teen days, and more importantly, right back home to Malaysia🤧🇲🇾

I absolutely love how very Malaysian this little gem is. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about all the exquisite Malaysian food and drinks that Mila and Sean get to eat.

Aside from all the relatable details and references to Malaysian cuisine and lifestyle, i really enjoyed reading about Mila's struggle with her identity. It's the part of the book that hits so close to home for me, having grown up overseas as a kid and coming back to Malaysia for high school (also a private school, what a coincidence!). Omg my favourite scene was when Mila played Club Penguin with her friend and the way they were messaging(the language and short forms) was SO ACCURATE and so relatable to my Year 6 days😂

I've not read anything quite as relatable as House of Koi, and although I wish I could have read this as a child, as a reminder to reassure me that things were going to be okay, I'm also glad that a book like this is now out there for someone else who was like me to be able to read and cherish.

A book like this is such a treat for all right now; for Malaysians back home to see themselves in a Young Adult novel, for Malaysians living abroad to "visit" home amidst the pandemic, and for non-Malaysians to learn about our culture and values♥️

I rated House of Koi 4 out of 5 stars and would highly recommend it to all✨ I thought the ending felt a little bit rushed and I wish we could have had a final special scene between Mila and Popo, I think they had the most intriguing relationship in the story given their past.

But to wrap this up, thank you so much @lilianofli for writing House of Koi and I can't wait to read your next book!💖


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What a national gem 💖🇲🇾 Full review to come!!✨

[Elvina Zafril · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've finally finished reading House of Koi and I need to say that it wasn't my cup of coffee.

Though I enjoyed reading the story of Mila. I liked that the themes portrayed in this book which are about my locals peeps, family and friendship.

The plot is simple and all the words used were easy to understand. This book has a lot of my childhood references. Especially the food. Other than that, I think some of the dialogues didn't have to be so baku because it felt like watching an advertisement. This book also has so many things about culture and tradition and I really appreciate that. I learnt so many interesting things about them too.

The characters all are likeable but my least favorite was Mila. I've never liked her tone and she's such a spoiled brat. Despite the unlikeable character of Mila, I still like the cute relationship between Mila and Sean. I adored the bonding between Mila and her Popo.

One thing that I would like to address about the ending. It was not clear. I don't think the author wrote about which school does Mila decides in the end. Or maybe the author wanted me to guess whether she will be back to her international school or continue studying in private school?

Overall, it's still enjoyable and I know my younger self would enjoy this better than my old self. Congratulations and thank you Lilian for creating this story.

Thank you MPH Distributor for sending me an eBook copy of House of Koi in return for an honest review. This book is available at all good bookstores.

[Aisyah Umaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I wanna say, I LOVE HOW MALAYSIAN THIS BOOK IS! ❤ I legit want to scream it on top of a building. I did have high hope on this one and this one does not disappoint me 💕

Honestly, the first three chapters weren't intriguing much. But after that, yeah now we're talking. I love how the story flows. It portrayed a lot of relatable childhood memories of a malaysian kid. The traditional games and foods. And the Milo is my favourite! Milo is kinda like Malaysian image nowadays. Everything chocolate is Milo 😂

The characters are also likeable. Mila is so sweet but she's scared of, I don't know, everything? But that when Sean slammed the door open and save the day. You wouldn't know how much I give my heart to Sean. He's such a sweet kind-hearted boy. Wishing he's true 😌 Their relationship are just on point. It's kind of love-hate childhood friendship but you crave for more.

Also, the pacing is quite fast and you wouldn't get bored easily. I think this could be a fun read on a trip or on cultural celebration. Definite recommended 😍

Rating : 4.5/5 🌟

[aliaareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5!

- The whole story is so light and easy. I learned a lot about Chinese culture and I love how this book brought me back to my childhood memories: playing Pepsi Cola, congkak, standing in the school assemblies, waiting for my parents with my friends after school, hanging wet laundry together with my grandmother... ah good old times! The fact that I too, used to live with my grandmother when I was little for a few years makes the reading experience even special.

- I love how I can see Mila slowly discovering her old self back. I also love how despite she hated to live with her Popo at first, she still have respect and feel the responsibility to take care of her Popo.

""It's only weird if you make it weird." he said. "So be confident.""

- I love the sense of reality here. I understand fully that being in a total different environment her whole life, it's very hard for Mila to adapt into her new one and making mistakes are one of the ways for her to learn. Being around Sean and the gang is very helpful too!

[Nurfaeqah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I desperately wanted to love this book because of the promising blurb and the beautiful cover!

I thoroughly enjoyed the story until I didn't. From the start, it is known that Mila is having a hard time to fit herself within her big family. She has difficulty talking in Mandarin and in Malay, which is totally alright but she always manage to convince herself that it is not okay. The progress of her learning to speak these languages was fun to read and as a reader, it was always nice to see a character's development. Since Malaysia is a neighbouring country to mine, I've never felt more comfortable reading a world that is so familiar.

Despite all of that, Mila slowly became the most annoying character ever. Sure, I get it, she is frustrated and she's also 14 so it makes sense that she throws tantrums here and there. But truly, I couldn't stand her. She was petty and unreasonable most of the times. She is so frustrated with finding a home for herself that she just blames everyone else and spits out the most nonsensical remarks. The only time I truly like her was whenever she's with Sean. Sean, on the other hand, was a very likeable character. He was witty, charming, sarcastic, pleasant and patient. I do not know how he dealt with Mila. Among these two, he was definitely the more caring individual. The love story between them was pure fluff, sweet and innocent. I truly enjoyed their banter of childhood friends to lovers!

The storyline was pretty messy and out of place too? It just went on and on and I didn't really get where the story was going. I do know it's mainly about finding her identity but it was more of her avoiding her identity. The last 2 chapters was the most interesting than the previous chapters, that's for sure. The writing style was alright; simple and solid. Overall, I'm quite disappointed because it just seemed like it's something I'd love but it happens!

[seph 书灵]

For a book frequently parroting the concept of being a "real Malaysian" (which should've been retired in the 21st-century), the writing style was just the most awkward thing ever. Every non-English dialogue required a translation next to it like, hypothetically speaking: "Wo haole." I'm ready now. I assumed the author wrote this book for herself. Even so, the weird translations went against everything the book stood for. It felt catered to non-Malaysians/Westerners. Flow of the story ke laut. For one, I am glad to see the deAmericanization narrative applied in a perspective of a Malaysian citizen. I just wanted more nuance. I wanted more insights as to why Mila resented her heritage. I wanted to see Mila connect with her grandmother more when her house was the primary setting. A puppy crush should not be the resolution to something as serious as self-imposed colonialism. It is work. I think there was so much potential that House of Koi had yet to live up to. The cheesy romance was just the icing on the cake.

[Sizarifalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought back memories when I was a teenager back in the 90s. The relationship between Mila & Sean reminds me of my relationship with a few people 🙊. The sort of love hate / puppy love was so cute. I wish that the author will be writing a sequel! Why? Because I need to know what happened after that! Plus I want to get to know more about the characters too. It was too short for me. Please write a sequel! 😬 The author wrote in simple English. She described what teenagers nowadays go through. It is basically the same thing that I experienced long time ago (the emotional part) minus the gadgets. Other than that it is the same. Almost all Malaysian authors would write about Malaysian food and cultures. Same goes with this book. As usual I would be hungry while reading. 😂

[Charissa Ty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book overwhelmed me with nostalgia! Character development and story arcs can be better, and the different povs can be more organized too. One way to take the story up a notch is to have it in first person so that the reader is able to personify and connect to the lead character more. Leaving certain words and conversations in mystery and having the reader learn the words as Mila learns would be good. The translations might be a little overdone but the way you described the scenes, and characters thoughts and quirks are very interesting and unique.

You must be so proud of your debut when it came out two years ago. I'm so happy to see young 🇲🇾 authors get into writing, it really warms my heart. 😊

[Stephanie Duke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the nostalgia that comes with an author describing a place that you have been yourself, but that is sadly where it all went downhill for me.
The protagonist was so whiny throughout the story that I found it hard to really empathise with her, and found myself more closely following the side characters in the story such as Sean and Jane who seemed more realistic and relatable as people.
And I still can't get over the fact that there was no reconciliation between Mila, Popo, or Mila's parents. Nope, just the asian thing of cover it up and dont question your elders....

[Squilvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I would come back to do an in-depth review of this book once I have some spare time on my hand. But let just say that throughout the entire book, my mind was like:

"Okay... And? Where is this going? What's the point? WHAT'S THE POINT?!?"

Honestly, I feel like this book would be better off as a short story than a complete novel.

[Aina D. (pagesofaina) · Rating 4 out of 5]

picking a malaysian-based book after being disappointed with my last read? the best decision i've made.

i have so many things to say about this book. let me start with how much this book feels like home to me. it's so heart-warming to read a book that portrays my country, Malaysia, really well. the description of the dishes (dim sums, milo dinosaur, steamed kaya buns, AHHH the malaysian in me is scrEAMING), games (congkak, chopsticks (lol i never knew the name of this game), pepsi cola), and slangs (aiyah, lah, sangat), everything feels so close to me.

it started off slow (but a good slow, considering that i cant stand slow-paced books bcs the author was introducing the characters, background, and so on) but enjoyable because i can relate to a loooooot of things as a malaysian! non-malaysians will enjoy this book too because Lilian Li is the type of author that explains and describes what the malaysian phrases actually mean or symbolise. that way allows people to actually understand the scenes rather than just skimming through.

NOT TO FORGET, there was one night that i went to sleep thinking about mila and sean. i live for the banter between sean and mila bcs it's EXTREMELY CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE it's so addictive. makes me wanna wrap my hands around them!!!! Lilian, you really created fictional characters for me not to move on from huh. how do you expect me to move on from mila and sean teasing each other and having their own inside jokes????? nAAAAHHHH i feel super (iykyk) special knowing their inside jokes as well HAHAHA. and can you believe that i've been swooning over a fourteen-year-old boy?!?! god if only sean exists in real life.

*inserts a crying gif, except i dont know how to do that*

and to describe how special this book is: i've tried annotating before but it's just not my cup of tea, so i'd just go for tabbings. BUT for the first time, annotating this book becomes really fun and so natural to me!!!! told you, this one feels like home.

unfortunately, here are the reasons im not giving this book a 5-star:

1. i was fine with mila being an awkward granddaughter when she’s at popo’s house because she's a fourteen-year-old and i totally get that, i was once that kid too, being socially awkward around my relatives (wait or am i still that kid.......). but 25% towards the end, im starting to get annoyed with how mila's acting out and being really ignorant, such as when mila didnt tell popo that she’s going to penang, i'm quite enraged.... i mean that's a serious matter tho? you're literally a 14 years old kid going out to the city and you didn't tell your popo about it....?????.

2. //this is personal// when sean & mila went to the city and met mila's "american" friends instead of going to the phone centre, damn that triggered the trauma and trust issue out of me.... if i were sean, this incident's gonna leave a permanent scar in my heart. so i personally prefer if a proper apology or explanation about this scene, because it's certainly not ok to bring person B along, without person A knowing.

3. the ending could’ve been a little bit better i guess? how and what mila found about about the incident that happened years ago, it didn't impact me as much as i thought it would. but i don't really mind this one because i personally consider this as a subplot.

hence, i was expecting that issue no. 1, no.2 and tension between jane and mila are brought up in the last pages of the book, unfortunately they weren't. i do understand that they are 14 years old kids so they may act reckless and immature, but i think that it would be even more beautiful if the issues are discussed more.

nevertheless, it was an AMAZING experience reading this book. it really feels like home. <3
i strongly urge you to pick this up!

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of family, of going back to one’s roots, and being true to yourself.

Firstly, I would like to say that the care and attention to Malaysian culture and tradition is incredible. I learnt so many interesting things about the spoken languages, the Chinese New Year celebrations, and many more. I could picture myself in the setting. Most profound, I found myself resonating with Mila and going back to her roots knowing I relate to her struggles with relearning and remembering a mother tongue. At times, I felt oddly nostalgic and tried to follow along with the Mandarin pinyin, whilst at the same time thinking of the Cantonese pronunciation (which took me an embarrassingly long time and sometimes with no luck at all lol).

I also liked the distinction of social class between Mila’s life in Penang and Bukit Mertajam, and how privileged Mila is to be able to gain these opportunities even if she doesn’t see it herself. I’ll also say that I liked the cute relationship between Mila and Sean, even if at times their thoughts for one another felt like from an older mindset. But Mila’s plan and that scene at end though *squeals* Ah, young love.

Whilst I really liked these details, it didn’t help that I found myself feeling underwhelmed by the end of the book. I felt like this novel could have been longer to neatly conclude some points that never really seemed to round off, mostly surrounding character relationships. Though I see there was more emphasis on the story line being wrapped up once Mila remembered her past and accepted her roots.

I felt robbed that we never got to see Mila and her Popo have some heart-to-heart conversation when Popo was in hospital. I wanted to see Mila open up even if to only apologize. I wanted to see them drive their car and sight-see together.

I also thought that her and Jane’s reconciliation was too conveniently done. (Although, I suppose Mila’s suffered enough… let me thrive in her angst some more!)

The last point I'd like to make is that the ending felt very ambiguous over her decisions for the future as it focused on someone else’s POV. Which school does Mila choose in the end? It’s never stated if she does decide to continue her education at the private school or end up going back to her international school after the year has ended; with her constant referral to this topic throughout the story and most definitely wanting to go back to Penang at the time. Although, I suppose it isn’t important to know right away seeing as she still has a lot of time left to flourish.

Overall, I liked this novel. My younger self would have definitely liked this more. It was a fun read with some fun characters. Would definitely recommend to people interested in learning some Malaysian culture or reading family dynamics.

[Ai Jou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet and nostalgic debut novel by author Lilian Li. It’s a story about a teenage Malaysian girl who lost touch with her Malaysian roots after studying in an American international school. Circumstances with her family then place her back in her grandmother’s home, where she’s forced to stay for a year and is transferred to a local private school while her parents are away.

Reading this book recalled to me the times when I was an impetuous teenager - rebellious, self-centred and living in my own world. Most times, I was oblivious to what was happening around me and was more focused on my everyday dramas and roller-coaster of emotions.

The main character, Mila, is the same. She’s quite absorbed in her own world to the point of being rude to her family. However, it’s because of her insecurities with a new school, new language and new place to live that she comes across that way. Her childhood best friend, Sean, comes in to assist her with the transition into her new school and neighbourhood. He’s warm, caring and humble, unlike Mila who comes across like a spoilt brat sometimes. Of course, the ending is predictable - that Sean and Mila will get together in the end.

What made the novel wonderful was how hard the author tried to paint a cute picture of rural Bukit Mertajam, her hometown. She described the wildlife surrounding her home, motorcycles as a mode of transportation and all the nostalgia of an idyllic middle school life - playing games at recess, going to the canteen to buy food (and junk food), her love for Milo, and the ice cream man waiting outside the school. She even takes us through the motions of how a hawker centre operates!

I love this story for its Malaysian-ness. All the characters are here to bring us a slice of Malaysian life. Each chapter’s heading is either in Malay or Mandarin pinyin, which shows us the multicultural context the characters are iving in.

There are hidden secrets in her grandmother’s house and a suppressed memory that she couldn’t dredge out. The story picks up after 2/3 way where the secrets are revealed and her character undergoes a realisation and character growth.

The ending is beautiful although I felt it is rushed. I wanted more! Perhaps the author is planning a sequel 😏 All in all, this is a nice and light read for anyone who wishes to relive their teenage years and first love.

[Showering · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Koi really brings back my high school memories. This book is about a girl trying to find herself, the Malaysian in her. She's trying to adjust to a new life and learning new languages that she once had it in her but now forgotten. This books full with the Malaysian atmosphere, friendships and love.

What i love about this book:
I love the Malaysian vibes & settings in House of Koi. It truly brings joy to me. The food & atmosphere really match the Malaysian culture. The character I love the most is ofcourse Sean. I need a Sean in my life too. Sean is very caring towards Mila. I feel single when I read this book (hshka). This book is very easy to read and the plot is simple but yet interesting and fascinating.

What I dislike about this book:
I don't quite like Mila especially how she treats her popo. It makes me sad because it is obvious her popo concern about her and care for her. But yes Mila is really acting like a teenage girl going phases. I'm glad that at least she have Sean by her side. Well technically that's all I not fond of this book, Mila character, hahahahaha. I know she's trying her best but she's really annoying sometimes.

Overall, I really enjoy reading House of Koi so much. Grateful that I pick this up as I need some light read. It makes me laugh, cry and have butterflies in my tummy too.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Malaysian, "House of Koi" was such a rare gem to read, offering up an interesting yet familiar narrative of a young girl struggling to find her "identity". There's plenty of rich imagery that perfectly illustrates the lush landscapes of Penang, the steamy goodness of Malaysian-Chinese hawker dishes, and tradition that stems from 20th century Malaya. The backdrop is completely necessary when complementing the main plot and transporting you into a whole new world. An easy yet compelling read that can be consumed in two days. All in all, I'd highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in Malaysian culture, enjoys a love story, or just so happens to be a young adult feeling a little bit lost within themselves.

[mur · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a Malaysian, reading this did gave me a nostalgic memory. from the snacks, to the motorcycle ice cream, the the Manglish slangs, the little Malaysian games, the traditions. i feel like that’s what the author is going for to be honest, whenever they could slip it in some Malaysian habits, they would. this is a great book to introduce to people outside of Malaysia about the little things we as Malaysian used to do in school.

and im not gonna lie, i don’t like Mila throughout the entire book. her character is such a spoil brat who somehow forgot and embarrassed by her own culture. but sean 🫶🫶 is a walking green flag love love love him.