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Son Complex
Aaron, a 23 year-old American, comes to Malaysia for the first time. His mission: to meet Nasri Aziz, the politician he believes is his biological father. A man who has no idea Aaron even exists.
Encouraged by the letters of his late mother Nora, Aaron seeks to find out more about her life in Malaysia in the 1980s. Aaron's arrival comes as a complete surprise not only to Nasri but his wife (who wants to be known only as Datin) and son Iskandar, a teenager who leads a darker double life.
While working to gain their trust, Aaron discovers a complex background of secrets and lies. And it is up to Sundari, the controversial NGO activist who was Nora's confidante in Malaysia, to reveal the shocking truth.
Encouraged by the letters of his late mother Nora, Aaron seeks to find out more about her life in Malaysia in the 1980s. Aaron's arrival comes as a complete surprise not only to Nasri but his wife (who wants to be known only as Datin) and son Iskandar, a teenager who leads a darker double life.
While working to gain their trust, Aaron discovers a complex background of secrets and lies. And it is up to Sundari, the controversial NGO activist who was Nora's confidante in Malaysia, to reveal the shocking truth.
- GenresFiction
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2013
3 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Kris Williamson
20 books9 followersKris Williamson is a publishing consultant and writer. Born and raised in Florida's Tampa Bay Area, he fled America when the neo-cons took over, choosing to continue his studies in Australia. Eventually he found his way to Malaysia and has been tolerated there despite the lack of itinerant mat salleh in the 1Malaysia agenda. He has written professionally for a decade but only turned to writing for fun over the last few years. He founded the Southeast Asian-themed e-zine Anak Sastra in 2010 and still edits its quarterly issues. When not writing about himself in the third person, he talks about other people in the third person.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 12, 2013
Book review: Son Complex, by Kris Williamson
I always look forward to reading locally-published English fiction. Granted, a lot of them out there are bad, but there are also gems, brilliant in their own right. When Buku Fixi announced the launch of its English imprint, Fixi Novo, I was excited, ecstatic even.
Fixi publishes pulp fiction, whose origin started in America in the late 1890s. Back then, short stories and serialized novels were published in magazines using paper made of pulp, making the magazines cheaper & more accessible. The quality of writing was secondary. Fixi & its English imprint Novo aim to continue the legacy of pulp fiction--not by using cheap paper, but by honoring the spirit of accessible fiction. Language purists scorn every single Fixi novel, but the younger generations devour these books with a passion.
Back to the book in question. I don't often write book reviews because there's not much to say, usually. Either I love it, I don't, or I find it blah. Kris Williamson's "Son Complex" has moved me to share words on it.
Not in a good way, however.
In essence, this novel is about a young man from Florida whose Caucasian mother passed away (for reasons not stated). After her death, his aunt gave him a set of letters, correspondences during the year his mother spent in Sabak Bernam, Malaysia. He never knew his father, and his late mother never spoke of the topic; the one thing that is clear is that he has mixed parentage. He discovered that his mother had a love affair with a Malay man who, after almost 25 years out of the picture, turns out to be a prominent politician with a wife and son. With nothing to lose, the young man, Aaron, travels to Malaysia to learn about his mother's past & possibly about his father as well. He appears at the politician's doorstep, assuming he's the father, and latches on to the family.
Since part of Novo's manifesto is manufacturing pulp fiction, I can forgive the paper cut characters, the stilted dialogs, the racial and class stereotyping, as well as the almost non-existent storyline. The book is 1/3 personalized tour of Kuala Lumpur, 1/3 dissertation on Malaysian social and political issues, and 1/3 story. I can almost forgive the author for trying to cram every imaginable social and political dysfunction that makes Malaysia...well, Malaysia. What I cannot forgive, and the reason for the 2/5 review on Goodreads, is how the author breached his contract.
Spoiler alert.
There are many rules to writing fiction--more than half of them broken in this novel--but one of the rules that cannot be broken is honoring the author-reader contract. In exchange for the reader's time and suspension of belief, the author promises to lead the reader to a satisfying conclusion. It doesn't have to be a happy ending, but the story has to end in a manner that the reader doesn't feel cheated.
I was cheated.
Throughout the novel, the author doesn't describe much about the protagonist, Aaron. We only get to know that he has a wiry frame, and that he has brown eyes (his mother had green eyes). Maybe it's a plot device for the climatic revelation. However, no one in his right mind cannot identify a person with a mixed heritage of Caucasian/Chinese, Caucasian/Malay or Caucasian/Indian. There are distinct features to differentiate these parentages. The author, in a typuical Mat Salleh manner, has the audacity to assume that all Caucasian/Asian mixes are the same in order to pounce a trick ending on his readers.
Ending spoiler alert: don't read further if you intend to read the book.
Talk about deus ex machina. An author absolutely cannot introduce a new element in the climatic scene. That's cheating. Major cheating. Total breach of contract. I bought the book, all excited and ready to fall in love, got turned off by the agendas this novel tries to cram in one sitting, but I finished the book at half-past one in the morning pissed off.
"Son Complex" should be shelved under creative non-fiction or social studies. I stand by my view that it's more a dissertation on the social and political scenes of Malaysia than a novel. It doesn't have a stake. Aaron has nothing to lose, and as a character, he is not changed at the end of the journey. Iskandar, who leads a double life, is the only one that seems real. Oh, and also Mina, the silent maid.
This novel is all about the agendas. If you have issues against certain political parties and the class and racial dissension of Malaysia, this book will surely tickle you at the right places. If you don't really care for story and characterization, sure, this book is an accessible, cheap read.
At RM18.90, this book is certainly a steal, considering that the average price of an English novel is RM30. However, the story itself should not be cheap. After all, among pulp writers were the venerated and highly celebrated Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Issac Asimov and Agatha Christie.
Would I buy another Kris Williamson's novel? If he promises to respect his readers and learn how to write fiction, sure. I don't have anything against the author; I just have everything against this book. "Son Complex" is a major disappointment. I sincerely hope the author will do better next time.
I always look forward to reading locally-published English fiction. Granted, a lot of them out there are bad, but there are also gems, brilliant in their own right. When Buku Fixi announced the launch of its English imprint, Fixi Novo, I was excited, ecstatic even.
Fixi publishes pulp fiction, whose origin started in America in the late 1890s. Back then, short stories and serialized novels were published in magazines using paper made of pulp, making the magazines cheaper & more accessible. The quality of writing was secondary. Fixi & its English imprint Novo aim to continue the legacy of pulp fiction--not by using cheap paper, but by honoring the spirit of accessible fiction. Language purists scorn every single Fixi novel, but the younger generations devour these books with a passion.
Back to the book in question. I don't often write book reviews because there's not much to say, usually. Either I love it, I don't, or I find it blah. Kris Williamson's "Son Complex" has moved me to share words on it.
Not in a good way, however.
In essence, this novel is about a young man from Florida whose Caucasian mother passed away (for reasons not stated). After her death, his aunt gave him a set of letters, correspondences during the year his mother spent in Sabak Bernam, Malaysia. He never knew his father, and his late mother never spoke of the topic; the one thing that is clear is that he has mixed parentage. He discovered that his mother had a love affair with a Malay man who, after almost 25 years out of the picture, turns out to be a prominent politician with a wife and son. With nothing to lose, the young man, Aaron, travels to Malaysia to learn about his mother's past & possibly about his father as well. He appears at the politician's doorstep, assuming he's the father, and latches on to the family.
Since part of Novo's manifesto is manufacturing pulp fiction, I can forgive the paper cut characters, the stilted dialogs, the racial and class stereotyping, as well as the almost non-existent storyline. The book is 1/3 personalized tour of Kuala Lumpur, 1/3 dissertation on Malaysian social and political issues, and 1/3 story. I can almost forgive the author for trying to cram every imaginable social and political dysfunction that makes Malaysia...well, Malaysia. What I cannot forgive, and the reason for the 2/5 review on Goodreads, is how the author breached his contract.
Spoiler alert.
There are many rules to writing fiction--more than half of them broken in this novel--but one of the rules that cannot be broken is honoring the author-reader contract. In exchange for the reader's time and suspension of belief, the author promises to lead the reader to a satisfying conclusion. It doesn't have to be a happy ending, but the story has to end in a manner that the reader doesn't feel cheated.
I was cheated.
Throughout the novel, the author doesn't describe much about the protagonist, Aaron. We only get to know that he has a wiry frame, and that he has brown eyes (his mother had green eyes). Maybe it's a plot device for the climatic revelation. However, no one in his right mind cannot identify a person with a mixed heritage of Caucasian/Chinese, Caucasian/Malay or Caucasian/Indian. There are distinct features to differentiate these parentages. The author, in a typuical Mat Salleh manner, has the audacity to assume that all Caucasian/Asian mixes are the same in order to pounce a trick ending on his readers.
Ending spoiler alert: don't read further if you intend to read the book.
Talk about deus ex machina. An author absolutely cannot introduce a new element in the climatic scene. That's cheating. Major cheating. Total breach of contract. I bought the book, all excited and ready to fall in love, got turned off by the agendas this novel tries to cram in one sitting, but I finished the book at half-past one in the morning pissed off.
"Son Complex" should be shelved under creative non-fiction or social studies. I stand by my view that it's more a dissertation on the social and political scenes of Malaysia than a novel. It doesn't have a stake. Aaron has nothing to lose, and as a character, he is not changed at the end of the journey. Iskandar, who leads a double life, is the only one that seems real. Oh, and also Mina, the silent maid.
This novel is all about the agendas. If you have issues against certain political parties and the class and racial dissension of Malaysia, this book will surely tickle you at the right places. If you don't really care for story and characterization, sure, this book is an accessible, cheap read.
At RM18.90, this book is certainly a steal, considering that the average price of an English novel is RM30. However, the story itself should not be cheap. After all, among pulp writers were the venerated and highly celebrated Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Issac Asimov and Agatha Christie.
Would I buy another Kris Williamson's novel? If he promises to respect his readers and learn how to write fiction, sure. I don't have anything against the author; I just have everything against this book. "Son Complex" is a major disappointment. I sincerely hope the author will do better next time.
February 15, 2013
(ulasan ini diambil dari blog sendiri)
Ada kenalanku beritahu yang aku harus segera habiskan baca mana-mana novel Fixi yang terbaru kerana dia hanya akan beli dan hadam novel tersebut berdasarkan ulasan dan usulanku. Son Complex karya Kris Williamson merupakan novel berbahasa Inggeris pertama terbitan FIXI di bawah imprint FIXI NOVO, diterbitkan bulan lepas dan merupakan novel yang paling pantas aku habiskan (aku selesai baca kurang dari tempoh 48 jam) setakat ini untuk tahun 2013.
Membaca sinopsis yang ada di laman Facebook-nya benar-benar membuat aku tergiur untuk segera habiskan, tetapi usai aku khatam novel setebal 248 halaman itu, apa yang aku boleh simpulkan adalah ia merupakan satu karya yang biasa-biasa saja tentang pencarian, tentang identiti, tentang konflik diri yang watak utama itu cari sendiri, tetapi gagal untuk mencari sebarang solusi yang berketepatan dan memuaskan hati dirinya dan juga pembaca.
Aaron, seorang lelaki berbangsa Inggeris berusia 23 tahun dari Amerika, merantau beribu-ribu kilometer jauhnya dan datang ke Malaysia dalam usaha untuk menjejaki ayahnya setelah dia kematian ibunya, hanya berbekalkan beberapa pucuk surat obskur yang ditinggalkan oleh mendiang ibunya. Ia ditulis dalam perspektif Aaron, makanya pembaca dibawa bersama untuk sama-sama keliru di tengah-tengah kota yang amat asing buat Aaron, dalam usaha Aaron mencari sekelumit maklumat daripada keluarga dan individu yang dia fikir boleh membantunya menjejaki siapakah ayahnya yang sebenar.
Aku nyaris tertipu sebenarnya tatkala melihat kulit depan novel ini. Ada siluet seseorang yang memakai topi dan memegang helmet, dan serta-merta mindaku melompat dan separa berharap ada babak menaiki jet pejuang (terus terbayang Tom Cruise dalam filem Top Gun) namun harapanku meleset kerana siluet lelaki itu adalah si Aaron dalam cubaannya untuk menyelami hidup seorang mat rempit (walaupun dia tidaklah memandu, sekadar membonceng). Apa-apapun, Son Complex berjaya membenarkan pembaca (khususnya yang memangnya berasal dari sini) seolah-olah merasai apa yang dirasai oleh seseorang yang berada di luar ruang-lingkup selesanya.
Jurang bahasa adalah antara permainan utama yang diketengahkan. Bahasa Malaysia Aaron nyata amatlah minumum, makanya timbul pelbagai senario lucu yang kita sendiri ambil mudah seperti memesan makanan di warung dan memberikan lokasi kepada pemandu teksi, tetapi mungkin sekali boleh membikin seorang bangsa asing berpeluh dahi (dan ketiak) apabila dirinya disalahertikan.
Jujurnya tiada apa yang menarik sangat akan novel Son Complex ini (yang mana judulnya aku kira diadaptasi daripada sebuah kelab yang dimasuki oleh Aaron, yang pada hemat aku novel ini lebih cocok dijudulkan sebagai 'The Journey' ataupun 'Being Foreign' berbanding judulnya yang aku fikir bukanlah suatu representasi spesifik kepada perkisahan yang dipaparkan). Aaron mencari kebenaran tentang identiti ayah kandungnya di negara yang serba asing buatnya, dan dalam proses itu dia melalui pelbagai pengalaman yang mungkin menarik buatnya, tetapi tidaklah sedahsyat atau menarik mana bagi kebanyakan rakyat tempatan. Ada salah guna dadah, mat rempit, cebis-cebis informasi tentang kepentingan kuasa dan susun-atur politik tempatan, dan juga tempat-tempat makan sekitar Kuala Lumpur.
Aku kira perkaitan antara surat-surat peninggalan Nora (mendiang ibunya si Aaron itu) nyata tidak begitu kuat dan meyakinkan untuk dia datang dan terpanggil mencari ayah kandungnya. Ini adalah kerana walaupun aku sudah ulangbaca beberapa kali segmen surat-surat yang diutuskan itu, aku sepertinya tidak tergerak untuk kurius mahu tahu lebih lanjut. Semacam hampir tiada misteri yang wujud di situ. Aku agak kecewa di situ. Alangkah bagusnya kalau penulis merungkaikan misteri identiti sebenar (atau separa merungkaikannya) lewat surat-surat yang dibaca, didedahkan kepada para pembaca sepucuk demi sepucuk agar pembaca terus berteka-teki akan siapakah ayah kandung Aaron yang sebenarnya.
Ada kenalanku beritahu yang aku harus segera habiskan baca mana-mana novel Fixi yang terbaru kerana dia hanya akan beli dan hadam novel tersebut berdasarkan ulasan dan usulanku. Son Complex karya Kris Williamson merupakan novel berbahasa Inggeris pertama terbitan FIXI di bawah imprint FIXI NOVO, diterbitkan bulan lepas dan merupakan novel yang paling pantas aku habiskan (aku selesai baca kurang dari tempoh 48 jam) setakat ini untuk tahun 2013.
Membaca sinopsis yang ada di laman Facebook-nya benar-benar membuat aku tergiur untuk segera habiskan, tetapi usai aku khatam novel setebal 248 halaman itu, apa yang aku boleh simpulkan adalah ia merupakan satu karya yang biasa-biasa saja tentang pencarian, tentang identiti, tentang konflik diri yang watak utama itu cari sendiri, tetapi gagal untuk mencari sebarang solusi yang berketepatan dan memuaskan hati dirinya dan juga pembaca.
Aaron, seorang lelaki berbangsa Inggeris berusia 23 tahun dari Amerika, merantau beribu-ribu kilometer jauhnya dan datang ke Malaysia dalam usaha untuk menjejaki ayahnya setelah dia kematian ibunya, hanya berbekalkan beberapa pucuk surat obskur yang ditinggalkan oleh mendiang ibunya. Ia ditulis dalam perspektif Aaron, makanya pembaca dibawa bersama untuk sama-sama keliru di tengah-tengah kota yang amat asing buat Aaron, dalam usaha Aaron mencari sekelumit maklumat daripada keluarga dan individu yang dia fikir boleh membantunya menjejaki siapakah ayahnya yang sebenar.
Aku nyaris tertipu sebenarnya tatkala melihat kulit depan novel ini. Ada siluet seseorang yang memakai topi dan memegang helmet, dan serta-merta mindaku melompat dan separa berharap ada babak menaiki jet pejuang (terus terbayang Tom Cruise dalam filem Top Gun) namun harapanku meleset kerana siluet lelaki itu adalah si Aaron dalam cubaannya untuk menyelami hidup seorang mat rempit (walaupun dia tidaklah memandu, sekadar membonceng). Apa-apapun, Son Complex berjaya membenarkan pembaca (khususnya yang memangnya berasal dari sini) seolah-olah merasai apa yang dirasai oleh seseorang yang berada di luar ruang-lingkup selesanya.
Jurang bahasa adalah antara permainan utama yang diketengahkan. Bahasa Malaysia Aaron nyata amatlah minumum, makanya timbul pelbagai senario lucu yang kita sendiri ambil mudah seperti memesan makanan di warung dan memberikan lokasi kepada pemandu teksi, tetapi mungkin sekali boleh membikin seorang bangsa asing berpeluh dahi (dan ketiak) apabila dirinya disalahertikan.
Jujurnya tiada apa yang menarik sangat akan novel Son Complex ini (yang mana judulnya aku kira diadaptasi daripada sebuah kelab yang dimasuki oleh Aaron, yang pada hemat aku novel ini lebih cocok dijudulkan sebagai 'The Journey' ataupun 'Being Foreign' berbanding judulnya yang aku fikir bukanlah suatu representasi spesifik kepada perkisahan yang dipaparkan). Aaron mencari kebenaran tentang identiti ayah kandungnya di negara yang serba asing buatnya, dan dalam proses itu dia melalui pelbagai pengalaman yang mungkin menarik buatnya, tetapi tidaklah sedahsyat atau menarik mana bagi kebanyakan rakyat tempatan. Ada salah guna dadah, mat rempit, cebis-cebis informasi tentang kepentingan kuasa dan susun-atur politik tempatan, dan juga tempat-tempat makan sekitar Kuala Lumpur.
Aku kira perkaitan antara surat-surat peninggalan Nora (mendiang ibunya si Aaron itu) nyata tidak begitu kuat dan meyakinkan untuk dia datang dan terpanggil mencari ayah kandungnya. Ini adalah kerana walaupun aku sudah ulangbaca beberapa kali segmen surat-surat yang diutuskan itu, aku sepertinya tidak tergerak untuk kurius mahu tahu lebih lanjut. Semacam hampir tiada misteri yang wujud di situ. Aku agak kecewa di situ. Alangkah bagusnya kalau penulis merungkaikan misteri identiti sebenar (atau separa merungkaikannya) lewat surat-surat yang dibaca, didedahkan kepada para pembaca sepucuk demi sepucuk agar pembaca terus berteka-teki akan siapakah ayah kandung Aaron yang sebenarnya.
April 8, 2015
it's not that i don't like this book, it's just too plain for me.
few times i fall asleep reading this. and i kinda took more times than i predicted to finish it.
there's no climax (or maybe there is, but like i said, it's too plain)
i don't know what to expect when i read this.
all i know is, it's not that enjoyable.
few times i fall asleep reading this. and i kinda took more times than i predicted to finish it.
there's no climax (or maybe there is, but like i said, it's too plain)
i don't know what to expect when i read this.
all i know is, it's not that enjoyable.
April 2, 2013
There is something entertaining about this book than just the main story line itself. It was Malaysia from Aaron’s perspective. His thoughts towards lifestyles and foods are some kind of interesting to read about.
February 24, 2013
Son Complex by Kris Williamson is a fascinating read that got me thinking about a lot of things talked about in the book. It covers so many social issues relevant to Malaysia and does it seamlessly. The writing is very easy to understand and the story moves forward at a good speed. I like personal journey stories and found this to be a unique one that hasn't been done hundreds of times in movies and other novels. Kudos for originality!
By the middle of the novel, it became obvious that this is a story where the characters take center stage and the plot is just used to carry them from the first page to the last page. Novels like this can only work if the characters are strong and interesting. Overall I think Kris Williamson does a good job in his character writing.
Aaron, the main character, is a 23-year-old American who comes across as very naïve from the first page. But he is humble and a likeable person. I wanted for him to succeed on his journey. I cheered for him and cried for him through his ups and downs. It is precisely his fresh observations that makes this story something interesting. Kris Williamson must have spent a lot of time living in Malaysia to be able to tell this type of story.
The plot starts straight away. Aaron lands in Kuala Lumpur and goes to the house of Nasri, who he thinks is his long-lost father based on correspondence that his dead mother wrote several decades earlier. Nasri's character could have been developed more--for me--but underneath the "wealthy businessman with skeletons in the closet" façade, I could see that he really cared for Nora (Aaron's mother). He is shocked at first, but slowly warms up to the idea of Aaron as his son as the novel progresses. This side journey for Nasri, again, I thought could have been expanded. I wanted to read more. Maybe more stories from his youth with Nora too.
But Nasri has a wife (Datin) and a son (Iskandar). For me these two characters were an interesting contrast. Datin plays the role of village-girl-who-married-well-and-makes-sure-everyone-knows-it and plays it well. She is the type of character that you roll your eyes at in novels, on TV, or in real life. But I always like reading about these types--especially when something bad happens to them! But I was surprised that at the end of the novel, of course something bad happens, and Datin is involved, but my reaction surprised me. I don't want to tell too much more here to ruin it for anyone who has not read it yet...but it was a real shock. As it turns out, Datin and Aaron have a lot in common that doesn't become clear until the very end.
Iskandar was a cool character. For a young man, he is very mature. I found a lot of quotes from him that I liked. He is a rebel against his parents--as a teen, who isn't?--but he is smart about it. He has a secret life which made some interesting points on class differences in Malaysia. For all the stereotypical (and sometimes funny) high class hullabaloo that Datin represents for most of the novel, Iskandar breaks that mold completely. I would love to see a novel with him as the main character.
Even though this novel places importance on its characters above a winding plot, there are not many characters in total. Aside from Aaron, Nasri, Datin, and Iskandar, there are only a few secondary characters. Some, like the taxi driver in Ch.1 and Sundari's family, are so funny that I was laughing out loud. Others, like Iskandar's biker friends, added some spice into the story. That reminds me. Sundari! She was a very likeable character at first. Very hippity-hoppity and scatterbrained. But she has a dark side as well. As her role in Aaron's life changed, I got sucked into the story even more. She has a few good quotes as well. I did want more page time for when she and Aaron go back to her family's house. I thought that was too quick.
What I liked the most about this novel is even though some characters look like stereotypes, they are actually quite deep. I found myself thinking about Nasri's summer-love with Nora in the 1980s and what it would have meant for him to be faced with his love child almost 25 years later. I also wondered if I would have the courage to do what Aaron did. Fly off to some irrelevant third-world country to look for his father with only a handful of clues to get him started. That's drive! But for me, the main part of Aaron's journey really did not begin until the last few pages of the novel, where he is reflecting on his life and what he learned about his mother's life. Interesting. It was as if he developed in a complete circle after finishing his adventure.
I loved the fact the ending isn't happy or sad. It is what it is. And I could really get into the characters. Think about their actions and words. What I would do if it were me in their shoes. Aaron's personal development from start to finish was different from what I had expected to read. I appreciated that I could read the stories of the characters without needing to be told what their stories were and everything imaginable about their lives. There is just enough information offered to create good character profiles.
For me, this novel is a win. Kudos to Kris Williamson!
Recommended to readers who like deep characters but also enjoy a good laugh. Readers interested in the social makeup of Malaysia should like this as well. Not recommended to readers who like for every imaginable detail to be explained or those who need a plot that is action-packed on every page. I am keeping my copy and will definitely have another read through it at some point.
By the middle of the novel, it became obvious that this is a story where the characters take center stage and the plot is just used to carry them from the first page to the last page. Novels like this can only work if the characters are strong and interesting. Overall I think Kris Williamson does a good job in his character writing.
Aaron, the main character, is a 23-year-old American who comes across as very naïve from the first page. But he is humble and a likeable person. I wanted for him to succeed on his journey. I cheered for him and cried for him through his ups and downs. It is precisely his fresh observations that makes this story something interesting. Kris Williamson must have spent a lot of time living in Malaysia to be able to tell this type of story.
The plot starts straight away. Aaron lands in Kuala Lumpur and goes to the house of Nasri, who he thinks is his long-lost father based on correspondence that his dead mother wrote several decades earlier. Nasri's character could have been developed more--for me--but underneath the "wealthy businessman with skeletons in the closet" façade, I could see that he really cared for Nora (Aaron's mother). He is shocked at first, but slowly warms up to the idea of Aaron as his son as the novel progresses. This side journey for Nasri, again, I thought could have been expanded. I wanted to read more. Maybe more stories from his youth with Nora too.
But Nasri has a wife (Datin) and a son (Iskandar). For me these two characters were an interesting contrast. Datin plays the role of village-girl-who-married-well-and-makes-sure-everyone-knows-it and plays it well. She is the type of character that you roll your eyes at in novels, on TV, or in real life. But I always like reading about these types--especially when something bad happens to them! But I was surprised that at the end of the novel, of course something bad happens, and Datin is involved, but my reaction surprised me. I don't want to tell too much more here to ruin it for anyone who has not read it yet...but it was a real shock. As it turns out, Datin and Aaron have a lot in common that doesn't become clear until the very end.
Iskandar was a cool character. For a young man, he is very mature. I found a lot of quotes from him that I liked. He is a rebel against his parents--as a teen, who isn't?--but he is smart about it. He has a secret life which made some interesting points on class differences in Malaysia. For all the stereotypical (and sometimes funny) high class hullabaloo that Datin represents for most of the novel, Iskandar breaks that mold completely. I would love to see a novel with him as the main character.
Even though this novel places importance on its characters above a winding plot, there are not many characters in total. Aside from Aaron, Nasri, Datin, and Iskandar, there are only a few secondary characters. Some, like the taxi driver in Ch.1 and Sundari's family, are so funny that I was laughing out loud. Others, like Iskandar's biker friends, added some spice into the story. That reminds me. Sundari! She was a very likeable character at first. Very hippity-hoppity and scatterbrained. But she has a dark side as well. As her role in Aaron's life changed, I got sucked into the story even more. She has a few good quotes as well. I did want more page time for when she and Aaron go back to her family's house. I thought that was too quick.
What I liked the most about this novel is even though some characters look like stereotypes, they are actually quite deep. I found myself thinking about Nasri's summer-love with Nora in the 1980s and what it would have meant for him to be faced with his love child almost 25 years later. I also wondered if I would have the courage to do what Aaron did. Fly off to some irrelevant third-world country to look for his father with only a handful of clues to get him started. That's drive! But for me, the main part of Aaron's journey really did not begin until the last few pages of the novel, where he is reflecting on his life and what he learned about his mother's life. Interesting. It was as if he developed in a complete circle after finishing his adventure.
I loved the fact the ending isn't happy or sad. It is what it is. And I could really get into the characters. Think about their actions and words. What I would do if it were me in their shoes. Aaron's personal development from start to finish was different from what I had expected to read. I appreciated that I could read the stories of the characters without needing to be told what their stories were and everything imaginable about their lives. There is just enough information offered to create good character profiles.
For me, this novel is a win. Kudos to Kris Williamson!
Recommended to readers who like deep characters but also enjoy a good laugh. Readers interested in the social makeup of Malaysia should like this as well. Not recommended to readers who like for every imaginable detail to be explained or those who need a plot that is action-packed on every page. I am keeping my copy and will definitely have another read through it at some point.
May 30, 2017
To some extent, I am pretty much convince that the author somehow knows how to speak Malay language. You can find many Malay phrases, written not in formal style but the way how Malaysian speak. Enough to make a Malay reader grin. Aren't you impress of that? Knowing that some of the Malaysian Chinese can't even form a proper Malay sentence verbally (My assumption) and just look at England, the migrants could speak proper English with an accent. Doesn't that bother you? Oh don't get me started with the portrayal of typical KL Malay family culture. Splendid! He clearly did his homework on immersing himself in Malay cultural values.
Following Aaron's journey to Malaysia, getting the chance to have a glimpse of Mat Salleh's point of view of our society has always been my cup of coffee. The recent death of Aaron's mom led him to our hot tropical country in trying to sort out the mystery that surrounds his family. To be precise, he wants to know who the illegitimate father is (Hello Dad!). As a bastard son (Pardon the language) I admire the courage and absurd decision he made to travel half the world for his own sake. Guess this runs in the Mat Salleh's bloodline where making rash decision and backpacking with minimal expenses to be their main expertise (Gotta learn this trait). This all seem possible with the exchange rate favouring their side more.
We can fairly agree that this book is as good as a one time read only. Everything seems to fall into place on how the author piece the puzzle together but some parts deserved to be shelved. It nearly put me to sleep especially the time when Aaron and Iskandar met Iskandar's rempit friends for the first time. Starting from that point, story starts to get a lil bit down hill. Maybe its just me being bias to my own culture that rempiting doesn't sound appealing on contrary to Mat Salleh's point of view.
I personally enjoyed letters written by Nora who sounded rather young and outgoing even though there was like 3-4 letters. No doubt its a great method in reliving the past and made the current event more relatable. On the other hand, it depicted Sabak Bernam as a dead zombie town (Yet to be discovered) but could be an emerging tourist spot one day. All thanks to the writer, now Sabak Bernam is on my travelling radar and to be included in my off beaten tourist destination.
There is something beautiful about the ending where you'll discover that there is a hidden connection. Family ties serve to be an unbreakable bonding but going through similar past experiences is as good as one. Actually, I'm starting to think this is a great book after all. Okay, so I have come to a conclusion. Read the book as if you were a Mat Salleh, then its a 5 star but tread the book as if you were a Malaysian, its a mehhhh rating.
Following Aaron's journey to Malaysia, getting the chance to have a glimpse of Mat Salleh's point of view of our society has always been my cup of coffee. The recent death of Aaron's mom led him to our hot tropical country in trying to sort out the mystery that surrounds his family. To be precise, he wants to know who the illegitimate father is (Hello Dad!). As a bastard son (Pardon the language) I admire the courage and absurd decision he made to travel half the world for his own sake. Guess this runs in the Mat Salleh's bloodline where making rash decision and backpacking with minimal expenses to be their main expertise (Gotta learn this trait). This all seem possible with the exchange rate favouring their side more.
We can fairly agree that this book is as good as a one time read only. Everything seems to fall into place on how the author piece the puzzle together but some parts deserved to be shelved. It nearly put me to sleep especially the time when Aaron and Iskandar met Iskandar's rempit friends for the first time. Starting from that point, story starts to get a lil bit down hill. Maybe its just me being bias to my own culture that rempiting doesn't sound appealing on contrary to Mat Salleh's point of view.
I personally enjoyed letters written by Nora who sounded rather young and outgoing even though there was like 3-4 letters. No doubt its a great method in reliving the past and made the current event more relatable. On the other hand, it depicted Sabak Bernam as a dead zombie town (Yet to be discovered) but could be an emerging tourist spot one day. All thanks to the writer, now Sabak Bernam is on my travelling radar and to be included in my off beaten tourist destination.
There is something beautiful about the ending where you'll discover that there is a hidden connection. Family ties serve to be an unbreakable bonding but going through similar past experiences is as good as one. Actually, I'm starting to think this is a great book after all. Okay, so I have come to a conclusion. Read the book as if you were a Mat Salleh, then its a 5 star but tread the book as if you were a Malaysian, its a mehhhh rating.
Read
February 16, 2013Satu-satunya buku yang aku (mampu) habiskan ketika kesihatan dirampas seketika. Well, this is the answer for this space--(What did you think?)
May 1, 2024
This book offers a captivating fusion of Malaysian culture and Western perspectives, providing an intriguing insight through the eyes of an American exploring Malaysian traditions. As a native, I found the portrayal both amusing and relatable. The story takes an unexpected turn at the end, leaving a lingering impression that is neither sweet nor bitter, but rather a fitting conclusion that should be left to resonate which i particularly like.
September 7, 2021
Poor aaron. He deserves to be in a good family
December 31, 2025
Son Complex
by Kris Williamson
from Fixi Novo (imprint of Buku Fixi)
Not sure when is the last time I finished a book with a big sigh of relief. Son Complex gives me such a heavy feeling on its unexpected twist. The journey of Aaron halfway around the world to Malaysia, to find someone to call family after his mother passed away, is so, disheartening.
The early part of the story is about him being in a "Rusa Masuk Kampung" situation. Not knowingly getting charged too much for a taxi fare. Getting Apple and Orange Juice when asking for the fruit. Or getting called a carpet seller.
Then, comes Nasri, and his family. The main reason for Aaron's journey to Malaysia. Well it's all Nasri actually but he met him in his house so, yeah, his family too. How Aaron interacts with Nasri, Datin, Iskandar and then comes Sundari. And all of these from following a late mother's letters.
The majority of the story brings us to the scenes in Malaysia. The election, the development, the malls, the rempit, the mamaks all other Malaysia thingy. Which makes us easily relate to the storytelling.
Son Complex brings a light kinda reading before crushing us with the truth. It heavily affected my mood in reading which resulted in the last few chapters being read with such a heavy feeling. I think i delve into the last few chapters too long compared to the early ones.
Anyway, in all its worth, Son Complex is a good read. Thanks Kris Williamson for this story.
by Kris Williamson
from Fixi Novo (imprint of Buku Fixi)
Not sure when is the last time I finished a book with a big sigh of relief. Son Complex gives me such a heavy feeling on its unexpected twist. The journey of Aaron halfway around the world to Malaysia, to find someone to call family after his mother passed away, is so, disheartening.
The early part of the story is about him being in a "Rusa Masuk Kampung" situation. Not knowingly getting charged too much for a taxi fare. Getting Apple and Orange Juice when asking for the fruit. Or getting called a carpet seller.
Then, comes Nasri, and his family. The main reason for Aaron's journey to Malaysia. Well it's all Nasri actually but he met him in his house so, yeah, his family too. How Aaron interacts with Nasri, Datin, Iskandar and then comes Sundari. And all of these from following a late mother's letters.
The majority of the story brings us to the scenes in Malaysia. The election, the development, the malls, the rempit, the mamaks all other Malaysia thingy. Which makes us easily relate to the storytelling.
Son Complex brings a light kinda reading before crushing us with the truth. It heavily affected my mood in reading which resulted in the last few chapters being read with such a heavy feeling. I think i delve into the last few chapters too long compared to the early ones.
Anyway, in all its worth, Son Complex is a good read. Thanks Kris Williamson for this story.
November 27, 2013
Totally im not that satisfied reading this. But back to its title, Son Complex then i realized it was really2 complex. Pity to Aaron cus someone already accept him as his biological son. To the author, you should write something that give us satisfaction reading your book or at least let Aaron meet his father and claim him as his biological father and make a new happy family i guess. The last scene really makes me touch. That Datin called Aaron and told him abt her biggest secret. It means a lot to me cus finally he make a good relationship w Datin. Well not everything in life has a happy ending. Yet it's a great job.
March 2, 2013
I like the KL travel story bits and the tourist in town's point of view. However, I think the character Nora is overly romanticized and unreal to the end. I also feel like I still didn't know Aaron, even after reading the whole book. Some of the other characters seem kind of stereotypical Malaysians too, Indian activist, Datuk politician, mat rempit,etc. I was let down by the 2 new elements 'suddenly squeezed in' to lead to the ending.
November 13, 2013
Kudos to the writer who is not Malaysian but has the effort writing up a story based in Malaysian from an American perspective. Its a mixed up but the shocking revealation towarda the end is something I'm not expecting. Everyone jas their past and not everyone's past is beautiful. I have seen the author when I bought the book at PBAKL. Weirdly I always imagined Aaron as him. Ha. Anyway, nice read.
September 1, 2014
I would say that this story is a bit different from other Fixi's novels but still it's fun to read and to know who's Aaron's father really is and to know what actually happened to Nora when she was in Malaysia and why she never tell him about it.
The story was well told by the writer plus I love the cover so much.But the ending was a bit sad. Aaron should've not get rid of his memories when he was in Malaysia.
The story was well told by the writer plus I love the cover so much.But the ending was a bit sad. Aaron should've not get rid of his memories when he was in Malaysia.
July 28, 2013
Reading this book, I had the impression I was entering an unknown territory yet at the same time being told about people I have met in the past...
I enjoyed certain passages while others proved to be a bit tedious and far-fetched.
Still, I would recommend this book to avid readers of travelogues and auto-fiction mostly.
I enjoyed certain passages while others proved to be a bit tedious and far-fetched.
Still, I would recommend this book to avid readers of travelogues and auto-fiction mostly.
February 8, 2015
I was looking forward to read this novel after reading Kris's short story on KL Noir:Red. Perhaps, I was looking forward to that sunken feeling hours after I am done with Son Complex.
That Eureka moment, or perhaps-Eureka moment, why Datin suddenly seemed like taking a pity on Aaroon. And the phone call she made. Because Datin and Aaron's mother, had the same fate.
That Eureka moment, or perhaps-Eureka moment, why Datin suddenly seemed like taking a pity on Aaroon. And the phone call she made. Because Datin and Aaron's mother, had the same fate.
February 7, 2013
How does it feels when your faith betrays you. Either you want to live in delusion or eat the ugly truth.
Beautifully narrated despite initially i was hoping for any kongkek but none. However i still enjoy reading this.
Selamat membaca
Beautifully narrated despite initially i was hoping for any kongkek but none. However i still enjoy reading this.
Selamat membaca
June 14, 2014
so far I think the author managed to portrays the reality living of 'dato' and 'datin' in Malaysian context.their lifestyles,their family secrets and stuff.still,this is probably to early for me to judge whether this novel is worth to read or else.
February 9, 2013
Unerwartete Vertreibung wollte ich sagen.
March 24, 2013
I think this book features a lot of sarcasms to Malaysian, especially the typical Malay drama's twisted twisted ending part. Well, I think it is.
February 6, 2013
What you think it is, is never really what you think it is.
"In the dark, we are all equals." -Aaron
"In the dark, we are all equals." -Aaron
March 1, 2013
As I read it, it went on a direction I didn't expect it to go.
April 3, 2013
Is Sundari's brother had mental illness?
April 4, 2014
Not my kind of book. Sundari is a bitch. The fact that Datin's father raped her is just ughhh dammit he's an Imam after all. I need to know who's the biological father of Aaron, at least
September 20, 2016
At first I really like the plot of the story. But the ending was quite disappointing in my opinion.
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