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The Story Game
A transcendent, profoundly imaginative memoir that explores the complexities of sisterhood, the cost of expectation, and the power of storytelling to shape—and ultimately repair—a life.
What was that game we used to play when we were children? We played it every night, before things went wrong between us.
It was a story game, wasn’t it?
In the humid dark of a eucalyptus-scented room, a woman named Hui lies on a mattress telling stories about herself to her listener, a little girl. She talks about her identity as the child of an immigrant, her feelings about being in a mixed-race marriage, her opinions on mental health. But as the stories progress, it becomes clear that a volatile secret is lurking beneath their surface. There are events in Hui’s past that have great significance for the person she’s become, but that have gone missing from her memory. What is it, exactly, that is haunting Hui? And just as importantly—what is the room that Hui is lying in? Who is the little girl she keeps talking to? And who, actually, is Hui herself?
As the conversation continues, what unfolds is a breathtaking and unexpected journey through layers of story toward truth and recovered identity; a memoir that reenacts, in tautly novelistic fashion, the process of healing that author Shze-Hui Tjoa moved through in order to recover memories lost to complex-PTSD and to, eventually, reconstruct her sense of self. Stunning in its originality and intimacy, Tjoa’s debut memoir The Story Game is a piercing tribute to selfhood and sisterhood, a genre-shattering testament to the power of imagination, and a one-of-a-kind work of art.
What was that game we used to play when we were children? We played it every night, before things went wrong between us.
It was a story game, wasn’t it?
In the humid dark of a eucalyptus-scented room, a woman named Hui lies on a mattress telling stories about herself to her listener, a little girl. She talks about her identity as the child of an immigrant, her feelings about being in a mixed-race marriage, her opinions on mental health. But as the stories progress, it becomes clear that a volatile secret is lurking beneath their surface. There are events in Hui’s past that have great significance for the person she’s become, but that have gone missing from her memory. What is it, exactly, that is haunting Hui? And just as importantly—what is the room that Hui is lying in? Who is the little girl she keeps talking to? And who, actually, is Hui herself?
As the conversation continues, what unfolds is a breathtaking and unexpected journey through layers of story toward truth and recovered identity; a memoir that reenacts, in tautly novelistic fashion, the process of healing that author Shze-Hui Tjoa moved through in order to recover memories lost to complex-PTSD and to, eventually, reconstruct her sense of self. Stunning in its originality and intimacy, Tjoa’s debut memoir The Story Game is a piercing tribute to selfhood and sisterhood, a genre-shattering testament to the power of imagination, and a one-of-a-kind work of art.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2024
27 people are currently reading
3903 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 3, 2024
What a great memoir that really touched me. I have started going to therapy after reading this book. I am starting to become a better and happier person. I really needed someone to help me revisit my pass childhood. Thanks Shze-Hui for revealing aspects of yourself with such honesty. Highly recommend.
May 4, 2024
The Story Game, written by Shze-Hui Tjoa, is an experimental memoir in which Hui is narrating stories to her sister, Nin. These stories are shared in a reimagined version of their childhood bedroom, the only place Hui felt remotely safe as a girl and the last place she truly felt connected to Nin before they drifted apart. Throughout this storytelling, Nin encourages Hui to peel back the layers of herself and unearth the truth behind her experiences. This is immensely difficult for Hui, who would rather focus on broader injustice as opposed to the wrongs done onto her.
The experimental quality of Hui’s writing was initially challenging for me to appreciate. It wasn’t until about halfway through the memoir that I felt it added something to the reading experience. It was, however, a creative and unique approach to storytelling. I love when authors take liberties with more rigid genres, such as the memoir, and I hope that writing about her life in this standout format felt empowering for Hui. Many thanks to Shze-Hui Tjoa, Tin House, and Netgalley for access to this title.
The experimental quality of Hui’s writing was initially challenging for me to appreciate. It wasn’t until about halfway through the memoir that I felt it added something to the reading experience. It was, however, a creative and unique approach to storytelling. I love when authors take liberties with more rigid genres, such as the memoir, and I hope that writing about her life in this standout format felt empowering for Hui. Many thanks to Shze-Hui Tjoa, Tin House, and Netgalley for access to this title.
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March 9, 2024What an unusual, unique way to write a memoir. But it really works well. Tojoa's narrative is written as if she is telling stories to her sister who is still a young girl. Until the girls were 'tweens' in Singapore, older sister Hui told her sister made-up stories as they lay on their shared mattress at night. Tojoa's character Hui (actually the author herself) 'tells' her sister about her life by sharing stories. Her sister asks probing questions requiring Hui to dig deeper and deeper, forcing her to come to terms with some difficult situations from their childhood. A well-done memoir about place, immigrant families, achievement, mental health, and mixed race/mixed culture relationships.
January 22, 2025
This was a memoir unlike any other I’ve read! I thought the structure was interesting, though like with any essay collection there were some I resonated with more than others. Overall it felt raw, honest, and vulnerable.
Edit: had my book club discussion on this tonight and my thoughts have shifted slightly. The overall agreement was that this felt like two distinct books — an essay collection and a memoir — and while we all understood what the author was trying to do merging them together, it didn’t quite come together. We all absolutely loved the first few essays/chapters, and there were some really beautiful parts to these. While the portions of dialogue were impactful on a couple occasions, most of the time it felt a bit forced, and while the structure was unique, it may have benefitted from some editing.
Edit: had my book club discussion on this tonight and my thoughts have shifted slightly. The overall agreement was that this felt like two distinct books — an essay collection and a memoir — and while we all understood what the author was trying to do merging them together, it didn’t quite come together. We all absolutely loved the first few essays/chapters, and there were some really beautiful parts to these. While the portions of dialogue were impactful on a couple occasions, most of the time it felt a bit forced, and while the structure was unique, it may have benefitted from some editing.
July 31, 2024
COUSINS BOOK CLUB: JULY EDITION
to be perfectly honest, this is a 4 star book for me. But because I indulge in human bias, I will rate it 5 stars simply because my amazing cousin wrote this memoir.
I went through a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts while reading this book. As context, I previously read Shze hui’s past essay and also attended her play, which are both more focussed on Body and its trauma. So when reading this book I was expecting a lot more of talk about Body and working through it, but I was not ready for the journey I had to be put through.
For the first 2/3 of this book, I was first confused because of what I mentioned earlier, but I also had no interest nor inkling on what all the political and historical jargon signified. Boring to me!!! But as we get through the book, with Nin pushing at the boundaries of the stories and asking for the narrator to be honest with herself, I found myself so entrenched? In the stories!!
The writing was beautiful, the opening up of Shze Hui felt like an expedition that I was on, so eager to find out more. I am deeply grateful to have been able to experience this kind of 3rd person discovery, made even more crazy and powerful by being related to the author lol!
Thanks Shze Hui for being so brave, none of this could have been easy for you. I admire you so much!
to be perfectly honest, this is a 4 star book for me. But because I indulge in human bias, I will rate it 5 stars simply because my amazing cousin wrote this memoir.
I went through a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts while reading this book. As context, I previously read Shze hui’s past essay and also attended her play, which are both more focussed on Body and its trauma. So when reading this book I was expecting a lot more of talk about Body and working through it, but I was not ready for the journey I had to be put through.
For the first 2/3 of this book, I was first confused because of what I mentioned earlier, but I also had no interest nor inkling on what all the political and historical jargon signified. Boring to me!!! But as we get through the book, with Nin pushing at the boundaries of the stories and asking for the narrator to be honest with herself, I found myself so entrenched? In the stories!!
The writing was beautiful, the opening up of Shze Hui felt like an expedition that I was on, so eager to find out more. I am deeply grateful to have been able to experience this kind of 3rd person discovery, made even more crazy and powerful by being related to the author lol!
Thanks Shze Hui for being so brave, none of this could have been easy for you. I admire you so much!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
Unconventional in all the best ways, this is a beautifully written memoir on sisterhood, selfhood, mental-health, control and so much more. Tjoa moves deftly between incisive and sharp commentary and vulnerable and raw reflections, weaving them into a cohesive and thought-provoking narrative.
In many ways, this is a book about relationships: the relationships between sisters, between husband and wife, between parent and child, and most importantly, the relationship between the various yous that exist over time. But one relationship dynamic that stuck out to me was the relationship between a writer and their writing. In many ways The Story Game serves as a metacommentary on the personal essay, where the book collects several essays (or "stories") the writer has written and then dissects them and what they say of the writer's life and mindset through imagined dialogues between "Hui" and "Nin", the writer and her sister, with whom she shares a fractured relationship, as a variation of the story game they played as children.
It is also within these interludes that Tjoa peels back the layers that she has been using to shield herself from certain truths, and achieves a cathartic honesty that is inspiring to see. A testament to the capacity of people to heal and grow.
In many ways, this is a book about relationships: the relationships between sisters, between husband and wife, between parent and child, and most importantly, the relationship between the various yous that exist over time. But one relationship dynamic that stuck out to me was the relationship between a writer and their writing. In many ways The Story Game serves as a metacommentary on the personal essay, where the book collects several essays (or "stories") the writer has written and then dissects them and what they say of the writer's life and mindset through imagined dialogues between "Hui" and "Nin", the writer and her sister, with whom she shares a fractured relationship, as a variation of the story game they played as children.
It is also within these interludes that Tjoa peels back the layers that she has been using to shield herself from certain truths, and achieves a cathartic honesty that is inspiring to see. A testament to the capacity of people to heal and grow.
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April 20, 2024Memoir is not usually my thing but, wow, I loved this book. Succinct yet mesmerising prose, an inventive structure, and a story that it as raw and compelling as it is warm and tender.
Read
August 26, 2025What a unique take on a memoir - truly unlike anything I’ve ever read. Tender yet cruel and an unflinching reflection of the past and current self through layers of storytelling. So glad I’ve stumbled upon this book.
January 15, 2025
I rarely read non-fiction and almost never read memoirs because I always find myself so affected with no words to say and nowhere to put my emotions. This was one such book; I read it on the train and cried in public as a result. With something so deeply personal as a memoir, I lose my ability to analyse anything—not language, structure, or even characterisation. How do you objectively talk about a person’s life like it’s some made-up character or stand-in for a greater idea? You don’t. Save the dissecting for fiction where no one’s real life is on the line.
The narrator, Hui, talks to her sister, Nin, in a room that is more of a mental space conjured up to process over the course of several years her traumatic childhood. Hui tries to skirt around the issue of herself and the memories that her body remembers but which her mind is deliberately amnesiac about—an act of self-preservation. Hui tries to distract Nin with stories about big topics like being an immigrant, estrangement from one’s ancestral land, being an Asian woman married to a white man, and greenwashing companies. There’s even a life-changing trip to Jerusalem where Hui befriends some Palestinian teenagers and the experience kickstarts her mental transformation.
But all of it is a distraction from the Hui who is eight-years old and the soul-crushing life that was forced upon her. The ‘personal’ essays are self-reflexively clever, demonstrating a keen sense of what it is that readers hope to find in stories like these, displaying her ability to reconstruct a narrative to suit the audience. But Hui/Nin repeatedly tears them down herself, pointing out crucial omissions and questioning her own motivations over and over until there is nowhere left to go but the uncomfortable, repressed truth at the centre.
The narrator, Hui, talks to her sister, Nin, in a room that is more of a mental space conjured up to process over the course of several years her traumatic childhood. Hui tries to skirt around the issue of herself and the memories that her body remembers but which her mind is deliberately amnesiac about—an act of self-preservation. Hui tries to distract Nin with stories about big topics like being an immigrant, estrangement from one’s ancestral land, being an Asian woman married to a white man, and greenwashing companies. There’s even a life-changing trip to Jerusalem where Hui befriends some Palestinian teenagers and the experience kickstarts her mental transformation.
But all of it is a distraction from the Hui who is eight-years old and the soul-crushing life that was forced upon her. The ‘personal’ essays are self-reflexively clever, demonstrating a keen sense of what it is that readers hope to find in stories like these, displaying her ability to reconstruct a narrative to suit the audience. But Hui/Nin repeatedly tears them down herself, pointing out crucial omissions and questioning her own motivations over and over until there is nowhere left to go but the uncomfortable, repressed truth at the centre.
April 7, 2024
Thank you Tin House for this ARC!!
This memoir blends conversation, storytelling, and reflection to explore locked away experiences from Shze-Hui Tjoa’s youth. As someone who also dealt with physical and mental scars from my childhood years, I found a strong sense of empathy as I read, though our experiences were far different.
Hui is dictated by the perfectionism and high-achieving desires of Singaporean society, and that strongly influences many parts of her young adult life with confusing consequences. While her Mind is able to keep up with the demanding expectations, her Body falters and locks down on a specific time period, failing to properly advance as time and Mind do. Resorting to a subconscious discussion with her younger sister Nin, Hui is ultimately prompted/pushed into describing her jealously of her younger sister’s less restricted childhood, her own role in potentially harming her sister’s mental state with controlling the narrative of each story game, and her wish to rebuild and repair the harm.
When the memoir concludes, there is not a definitive acknowledgment that Hui and Nin’s relationship is even being repaired. Readers instead get that first moment of Hui being open and honest with the real Nin, not the child Nin from their shared bedroom. While for some this may come across as hopeful, for me it came across as incomplete. Given the timing and the extent of the experiences, I certainly don’t expect a neat and tidy, nor speedy and un-tumultuous bond to reemerge between the sisters, but I do wonder if perhaps we saw more of the reunion between Hui and Thomas, or more of the psychoanalyst’s response to Body instead of Mind, then perhaps this ending could be more encompassing, more solidified? It’s essentially a cliffhanger, and as a memoir readers shouldn’t expect a sequel certainly.
This memoir blends conversation, storytelling, and reflection to explore locked away experiences from Shze-Hui Tjoa’s youth. As someone who also dealt with physical and mental scars from my childhood years, I found a strong sense of empathy as I read, though our experiences were far different.
Hui is dictated by the perfectionism and high-achieving desires of Singaporean society, and that strongly influences many parts of her young adult life with confusing consequences. While her Mind is able to keep up with the demanding expectations, her Body falters and locks down on a specific time period, failing to properly advance as time and Mind do. Resorting to a subconscious discussion with her younger sister Nin, Hui is ultimately prompted/pushed into describing her jealously of her younger sister’s less restricted childhood, her own role in potentially harming her sister’s mental state with controlling the narrative of each story game, and her wish to rebuild and repair the harm.
When the memoir concludes, there is not a definitive acknowledgment that Hui and Nin’s relationship is even being repaired. Readers instead get that first moment of Hui being open and honest with the real Nin, not the child Nin from their shared bedroom. While for some this may come across as hopeful, for me it came across as incomplete. Given the timing and the extent of the experiences, I certainly don’t expect a neat and tidy, nor speedy and un-tumultuous bond to reemerge between the sisters, but I do wonder if perhaps we saw more of the reunion between Hui and Thomas, or more of the psychoanalyst’s response to Body instead of Mind, then perhaps this ending could be more encompassing, more solidified? It’s essentially a cliffhanger, and as a memoir readers shouldn’t expect a sequel certainly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2024
One of the most beautifully creative books, nevermind memoir, I've ever read. This book is so delightfully self-aware and toothy in the way it unravels itself both to us the reader and Hui herself as a "character" within this. There's something wonderfully theatrical in the way it's organized. You can imagine the curtains opening and closing to reveal each new scene like a vignette: Hui and Nin's childhood bedroom, the hostel settled amidst the trees, etc. There is a level of unreliability that so brilliantly reflects the malleability of memory both from time passing and by our own minds avoiding, protecting or simply forgetting our past selves. Definitely going to be thinking about this one for awhile!
*Thank you Goodreads and Tin House Books for hosting the giveaway for this!
*Thank you Goodreads and Tin House Books for hosting the giveaway for this!
April 10, 2024
#GoodreadsGiveaway
August 27, 2024
THE STORY GAME is a memoir of Hui and it starts in a dark room, where the narrator tells stories about herself to a listener, her younger sister.
Told in essays, Tjoa provides utterly candid and intimate views about identity (as a child of immigrants), belonging (being of Indonesian descent and not feeling American or Southeast Asian enough), struggles in a mixed-race marriage (whiteness and internalized racism), Bali as an island paradise, her relationship with Christianity, mental health and loneliness, greenwashing (the intersection between hypocrisy and hidden profit), parental expectations and sisterhood.
I found all stories to be strong, either in a more personal tone or addressing contemporary issues without romanticizing - in 'Island paradise', I was immersed in the Bali's history but also sad by the impacts of colonialism and tourism to meet the tourists' demand for pleasure. Eco-friendly tourism always picks my interest and I wasn't surprised by the (fake) reality of sustainability in order to impress.
While keeping one at arm's length in the beginning, the reader is invited to join the conversations throughout the book and like her younger sister, becomes like Tjoa's conscious. Unpeeling secrets beneath the surface in a process in which body and mind fuse, soon Tjoa shows all her vulnerability in a journey of reconstructing her sense of self. It isn't until the final pages, infused with sisterhood and recovery, that it felt deeply emotional and Tjoa's words touched me. The author's brilliance is in the non-linear and experimental format, which can seem challenging for some readers yet I found it groundbreaking.
THE STORY GAME stands as a highly imaginative and one-of-a-kind work. It is a healing path from past scars that I appreciated reading and it became one of my favorite memoirs.
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Tin House . All thoughts are my own ]
Told in essays, Tjoa provides utterly candid and intimate views about identity (as a child of immigrants), belonging (being of Indonesian descent and not feeling American or Southeast Asian enough), struggles in a mixed-race marriage (whiteness and internalized racism), Bali as an island paradise, her relationship with Christianity, mental health and loneliness, greenwashing (the intersection between hypocrisy and hidden profit), parental expectations and sisterhood.
I found all stories to be strong, either in a more personal tone or addressing contemporary issues without romanticizing - in 'Island paradise', I was immersed in the Bali's history but also sad by the impacts of colonialism and tourism to meet the tourists' demand for pleasure. Eco-friendly tourism always picks my interest and I wasn't surprised by the (fake) reality of sustainability in order to impress.
While keeping one at arm's length in the beginning, the reader is invited to join the conversations throughout the book and like her younger sister, becomes like Tjoa's conscious. Unpeeling secrets beneath the surface in a process in which body and mind fuse, soon Tjoa shows all her vulnerability in a journey of reconstructing her sense of self. It isn't until the final pages, infused with sisterhood and recovery, that it felt deeply emotional and Tjoa's words touched me. The author's brilliance is in the non-linear and experimental format, which can seem challenging for some readers yet I found it groundbreaking.
THE STORY GAME stands as a highly imaginative and one-of-a-kind work. It is a healing path from past scars that I appreciated reading and it became one of my favorite memoirs.
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Tin House . All thoughts are my own ]
January 17, 2025
4.5/5 i'm a sucker for a literary memoir and this one hit HARD. shze-hui writes vulnerability and authenticity in a really clever and impactful way that steers clear of the flattened and overdone trauma narrative that runs through so many personal stories. i was crying from "The Story of Body" through the end—it's rare to see loneliness, complex trauma/ptsd, and troubled (yet sacred) family relationships explored in a way that is so relatable to myself. tjoa has inspired me to write my Body story and keep creating honestly lonely art <3
April 24, 2025
I usually rate memoirs 5 stars because, really, who am I to comment on how another shares their story? But WOW is this one truly deserving. What a thoughtful and moving approach to writing a memoir. As someone who often feels like I am putting on a “voice” or persona when journaling or thinking about my life, this was a wonderful exercise in picking up on those behaviours the feelings they’re masking. I won’t say more because I went into this book without knowing much and I think that’s how it should be read. Couldn’t recommend this book enough, I think it’s well worth a read.
August 15, 2024
truthfully a 4.5! second half more than makes up for what the first half lacks. such a sickeningly beautiful and cool way to construct a memoir that talks about c-ptsd
June 25, 2024
Fuck. Me. Up. Fam
November 24, 2024
honestly am not really a memoir gurlie to begin with but this one hit me in all the feels omg 4.5 rounding this up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
had the chance to meet shze-hui in person & i actually had one of those “wow i can’t believe im meeting the person behind all these experiences & stories” moment. 🥹 in an unexpected wave of emotion upon seeing her for the first time, i found myself asking if i could give her a hug.
and honestly, thats how i felt when i finished this book too - like i just wanted to reach out & hug the author. i felt thats truly the beauty of reading a memoir though. it allows you to connect with someone else’s experiences on such a personal level. its raw, messy & filled with the imperfect fragments of life that make us human. 💫 the vulnerability it takes to share such personal truths is what makes it so powerful & this book really moved me in that way.
the author introduces us to the “room” where she shares conversations with her sister, nin, about her views on the world. 🌎 while their relationship is at the core of the memoir, the book also explores other themes like identity, belonging, faith, family trauma & mental health. its a complex, messy journey—but one that’s so necessary. it made me reflect a lot on my own family, esp on my relationship w/ my elder sister. 👭
what i really appreciate about this memoir is the unique way its written. SO unique that its unlike anything i've read before in this genre !!! 🤯 & i was so thankful for that especially since memoirs often feel dry to me. :'-) the fact that i finished it in just a couple of days but took months to process my thoughts, also really speaks to how deeply it affected me!!! UGH i was left speechless, even though i wished for more depth in certain areas. still, i highly recommend & yall absolutely have to check this out.
dear hui, thank you for the incredible opportunity to step into your world. im truly grateful for you—just as you are—and for sharing your journey with all of us. 💚
had the chance to meet shze-hui in person & i actually had one of those “wow i can’t believe im meeting the person behind all these experiences & stories” moment. 🥹 in an unexpected wave of emotion upon seeing her for the first time, i found myself asking if i could give her a hug.
and honestly, thats how i felt when i finished this book too - like i just wanted to reach out & hug the author. i felt thats truly the beauty of reading a memoir though. it allows you to connect with someone else’s experiences on such a personal level. its raw, messy & filled with the imperfect fragments of life that make us human. 💫 the vulnerability it takes to share such personal truths is what makes it so powerful & this book really moved me in that way.
the author introduces us to the “room” where she shares conversations with her sister, nin, about her views on the world. 🌎 while their relationship is at the core of the memoir, the book also explores other themes like identity, belonging, faith, family trauma & mental health. its a complex, messy journey—but one that’s so necessary. it made me reflect a lot on my own family, esp on my relationship w/ my elder sister. 👭
what i really appreciate about this memoir is the unique way its written. SO unique that its unlike anything i've read before in this genre !!! 🤯 & i was so thankful for that especially since memoirs often feel dry to me. :'-) the fact that i finished it in just a couple of days but took months to process my thoughts, also really speaks to how deeply it affected me!!! UGH i was left speechless, even though i wished for more depth in certain areas. still, i highly recommend & yall absolutely have to check this out.
dear hui, thank you for the incredible opportunity to step into your world. im truly grateful for you—just as you are—and for sharing your journey with all of us. 💚
May 30, 2024
Not far into this book, my readerly brain turned off. I felt both Hui and Nin were speaking for me, and I raced through the pages to find whatever solace Tjoa had excavated through her brilliant, heartbreaking dialectic. A book about therapizing and narrativizing yourself that employs those forms perfectly.
August 31, 2024
Beautiful. Up there with On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous for me
December 29, 2024
Oof, feeling lots of feelings.
June 12, 2024
4.5
this is probably my favorite memoir i've read recently. the narrative is structured in such a unique way: the narrator is telling her sister stories about her past. and as the book unfolds, so does the truth. each essay is one step closer to the author's truth; to her real life. sad but beautiful. bonus: the cover is gorgeous
this is probably my favorite memoir i've read recently. the narrative is structured in such a unique way: the narrator is telling her sister stories about her past. and as the book unfolds, so does the truth. each essay is one step closer to the author's truth; to her real life. sad but beautiful. bonus: the cover is gorgeous
June 19, 2024
Picked up this one on a whim at the library. This book has creative storytelling and i enjoyed the organization of it. However despite having several shared experiences with the author, I just didn’t find myself connecting with her that strongly.
August 23, 2024
I have been looking forward to reading this for the longest time, after reading Shze-Hui's essay 'The Story of Body' a few years ago. This heart-driven and creative memoir masters the use of storytelling to unravel the tumult of relationships, cultural identity politics, mental health and family trauma through the eyes of a younger self. In this book, two young sisters squabble over the fault lines of memory, allowing the author to move closer to her truth, and ultimately, closer to those she treasures most in her life. I love everything this book seeks and finds. 💜
July 10, 2025
Gripping creative nonfiction with an innovative structure. An impressive balance and blend of the outer and inner worlds. Artwork about healing trauma that’s full of introspection without feeling navel-gazey…
May 22, 2024
thank you Tin House for the review copy! I loved the experimental format of this memoir & the ending left me feeling so emotional.
October 14, 2024
One chapter will live rent free in my mind forever. Takes a while for this to reveal itself.
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June 13, 2024In The Story Game sisters Hui and Nin are lying on a mattress in a dark room. Hui tells her sister Nin stories about the world outside the room that frame the journey Tjoa sets out to share in this memoir. The structure is what originally caught my interest. It didn’t take many pages to see Tjoa is doing something beyond a traditional memoir. When she talks about this being an unusual genre bending book that breaks the rules she is right.
I’ll preface this by saying memoirs are deeply personal. Have I interpreted what I’ve read in the way it is intended? I’m not sure. I know I cannot scratch through all of the layers of meaning Tjoa has written in a short post, but I will share about some of what was meaningful and impactful to me.
This memoir is like nothing I’ve read before. What struck me immediately was how Tjoa set a foundation that places her life and experiences within the context of the systems and environments that shape her existence. Tjoa’s first story focuses on Bali and being a half-Indonesian person, weaving together her personal experience with history. Words like power, hierarchy, mismatched means, ancestral claims characterize the burdens and baggage she describes from long broken systems. It can be difficult to conceptualize how the history of our families, the places we came from, the environment we have existed in and all of our trauma is literally embedded in our bodies and our bones and stays with us throughout our lives in ways we may or may not be aware of. Through her personal experience Tjoa makes this concept understandable but also shows that even in the face of this weight there is a way to move through it.
This is just the focus of the first story. Tjoa also shares her experience navigating the complexities of being a Southeast Asian woman in a relationship with a white German man, experiences with depression, greenwashing and recognizing her relationship with nature versus the city (and how this also ties to the environment in which she was raised), and finally finding a way to really get to the depths of the story and reach the truth.
Tjoa’s story is different from mine in many ways, but I can relate to many things she shares and appreciate her ability to see my own life and experiences in new ways. There is more I would like to say about the end but I won’t, I think it is best to discover the rest yourself. I will just say that the structure and use of third person bolsters this memoir’s impact and strength. Ultimately I love what Tjoa created and am grateful I was able to experience this deeply personal and hopeful journey.
Thank you Tin House for the #gifted ARC.
I’ll preface this by saying memoirs are deeply personal. Have I interpreted what I’ve read in the way it is intended? I’m not sure. I know I cannot scratch through all of the layers of meaning Tjoa has written in a short post, but I will share about some of what was meaningful and impactful to me.
This memoir is like nothing I’ve read before. What struck me immediately was how Tjoa set a foundation that places her life and experiences within the context of the systems and environments that shape her existence. Tjoa’s first story focuses on Bali and being a half-Indonesian person, weaving together her personal experience with history. Words like power, hierarchy, mismatched means, ancestral claims characterize the burdens and baggage she describes from long broken systems. It can be difficult to conceptualize how the history of our families, the places we came from, the environment we have existed in and all of our trauma is literally embedded in our bodies and our bones and stays with us throughout our lives in ways we may or may not be aware of. Through her personal experience Tjoa makes this concept understandable but also shows that even in the face of this weight there is a way to move through it.
This is just the focus of the first story. Tjoa also shares her experience navigating the complexities of being a Southeast Asian woman in a relationship with a white German man, experiences with depression, greenwashing and recognizing her relationship with nature versus the city (and how this also ties to the environment in which she was raised), and finally finding a way to really get to the depths of the story and reach the truth.
Tjoa’s story is different from mine in many ways, but I can relate to many things she shares and appreciate her ability to see my own life and experiences in new ways. There is more I would like to say about the end but I won’t, I think it is best to discover the rest yourself. I will just say that the structure and use of third person bolsters this memoir’s impact and strength. Ultimately I love what Tjoa created and am grateful I was able to experience this deeply personal and hopeful journey.
Thank you Tin House for the #gifted ARC.
November 17, 2024
Much like when I first read Nina Sharma and wanted to learn the "secrets" of inventive structure, I felt the same curiosity after listening to "Between the Covers." That’s where I discovered Shze-Hui Tjoa for the first time, hearing David Naimon praise the inventiveness of her book The Story Game. I couldn’t resist buying it immediately. I dove into more podcasts where many echoed the same admiration for her creative use of "The Room."
The structure of book uses "The Room" as a continuous thread, weaving essays of different themes together. Some unfold into deeper meanings, revealing themselves later in the book. What I appreciate most is the predictability of this approach—in a good way. Returning to "The Room" always feels like a steady anchor where I expect to hear the dialogue between the two sisters. Hui is often nudged into deeper reflections on her consciousness, and the tone of these conversations remains consistent in a way I find comforting. It feels like a space to pause, prepare readers for what’s next, and catch their breath before diving back into the exploration.
Another reason I admire Shze-Hui’s work is her skillful social commentary. To me, that’s where her writing truly shines. While "The Story Game" is a genre-bending memoir, it could also be seen as a collection of essays, which I might even prefer. Her essays are thoughtful and incisive, making me wish for more of them.
One of the reasons I’m drawn to Shze-Hui’s work is the cultural closeness between her upbringing and mine. That said, I felt there was still so much room to expand on some of the themes she touched on. For instance, one of the book’s central conflicts is the well-intentioned parenting that caused deeply traumatic experiences for the author. I felt for her because I know exactly what that’s like. From the parents’ perspective, they were likely doing what they believed was best, a sentiment familiar to many Asian households worldwide. In my own Chinese circle here in the Bay Area, I see echoes of this—piano or violin lessons cropping up in every corner of the neighborhood. They must be so much like Shze-Hui’s story.
This is not a critique but my own desire to learn more. I only wish the book had explored this theme further, as I know how incredible Shze-Hui is at tackling social commentary.
The structure of book uses "The Room" as a continuous thread, weaving essays of different themes together. Some unfold into deeper meanings, revealing themselves later in the book. What I appreciate most is the predictability of this approach—in a good way. Returning to "The Room" always feels like a steady anchor where I expect to hear the dialogue between the two sisters. Hui is often nudged into deeper reflections on her consciousness, and the tone of these conversations remains consistent in a way I find comforting. It feels like a space to pause, prepare readers for what’s next, and catch their breath before diving back into the exploration.
Another reason I admire Shze-Hui’s work is her skillful social commentary. To me, that’s where her writing truly shines. While "The Story Game" is a genre-bending memoir, it could also be seen as a collection of essays, which I might even prefer. Her essays are thoughtful and incisive, making me wish for more of them.
One of the reasons I’m drawn to Shze-Hui’s work is the cultural closeness between her upbringing and mine. That said, I felt there was still so much room to expand on some of the themes she touched on. For instance, one of the book’s central conflicts is the well-intentioned parenting that caused deeply traumatic experiences for the author. I felt for her because I know exactly what that’s like. From the parents’ perspective, they were likely doing what they believed was best, a sentiment familiar to many Asian households worldwide. In my own Chinese circle here in the Bay Area, I see echoes of this—piano or violin lessons cropping up in every corner of the neighborhood. They must be so much like Shze-Hui’s story.
This is not a critique but my own desire to learn more. I only wish the book had explored this theme further, as I know how incredible Shze-Hui is at tackling social commentary.
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