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Chronicles of KK
Chronicles of KK compiles 20 short stories and visual tales based on Kota Kinabalu (KK) – the capital city of Sabah and granite-fluid site of contemporary traditional myths about origins, love, sex, death, and hairstyles. This might be the first urban contemporary collection about this city but we hope it won’t be the last.
- GenresFictionShort Stories
296 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 16, 2017
I rate anthologies for the sum of its parts and this book is definitely one of the better anthologies I've read recently! I love how "Chronicles of KK" feels authentic because the short stories really dive into the many cultures and beliefs of Sabahan ethnic groups, that I never even heard of, rather than just use Sabah as a setting. Yes, I realise I sound like a typical Semenanjung person but I know that Malaysians in general tend to only focus on the Semenanjung. So, books like "Chronicles of KK" are super important because we get to hear different voices and experiences of Malaysians that are completely different than we are used to in mainstream media.
Now, this may make the book sound like it's very serious and discuss Serious Issues but nah, fam. Fixi Novo is about pulp fiction and each one of the stories is enriched with specifically Sabahan cultures. I mean, aren't you all bored reading about a pontianak murder story in KL already? Or any murder stories in KL, period. I know I am. But first of all, let's discuss the cover of this book because boy, it is so misleading. This book is mostly fantasy, horror and thriller so I have no idea why it looks like a chicklit. Fixi usually have its book covers down lock so how does a bright blue cover with a pink perfume bottle even represent this book? I feel like it would deter usual fans of fantasy/horror/thriller so I am just pointing this out.
What I love is how the writers blend in elements of Sabahan traditional beliefs into the genres of fantasy/horror/thriller. One of my favourites is "Momisok" by Ciciolisa Natallia. If you don't know what Momisok is, you're in for a ride because it is a goosebumps-inducing introduction for me! "Sharina's Baby" by Deena Kasem also manages to mix the creep factor with traditional beliefs in a story about infidelity, betrayal and creepy babies. "Blue Rafflesia" by Claudia Skyler Foong is also great read and one of my favourites. It takes a skilled writer to say so much in so little range of words and Claudia nails the obsession and mental breakdown of the main character on Gunung Kinabalu.
Even without the fantastical elements, there are some stories that feel uniquely Sabahan. I enjoyed "Butod" by Nathaniel Sario, a cop thriller, that has a clever nod to Star Wars. "Butod" is an edible tree maggot, a treat in Sabah that you will definitely not find in KL! "Fantaghiro, Broery and The Wrath of Jonathan Sumpin" by Nizam Shadan is a hilarious and ridiculous story that also shows that Sabahans deal with race relations and xenophobia that may be alien to Semenanjung people. "Hunted" by Hanna Alkaf is a tender but also somber look at animal trafficking and the desperation of complicit locals. "Strange Fruit" by Elizabeth Gimbad is an exceptional read, very sensual but doesn't shy away from important issues about sexuality and conformity. There are other interesting stories but these are the ones that stood out for me!
Also, I don't know if you care about this but I am going to mention it anyway, I have a few thoughts about some of the stories where I wonder if we are exotifying Sabah a bit. There are stories where KL people come down to Sabah and end up in weird paranormal situations so it did make me pause. Like, are we Other-ing Sabah from the perspective of KL folks? KL is the stodgy "normal" counterpart to KK's mystical side? I don't know and do not have a good answer to this. However, I do personally feel that some of the Semenanjung writers go the extra mile to represent Sabah as best as possible but that's an opinion from somebody in the Semenanjung. So, I have to give props to Ann Lee for compiling this book.
Some of the cons in this book are that there are quite a few typos but since this is the first print, I'll let it slide. Also I think Fixi is trying something out of the box because there are cartoon strips and a scanned handwritten story in this book! The "More to Life" comic is really funny and worked. But the scanned story "Kacak" really didn't work. It's really hard to read some of the handwriting and I gave up entirely.
All in all, a very solid anthology and I hope there are more anthologies coming from East Malaysia. Please get the cover right though! Bring on Sarawak stories!
Now, this may make the book sound like it's very serious and discuss Serious Issues but nah, fam. Fixi Novo is about pulp fiction and each one of the stories is enriched with specifically Sabahan cultures. I mean, aren't you all bored reading about a pontianak murder story in KL already? Or any murder stories in KL, period. I know I am. But first of all, let's discuss the cover of this book because boy, it is so misleading. This book is mostly fantasy, horror and thriller so I have no idea why it looks like a chicklit. Fixi usually have its book covers down lock so how does a bright blue cover with a pink perfume bottle even represent this book? I feel like it would deter usual fans of fantasy/horror/thriller so I am just pointing this out.
What I love is how the writers blend in elements of Sabahan traditional beliefs into the genres of fantasy/horror/thriller. One of my favourites is "Momisok" by Ciciolisa Natallia. If you don't know what Momisok is, you're in for a ride because it is a goosebumps-inducing introduction for me! "Sharina's Baby" by Deena Kasem also manages to mix the creep factor with traditional beliefs in a story about infidelity, betrayal and creepy babies. "Blue Rafflesia" by Claudia Skyler Foong is also great read and one of my favourites. It takes a skilled writer to say so much in so little range of words and Claudia nails the obsession and mental breakdown of the main character on Gunung Kinabalu.
Even without the fantastical elements, there are some stories that feel uniquely Sabahan. I enjoyed "Butod" by Nathaniel Sario, a cop thriller, that has a clever nod to Star Wars. "Butod" is an edible tree maggot, a treat in Sabah that you will definitely not find in KL! "Fantaghiro, Broery and The Wrath of Jonathan Sumpin" by Nizam Shadan is a hilarious and ridiculous story that also shows that Sabahans deal with race relations and xenophobia that may be alien to Semenanjung people. "Hunted" by Hanna Alkaf is a tender but also somber look at animal trafficking and the desperation of complicit locals. "Strange Fruit" by Elizabeth Gimbad is an exceptional read, very sensual but doesn't shy away from important issues about sexuality and conformity. There are other interesting stories but these are the ones that stood out for me!
Also, I don't know if you care about this but I am going to mention it anyway, I have a few thoughts about some of the stories where I wonder if we are exotifying Sabah a bit. There are stories where KL people come down to Sabah and end up in weird paranormal situations so it did make me pause. Like, are we Other-ing Sabah from the perspective of KL folks? KL is the stodgy "normal" counterpart to KK's mystical side? I don't know and do not have a good answer to this. However, I do personally feel that some of the Semenanjung writers go the extra mile to represent Sabah as best as possible but that's an opinion from somebody in the Semenanjung. So, I have to give props to Ann Lee for compiling this book.
Some of the cons in this book are that there are quite a few typos but since this is the first print, I'll let it slide. Also I think Fixi is trying something out of the box because there are cartoon strips and a scanned handwritten story in this book! The "More to Life" comic is really funny and worked. But the scanned story "Kacak" really didn't work. It's really hard to read some of the handwriting and I gave up entirely.
All in all, a very solid anthology and I hope there are more anthologies coming from East Malaysia. Please get the cover right though! Bring on Sarawak stories!
January 6, 2021
I almost gave it a 5, but because of the two short stories that I don't like and the one visual tale, I give it a 4.5. It's the best Fixi's compilation of short stories so far that I've read. I very much recommend others to read it as it successfully captured Sabah's magical, captivating and somewhat eerie tales.
July 27, 2020
I was fascinated with most of the stories cause of the contemporary traditional myths that most of the writers adapted to their narratives; spiritual rituals, some folklore tales in a realm of reality-- surreal and thrilling, a gripping rendition with slice of life that you could relate.
"Po-po once said, the sea is a corridor through which spirits pass. Like a conduit between worlds." (Sui Gwai, Alistair Yong)
"Hold and then climb. Just walk, no pressure. Very easy, bah!" (Never Curse The Mountain, Foo Sek Han)
"My ancestors believed that only human sacrifice would appease the rice spirit. So much for a bunch of peace-loving farmers, right?" (Butod, Nathaniel Sario)
"My grandmother became a tantagas or priestess, with powers to heal the flesh and hear the spirits." (Tahil, Christina Orow)
Some stories that I love:
Don't Eat The Rice (Jill Girardi)-- another fun adventure of Suzanna Sim! Toyol, 'nasi kangkang', a husband's affair and a make sense witty revenge.
Momisok (Ciciolisa Natallia)-- story of infidelity and a mystic revenge. "She didn't mean to be selfish and use her mother's death but she was the victim here. She would be patient to strike at the right time, and her plan was flawless."
Sharina's Baby (Deena Kasem)-- based on an old Kadazan tales, a bit spooky and frightful but I love the storytelling a lot.
Most of the stories revolved around family, relationship and ethnic beliefs, some old folks' wise words which quite interesting and I like that they phrasing some narratives with pinch of native dialect/slang.
"Po-po once said, the sea is a corridor through which spirits pass. Like a conduit between worlds." (Sui Gwai, Alistair Yong)
"Hold and then climb. Just walk, no pressure. Very easy, bah!" (Never Curse The Mountain, Foo Sek Han)
"My ancestors believed that only human sacrifice would appease the rice spirit. So much for a bunch of peace-loving farmers, right?" (Butod, Nathaniel Sario)
"My grandmother became a tantagas or priestess, with powers to heal the flesh and hear the spirits." (Tahil, Christina Orow)
Some stories that I love:
Don't Eat The Rice (Jill Girardi)-- another fun adventure of Suzanna Sim! Toyol, 'nasi kangkang', a husband's affair and a make sense witty revenge.
Momisok (Ciciolisa Natallia)-- story of infidelity and a mystic revenge. "She didn't mean to be selfish and use her mother's death but she was the victim here. She would be patient to strike at the right time, and her plan was flawless."
Sharina's Baby (Deena Kasem)-- based on an old Kadazan tales, a bit spooky and frightful but I love the storytelling a lot.
Most of the stories revolved around family, relationship and ethnic beliefs, some old folks' wise words which quite interesting and I like that they phrasing some narratives with pinch of native dialect/slang.
April 10, 2022
“This was KK after all, not KL. In KL, you left early because of the congestion ; even with the buses and the trains, the highways and the wide - lane roads, you could still get stuck. KL was the metropolis, after all, where people moved fast. If you could not keep up in the rat race, there was little to no point in going at all. In KK however, everyone was chill. There was a mantra in the minds of many Sabahans that separated them from their KL brethren : ‘at the end of the day we’ll still get there bah, so why go so fast when you can stop, chill out and see the sights?’ Many Sabahans lived by this mantra. It was ingrained in them”.
- Butod by Nathaniel Sario (Chronicles of KK)
.
.
Ann lee finished her intro with “May this collection inspire many more” - i was like yes, FIXI, please give us part 2 of this anthology. I wanted more. 20 short stories were featured in the book from 20 different authors. These authors connect to Sabah in their story because some of them are born and bred there, some migrated from Peninsular to Sabah, some were fellow travellers and wrote the stories inspired by their journey. Some stories were lyrical and exquisite. Some stories were mindboggling and heartbreaking. Some stories were fun and quirky. Some stories is simple and nothing much happens, but the ending revealed that everything happened along the way matters. What i truly love is the infusion of myths/ mythologies , Nature/flora & fauna and customs/culture in the majority of these stories. For example, In Sharina’s baby - you learned about ‘The caterpillar’ from the
old Kadazan Tales. In ‘Momisok’ story, you were introduced to the sacrificial ritual for the deceased. Another story titled ‘strange fruit’ emphasised on the prohibition of women or girls to climb the tree as it will spoil it and none of the fruits will grow well. Whether it is inspired or taken from Kadazan, Dusun, Murut or Bajau indigenous group belief and tradition, these authors penned their tale extremely well. Aside from the magical realism part, some stories brought forward an important issues like Illegal prostitution, wildlife trafficking and Vote rigging by giving immigrants a blue IC so that they will keep on voting for the corrupt as they have been given a citizenship. If you have never to Sabah, you wanted to read something about it but you don’t want to read non fiction books, You want to read something light and easy written by locals themselves, this is the one. Pick up this book! Note to other readers that i applied don’t judge a book by its cover especially for this book (because I hated the book cover). I was wondering why they didn’t go with Kinabalu Mountain or at least a traditional attires of any native Sabahans (either Kadazan or Dusun) just to capture readers attention on the book. People can see it right away from the cover that this is a short stories collection about Sabah (Kota Kinabalu to be specific). I still couldn’t wrapped my idea around to why the perfume was being used. Maybe i am just not artistic enough. Overall, i like almost all the stories in this book. Not all of them were hit but none of them were miss as well. I extremely enjoyed reading this book.
My 5 Favorite stories from the book is :
1. Butod by Nathaniel Suroi
2. Momisok by Ciciolisa Natallia
3. Sui Gwai by Alistair Young
4. Sharina’s baby by Deena Kasim
5. Why he called me Pam by Maizura Abas
- Butod by Nathaniel Sario (Chronicles of KK)
.
.
Ann lee finished her intro with “May this collection inspire many more” - i was like yes, FIXI, please give us part 2 of this anthology. I wanted more. 20 short stories were featured in the book from 20 different authors. These authors connect to Sabah in their story because some of them are born and bred there, some migrated from Peninsular to Sabah, some were fellow travellers and wrote the stories inspired by their journey. Some stories were lyrical and exquisite. Some stories were mindboggling and heartbreaking. Some stories were fun and quirky. Some stories is simple and nothing much happens, but the ending revealed that everything happened along the way matters. What i truly love is the infusion of myths/ mythologies , Nature/flora & fauna and customs/culture in the majority of these stories. For example, In Sharina’s baby - you learned about ‘The caterpillar’ from the
old Kadazan Tales. In ‘Momisok’ story, you were introduced to the sacrificial ritual for the deceased. Another story titled ‘strange fruit’ emphasised on the prohibition of women or girls to climb the tree as it will spoil it and none of the fruits will grow well. Whether it is inspired or taken from Kadazan, Dusun, Murut or Bajau indigenous group belief and tradition, these authors penned their tale extremely well. Aside from the magical realism part, some stories brought forward an important issues like Illegal prostitution, wildlife trafficking and Vote rigging by giving immigrants a blue IC so that they will keep on voting for the corrupt as they have been given a citizenship. If you have never to Sabah, you wanted to read something about it but you don’t want to read non fiction books, You want to read something light and easy written by locals themselves, this is the one. Pick up this book! Note to other readers that i applied don’t judge a book by its cover especially for this book (because I hated the book cover). I was wondering why they didn’t go with Kinabalu Mountain or at least a traditional attires of any native Sabahans (either Kadazan or Dusun) just to capture readers attention on the book. People can see it right away from the cover that this is a short stories collection about Sabah (Kota Kinabalu to be specific). I still couldn’t wrapped my idea around to why the perfume was being used. Maybe i am just not artistic enough. Overall, i like almost all the stories in this book. Not all of them were hit but none of them were miss as well. I extremely enjoyed reading this book.
My 5 Favorite stories from the book is :
1. Butod by Nathaniel Suroi
2. Momisok by Ciciolisa Natallia
3. Sui Gwai by Alistair Young
4. Sharina’s baby by Deena Kasim
5. Why he called me Pam by Maizura Abas
June 12, 2022
Meneroka sisi misteri KK bersama 20 cerita dan visual pendek. Ada yang memang wow bagi aku, tapi ada juga yang agak biasa dan confusing. Ada juga yang agak dark. Personal favorite aku; "Don't Eat The Rice" (Suzanna Sim, si Toyol Kolchak dan Angry Bird), Sharina's Baby (damn this one! Seram), dan Witch Words (witchcraft magis).
April 24, 2021
Kalau korang Sabahan, trust me korang akan rasa dekat sangat bila baca Chronicles of KK ni. Chronicles of KK ni adalah koleksi-koleksi cerpen yang berkaitan dengan sejarah, gaya hidup, dan masyarakat yang ada di Sabah. Macam-macam perasaan yang saya alami bila baca buku ni. Happy, seram, terkejut semua ada😂 Penggunaan slang Sabah dalam buku ni pun buat saya wahhhh, I really love this book!
Salah satu cerita yang saya suka ialah Momisok. Yes, Momisok ni adalah adat Kadazandusun yang akan dilakukan apabila berlakunya kematian. Adat ni adalah dimana keluarga si mati akan "memanggil" si mati itu untuk kembali ke rumah buat kali terakhir. Sebelum keluarga si mati tu "memanggil" si mati untuk pulang ke rumah, mereka akan melakukan persiapan dimana mereka akan meletakkan makanan kegemaran si mati di suatu tempat dan akan meletakkan tepung di sekeliling makanan itu. Keluarga si mati akan berkumpul di suatu tempat biasanya ruang tamu, dan apabila acara itu bermula semua lampu ditutup. As a Kadazandusun, I've experienced it before masa kematian my grandfather. Serius, sangat menakutkan bila dah tutup lampu tu lebih-lebih lagi bila anjing start menyalak. Macam mana dorang panggil si mati tu "pulang"? Okay, I asked my mom because she's the one that went to the kuburan and "panggil" her father which is my grandfather. Dia cakap mula-mula dia "cerita" dengan arwah bapa dia kat kuburan suruh pulang rumah lah macamtu. Masa tu malam-malam tau. Lepas dah cerita, sembahyang semua tu. My mom tepuk kuburan tu tiga kali supaya macam arwah bapa dia terbangun and balik rumah. Seriously, hanya orang yang betul-betul berani ja yang akan buat macam ni. Kami yang dekat rumah pula kalau dengar anjing menyalak dah start rasa seram, sebab tahu yang roh si mati tu dah datang rumah. Tapi kan dalam Chronicles of KK ni, saya baru tahu yang Momisok ni sebenarnya ada sacrificial ritual. Which is saya memang tak tahu pun😅 Tapi bila fikir balik bersyukur juga la sebab Momisok di zaman moden ni dah tiada sacrificial ritual. Kalau ada oh no I want to cry😭😂 Ohya, kami Kadazandusun tak pernah fikir yang Momisok ni syirik or something like that. Even Muslim Kadazandusun pun okay with that. Sebab ni adat yang kami amalkan sejak dulu lagi. Thanks to Ciciolisa Natallia for this amazing story!
Ada macam-macam lagi cerita best dalam buku ni contohnya pasal butod (saya tak expect cerita butod boleh se epic itu😭😂), pasal pilak pun ada, unduk ngadau, Gunung Kinabalu, yang paling penting semuanya pasal Sabah!
You should get one because it is totally recommended. Good job to all of the writers! ♥️
Salah satu cerita yang saya suka ialah Momisok. Yes, Momisok ni adalah adat Kadazandusun yang akan dilakukan apabila berlakunya kematian. Adat ni adalah dimana keluarga si mati akan "memanggil" si mati itu untuk kembali ke rumah buat kali terakhir. Sebelum keluarga si mati tu "memanggil" si mati untuk pulang ke rumah, mereka akan melakukan persiapan dimana mereka akan meletakkan makanan kegemaran si mati di suatu tempat dan akan meletakkan tepung di sekeliling makanan itu. Keluarga si mati akan berkumpul di suatu tempat biasanya ruang tamu, dan apabila acara itu bermula semua lampu ditutup. As a Kadazandusun, I've experienced it before masa kematian my grandfather. Serius, sangat menakutkan bila dah tutup lampu tu lebih-lebih lagi bila anjing start menyalak. Macam mana dorang panggil si mati tu "pulang"? Okay, I asked my mom because she's the one that went to the kuburan and "panggil" her father which is my grandfather. Dia cakap mula-mula dia "cerita" dengan arwah bapa dia kat kuburan suruh pulang rumah lah macamtu. Masa tu malam-malam tau. Lepas dah cerita, sembahyang semua tu. My mom tepuk kuburan tu tiga kali supaya macam arwah bapa dia terbangun and balik rumah. Seriously, hanya orang yang betul-betul berani ja yang akan buat macam ni. Kami yang dekat rumah pula kalau dengar anjing menyalak dah start rasa seram, sebab tahu yang roh si mati tu dah datang rumah. Tapi kan dalam Chronicles of KK ni, saya baru tahu yang Momisok ni sebenarnya ada sacrificial ritual. Which is saya memang tak tahu pun😅 Tapi bila fikir balik bersyukur juga la sebab Momisok di zaman moden ni dah tiada sacrificial ritual. Kalau ada oh no I want to cry😭😂 Ohya, kami Kadazandusun tak pernah fikir yang Momisok ni syirik or something like that. Even Muslim Kadazandusun pun okay with that. Sebab ni adat yang kami amalkan sejak dulu lagi. Thanks to Ciciolisa Natallia for this amazing story!
Ada macam-macam lagi cerita best dalam buku ni contohnya pasal butod (saya tak expect cerita butod boleh se epic itu😭😂), pasal pilak pun ada, unduk ngadau, Gunung Kinabalu, yang paling penting semuanya pasal Sabah!
You should get one because it is totally recommended. Good job to all of the writers! ♥️
March 2, 2019
A bulk of these tales combine the natural with the supernatural, everyday life with local beliefs and superstitions, didn't have the right frame of mind going into this collection (I had more of a "local anecdotes and slice of life observations" expectation - like in the first story Little Cigarette Girl) and that threw me off a bit for most of the first half - once I got the hang of it, the stories started gelling in my head. I think I have to remember the Fixi Novo label is going for the more pulp stories feel.
Very mixed collection here - as usual making it hard to rate - overall I give it a 5 as having an anthology of my hometown is all kinds of awesome! Yet, being a local means my bar was set a bit over the moon and I just couldn't get my head into some of the stories (though that doesn't mean they weren't good - just that they didn't click with me). Also, the two stories with graphics felt a bit out of place (although I appreciated the joke in More To Life).
So a solid 3.5, can't say it's a 4 exactly!
My highlights: Little Cigarette Girl, Why He Called Me Pam, Strange Fruit, Witch Words
A bit underwhelmed but looking forward to more Fixi Novo anthologies in future (I have actually picked up a few). Well at least I can (sort of) put this anthology under fantasy as well.
First finished: 26.1.19
Source: Popular Book Store (forgot which branch in KK lulz)
Very mixed collection here - as usual making it hard to rate - overall I give it a 5 as having an anthology of my hometown is all kinds of awesome! Yet, being a local means my bar was set a bit over the moon and I just couldn't get my head into some of the stories (though that doesn't mean they weren't good - just that they didn't click with me). Also, the two stories with graphics felt a bit out of place (although I appreciated the joke in More To Life).
So a solid 3.5, can't say it's a 4 exactly!
My highlights: Little Cigarette Girl, Why He Called Me Pam, Strange Fruit, Witch Words
A bit underwhelmed but looking forward to more Fixi Novo anthologies in future (I have actually picked up a few). Well at least I can (sort of) put this anthology under fantasy as well.
First finished: 26.1.19
Source: Popular Book Store (forgot which branch in KK lulz)
December 2, 2021
I really love some of the stories but overall it’s just… well not what I really like.
Anyway, my favorite stories are…
“DON’T EAT THE RICE” by Jill Girardi
So gross but I LOVE IT!! Black magic the housemaid uses is so disgusting. Very gross. But I love how the story unfolds around Suzanna. And I really love Mrs. Noraniza’s character. Sassy is a perfect word to describe that. I truly did enjoy reading this story.
“MOMISOK” by Ciciolisa Natallia
This story totally blew my mind. I had no idea what’s gonna happen next and the passage “she would be patient to strike at the right time, and her plan was flawless” literally got me. It made me feel really excited haha!
“WITCH WORDS” by Timothy Nakayama
I love this story so much! It’s a beautiful and sweet story that makes our hearts melt <3
“NOT A FAIRYTALE” by Tina Isaacs
Literally not a fairytale… not even a bit… SAD (BEAUTIFUL) TRAGIC
Anyway, my favorite stories are…
“DON’T EAT THE RICE” by Jill Girardi
So gross but I LOVE IT!! Black magic the housemaid uses is so disgusting. Very gross. But I love how the story unfolds around Suzanna. And I really love Mrs. Noraniza’s character. Sassy is a perfect word to describe that. I truly did enjoy reading this story.
“MOMISOK” by Ciciolisa Natallia
This story totally blew my mind. I had no idea what’s gonna happen next and the passage “she would be patient to strike at the right time, and her plan was flawless” literally got me. It made me feel really excited haha!
“WITCH WORDS” by Timothy Nakayama
I love this story so much! It’s a beautiful and sweet story that makes our hearts melt <3
“NOT A FAIRYTALE” by Tina Isaacs
Literally not a fairytale… not even a bit… SAD (BEAUTIFUL) TRAGIC
December 30, 2019
Some are interesting, easy reads that teaches you something new about the Sabahan culture and mystic elements that lives and breathes, entwines itself in the lives of the locals.
But a couple of story leaves me lost, confused and wondering what point it was getting at. One in particular didn't even explain what was what and you know nothing of the beginning (backstory) and what end the author served you. I'm not sure that's a good thing. It's not an ending that encourages discussions and further thought like Inception, for instance.
Anyway, an okay read. Pushed myself to finish it if only to add another book to my shelf for 2019. Since it is so lacking.
But a couple of story leaves me lost, confused and wondering what point it was getting at. One in particular didn't even explain what was what and you know nothing of the beginning (backstory) and what end the author served you. I'm not sure that's a good thing. It's not an ending that encourages discussions and further thought like Inception, for instance.
Anyway, an okay read. Pushed myself to finish it if only to add another book to my shelf for 2019. Since it is so lacking.
October 27, 2019
Some of the stories are easy to understand while some are hard. Probably due to cultural difference. I kept feeling that in some stories , I have missed the main points.
Nevertheless, its quite an eye opening book. Though we are from Malaysia, but there are so much knowledge to learn from Sabah side.
Nevertheless, its quite an eye opening book. Though we are from Malaysia, but there are so much knowledge to learn from Sabah side.
July 15, 2021
It has its hip and young-ness in most of the stories. I felt very refreshed after reading and inspired to write at the same time. I heard some of the stories from locals before but never really read them on a book and this is exactly a good book to experience them in a tale told in a modern time.
November 2, 2021
3 stars for this heartwarming collection. The stories are about Sabah, highlighting on the people, places, social issues & cultural practices. I enjoyed "Kacak", "Blue Rafflesia", "Strange Fruits" & "Tahil".
January 31, 2019
A nice collection of short stories about KK and her people. Most of the stories are tactful and I enjoyed it. A good read if you decide to take a break from all those thick books.
February 15, 2021
4.2 bintang.
January 11, 2020
Funny yet so educational. I learned a lot about negeri di bawah bayu ini. Now I can use my little knowledge about Sabahans with my Sabahans friends haha Wishing them to publish more of this,representing all the states in Malaysia. That would have been a tremendous idea right?
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