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The Keepers of Stories
Longlisted for the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize
In post-independence Singapore, tradition clashes with modernity in this compelling tale of the importance of defining one's own story.
When their father Sujakon comes home late one night, raving about bad people coming to take them away, siblings Zuzu and Hakeem are forced to leave everything behind and live in a tent at Changi Beach, with a secret community called Anak Bumi—the Children of the Earth. Here, they learn to live off the land and fend for themselves, and partake in a communal storytelling ritual under the stars called the Wayang Singa. But just as they’ve acclimatised to their new lives, their father disappears without a word and a strange man washes ashore warning of mortal danger from just offshore.
In post-independence Singapore, tradition clashes with modernity in this compelling tale of the importance of defining one's own story.
When their father Sujakon comes home late one night, raving about bad people coming to take them away, siblings Zuzu and Hakeem are forced to leave everything behind and live in a tent at Changi Beach, with a secret community called Anak Bumi—the Children of the Earth. Here, they learn to live off the land and fend for themselves, and partake in a communal storytelling ritual under the stars called the Wayang Singa. But just as they’ve acclimatised to their new lives, their father disappears without a word and a strange man washes ashore warning of mortal danger from just offshore.
- GenresFiction
216 pages, Paperback
Published March 13, 2021
125 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 6, 2021
felt like i was taken to another world as i was reading this :") interestingly got me hooked omg i couldnt put this down easily!!! shall round this up to 4/5.
its about a father who brought his two children to a place called anak bumi in order to keep them safe from danger while he disappears to settle the problems getting in their way. in anak bumi, the community practices a storytelling ritual called wayang singa - and most of the chapters break away to tell the stories being represented in this ritual.
its also so interesting to know that this was also written based on the author's childhood experiences, where he shared a room with his grandma and she would tell him stories.
honestly im not really into folklores/myths but this really caught me by surprise when i found it quite an enjoyable read overall. also!!! its easy to understand and follow through which i really appreciate. however, just felt like the stories told kinda break the story flow in certain parts but understand that its also the point of the story, which i probably might need more time to get used to this kind of format.
also felt like there was so much heart to write this book like idk why but i also kinda felt emotional???? it really makes me start to appreciate more books that touch on sacrifices and the importance of family 💚
its about a father who brought his two children to a place called anak bumi in order to keep them safe from danger while he disappears to settle the problems getting in their way. in anak bumi, the community practices a storytelling ritual called wayang singa - and most of the chapters break away to tell the stories being represented in this ritual.
its also so interesting to know that this was also written based on the author's childhood experiences, where he shared a room with his grandma and she would tell him stories.
honestly im not really into folklores/myths but this really caught me by surprise when i found it quite an enjoyable read overall. also!!! its easy to understand and follow through which i really appreciate. however, just felt like the stories told kinda break the story flow in certain parts but understand that its also the point of the story, which i probably might need more time to get used to this kind of format.
also felt like there was so much heart to write this book like idk why but i also kinda felt emotional???? it really makes me start to appreciate more books that touch on sacrifices and the importance of family 💚
June 28, 2021
A lovely, magical, uplifting read, brimming with a deep humanity and compassion! Look out for the stories nested in the book, Suffian's nod to his childhood love for The One Thousand and One Nights. This book is the closest thing to a story that transcends the experience of a single race, to being a story that truly embraces the multicultural spirit of Singapore.
July 1, 2022
The Keeper of Secrets is another classic Singlit i’ve had the pleasure of reading this year, and all I have to say is that it was an intriguing & fulfilling read from the very beginning to the end. The story follows a single father who brought his two young children to live in a tiny mystical village on the shores of Changi Beach amongst the Anai Bumi (children of the earth) in an attempt to protect them from danger. A mesmerising tale filled with meaningful lessons to be learnt, Keeper of Secrets retells the power of stories in keeping the multi-cultural spirit of Singapore alive.
As a novel that represents the different racial groups in Singapore, I appreciated the author’s efforts to weave the different voices together throughout the course of the novel. His ability to draw the reader in with his simple use of literary language was one that I adored in this novel, as I found it relatively easy to follow through. Most importantly, the brilliant mix of mythology and folktales, as well as the subsequent transitions to reality was my favourite aspect of the novel, especially as someone who adores mythological retellings. However, I felt that the ending could have been explored a little bit more, especially with the sudden pirate attacks and the subsequent death of the Anak Bumi. I would have liked for the novel to have explored the alternate possibilities, as it would have been great to see the survival of the village despite the threats of civilisation. Nevertheless, the author was able to expertly weave in a wide tapestry of multicultural stories with the central concerns with reality, which I commend him for.
🖋️ 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆: "Kami anak bumi : kami akar bumi! In conversational tones, Nyai Timah continued, We will tell our stories, for stories are the stuff of souls." Kami naik saksi! And when your soul returns to the Almighty, we will remember your stories.”
As a novel that represents the different racial groups in Singapore, I appreciated the author’s efforts to weave the different voices together throughout the course of the novel. His ability to draw the reader in with his simple use of literary language was one that I adored in this novel, as I found it relatively easy to follow through. Most importantly, the brilliant mix of mythology and folktales, as well as the subsequent transitions to reality was my favourite aspect of the novel, especially as someone who adores mythological retellings. However, I felt that the ending could have been explored a little bit more, especially with the sudden pirate attacks and the subsequent death of the Anak Bumi. I would have liked for the novel to have explored the alternate possibilities, as it would have been great to see the survival of the village despite the threats of civilisation. Nevertheless, the author was able to expertly weave in a wide tapestry of multicultural stories with the central concerns with reality, which I commend him for.
🖋️ 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆: "Kami anak bumi : kami akar bumi! In conversational tones, Nyai Timah continued, We will tell our stories, for stories are the stuff of souls." Kami naik saksi! And when your soul returns to the Almighty, we will remember your stories.”
April 10, 2023
this was enjoyable towards the end but I do take offence for the clear disdain towards people who chose the city life. we city people can be spiritual too, you know
The stories are nice but some I think ended too abruptly.
The stories are nice but some I think ended too abruptly.
June 18, 2021
Beautifully woven deeply moving books written by none other than Suffian Hakim.
In just one fateful night, Zuzu and Hakeem lost their home and have to follow their father escape to Changi beach from the incoming bad guys. Here, they went deeper into the forest nearby and found a secret place concealed to the outsiders eyes. It is a small community of Anak Bumi leads by Nyai Timah. Their father left them to fend themselves there while he settles whatever that is bothering him.
Im deeply attached to their nightly Wayang Singa. Its the one event that Im looking forward to each day. as if I was there with them ,In front of the bonfire , listening intently to Nyai Timah. Shes wearing her usual attire, faded kain sarong and the farmers blouse. Telling the stories etched deep in her mind from generations with passions. Imaginative or real, its up to the listener to judge as the story teller tell tales in their own magical way.
the heat of the fire warms my body ,the stories soothe my troubled heart. The story that I love is Ngrusak and Also The Masseuse and the Rakshasa. Its amazing how simple stories can give you such a feel.
Alas, good things never last. The peace and solitude they were having shattered by the arrival of a bleeding strange man washed ashore ; whispering before he faint; ‘they are coming for you.’
All in all this book is becoming my comfort book to turn to when things not going so well. I trust that the stories they told hold powers. To heal and repair whatever that is broken.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Kami anak bumi ; kami akar bumi !”
In conversational tones, Nyai Timah continued, ‘We will tell our stories, for stories are the stuff of souls.’
“Kami naik saksi !”
‘And when your soul returns to the Almighty, we will remember your stories’
In just one fateful night, Zuzu and Hakeem lost their home and have to follow their father escape to Changi beach from the incoming bad guys. Here, they went deeper into the forest nearby and found a secret place concealed to the outsiders eyes. It is a small community of Anak Bumi leads by Nyai Timah. Their father left them to fend themselves there while he settles whatever that is bothering him.
Im deeply attached to their nightly Wayang Singa. Its the one event that Im looking forward to each day. as if I was there with them ,In front of the bonfire , listening intently to Nyai Timah. Shes wearing her usual attire, faded kain sarong and the farmers blouse. Telling the stories etched deep in her mind from generations with passions. Imaginative or real, its up to the listener to judge as the story teller tell tales in their own magical way.
the heat of the fire warms my body ,the stories soothe my troubled heart. The story that I love is Ngrusak and Also The Masseuse and the Rakshasa. Its amazing how simple stories can give you such a feel.
Alas, good things never last. The peace and solitude they were having shattered by the arrival of a bleeding strange man washed ashore ; whispering before he faint; ‘they are coming for you.’
All in all this book is becoming my comfort book to turn to when things not going so well. I trust that the stories they told hold powers. To heal and repair whatever that is broken.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Kami anak bumi ; kami akar bumi !”
In conversational tones, Nyai Timah continued, ‘We will tell our stories, for stories are the stuff of souls.’
“Kami naik saksi !”
‘And when your soul returns to the Almighty, we will remember your stories’
December 26, 2021
To be honest, I did not know what to expect prior to reading other than the fact that it was a fantasy book written by a Singaporean author. Before long, I found myself deep within the mystical Anak Bumi community whose existence on Changi Beach was distinct and separate from the modern capital.
The story centred around two siblings, Hakeem and Zuzu, whose lives were rudely uprooted from their flat on Haig Road in the dead of the night when their father Sujakon announced that they needed to go on the run, or the bad guys would take them.
Sujakon took them to Anak Bumi where they found shelter and forced to accustom to a new way of living. I enjoyed the stories within the story where the Anak Bumi regaled stories from various cultural fantasies; hybrids of historical legends and myths during their nightly storytelling known as Wayang Singa. Not to mention, the book felt unapologetically Singaporean; embedded in the characters, colourful stories and languages used, which I appreciate.
If you enjoyed Daryl Kho’s Mist-Bound, then you might like this.
The story centred around two siblings, Hakeem and Zuzu, whose lives were rudely uprooted from their flat on Haig Road in the dead of the night when their father Sujakon announced that they needed to go on the run, or the bad guys would take them.
Sujakon took them to Anak Bumi where they found shelter and forced to accustom to a new way of living. I enjoyed the stories within the story where the Anak Bumi regaled stories from various cultural fantasies; hybrids of historical legends and myths during their nightly storytelling known as Wayang Singa. Not to mention, the book felt unapologetically Singaporean; embedded in the characters, colourful stories and languages used, which I appreciate.
If you enjoyed Daryl Kho’s Mist-Bound, then you might like this.
Read
September 2, 2021This was a novel with a really rich concept: a hermetic community at the fringes of society, multi-racial-gotong-royong-female-matriach-mangrove-bumiputera resonances (thankfully not nostalgia), twentieth-century Singapore when Changi Airport was still being built (hard to imagine a Singapore sans its shining monolith), a frame narrative that incorporates stories from the Nusantara’s shared heritage. There were some lyrical passages and tender moments, but I think the dialogue felt stilted and talking heads-y at times, especially when characters were moralizing against materialism in society with a rehearsed diction. I wonder if I’d appreciate the book more if the myths were narrated in a more poetic and elevated register. In any case, the novel (and its lovely cover) reminded me of the lines that come after Auden’s oft-miscited “poetry makes nothing happen”:
For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.
August 5, 2021
Hidden in a secluded clearing on Changi Beach is a secret community called the Anak Bumi, Children of the Earth. Far removed from the frenzy of city life, this community lives in harmony with nature and embraces independence from governmental authorities. They live in tents, they hunt, and they tell stories in a storytelling ritual called the Wayang Singa.
Filled with fantastical wonders, from cosmic journeys to mythical origins, this novel is a multicultural tapestry of stories that lie beyond the dreariness of reality. Escape into this book, and who knows, you will find proper respite from the tedium of modern civilisation!
4/5
Filled with fantastical wonders, from cosmic journeys to mythical origins, this novel is a multicultural tapestry of stories that lie beyond the dreariness of reality. Escape into this book, and who knows, you will find proper respite from the tedium of modern civilisation!
4/5
July 9, 2023
"We live in a world where a man is expected to meet a set of ideals imposed on him by society, more so than a man is expected to be the best he can be." - The Keepers of Stories by Suffian Hakim
Filled with warmth, intrigue and the power of kinship, this is a compelling story. What's interesting is the foundation and importance of stories that drives this tale forward, making it a truly unique storytelling experience in Singapore literature.
Sujakon and his two children, Hakeem and Zulaika were driven out of their own home after Sujakon's past came to hunt them. Desperate to stay alive, Sujakon sought refuge in the elusive and mysterious Anak Bumi community, the discreet inhabitants of Changi Beach.
Living far from the luxuries of the city, they thrive on island survival while also guarding the patronage of Wayang Singa. They keep their legacies alive by keeping the stories of those who came before them. While fearing that Sujakon's past would beckon again, Hakeem and Zulaika learnt to live in the community, while also trying to guard themselves from the forces that threaten the survival of the community.
The Keeper of Stories pay homage to the folk tales and myths of Asia, while also alluding to the different aspects of Singapore's history. Intriguing yet compelling, it is a story of two siblings who are trying to make sense of their own past while worrying about their future. I enjoyed reading about the many references to Singapore, the Malay community and even the lessons about Islam.
There is also an ounce of familiarity in the way the locations and cultural references are weaved into the story. In all, it is truly a delightful experience to enjoy a story that truly pays homage to our local culture and history.
Filled with warmth, intrigue and the power of kinship, this is a compelling story. What's interesting is the foundation and importance of stories that drives this tale forward, making it a truly unique storytelling experience in Singapore literature.
Sujakon and his two children, Hakeem and Zulaika were driven out of their own home after Sujakon's past came to hunt them. Desperate to stay alive, Sujakon sought refuge in the elusive and mysterious Anak Bumi community, the discreet inhabitants of Changi Beach.
Living far from the luxuries of the city, they thrive on island survival while also guarding the patronage of Wayang Singa. They keep their legacies alive by keeping the stories of those who came before them. While fearing that Sujakon's past would beckon again, Hakeem and Zulaika learnt to live in the community, while also trying to guard themselves from the forces that threaten the survival of the community.
The Keeper of Stories pay homage to the folk tales and myths of Asia, while also alluding to the different aspects of Singapore's history. Intriguing yet compelling, it is a story of two siblings who are trying to make sense of their own past while worrying about their future. I enjoyed reading about the many references to Singapore, the Malay community and even the lessons about Islam.
There is also an ounce of familiarity in the way the locations and cultural references are weaved into the story. In all, it is truly a delightful experience to enjoy a story that truly pays homage to our local culture and history.
February 15, 2022
3 stars. The story is very thrilling and imaginative. An excellent choice for young adults. The story however ends abruptly with the attack from the pirates and Anak Bumi was eventually defeated and disbanded. I wish the author could reveal more Nyai Timah's secret power and more details about Anak Bumi as well as the pirates Harimau Hitam. Too bad Sujakon was killed. He is a very interesting character and I was hoping to see some surprises from him. Lastly, the story of Buraq told by Jamaliah is amazing. I hope the author can expand it into a full-length novel too.
January 25, 2022
I truly enjoy reading this book. This is my first time reading a book surrounding the topic of 'Anak Bumi', so I have to admit that this is a foreign area for me. But I'm telling you, I do not regret getting this book on impulse.
I don't like writing long summary because I'm scared that I might spoil it, unconsciously. However, as someone who just begin to falling in love with books again, I would recommend this book to beginners. Especially if you enjoy mythology.
I don't like writing long summary because I'm scared that I might spoil it, unconsciously. However, as someone who just begin to falling in love with books again, I would recommend this book to beginners. Especially if you enjoy mythology.
May 16, 2021
This is his best novel yet in terms of plot and story development. I enjoyed!
June 19, 2021
diverse, full of mythology & stories. read like a middle grade book.
September 29, 2021
3 STARS FOR ME
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews