The Java Enigma

by Erni Salleh

[Finalist for the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize] After missing her father’s funeral, Irin Omar finds her orderly librarian life with the Borobudur restoration project turned upside down as she inherits a safe deposit box containing an unknown item as part of her father’s will. Chasing answers across Asia and Europe, her historical knowledge and love for her father persists as she tries to uncover some of the archipelago’s biggest hidden secrets while discovering a few familial skeletons of her own.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2020

About the author

Erni Salleh is the author of The Java Enigma, which was shortlisted for the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize. She completed her Master's in Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, where she first got interested in colonial maps, art, religion and ancient kingdoms of the region. A librarian by profession and a self-professed antiques aficionado, she travels the region collecting bits of the past—from 19th century ceremonial scrolls in Laos to generations-old kerises in a remote village in Yogyakarta. When she’s not writing, Erni continues telling stories, be it to a room full of toddlers and parents, or storyboarding a puzzle adventure book for tweens.

Reviews

[Katdakoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needs a sequel! Was fascinated by the depth and breadth of knowledge on display re: Southeast Asian history and contemporary society (and how we read each others ethnicities/cultures/classes) ; liked the little mention of Brunei (yaaaas we are part of the mystery); remained suspicious of Frederik to the end 🧐🧐🧐. Feel like I need to be more knowledgeable re: SEA to really appreciate all the nuances of the clues and findings, and loved the way Erni wrote SEA, definitely took notes esp re: vocab and references. 💖

[Fadillah · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I was sympathetic, more for my father's soul than for her. While I held no undying fidelity towards the religion I was raised in, I respected the laws it had put in place to govern us, even in death. A debt-both to God and to other persons had to be repaid, to the best of the living's ability”.
- The Java Enigma by Erni Salleh
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I was torn between 3 or 3.5 but i decided to just rate this 3 out of 5. This was not my usual read as i would consider the genre as a mixture of mystery + thriller + historical fiction. The fact that it took place in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore apppealed to my Southeast Asian Soul and how MC (Irin Omar) managed to carry herself in these 3 countries effortlessly showed how similar we are in our lineage, heritage and tradition. As the plot unfolded based on the inheritance that has been left behind by MC’s father, one would assume that it is more on the reconciliation or moments that was supposed to reconnect father and daughter but it was not like that at all. Perhaps, i was influenced by the usual route of Literary fiction especially in dealing with grief, personal loss and death. Hence, it was totally unexpected that some parts of the storyline has a little bit of Lara croft, a little bit of Indiana Jones and were sprinkled with Southeast Asian Twist especially in highlighting how vast and complex our region’s history. Pardon me if this is rather cliche comparison but since it is dealing with archeaology , ancient artefacts and secret society, that’s the only thing that appeared in my mind while writing this review. Since this is a mystery based story, i would refrain myself of disclosing many info as i would not want to spoil anyone who wanted to read the book. I find this book light and enjoyable. Yes, it did give you bits of historical facts throughout the stories but it did not distract you from the plot. Another plus point is Irin Omar is the feisty librarian and no nonsense main character which is refreshing - and a mixture of halam (halal and haram) muslim girl like me (though i dont drink). I do love that i have got a little bir of representation here. BUT I do want to clarify that if you love a good mystery book or it is your favourite genre, you might not enjoy this one. One mistake i would like to point out that the name on the grave stone usually put the the name of the dead person with ‘bin or binti’ of their mother’s name. I am not sure whether the rule is different in Singapore or The author is from different school of thought in Islam and i could be wrong as well. This is simply from what i knew. Overall, an okay book AND YES, i am still going to pick it up if there is a sequel.

[Dia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up with the promise of learning about the Old Malay world and its extensive history, in a setting that felt right at home. While I loved the premise of mystery and adventure for ancient artifacts, this novel fell almost flat. I struggled to not just end the book by page 80 because the pacing was too slow for my liking. The writer conveyed history through info dumps and while I mostly do not mind as it is based on history, it lacked an in-depth description of the various sights or experiences that Irin faced. Every time the author finally described something, it was rushed and over so quickly. The process of grief that Irin faced was quickly resolved for the sake of plot. It was not as immersive as it could have been. I was not entirely drawn by the way the writer wrote the story, it was the adventure that hooked me in.

Overall, I gave it a three star read because while I loved everything that the book promised it to be, it did not meet my expectations of it.

[aqilahreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

""biarkan bende yang lepas tu, lepas lah kan?" ((translation: just let go of the past since its already in the past right?)) i wanted to agree with her that things of the past should be left alone but sometimes they are worth digging up".

an orderly librarian's life with the Borobudur restoration project is turned upside down after her father dies. irin omar inherits a mysterious combination lock that sends her on a thrilling journey across Asia to locate pieces of an ancient map.

5/5 stars!! this is definitely a book that is really out of my comfort zone but decided to give a go after hearing erni's book talk session with wardah books. after the session, i was really fascinated as i was so curious on how historical pieces, languages and cultures can all be written in one book and moreover, written over the course of 6 months. it was also really interesting to hear erni's personal experiences and passion in writing it.

to be honest, i think this is my first time reading a historical mystery and i am so glad that this was also the first book to introduce me into this genre as it turns out that i really enjoyed it!!! such an easy read and really happy to know that this is one of the few singlit eng books that has some malay representation in it. truly immersive - really makes a great reading companion to feel as if you are "travelling" especially when we are in the midst of lockdown. when i was at the last page, i felt sad thinking that my travelling adventures with irin has ended and i will miss solving clues together. :(( highly recommended to people who are into history & mystery fun but also to everyone who are looking for a good new read.

p/s: dont read if you are feeling hungry!!!! ....you have been WARNED!! ((really makes me miss travelling to indonesia and eating all the good food))

[Khairun Atika · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Not everything needs to be shared with the world." - The Java Enigma by Erni Salleh

Riveting at times and familiar at most, this is the story that borders on being an archaelogical and historical mystery, and a thrilling adventure across Southeast Asia. It is an interesting portrayal of the monuments and cultures of the Old Malay world.

In The Java Engima, librarian Irin Omar is taken on a cross-country expedition across Asia to uncover the mystery behind a combination lock that was left by her father upon his sudden death. Along the way, Irin uncovers the secrets behind her father's past as a salvage diver, which also involves the discovery of an ancient map. She joins forces with her father's old captain and a salvage diver to uncover the secret behind the Malay Archipelago's deep hidden secrets - and how they could have been related to her dear father.

I was interested to pick this up as I likened it to an adventure, mystery novel that I could resonate with, being a Javanese myself. However, I felt that while the book is rife with information and knowledge of the Old Malay World, some of it were somewhat mentioned almost nonchalantly, with a tone of slight condescension. It might have been more enriching if there were personal experiences woven into the story, to give it a little more warmth and heart.

As the book chronicles Irin's trek across Asia, such as in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Aceh and Yogyakarta, there were many familiar phrases and terms that reflect the Malay culture. However, it was also quite disconcerting that the Muslim representation in the book is quite lacklustre, with Irin drinking at times, and claiming that headscarves are "scratchy and hot". It would have been constructive had it helped with the characterisation, but it seemed a little unnecessary and misleading.

I had hoped for a little more depth and emotion in this book. As a globe-trotting adventure and mystery novel, it does have moments of thrill and suspense. It might interest other readers who are looking for an archaelogical and historical read.

[Akhmal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 stars

Picked up this book because I'm in need of another Robert Langdon kind of adventure.

I do not mind this at all. Evidently, there an extensive research that's been done in developing this book. I really appreciate that, especially since it deals with South-East Asia. I myself am an enthusiast of learning about historic landmarks and the mysteries that they offer, and I'm glad the author chose Borobudur. An interesting choice and I learned quite a great deal in the book. I also love how in contrary to the title, the book connects SEA nations as one with a shared history. That's noble.

The book is well-paced and engaging. But I'm not sure if I like that there's almost no sense of 'urgency' and 'danger' like how they do it in Robert Langdon series. Even if there is, it's not as intense as I wanted it to be. Also I don't know why but I wished there were more artifacts and mysteries/riddles to be involved. It would be much more interesting.

Nonetheless, I don't mind this at all.

[Priyashini · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7/5. *EDITED with a review*

Okay I don't think this was an atrocious book at all. It was my first Singapore literature book and it seemed pretty promising. My knowledge of Southeast Asian kingdoms is not very vast, so it was an eye-opening experience. Add to it being a fun and easy read.

But I think the book's plot was quite underdeveloped. Much more could have been said about the actual expedition because as it is, it reads in a very vague and incomplete fashion. Another more striking gripe I had was the writing. It felt rushed and not vivid enough. At many moments I was struggling to imagine what the protagonist is uncovering. And before I knew it, it ended.

I will still continue reading local works because I think there's much yet to be explored. Hoping to find a better read within the Singapore scene.

[Kai Ling, Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has done a great deal of research in southeast asian history and archaeology to be able to come up with the plot. It was interesting to read about the protagonist’s explorations, and interconnected of the southeast asian nations in geopolitics and spread of religion. The southeast asian geographer in me is stirred up!

However there were several unexplained or not fully explained parts of the story - perhaps there’ll be a sequel?

[Tan Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thriller with a female Robert Langdon for Southeast Asia? Considering the wealth of archaeological, cultural and religious historical significance in the region, this concept did not seem far fetched and works pretty well, as it was a delight to read the author's informed expositions on those aspect.
Unfortunately, considering this is a debut of a new author, it understandably suffers from plot and characterisation issues. The lead protagonist is likable and engaging enough, but the other characters did not seem to feature well enough beyond their functional capacity (Daddy Omar and Captain Bootsma being Ob-wan stylised mentors, Daniel the geek sidekick, Nagel the untrustworthy partner cum love interest?).
Most importantly, the pacing of the main plot was a bit too slow for necessary thriller requirements, and there was a severe lack of stakes in the conflict between her and the Gnostes led by the opaque Ms Hoang, the solving of the central mystery being very anti-climatic and even seeming of minimal consequence.
While serviceable as a coming-of-age origins story to explain the female lead's induction to kick start a proper franchise, hopefully future works in the series will be have much more substantial improvements in plot and characters.

[Iulia Iordache · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read - I read it from start to finish in a 3 hour flight. And while one may say I devoured it - and I enjoyed the pacing - it lacked depth in places. It felt like it was written too fast and that the author, like the protagonist was rushing to the next adventure. I’ve been to or lived in many of the places mentioned and I was aware at times that were I not somewhat, or maybe very familiar with what she was referencing, I would not know what’s going on. I also perhaps felt there was too much action with very little understanding of the emotional drivers behind it. And sometimes the action was confusing - it was clear that some of the things were meant to become obvious but they were not obvious to me. The protagonist was suspicious of some people but I did not get a good sense of why or what made her suspicious. It was stated she was suspicious without us seeing her clearly weigh what it was that made her suspicious other than an eyebrow raise or a pursed lip. It was a fun read but I think it would have been a better book if in addition to all the Buddhist mysteries, some of the more interpersonal issues would have gotten more attention.

[Justine Laismith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl searching for answers after her late father leaves her to fathom out the safe-deposit box he had opened in her name many years ago.

Irin is a UNESCO librarian working at Borobudur, the famous Buddhist temple in Indonesia. Still reeling from her father's untimely death, she learns that he has opened a safe-deposit box for her many years ago. Hence begins her journey to understand a part of her father's world she barely appreciated. I enjoyed seeing how seamlessly Irin slips from one language to another. Even when she did not feel comfortable in it, she was able to get by. Most of all, through this we learn how diverse the country is.

Weaved around this mystery is the many facts and history about the area. I felt very humbled as I turned the pages, learning the rich history of Indonesia and South-East Asia, of the different cultures and great empires. As a Singaporean, I also enjoyed the little nuances the author sprinkled, making it such a relatable read.

[Yeppp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library. Had promise but felt too rushed and at times too cerebral for the average reader or unbelievable for the erudite reader. Crisscrossing of cities and places was confusing as was the description of passage of time. There was a little undeveloped romance/ tension I felt could be played out between two characters but maybe author will hopefully follow up on that in the next book cos the promise of romance makes it exciting. Overall not a bad book, finished in 3 hours.

[Premala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. It really sort of brings out all the history and geography of what I have learned years ago. As a librarian myself, I decided to read this as it features a librarian in the story and furthermore the author is also a Librarian herself. Very intriguing!

[Khelath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I couldn’t put it down! I also appreciate that it has ancient South East Asian history as a backdrop, which is uncommon. The dialogue in Malay and Bahasa also sound authentic. A rare gem of a thriller and one to make SEA proud. When is the second book coming out??

[Lev · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is adequately paced and an absolute charmer - especially for people who have a more-than-average interest in Southeast Asia, this piece draws you in further into the mystique of the region.

[Art Fazil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the book. Having been to some of the places mentioned in the book I could somehow immerse myself in it. Perhaps for the next print or edition the editors could include drawings of the objects described in the novel.

[Chaitra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it for a challenge. I don't think it was particularly interesting as a mystery, but I didn't think of Borobudur before for a bucket list (only Angkor Wat was on it as far as large South East Asian Buddhist temple complexes go), but now I'd love to visit.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Geography teacher and South East Asian history tragic, I loved the connection between places, languages and religion. Really enjoyed this book. Nicely set up for a sequel!

[Fern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the historical context although the plot was not as pacey as it could have been.

[Luciana Vichino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading and keeps your attention until the end but the plot and the literary quality were weak. I expected more based on the reviews.

[JoAnn]

DNF @ pg 74. Has a lot of potential but was bogged down by the writing.

[S.S.]

DNF @ 67%

I really really wanted to like this.... but it's so slow and it's real hard trying to keep myself invested in what's going on......

[Ruth F · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nicely paced story, with a feisty female librarian protagonist who comes across as a foodie too. At some point the plot took a turn I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked. But what was definitely delightful for me was the trail of little historical tidbits she left throughout the novel - references to the explorer Zheng He (who was actually Muslim, I learnt for the first time, to the Greco-Buddhist sculptures of Gandhara.

[Whimsicalmaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

My problem is expectations.
One: I thought this book was written by an Indonesian. It's not.
Two: I thought I'd see some kind of spiritual history of Borobudur. Well, there was some stories about how the old Buddhist temples were built, but I expected more depths that would make me wow in wonder.
Three: I looked forward to discover central Java through this book, since my trip to Jogja had to be postponed because of the pandemic. However, most of the action happened in Aceh, which is NOT in Java island!
Four: I expected to experience more magic and mystery, perhaps because of the book cover. Perhaps also because I have read other books about how Indonesians believe in mystics. However, there was no magic, and I found that the mysteries are rather superficial.

And the moment she said Solo is in Jogjakarta (which is quite early in the book), I learnt to take everything with a pinch of salt. FYI, although both Solo and Jogja are located in central Java, these are two entirely different Javanese cities with distinct cultures and government administration systems. Even their batik patterns are different!

Because of my unmet expectations, I didn't enjoy the book. It doesn't help that the protagonist's character was at times a little condescending and narrow, despite what she believes herself to be.

Of course, this is my personal opinion. A whole lot of people enjoyed the book, and it is one of the finalists for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize, alongside Sunisa Manning's A Good True Thai.