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The Lockdown Chronicles
This is an anthology of 19 Malaysian short stories that percolate from the Covid-19 lockdown. The storytellers here, who include Pauline Fan, Mwaffaq Al-Hajjar, Pete Teo, Marc de Faoite and Hartini Zainudin, speak with thought-provoking voices that are individual and valuable. With a bonus cartoon by Anurendra Jegadeva and a foreword by Jahabar Sadiq - this collectively, might be the definitive Malaysian experience of 2020.
383 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 24, 2021
It's hugely encouraging to see collections of stories by Malaysian writers patrticularly one that introduces so many new names.
The collection opens little windows through which we can glimpse how the pandemic affected different Malaysian communities, and at a time when our social interaction is necessarily limited by stay-at-home orders, such insights are all the more necessary for us.
My favourite piece in the book is Rites of Passage by Pauline Fan an atmospheric and poetic piece drawing on traditional Malay magic.
I was both moved and delighted by the quirkiness of Marc de Faoite's MCO - Manicure Control Order, a deeply compassionate piece about the plights of migrant workers during the lockdown. Other deeply compassionate stories are Viji Krishnamoorthy's Migrating to Community in which a poor Indian woman is forced out onto the city streets with her children and Hartini Zainudin's Waiting which shows us what a refugee family goes through. Than Su Ming writes about the plight of the terminally ill and the nurses who deliver pallative care during the pandemic.
Candice Foong's The Affair was an excellent opener to the book -a hilarious account of a state assemblyman having an affair. His lover's arranging a rendez-vous in the biscuit aisle of the supermarket during lockdown made me laugh out loud. I also enjoyed Lavina Valiram's humourous Vaastu Shastra about the unwelcome visit of a distant relative who turns out to be godsend.
I liked the Sarawak setting of Clarice Chan's The Hunter, as a young man returns from the city because of the pandemic. Superstition and legend are woven into a story of scandal and murder.
Mwaffaq A-Hajjar's The Burglar is so quirky and sureal with some beautifully turned lines. Sujatha Sekhar Naik told her story about city dwellers in the pandemic from the perspective of the Klang River, threading through the city.
But some of the other pieces didn't hold my attention and I didn't make it to the end of them. I'm unapologetic - a writer has to win your willingness to spend time with them.
I liked the physical makeup of the book - the paper and binding made it a pleasant volume to hold in the hand and the huge print was a relief as my eyesight is getting worse and I hate to wear reading glasses.
The collection opens little windows through which we can glimpse how the pandemic affected different Malaysian communities, and at a time when our social interaction is necessarily limited by stay-at-home orders, such insights are all the more necessary for us.
My favourite piece in the book is Rites of Passage by Pauline Fan an atmospheric and poetic piece drawing on traditional Malay magic.
I was both moved and delighted by the quirkiness of Marc de Faoite's MCO - Manicure Control Order, a deeply compassionate piece about the plights of migrant workers during the lockdown. Other deeply compassionate stories are Viji Krishnamoorthy's Migrating to Community in which a poor Indian woman is forced out onto the city streets with her children and Hartini Zainudin's Waiting which shows us what a refugee family goes through. Than Su Ming writes about the plight of the terminally ill and the nurses who deliver pallative care during the pandemic.
Candice Foong's The Affair was an excellent opener to the book -a hilarious account of a state assemblyman having an affair. His lover's arranging a rendez-vous in the biscuit aisle of the supermarket during lockdown made me laugh out loud. I also enjoyed Lavina Valiram's humourous Vaastu Shastra about the unwelcome visit of a distant relative who turns out to be godsend.
I liked the Sarawak setting of Clarice Chan's The Hunter, as a young man returns from the city because of the pandemic. Superstition and legend are woven into a story of scandal and murder.
Mwaffaq A-Hajjar's The Burglar is so quirky and sureal with some beautifully turned lines. Sujatha Sekhar Naik told her story about city dwellers in the pandemic from the perspective of the Klang River, threading through the city.
But some of the other pieces didn't hold my attention and I didn't make it to the end of them. I'm unapologetic - a writer has to win your willingness to spend time with them.
I liked the physical makeup of the book - the paper and binding made it a pleasant volume to hold in the hand and the huge print was a relief as my eyesight is getting worse and I hate to wear reading glasses.
January 28, 2021
This has been such a wonderful find! With no where to go and time on my hands, this book was a real treat. My only complaint was that the stories were so good, that I didn’t feel that I got enough. Can the author please make another compilation? They were such unique and interesting tales. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
February 12, 2021
Some stories are strong, some just average. A lovely read.
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There are 19 stories about how lives are affected by the first Covid lockdown. The one that stuck with me the most is the first - a politician having an affair with his secretary during lockdown. What a fun read!
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3/5. I am not much into anthology due to the lack of consistency. However, the writings here are superb. I gave it 3/5 because I did not enjoy reading a few of them. Nonetheless, I'd say this is a must read considering the pandemic is not over yet.
.
There are 19 stories about how lives are affected by the first Covid lockdown. The one that stuck with me the most is the first - a politician having an affair with his secretary during lockdown. What a fun read!
.
3/5. I am not much into anthology due to the lack of consistency. However, the writings here are superb. I gave it 3/5 because I did not enjoy reading a few of them. Nonetheless, I'd say this is a must read considering the pandemic is not over yet.
February 19, 2021
Simple yet captivating stories in this book. Each story seemed like a treasure of its own, just waiting to be discovered.
I absolutely loved it!
P.S. Being a University student myself, Michelle Soin's 'The Batch of Covid-19' was my favorite as it was the most relatable to me during this pandemic.
I absolutely loved it!
P.S. Being a University student myself, Michelle Soin's 'The Batch of Covid-19' was my favorite as it was the most relatable to me during this pandemic.
January 28, 2021
A lovely read and a great project by two talented editors and many clever writers. More please!
January 28, 2021
An enjoyable and eclectic range of perspectives from across Malaysia and well worth picking up a copy!
July 4, 2021
Full disclosure - I have a story in this book, so my five-star rating is not unbiased.
January 15, 2022
Overall a solid collection of stories by Malaysian (or Malaysia based) writers all on the theme of Covid-19 and the lockdowns or various MCOs that were in place.
As is the case with any anthology, there were some stories that really resonated with me and others that didn't, hence the 3 rating overall.
As is the case with any anthology, there were some stories that really resonated with me and others that didn't, hence the 3 rating overall.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews