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Singa-Pura-Pura
From a future of electronic doas and AI psychotherapists, sense-activated communion with forests and a portal to realms undersea, to a reimagined origin and afterlife—editor and translator Nazry Bahrawi brings together an exciting selection of never-before translated and new Malay spec-fic stories by established and emerging writers from Singapore.
Especially in an anglophone-dominated genre, very little of Malay speculative fiction from Singapore is known to readers here and beyond. Yet contemporary Bahasa literature here is steeped in spec-fic writing that can account as a literary movement (aliran)—and unmistakably draws from the minority Malay experience in a city obsessed with progress.
Especially in an anglophone-dominated genre, very little of Malay speculative fiction from Singapore is known to readers here and beyond. Yet contemporary Bahasa literature here is steeped in spec-fic writing that can account as a literary movement (aliran)—and unmistakably draws from the minority Malay experience in a city obsessed with progress.
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First published September 3, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 6, 2023
"Kak Hes, kenapa metriks pencatatan bacaannya ada kolom identitas penulis?"
Pertanyaan kayak gitu nggak cuma sekali aku terima. Kemarin aku iseng unggah Reading Wrap-Up ke LinkedIn. Nggak nyangka kalau ada bapak-bapak yg punya pertanyaan sama. Aku kebingungan jawab & malah berbelit-belit 🤣 Padahal mah jawabannya ada di bagian penutup dari antologi Singa-Pura-Pura ini.
Aku pun mengamini penutup yg dituturkan oleh Nazry Bahwari selaku editor bukunya. Berkenalan dengan tulisan di luar US dan UK membantuku "to rewire my modes of thinking beyond Western intepretation." Termasuk berkenalan dengan tetangga sendiri, Singapura.
Singa-Pura-Pura bukan antologi biasa. Kumpulan cerita fiksi-spekulatif ini ditulis oleh komunitas Malay yg tinggal di Singapura. Mereka menangkap bagaimana stigma bahwa orang Malay itu nggak jago berhitung dibanding orang China dan Inggris sungguh menyebalkan. Belum lagi kepada komunitas Malay-Muslim. Intepretasi orang barat terhadap ras & agama tertentu sama saja dg mendiskriminasi. Padahal, mereka juga warga Singapura yg punya hak.
Menurutku, membaca buku ini seperti menonton Black Mirror. Singapura itu negara maju yg sering dikagumi orang sini (ya nggak?). Tetapi sebenarnya di balik sistem yg rapi rupanya ada ketimpangan yg menganga besar. Menakutkan. Apalagi kalau sudah berhubungan dg teknologi.
Nazry Bahrawi selaku editor jago sekali menjalin alur cerpen. Dan betul, buku disusun dari "Beginning" hingga The End. Di antara keduanya adalah kehidupan di dunia yg terlihat gemerlap meski itu berarti menggadaikan kewarasan (hingga moralitas).
Aku jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama dengan sampulnya yg cantik sekali. Ternyata isinya juga nggak kalah memukau. Melalui kisah fiksi-spekulatif, digambarkan bagaimana Singapura jika abai terhadap penduduk komunitas Malay ini.
Solid 5 stars. Buagus banget.
Pertanyaan kayak gitu nggak cuma sekali aku terima. Kemarin aku iseng unggah Reading Wrap-Up ke LinkedIn. Nggak nyangka kalau ada bapak-bapak yg punya pertanyaan sama. Aku kebingungan jawab & malah berbelit-belit 🤣 Padahal mah jawabannya ada di bagian penutup dari antologi Singa-Pura-Pura ini.
Aku pun mengamini penutup yg dituturkan oleh Nazry Bahwari selaku editor bukunya. Berkenalan dengan tulisan di luar US dan UK membantuku "to rewire my modes of thinking beyond Western intepretation." Termasuk berkenalan dengan tetangga sendiri, Singapura.
Singa-Pura-Pura bukan antologi biasa. Kumpulan cerita fiksi-spekulatif ini ditulis oleh komunitas Malay yg tinggal di Singapura. Mereka menangkap bagaimana stigma bahwa orang Malay itu nggak jago berhitung dibanding orang China dan Inggris sungguh menyebalkan. Belum lagi kepada komunitas Malay-Muslim. Intepretasi orang barat terhadap ras & agama tertentu sama saja dg mendiskriminasi. Padahal, mereka juga warga Singapura yg punya hak.
Menurutku, membaca buku ini seperti menonton Black Mirror. Singapura itu negara maju yg sering dikagumi orang sini (ya nggak?). Tetapi sebenarnya di balik sistem yg rapi rupanya ada ketimpangan yg menganga besar. Menakutkan. Apalagi kalau sudah berhubungan dg teknologi.
Nazry Bahrawi selaku editor jago sekali menjalin alur cerpen. Dan betul, buku disusun dari "Beginning" hingga The End. Di antara keduanya adalah kehidupan di dunia yg terlihat gemerlap meski itu berarti menggadaikan kewarasan (hingga moralitas).
Aku jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama dengan sampulnya yg cantik sekali. Ternyata isinya juga nggak kalah memukau. Melalui kisah fiksi-spekulatif, digambarkan bagaimana Singapura jika abai terhadap penduduk komunitas Malay ini.
Solid 5 stars. Buagus banget.
May 15, 2022
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I devoured this within a day.
I've always enjoyed spec-fic. And the fact that Malays wrote this *chef's kiss*
If we want to talk about the rarity of Malays writing spec-fic, I think we need to look deeply into the genres under the umbrella term 'spec-fic' we write on. Most of the ones I've encountered and read are either ghost stories or stories derived from local legends and myths - which the Malays have undoubtedly championed in. But this book is a breath of fresh air because you get to read about some genres within spec-fic written my Malays you don't get to read very often . Dystopian/utopian society, artificial intelligence, alternate universe - to name a few. You also get a glimpse of stories where the Divine interacts with the human race (which btw, is a privilege non-Brunei Malay writers have. You don't get to see that here in Brunei in fear of being misconstrued as a sacrilegious text).
On top of the different genres/tropes, I also enjoyed the different writing styles - some more than the rest. I'm not much of a fan of poetry, so anything that's heavily metaphorical, "noted puan". lol.
'Doa.com', 'Gold, Paper and Bare Bones' & '(A)nak (I)bu' are the kind of sh-t I'd read more on, speculating the future trajectories of a nation's administration driven by technological and digital advancements. Things that could ACTUALLY happen (or in the process of happening).
Love this. One to keep on the shelves forever.
I devoured this within a day.
I've always enjoyed spec-fic. And the fact that Malays wrote this *chef's kiss*
If we want to talk about the rarity of Malays writing spec-fic, I think we need to look deeply into the genres under the umbrella term 'spec-fic' we write on. Most of the ones I've encountered and read are either ghost stories or stories derived from local legends and myths - which the Malays have undoubtedly championed in. But this book is a breath of fresh air because you get to read about some genres within spec-fic written my Malays you don't get to read very often . Dystopian/utopian society, artificial intelligence, alternate universe - to name a few. You also get a glimpse of stories where the Divine interacts with the human race (which btw, is a privilege non-Brunei Malay writers have. You don't get to see that here in Brunei in fear of being misconstrued as a sacrilegious text).
On top of the different genres/tropes, I also enjoyed the different writing styles - some more than the rest. I'm not much of a fan of poetry, so anything that's heavily metaphorical, "noted puan". lol.
'Doa.com', 'Gold, Paper and Bare Bones' & '(A)nak (I)bu' are the kind of sh-t I'd read more on, speculating the future trajectories of a nation's administration driven by technological and digital advancements. Things that could ACTUALLY happen (or in the process of happening).
Love this. One to keep on the shelves forever.
August 12, 2021
CW: mental health issues, dying, dysfunctional familes
singa-pura-pura is a collection of short translated/new malay spec-fic stories by established & emerging writers from singapore. 🇸🇬
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. split into 4 sections focusing on otherworldliness, technology, intangible cultures & families; this is indeed quite a stunning and refreshing collection which got me hooked in one sitting!! and that means i have to say that its too short!! AND I WANT MORE!!! 💃😍
i always find it hard to review short stories bc most of the time there will always be some that you really like while the others not so much - its rare to have yourself liking all the stories. i have to admit that this was pretty much the case for me; it was a balance of it. nevertheless, i still enjoyed the reading experience & it makes me so proud bc of its malay representation like omg we r seen 🥺👏
i didnt regret picking this one up knowing that im not really into the genre/short stories. i would highly recommend this to everyone if youre looking for something new to read & explore too or esp if youre into magical realism/myths ✨
you can now pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd september to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from nazry bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)! 🤗
// thank you so much @ethosbooks for a review copy in exchange of an honest review. 💚
singa-pura-pura is a collection of short translated/new malay spec-fic stories by established & emerging writers from singapore. 🇸🇬
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. split into 4 sections focusing on otherworldliness, technology, intangible cultures & families; this is indeed quite a stunning and refreshing collection which got me hooked in one sitting!! and that means i have to say that its too short!! AND I WANT MORE!!! 💃😍
i always find it hard to review short stories bc most of the time there will always be some that you really like while the others not so much - its rare to have yourself liking all the stories. i have to admit that this was pretty much the case for me; it was a balance of it. nevertheless, i still enjoyed the reading experience & it makes me so proud bc of its malay representation like omg we r seen 🥺👏
i didnt regret picking this one up knowing that im not really into the genre/short stories. i would highly recommend this to everyone if youre looking for something new to read & explore too or esp if youre into magical realism/myths ✨
you can now pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd september to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from nazry bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)! 🤗
// thank you so much @ethosbooks for a review copy in exchange of an honest review. 💚
December 22, 2021
On the topic of speculative fiction from Singapore that has garnered international attention, Nazry Bahrawi’s Afterword asks: “Where are the Malays?” The answer, it seems, is they are largely locked behind non-translation or confined to locally published works. To fill in that gap, this anthology offers a collection of speculative short stories by Singaporean-Malay writers, both ones that were translated to English by the editor and ones that have always been in English. Arranged into different thematic sections, this collection prompts readers to reconsider what exactly qualifies as speculative fiction. Is it strictly for imagining futures for a world in which humans pursued a certain trajectory? Can it also involve ghost stories, aliens, and mythical beings?
More than just expanding the boundaries of spec-fic, this collection gives a range of voices to an otherwise overlooked minority and offers us an insight into literature that is not as easily available/accessible to anglophone readers because of the language barrier. It’s a platform for both sharing and resistance, the anthology as a whole and most of the stories in it offering us narratives that are both recognisably Singaporean and unapologetically Malay. Opening with a rewriting of the Creation myth, the book delves across time and space, offering a variety of stories that play with mythology and explore cultural practices and their place in an imagined future of a city-state obsessed with progress and convenience.
There’s sure to be a story for everyone in this collection, and as with any anthology, there are certain stories that stick with you more than others. For me personally, my favourites are “Doa.com”, “Quota”, “Second Shadow”, “Gold, Paper and Bare Bones,” and “The End”.
More than just expanding the boundaries of spec-fic, this collection gives a range of voices to an otherwise overlooked minority and offers us an insight into literature that is not as easily available/accessible to anglophone readers because of the language barrier. It’s a platform for both sharing and resistance, the anthology as a whole and most of the stories in it offering us narratives that are both recognisably Singaporean and unapologetically Malay. Opening with a rewriting of the Creation myth, the book delves across time and space, offering a variety of stories that play with mythology and explore cultural practices and their place in an imagined future of a city-state obsessed with progress and convenience.
There’s sure to be a story for everyone in this collection, and as with any anthology, there are certain stories that stick with you more than others. For me personally, my favourites are “Doa.com”, “Quota”, “Second Shadow”, “Gold, Paper and Bare Bones,” and “The End”.
September 28, 2021
My favourite stories were “Tujuh” and “(A)nak (I)bu”.
Nonetheless a good proportion of the stories didn’t quite resonate with me; I felt that their emotional development was oftentimes overshadowed by way too expositional attempts at world-building.
Nonetheless a good proportion of the stories didn’t quite resonate with me; I felt that their emotional development was oftentimes overshadowed by way too expositional attempts at world-building.
December 14, 2022
Rating: 3.5 - 3.75 (rounded up to 4)
I love the idea behind this collection of short stories of speculative fiction focused on the Malay community in Singapore! I especially loved the foreword re: how it can be speculated (ha) that the Malays of yonder times' storytelling were heavily founded on what we call speculative fiction today.
Alas, as with most short story collections, this one proves to be a mixed bag of offerings. Regardless, I enjoyed most of these stories, though my personal favorites are "Transgressions" (loved this and looking forward to read more of Diana Rahim's writings!), "Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones" & "Mother Techno".
Overall, I love the idea behind this anthology and hope to read more fiction in this vein. Also, kudos to the artist who conceptualized and brought the book cover art to life!
I love the idea behind this collection of short stories of speculative fiction focused on the Malay community in Singapore! I especially loved the foreword re: how it can be speculated (ha) that the Malays of yonder times' storytelling were heavily founded on what we call speculative fiction today.
Alas, as with most short story collections, this one proves to be a mixed bag of offerings. Regardless, I enjoyed most of these stories, though my personal favorites are "Transgressions" (loved this and looking forward to read more of Diana Rahim's writings!), "Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones" & "Mother Techno".
Overall, I love the idea behind this anthology and hope to read more fiction in this vein. Also, kudos to the artist who conceptualized and brought the book cover art to life!
September 1, 2021
Was super excited to receive #singapurapura by Nazry Bahrawi from Ethos Books.
Speculative fiction teases out shared ideologies and realities by introducing new scenarios. I’m more partial to scifi themes but the fantasy stories were also very enjoyable to read.
The editor Nazry Bahrawi’s intention is to bring Malay literature (translated or written in English) to the singlit scene, as well as to ‘decolonize the mind’ - challenge the persisting colonial mindset of the Malay community (if you’re wondering what that is - you can read a summary of The Myth of The Lazy Native).
Some of my favourites:
In Mother Techno, ila sets out a future where women gain points for birthing children and making other gendered contributions, and faces penalties if they don’t. This didn’t seem to far off to me. People are already considered assets under capitalism, useful for our productivity or reproductive capacities.
I particularly loved Diana Rahim’s Transgression, which explores themes of child abuse and neglect, and the complexities of grief and obsession, through a fantasy story. The protagonist’s father was dragged into sea by a underwater being and spat out after 40 years, only to return to a world where only 4 years have passed. While grieving for his lover and desperately trying to return underwater, he became emotionally destructive towards himself and his daughter.
I found Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones by Farihan Bahron especially poignant and heartbreaking. A story to highlight the life under capitalism. A old man struggles to get enough points to be allowed to retire. Sounds familiar?
Thank you for the ARC Ethos!
Speculative fiction teases out shared ideologies and realities by introducing new scenarios. I’m more partial to scifi themes but the fantasy stories were also very enjoyable to read.
The editor Nazry Bahrawi’s intention is to bring Malay literature (translated or written in English) to the singlit scene, as well as to ‘decolonize the mind’ - challenge the persisting colonial mindset of the Malay community (if you’re wondering what that is - you can read a summary of The Myth of The Lazy Native).
Some of my favourites:
In Mother Techno, ila sets out a future where women gain points for birthing children and making other gendered contributions, and faces penalties if they don’t. This didn’t seem to far off to me. People are already considered assets under capitalism, useful for our productivity or reproductive capacities.
I particularly loved Diana Rahim’s Transgression, which explores themes of child abuse and neglect, and the complexities of grief and obsession, through a fantasy story. The protagonist’s father was dragged into sea by a underwater being and spat out after 40 years, only to return to a world where only 4 years have passed. While grieving for his lover and desperately trying to return underwater, he became emotionally destructive towards himself and his daughter.
I found Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones by Farihan Bahron especially poignant and heartbreaking. A story to highlight the life under capitalism. A old man struggles to get enough points to be allowed to retire. Sounds familiar?
Thank you for the ARC Ethos!
August 18, 2021
Singa-Pura-Pura is a collection of Malay speculative fiction that intertwines science and culture; it reimagines stories, delves into alternate realities, and presents possible futures. These short stories explore the past, present and future, and examine how they tie in with relationships to cities, culture, people and status quos. As a genre dominated by anglophones, this collection serves to highlight the historic Malay literary movement from the south that continues its legacy till today, analysing several different issues through a uniquely Malay perspective.
I won't lie, it was sometimes difficult to understand some parts both linguistically and culturally since I myself am not Malay, but the afterword and glossary at the back really helped a lot in better understanding the intentions of the writers, as well as the words and phrases utilised. And there's always Google Translate for the lengthier sentences :> More than that, many of the topics and issues discussed are also applicable across cultures—those that explored the strain of technology, culture and remembrance were some of my favourites!
Like most of the short story collections I've read before, there were stories that I enjoyed more than others. Particular stand-outs for me would be Second Shadow by Noridah Kamari, which incorporated magical realism and Orwell references, and Isolated Future #2: MacRitchie Treetops by bani haykal, which explored peaceful co-existence with nature in a very intriguing way. Other favourites include Doa.com by Hassan Hasaa'Ree Ali, Mother Techno by ila, and Gold, Paper and Bare Bones by Farihan Bahron.
The one I had difficulty enjoying the most was unfortunately Tujuh by Nazry Bahwari, but it was simply because of the body horror and graphic imagery content (CWs!) in the story that made me feel too uncomfortable and slightly disturbed. Just a fair warning for those (like me) who can't stomach these things!
Overall, Singa-Pura-Pura's stories are intriguing, exploratory and fresh in many different ways—some stories even give you that sense of unease you would feel when watching a Black Mirror episode. I recommend this if you're looking to delve into some local spec-fic, you like spec-fic, or you enjoy reading stories on magical realism/science fiction!
Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I won't lie, it was sometimes difficult to understand some parts both linguistically and culturally since I myself am not Malay, but the afterword and glossary at the back really helped a lot in better understanding the intentions of the writers, as well as the words and phrases utilised. And there's always Google Translate for the lengthier sentences :> More than that, many of the topics and issues discussed are also applicable across cultures—those that explored the strain of technology, culture and remembrance were some of my favourites!
Like most of the short story collections I've read before, there were stories that I enjoyed more than others. Particular stand-outs for me would be Second Shadow by Noridah Kamari, which incorporated magical realism and Orwell references, and Isolated Future #2: MacRitchie Treetops by bani haykal, which explored peaceful co-existence with nature in a very intriguing way. Other favourites include Doa.com by Hassan Hasaa'Ree Ali, Mother Techno by ila, and Gold, Paper and Bare Bones by Farihan Bahron.
The one I had difficulty enjoying the most was unfortunately Tujuh by Nazry Bahwari, but it was simply because of the body horror and graphic imagery content (CWs!) in the story that made me feel too uncomfortable and slightly disturbed. Just a fair warning for those (like me) who can't stomach these things!
Overall, Singa-Pura-Pura's stories are intriguing, exploratory and fresh in many different ways—some stories even give you that sense of unease you would feel when watching a Black Mirror episode. I recommend this if you're looking to delve into some local spec-fic, you like spec-fic, or you enjoy reading stories on magical realism/science fiction!
Thank you to Ethos Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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August 12, 2021Singa-Pura-Pura is a spectacular collection of science fiction inspired short stories filled with magical realism set in Singapore. Written by some of the best emerging and established local Malay writers, these relaxing and wondrous Singaporean tales of speculative fiction examine relationships, race, religion, and so much more.
Pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd September to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from Nazry Bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)!
Many thanks to @ethosbooks for this review copy 🤗
Pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd September to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from Nazry Bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)!
Many thanks to @ethosbooks for this review copy 🤗
September 5, 2021
Things I loved: The simultaneous universality of some of the issues discussed in these stories—familial tensions, to societal pressures and patriarchal woes—and the equal challenge to expand my understanding, especially with some of the terminology and references used. That this collection doesn’t warp or change itself to be easily comprehended by non-Malays, but proposes that *you* make the effort to understand it instead.
May 21, 2024
3.5*
my favorites are doa.com, quota, (A)nak (I)bu, and The End!
my favorites are doa.com, quota, (A)nak (I)bu, and The End!
October 1, 2021
This was a bit of a mixed bag. As is the nature of the anthology, there were some stories that I loved, and others that I felt were thinner -- brief ideas that were not fully developed. I think scifi/spec fiction works best when you care about its characters as much as the underlying idea, and some of the tales allowed the idea to eclipse the story. My favourite was Transgression by Diana Rahim, which has all the elements of a story that I love: familial tensions, a revisionist myth/fairytale elegantly portrayed, as much unspoken as made explicit.
March 14, 2023
While reading Singa Pura-Pura, I can relate to most of the stories. Which leads me, as an Indonesian, to have this question: how do you identify yourself? Is it by the skin color? religion? language?
My favorite story from this book is "Doa.com".
This story describes about a workaholic person who still finds time to visit his parent's grave and pray for them.
The interpretation is amusing, because, in my childhood, I have always been taught to always pray for my parents.
Then from this story I imagined how the meaning of "praying for your parents" shifted so that humans could create "pre-recorded recitations".
Because humans are too busy with their work and life, but they cannot be separated from the 'budaya' that has been taught for generations.
My favorite story from this book is "Doa.com".
This story describes about a workaholic person who still finds time to visit his parent's grave and pray for them.
The interpretation is amusing, because, in my childhood, I have always been taught to always pray for my parents.
Then from this story I imagined how the meaning of "praying for your parents" shifted so that humans could create "pre-recorded recitations".
Because humans are too busy with their work and life, but they cannot be separated from the 'budaya' that has been taught for generations.
August 28, 2021
Incoming review: Singa Pura-Pura from @ethosbooks
When i first got presented with Singa pura-pura from @ethosbooks for reviewing, I was very intrigued by the synopsis. Future? AI psychotherapists? A portal to realms undersea? Sign me up.
Singa Pura-Pura is a Malay speculative fiction that is comprised of short stories from several authors. Thanks to editor and translator Nazry Bahrawi, we get to enjoy this unique collection of works.
Quick rating: ⅘ 🌟
The cover may seem colourful and random, but each element on the cover ties back to each story in the book. I thought that this was a nifty detail. A lot of thought must have been given to conceptualizing this amazing cover. Kudos to Muhammad Izdi!
Out of the 13 speculative fiction, some are bound to hit harder than others, but the following four are the ones that leave the deepest impression on me:
Beginning by Nor
Transgression by Diana Rahim
(A)nak (I)bu by Tuty Alawiyah Isnin
Mother Techno
Here’s my attempt to explain why they stuck with me in a few sentences:
Beginning by nor is an alternative take to the creation of mankind. As someone with no fixed beliefs, I was very open and intrigued to/ by this speculative fictional concept.
Transgression by Diana Rahim speaks of a girl whose shadow does not obey. She is a child born to a human and an entity. The human who was dragged under the sea lived in the underwater realm for 40 years, and yet, only 4 years passed up above. What of his daughter?
(A)nak (I)bu by Tuty Alawiyah Isnin speaks of an AI psychotherapist and a patient who is being threatened to annihilate AIs like this one. How can a robot comprehend the complexity of mankind’s emotions?
Mother Techno by ila is set in the future where fertile women below the age of 30 are identified as assets; it is a world where one’s status is measured by the amount of sociocapita points accumulated.
Singa-Pura-Pura was my first experience of speculative fiction and I gotta say, I like this genre. I think what made it more enjoyable was the fact that most (if not all) of the short stories are written in Singapore context & setting, which made the story feel all the more, possible and relatable.
Singa-Pura-Pura is a Malay speculative fiction. As a Singaporean-chinese, there were many malay phrases which I didn’t understand. Thankfully, there is a glossary at the back of the book which covers most of the malay words and phrases. You may think that it is a hassle, to keep referring. However, after reading @yatzerooni ‘s review, I learned that this was very much done on purpose and gives us a taste of the estrangement faced by minorities.
Also, this may sound really strange, but I can totally see Singa-Pura-Pura being discussed and dissected by secondary school classes should it be introduced as a Literature material. If I were still in secondary school, I would be really keen on understanding more for some of the texts.
All in all, Singa-Pura-Pura gave a refreshing take on Malay (speculative) fiction. I found it quite surprising that these were written by local Malay authors! Thank you to all the authors who contributed to this book, and of course, Nazry for translating their works!
Pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd September to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from Nazry Bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)!
When i first got presented with Singa pura-pura from @ethosbooks for reviewing, I was very intrigued by the synopsis. Future? AI psychotherapists? A portal to realms undersea? Sign me up.
Singa Pura-Pura is a Malay speculative fiction that is comprised of short stories from several authors. Thanks to editor and translator Nazry Bahrawi, we get to enjoy this unique collection of works.
Quick rating: ⅘ 🌟
The cover may seem colourful and random, but each element on the cover ties back to each story in the book. I thought that this was a nifty detail. A lot of thought must have been given to conceptualizing this amazing cover. Kudos to Muhammad Izdi!
Out of the 13 speculative fiction, some are bound to hit harder than others, but the following four are the ones that leave the deepest impression on me:
Beginning by Nor
Transgression by Diana Rahim
(A)nak (I)bu by Tuty Alawiyah Isnin
Mother Techno
Here’s my attempt to explain why they stuck with me in a few sentences:
Beginning by nor is an alternative take to the creation of mankind. As someone with no fixed beliefs, I was very open and intrigued to/ by this speculative fictional concept.
Transgression by Diana Rahim speaks of a girl whose shadow does not obey. She is a child born to a human and an entity. The human who was dragged under the sea lived in the underwater realm for 40 years, and yet, only 4 years passed up above. What of his daughter?
(A)nak (I)bu by Tuty Alawiyah Isnin speaks of an AI psychotherapist and a patient who is being threatened to annihilate AIs like this one. How can a robot comprehend the complexity of mankind’s emotions?
Mother Techno by ila is set in the future where fertile women below the age of 30 are identified as assets; it is a world where one’s status is measured by the amount of sociocapita points accumulated.
Singa-Pura-Pura was my first experience of speculative fiction and I gotta say, I like this genre. I think what made it more enjoyable was the fact that most (if not all) of the short stories are written in Singapore context & setting, which made the story feel all the more, possible and relatable.
Singa-Pura-Pura is a Malay speculative fiction. As a Singaporean-chinese, there were many malay phrases which I didn’t understand. Thankfully, there is a glossary at the back of the book which covers most of the malay words and phrases. You may think that it is a hassle, to keep referring. However, after reading @yatzerooni ‘s review, I learned that this was very much done on purpose and gives us a taste of the estrangement faced by minorities.
Also, this may sound really strange, but I can totally see Singa-Pura-Pura being discussed and dissected by secondary school classes should it be introduced as a Literature material. If I were still in secondary school, I would be really keen on understanding more for some of the texts.
All in all, Singa-Pura-Pura gave a refreshing take on Malay (speculative) fiction. I found it quite surprising that these were written by local Malay authors! Thank you to all the authors who contributed to this book, and of course, Nazry for translating their works!
Pre-order Singa-Pura-Pura from Ethos Books at bit.ly/singapurapura from now till 3rd September to receive your physical copy of the book, along with a free copy of the ebook, bonus readings from Nazry Bahrawi and a limited edition sticker set for the first 100 preorders (while stocks last)!
August 14, 2021
The first story in this anthology is ‘Beginning’ by nor. It is a gorgeous rewriting of the familiar creation myth. I have not been able to stop thinking about this story and how it attempts to explain why violence and suffering seem inherent in existence, or how existence itself is rooted in female sacrifice.
It is impossible to fully encapsulate this anthology within an Instagram caption because of the sheer breadth of themes and approaches towards the genre. Like the myth in the opening story, what we hail as speculative fiction takes on a new definition in these translated tales. So many of these stories are set in a bleak future rife with A.I. anxiety or the threat of humanity becoming reduced to an unforgiving point system. However, they are clear allegories for the harrowing experience of being an Other/woman/both today.
I found particularly interesting the two stories about disobedient shadows:
“Her shadow had begun to rebel.”
‘Transgression’ by Rahim is a vivid and imaginative short story reminiscent of the Japanese fairytale, Urashima Taro, which is about a man who spends a few days in the Palace of the Dragon God, only to find out that he was gone for 100 years. Similarly, the protagonist’s father had a supernatural encounter and have “longed for a being that was not of this earth” since. The protagonist is a changeling of sorts — the result of a union that was deemed transgressive and unholy in the eyes of religion. Her profound alienation from the rest of humanity, her neither-here-nor-there-ness, comes to a head when her mother decides to recall her to the other world. The rebellion of her shadow transforms into a confirmation of maternal love, protection, and eventually guidance towards transcendence.
“Qamal could not pinpoint the exact moment when his shadow had split into two”
In ‘Second Shadow’ by Kamari, the protagonist is a controversial writer whose actions have placed him on the government’s watchlist. He is bullied into poverty and treated as a pariah in his own country because he dares to critique the “reigning” system. The story is peppered with references to Oceania and Ingsoc; the parallels drawn between the Orwellian state and this other totalitarian surveillance state are straightforward and intentional. Unlike ‘Transgression,’ the second shadow here functions as a metaphor for surveillance, censorship, and ultimately, betrayal.
It is impossible to fully encapsulate this anthology within an Instagram caption because of the sheer breadth of themes and approaches towards the genre. Like the myth in the opening story, what we hail as speculative fiction takes on a new definition in these translated tales. So many of these stories are set in a bleak future rife with A.I. anxiety or the threat of humanity becoming reduced to an unforgiving point system. However, they are clear allegories for the harrowing experience of being an Other/woman/both today.
I found particularly interesting the two stories about disobedient shadows:
“Her shadow had begun to rebel.”
‘Transgression’ by Rahim is a vivid and imaginative short story reminiscent of the Japanese fairytale, Urashima Taro, which is about a man who spends a few days in the Palace of the Dragon God, only to find out that he was gone for 100 years. Similarly, the protagonist’s father had a supernatural encounter and have “longed for a being that was not of this earth” since. The protagonist is a changeling of sorts — the result of a union that was deemed transgressive and unholy in the eyes of religion. Her profound alienation from the rest of humanity, her neither-here-nor-there-ness, comes to a head when her mother decides to recall her to the other world. The rebellion of her shadow transforms into a confirmation of maternal love, protection, and eventually guidance towards transcendence.
“Qamal could not pinpoint the exact moment when his shadow had split into two”
In ‘Second Shadow’ by Kamari, the protagonist is a controversial writer whose actions have placed him on the government’s watchlist. He is bullied into poverty and treated as a pariah in his own country because he dares to critique the “reigning” system. The story is peppered with references to Oceania and Ingsoc; the parallels drawn between the Orwellian state and this other totalitarian surveillance state are straightforward and intentional. Unlike ‘Transgression,’ the second shadow here functions as a metaphor for surveillance, censorship, and ultimately, betrayal.
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December 25, 2023i don't think i've ever read spec-fic (speculative fiction) before... this was a really cool introduction to the genre as someone who generally enjoys sci-fi, as well as anthology-type reads. i was also really excited to read this since i'd never read any collection that specifically focused on fiction by Malay writers. now i have! and what a vibrant and wonderful weaving of work this was.
i enjoyed this collection -- although i did feel unfamiliar with the genre at times, i liked how immersive each story felt. i do think that i probably missed out on some notes as a reader, since i don't speak Malay (i google translated bits and pieces, but that's never going to be 100% the same). i don't think that detracted from the overall collection in any major way for me, though. there are questions that i thought about throughout this collection... about singaporean society + our global emphasis on progress, development, capitalism + (as the preface says) "the search for what is human in space and the oceans". very cool work :">
my favorites were "Transgressions" (this was magical, magical work by Diana Rahim!!), "Doa.com", and "Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones." i'm excited by this genre and the imagination and artistry that energizes this collection.
i enjoyed this collection -- although i did feel unfamiliar with the genre at times, i liked how immersive each story felt. i do think that i probably missed out on some notes as a reader, since i don't speak Malay (i google translated bits and pieces, but that's never going to be 100% the same). i don't think that detracted from the overall collection in any major way for me, though. there are questions that i thought about throughout this collection... about singaporean society + our global emphasis on progress, development, capitalism + (as the preface says) "the search for what is human in space and the oceans". very cool work :">
my favorites were "Transgressions" (this was magical, magical work by Diana Rahim!!), "Doa.com", and "Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones." i'm excited by this genre and the imagination and artistry that energizes this collection.
March 11, 2023
A really fun anthology! This anthology delves into the topic of technological advancement and experiments on what the societal dynamic might look like if we were to access such advancement. It's a fun read for me because the cultural background is too similar that I can find myself in such situations in several stories like 'Doa.com' (rich child buys underground burial ground for his parents that comes with free recitations, can't recite the qur'an) or 'Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones' (if you earn a certain amount you'll be given an unlimited amount of privileges and able to retire, a classic retelling of the horrors of capitalism) - not to mention several other stories that involve not only the technological advancement part but also the mythology and paranormal horror that are very much alive in the Southeast Asian culture and society. Overall a very intriguing speculative sci-fi horror fiction! Great book.
November 6, 2021
First off, I want to say this cover is absolutely stunning. I love how there is a page dedicated to the inspiration behind this illustration at the end of the book. The thought that go into this is amazing. This is my first read on speculative fiction and although this is mainly about Malay fiction, I still thoroughly enjoyed this.
This is a collection of short stories translated from Malay written by emerging writers from Singapore. These stories are divided into four parts - the supernatural, new technology, modernism and cultures ad families. Although I cannot relate to some of the stories, I find all of them unique and refreshing! I especially love how the editor kept the Malay phrases and songs in some stories which showed us a glimpse into what Malay literature is like.
Like most short stories compilations, there are bound to be some stories that I enjoyed more than others. Here are a few I really loved:
- The Chip, where humans are bounded by nano-chips to follow a more authoritarian regime.
- Transgression, which explores the themes of child neglect and grief through fantasy.
- Gold, Paper and Bare Bones, where it highlights life under capitalism. What does it take for us to retire? When will our hard work ever be enough?
- Anak Ibu, where human jobs are constantly being threatened by AI, even the job of a psychotherapist can be achieved by AI. Does an AI possess the humanity and empathy for this role?
- Mother Techno, where women gains points for being fertile. Only fertile women are considered as assets.
Overall, the stories are thought-provoking and very intriguing. I really applaud the authors for their creativity. I feel that some of the topics discussed are also applicable to other cultures in terms of technology, modernism and families. I recommend this if you would like to give speculative fiction a try. It’s definitely worth a read.
This is a collection of short stories translated from Malay written by emerging writers from Singapore. These stories are divided into four parts - the supernatural, new technology, modernism and cultures ad families. Although I cannot relate to some of the stories, I find all of them unique and refreshing! I especially love how the editor kept the Malay phrases and songs in some stories which showed us a glimpse into what Malay literature is like.
Like most short stories compilations, there are bound to be some stories that I enjoyed more than others. Here are a few I really loved:
- The Chip, where humans are bounded by nano-chips to follow a more authoritarian regime.
- Transgression, which explores the themes of child neglect and grief through fantasy.
- Gold, Paper and Bare Bones, where it highlights life under capitalism. What does it take for us to retire? When will our hard work ever be enough?
- Anak Ibu, where human jobs are constantly being threatened by AI, even the job of a psychotherapist can be achieved by AI. Does an AI possess the humanity and empathy for this role?
- Mother Techno, where women gains points for being fertile. Only fertile women are considered as assets.
Overall, the stories are thought-provoking and very intriguing. I really applaud the authors for their creativity. I feel that some of the topics discussed are also applicable to other cultures in terms of technology, modernism and families. I recommend this if you would like to give speculative fiction a try. It’s definitely worth a read.
July 15, 2023
Kumpulan cerita yang memadukan science-fiction dengan kultur warga Melayu di Singapura. Gaya penulisan cerpen lumayan absurd. Mayoritas cerpen mengangkat tema perkembangan teknologi yang mengancam manusia. Ancaman berupa hilangnya lapangan pekerjaan hingga hilangnya makna doa. Dalam satu cerpen menceritakan perkembangan teknologi membuat manusia lupa cara berdoa secara konvensional yang merupakan dampak dari terbiasa serba modern. Ketika membaca Singa-Pura-Pura terasa familiar karena kultur warga Melayu dan Indonesia nyaris sama. Apalagi dengan ajaran Islam yang menjadi pijakan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.
- She had the desire to leave this earth, yes, but it was not a desire to die.
- She had the desire to leave this earth, yes, but it was not a desire to die.
March 1, 2023
3.5 stars, with some stories I enjoyed more and others less, as is typical with an anthology. With the recent talk and discussion about AI chatbots like ChatGPT, this book was in some ways an imaginative response to these debates. I especially enjoyed the middle section that collected stories reimagining a futuristic Singapore. Quite funny to see the heavy presence of the state in almost every story, the almost absurd adherence to rules and regulations and the Singapore obsession with collecting points to get a certain grade.
January 20, 2025
I enjoyed Nazry’s closing commentary essay on spec-fics written by Singaporean Malays as much as I did the stories, & I appreciate the context situating the community within free larger literary industry. As always with anthologies, the stories are a mixed bag. But I particularly loved the prologue & epilogue by nor which are great bookends. The short stories on happiness & retiree points were effective, & Diana Rahim’s story on the bunian(? mermaid?) haunted me well I felt like experiencing a fever dream.
March 1, 2023
3.5/5
For me some of the stories are somewhat bland and did not leave much impression on me after reading them—I personally think they were too short, not fully explored, and…half-baked?
However, I found some are quite intriguing and fascinating: ‘(A)nak (I)bu’, ‘Second Shadow’, and ‘Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones’—I am putting them into my personal favorites right away.
But still a good and fresh speculative fiction to read nonetheless.
For me some of the stories are somewhat bland and did not leave much impression on me after reading them—I personally think they were too short, not fully explored, and…half-baked?
However, I found some are quite intriguing and fascinating: ‘(A)nak (I)bu’, ‘Second Shadow’, and ‘Gold, Paper, and Bare Bones’—I am putting them into my personal favorites right away.
But still a good and fresh speculative fiction to read nonetheless.
August 10, 2024
I genuinely think the ratings on this book should be higher. I really enjoyed pretty much all the short stories in this collection and none of them dragged. A couple were even too fast-paced, which honestly I’d rather have than a story that drags on for 50 pages.
The stories are about 10 pages long on average, so a really quick read. The stories are all set in the future, except for the first one, a creation story which I really really enjoyed.
My favorites were: Beginning, Prayers from a Guitar, Doa.com, (A)nak (I)bu.
The stories are about 10 pages long on average, so a really quick read. The stories are all set in the future, except for the first one, a creation story which I really really enjoyed.
My favorites were: Beginning, Prayers from a Guitar, Doa.com, (A)nak (I)bu.
September 27, 2024
First timer for speculative fiction (I think?) and this was quite like a fever dream reading. But, on the other side, to think that those “what ifs” have either already happened these days (in some ways) or not so far-fetched imagination makes me feel eerie. The cultural backgrounds are so close to ours, as this comes from Hikayat Melayu (cmiiw). The future that is tangled with humans, nature, spirit, and all of the entities that shape the universe comes together in a not-so-harmonic way.
September 30, 2024
a collection that is light and easy enough to get through, but thought-provoking enough to create profound pockets of reflection within my lived reality. I'm in awe by the talent in my community and I'm so excited to explore more works by our authors. as is the nature of specfic I felt my imagination being challenged and perforated by the stories laced as they were, and what breathtaking horizons they brought me to.
January 2, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Initial thoughts: Some of these stories were brilliant. Also, as with most anthologies, I didn’t quite enjoy a few of these stories, and I felt that I had to drag myself through them in the hopes that others would be worth it. In any case, it is such an important and worthy addition to the landscape of Singapore literature, offering a platform to the ethnic minority voices of Malay writers.
Initial thoughts: Some of these stories were brilliant. Also, as with most anthologies, I didn’t quite enjoy a few of these stories, and I felt that I had to drag myself through them in the hopes that others would be worth it. In any case, it is such an important and worthy addition to the landscape of Singapore literature, offering a platform to the ethnic minority voices of Malay writers.
November 8, 2022
4.5/5? My first foray into speculative fiction and I’m glad its one situated in this region, and one which brings a decolonial, slightly subversive perspective. I thought this was a well-curated selection of short stories, and while some didn’t land for me, I really enjoyed most of them. Would especially recommend this to non-Malay readers in Singapore
April 5, 2023
A mix of Malay fiction stories which is already a refreshing tale to start with. However, some stories felt a little flat and there were a lot of Malay terms used which I’m not sure would be inclusive to non-Malay speaking readers. I only discovered the glossary of terms at the end of the book after finishing the book which was a shame. The foreword could have made a mention of this.
February 1, 2024
Honestly this is my first time reading speculative fiction and I must say, I loved it! It’s easy for me to read since I have short attention span.
The stories are pretty interesting and imaginative, transporting you to another world while still retaining familiar elements. I have nothing else to say but its worth getting it imo.
The stories are pretty interesting and imaginative, transporting you to another world while still retaining familiar elements. I have nothing else to say but its worth getting it imo.
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February 24, 2022A really important collection in amplifying Malay voices in the local spec fic canon! A lot of the stories were more concept-driven and less character-driven than I prefer, though, but that's a lot of personal style for what I like in spec fic stories.
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