Status Updates From UNSAID: An Asian Anthology

(13) "the himachal leopard" — definitely not-for-me story. it was confusing and there's so many references that i didn't get. all i know was it pertains to Lord Shiva's return.

(12) "one night in cao zhuo" — it's like a quick whodunnit mystery with historical references to a Chinese dynasty and imperialism

(11) "the ruined hotel" — a story of grief about a lost romance of a woman and lost lives during Marcos' regime. this was really sad.

(10) "the banyan tree" — this is so eerie and unsettling AND I LOVED ITTTTT. it has cultural and spiritual references and it was done well.

(9) "an apartment of good intentions" — oh what a great story that reminds us that trust can be a tricky thing but let's turn away from helping hands. this is also a good reflection of Asian familial relationships that could be toxic at times.

(8) "lata" — this one started with conflicting emotions but ended with an inspiring note to always stand your ground. i hope for nothing but the best things for Lata.

(7) "the broken window" — this story is most relatable to diasporas who left their homeland to survive and thrive in another country. the writing was simple yet emotions were conflicting.

(6) "the peanut turtle" — this was simple and easy to understand. the topics of faith and religion were also very interesting. tho i didn't get the reference to peanut turtle.

(5) "tarawengkal, the shattered tile" — this is the first story that i think wasn't meant for me, not because it was bad but because it has references or nuances to their culture that i won't be able to understand. it was very interesting tho.

(4) "diwali lights" — writing itself was a little bur confusing and difficult to grasp but the last page could very well summarize it so still a good one

(3) "broken filaments" — this story showed how homosexuality or gender expression is being mocked or laughed upon in Malaysia during 1986 and honestly? it makes me wanna kill a fictional teacher

(2) "the taste of pickles" — the writing was plain & simple yet the story depicts a glimpse of a young Filipino-Chinese boy living in Binondo. the ending was a little bit confusing but i'd say that that woman was a total bitch

first story, "when we are young" — this is making me wanna read a full-length novel about race differentiation in Malaysia and follow Farida, Arun, & Hsian's friendship *sobs*