8 Malaysian Novels To Read That Spotlight The Beauty Of Local States Through The Past & Present

Malaysian novels to read

Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures, cuisines, and communities. The blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and other indigenous influences create a colourful mosaic of what makes up modern Malaysian culture. These influences are also vividly reflected in many Malaysian novels.

With that in mind, here is a list of 8 novels written by Malaysian authors in English that showcase the beauty of our states through the past and present. They’ll take you on a trip through the country’s landscapes, rich history, cultural heritage, and natural charm.

1. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

A traditional Chinese custom brought to life in Melaka

Image credit: Bookycnidaria

Marriage follows a series of commitments, vows, and promises to the person we choose to spend our entire life with. However, for 17-year-old Li Lan, the protaganist of Yangsze Choo’s The Ghost Bride, that doesn’t seem to be the case when her father proposes the idea of her marrying the recently deceased son of the wealthy Lim family.

Li Lan as she is haunted by dreams of her ghostly marriage night after night, eventually being spirited away to the ghostly realms of the afterlife.

Image credit: South China Morning Post

The Ghost Bride delves heavily into traditional Chinese customs, superstitions, and beliefs of the afterlife while being set in colonial-era Melaka, home to the Stadthuys and ornate merchant estates, during the 19th century when diverse trade merchants from all over the world roamed through the bustling port town.

Choo’s debut novel was also adapted into a Netflix series of the same title too.

2. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

The story of a sole surviving prisoner of war in Cameron Highlands

Image credit: Lianne Sim via LinkedIn

With a title as pretty-sounding as The Garden of Evening Mists, this novel by Tan Twan Eng does back it up with its writing. Both traumatising and beautiful, the book follows Yun Ling, a sole surviving prisoner of war during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

Wanting to preserve her memory from illness, Yun Ling revisits her painful past of being a prisoner of war of Japan and a troubled relationship with her Japanese mentor Nakamura Aritomo, a former imperial gardener for the Emperor of Japan.

A scene from the film adaption of the book, shot in Cameron Highlands.
Image credit: News Lens

Set in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, during World War II and in its aftermath, the story beautifully illustrates the rolling green hills of the tea plantation, lush forests, and English-style architecture that are home to the misty locale.

3. Hamra and The Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf

A plot inspired by ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ but set in Langkawi

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Imagine if the Little Red Riding Hood took place in the lush jungles of Langkawi in Kedah, and you’ll get Hamra and The Jungle of Memories. Hanna Alkaf’s Malaysian reimaging of the classic fairy-tale follows Hamra, a 13-year-old girl who has grown tired of playing the perfect dutiful daughter for her parents.

She receives a neverending series of nags from her parents on her birthday while also being tasked with gathering some ulam in the deep jungles of Langkawi for her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandmother Feeling frustrated and rebellious, she ignores the rules of the jungle that her grandparents have instilled in her and that’s when Hamra crosses paths with a weretiger that haunts her every step throughout her journey in the jungles.

The Temurun Waterfall in Langkawi.
Image credit: @weavingearthnectar via Instagram

The young adult novel takes place during the Covid-19 pandemic, taking readers on a magical adventure through the heart of the deep jungle, weaving together Malay folklore, culture, and friendship to show that love can conquer all.

4. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

A page-turning depiction of 1930s Penang

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If you ever wanted to read novel that vividly captures Penang’s rich history and heritage with a page-turning plot to boot, The Gift of Rain is where you’ll find it. Eng’s first novel is set before and during the height of World War II with the arrival of the Japanese army and the occupation of Malaya.

Readers are swept into the vibrant, turbulent world of 1930s Penang through the eyes of Philip Hutton, a half-Chinese, half-British young man grappling with his identity and loyalty as whispers of encroaching war reach Malayan shores.

Philip’s complex relationship with his Japanese martial arts mentor, Endo-san, grows increasingly strained as his trust towards him waivers when the Japanese invades Penang.

A picture of Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also known as ‘The Blue Mansion’.
Image credit: @cheongfatttzemansion via Instagram

Eng’s vivid description of Penang’s environment, buildings, and characters brings rich historical details to life. Some well-known places of interest mentioned in the story include Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Armenian Street, Kek Lok Si Temple, and Batu Ferringhi Beach.

5. The Girl and The Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

Supernatural & Malay folklore from the states of Kelantan & Perak

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We typically picture family inheritance in forms of material items, like money, cars, or even a whole house. However, the protagonist of The Girl and The Ghost, Suraya is bestowed a pelesit by her witch grandmother, a spirit from Malay folklore that takes the form of a grasshopper that is passed on exclusively through female lineages.

Blending supernatural aspects of Malay folklore with a heartfelt story about friendship, family lineages, and navigating through toxic relationships, Alkaf’s novel makes for a thrilling read for middle-graders and adults alike.

A picture of Bukit Gua Musang in Kelantan.
Image credit: @pavithran.nair via Instagram

Most Malaysians would feel at home with Alkaf’s depictions of Malaysia’s stifling heat, as well as the nighttime humming of mosquitoes among the seemingly endless line of trees that stretches across the countryside. The story takes place in current times in a rural kampung between the northern states of Malaysia. Notable locations mentioned in the story include Gua Musang, Kelantan, and Ipoh, Perak.

6. 912 Batu Road by Viji Krishnamoorthy

A generational story of two families in KL

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Delve into Malaysia’s past as 912 Batu Road takes readers on a story spanning from the Japanese occupation of Malaya to the 2000s. Inspired by the real 912 Batu Road, which is now known as Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur, the novel tells a generational story of two families.

Image credit: Malaysiakini

Set between 1940s Malaya and 2008 Malaysia, the book follows two families, the Iyers and the Tans throughout decades while weaving in real life war heroes like Sybil Kathigasu and Gurchan Singh into the story. Forced to commit betrayal against each other, both families navigate through war where people are fighting tooth and nail for survival against the Japanese.

7. The Accidental Malay by Karina Bahrin

A tale of interweaving cultures in KL

Image credit: @riwayatmy via Instagram

What would you do if you were set to inherit a family business that is worth billions of dollars, and one single truth makes you question whether or not you should inherit it? Well, that’s what Jasmine Leong, a 41-year old business woman experiences after discovering that she is part Malay-Muslim when she unearths family documents after the passing of her grandmother, just as she is about to inherit the family’s billion dollar bak kwa business.

Centred in the heart of Malaysia, in KL, and other parts of the country, The Accidental Malay by Karina Bahrin captures the fast-paced lives of business professionals in the metropolitan city. Readers have praised Bahrin’s lighthearted take on serious issues such as race, identity, and religion.

Some notable locations mentioned in the book are the various street stalls around the city centre, as well as Bursa Malaysia, formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

8. Bane of Widuri by Nadiah Zakaria

A forbidden garden & the seven orphans in Kedah

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Behind the gates of Widuri estate lies an 18th-century manor in Kedah sheltering seven orphaned girls named after flowers. The estate’s matron, Madam Dahlia, forbids the girls from leaving the estate grounds. Upon their 16th birthday, the girls are fated to be adopted and will be allowed to leave the manor.

The story of Bane of Widuri by Nadiah Zakaria centres around Melur as she sneaks into the forbidden garden of the Widuri estate to steal a flower for her eldest sister, Kemboja who is turning 16 very soon. However, Melur unearths hidden truths and dark secrets behind their orphanhood and the Widuri estate itself.

The author has another novel titled Revenge in Violent Hues, which is also set in Kedah.

Go on road-trip through Malaysia with these Malaysian novels

Hop on a road trip through these eight novels that are set in several states in Peninsula Malaysia. Even if you aren’t planning to travel inter-state, you could do so by just flipping through the pages of these novels.

Cover image adapted from: Goodreads