Description
Step into a dazzling collection of nineteen stories where the living and the dead share the same streets, kitchens, and dreams. Across Malaysia and beyond, spirits, monsters, and ordinary people collide in tales that range from tender romance to sharp comedy, from haunting folklore to quietly devastating longing. With an expanded edition that adds nine new works—including the Hugo Award–winning “If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again.”—Zen Cho explores identity, diaspora, family expectations, and the negotiations of love and belonging, often through characters who must learn how to coexist with forces older than themselves. Her lyrical, witty style turns myth into intimate social commentary, making each encounter with the supernatural feel startlingly human.
Available Editions
paperback
Small Beer Press
Published Aug 10, 2021
223 pages
ISBN: 9781618731876
Reviews
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Community Reviews(1)
this was a really difficult read. having no experience with any malaysian language, culture, or history... i was really thrown into the deep end here and the things being discussed weren't the most google-able. (what good is google in 2025 filled with ai slop anyways?) some of the stories transcend language though and made me feel like i was gonna fucking implode. i wish there was some amount of glossary in the book though i respect the author not including one. it's on the reader to figure it the fuck out and research what they don't understand.
Details
First Published
2014
Language
eng
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho.