This was a quietly beautiful book by the Malaysian writer Tash Aw. I had seen it shortlisted and was curious about the premise, and I’m glad I picked it up. It was also the perfect heatwave book!
It’s a slowly building queer love story between two young people (Jay and Chuan) who are thrown together by circumstance. Jay and his family visit an old farm that has been inherited following a death in the family. The farm itself is failing and feels like a very isolated, forgotten place where Chuan’s father is eking out an increasingly desperate living as a smallholder. Through working together, the two young men discover a mutual attraction in the blazing heat. It’s a sweet and romantic connection, though Jay’s young age and inexperience are highlighted.
Fong, the father, is a well-drawn tragic figure and I enjoyed his interactions with Jay’s parents; as the book builds, more family secrets and feelings come tumbling out, and not just between the boys. Sui Ching, Jay’s mother, is another enigmatic character.
The book balances family history and background with the developing love story. You get a strong sense of place: the rhythms of physical farm-work and night markets and bars explored on scooters, and the dusty sidelined towns where people are trying to scratch together a living.
The novel explores a range of social issues, including economic and ecological challenges, which I found interesting. But there are still plenty of tender moments, and it captures that feeling of young love, along with the conflict between seeking independence, breaking away from family expectations, and embracing some form tenderness, no matter how incomplete.
A good read for pride month too!
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