Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one's race or religion. This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. This isn't an easy story by far an author's note warns of 'graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers'-but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable. This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati's sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. Publisher: Simon & Schuster ISBN: 9781534426092 Number of pages: 304 Weight: 222 g Dimensions: 210 x 140 x 18 mm Edition: Reprint MEDIA REVIEWS

But the djinn in her mind threatens her ability to cope. Mel must survive on her own, with the help of a few kind strangers, until she finds her mother.

In her village, a neighbor tells her that her mother, a nurse, was called in to help with the many bodies piling up at the hospital. On their journey through town, Mel sees for herself the devastation caused by the riots. When gangsters come into the theater and hold movie-goers hostage, Mel, a Malay, is saved by a Chinese woman, but has to leave her best friend behind to die. Unlike most other sixteen-year-olds though, Mel also believes that she harbors a djinn inside her, one who threatens her with horrific images of her mother's death unless she adheres to an elaborate ritual of counting and tapping to keep him satisfied.Ī trip to the movies after school turns into a nightmare when the city erupts into violent race riots between the Chinese and the Malay. Melati Ahmad looks like your typical movie-going, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. A music loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this heart-pounding, 'stunning' ( Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut.

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf