‘HOME Groan’ is a collection of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic art, compiled and edited by Anna Tan. It features work by twenty-two writers and three artists, all either based in Penang, or with a connection to Penang.
With illustrations by Winnie Cheng, Chew Yuin-Y, and X.Z. interspersing the writing, it makes for an attractive book, while the eclectic mix of different styles and genres means there is something for everyone here.
As with any collection, there will almost inevitably be an element of unevenness, even more so in a book that includes such a wide-ranging variety of material.
But apart from the diversity of content, some of the stories and essays in ‘Home Groan’ definitely shine more brightly than others.
For the most part, the writing is to a high standard, but in certain pieces, there is an informality that might be likened to the casual yet intimate style of letters from an elderly relative, or diary entries where the writers have managed to get their thoughts down on paper, but haven’t fully succeeded in giving them a coherent narrative structure.
Malaysian writing in English is at a precarious moment in its evolution, with publishers who once played a dominant role in the industry now just shadows of their former selves, meaning there are less local outlets for writers.
It is in this fragile ecosystem that people like Anna Tan come to play a role, nurturing new talents.
Tan is currently committee president of the Malaysian Writers Society and also helms the regional Penang committee, where she is chief editor for the annual NutMag ‘zine.
“Our goal has always been to help promote Penang-based writers, both published and unpublished, by giving them a platform and a tangible form of output to get into the hands of readers,” reads the introduction on NutMag’s website.
Home Groan grew out of a desire to mark NutMag’s fifth year, by expanding it to a full book form, and regular readers of NutMag will certainly notice some overlap in the role-call of contributors. But there are new, previously unpublished voices in ‘Home Groan’ too.
A few of the pieces might charitably be viewed more from the perspective of offering encouragement to budding writers, rather than being an endorsement or validation of their talents.
But what some of the writing may lack in style, it more than makes up for in sincerity. There is a certain guilelessness that connects several pieces in this book, that is both charming and endearing, and may make the reader feel more charitably disposed towards this collection than if it were simply viewed in terms of artistic merit.
But rather than focus on the book’s weaknesses, it’s worth highlighting a few of the standout pieces, including a ghost story by Anna Tan herself, titled ‘Regret’.
Besides playing the role of editor, Tan is an accomplished writer, and it shows, with this deftly-woven tale about a young woman who inherits a house that she frequented as a child. This is not a spooky or scary ghost story, but rather a wistful one - full of - aptly enough given the title, regrets.
Butterworth-born writer, Wan Phing Lim, is no stranger to Malaysian readers. Her work has appeared in The Principal Girl, Fixi Novo’s Little Basket 2017 and 2018, Remang, Kitaab’s The Best Asian Stories 2017, and many more publications, both in print and online.
It seems fitting, given her local renown and prolific output, that her story ‘The Goddess and the Sea’ is the opening piece in this collection.
From the outset, the reader is in safe hands, with this curious tale featuring Tua Pek Kong, Kuan Yin Ma, and Na Tuk Kong, the “three eminent gods most worshipped in Penang Chinese culture.”
‘Spice of Life’, Winston Lim’s story of a life-long rivalry between two former childhood friends who become extravagant and wealthy businessmen, is another piece deserving of attention.
The characters are skilfully and sympathetically portrayed, and there is enough local colour to give it a very real sense of place while resisting the temptation to try to include every clichéd detail of Penang.
Some of the stories, whether fiction or nonfiction, contain some interesting overlapping themes.
The trope of the absent father is one that occurs surprisingly frequently, though whether any broader cultural conclusion should be read into this coincidence is up to the reader to decide.
Another theme a few pieces touch upon is the huge societal changes that many Penangites have witnessed, for example in Kang Chung Yee’s non-fiction piece, where he describes a monitor lizard not infrequently appearing in his childhood kampung home in Jelutong, and contrasting this to scenes where “everyone sitting at the table is scrolling and swiping their own phones.”
One of my personal favourite stories in ‘Home Groan’ is ‘The Pickpocket’ by Anis Rozalina Ramli, a writer whose name was unfamiliar to me, but based on this accomplished story, someone whose work I would certainly like to see more of.
‘The Mysterious Attraction of Penang’ by Sukanya Dhanarajan, ‘Musings from the Land of One Better Lah’ by Elaine Lee Yew Mei, and ‘Janaki’s Journey’ by Krishnaveni K.K. Panikker, all offer trips down memory lane, evoking times past, the latter, along with Orange Ong’s ‘Growing up in BM’, shifting the focus from the island to the mainland.
Set in the forests of Penang’s National Park, ‘Ash to Ashes’ by Celine Wu tackles the theme of childhood bullying, imaginatively marrying it with environmental themes, in an evocative story that contains elements of the supernatural.
Vanessa Woodruff’s, ‘Reflections’ tells the story of a woman who “married into a conservative Hindu family” and sets out “on a mission to soak up everything about the Pearl of the Orient that she could.”
The book concludes on a strong note with a probing non-fiction piece by Mandy Chee, a writer whose work this reader would certainly like to see more of.
Partially titled: ‘Of Sweat and Dirt for Ais Kacang’, this is one of Home Groan’s best-written pieces.
With an interesting narrative structure, based around a gruelling ascent of Penang Hill, it explores what it means to be a Penangite, and the challenge of sacrificing everything that entails for a more lucrative career, but perhaps a less rich life, in KL.
Despite the few reservations expressed earlier, there’s a lot to like about this collection, and it’s a book that anyone who believes Malaysia’s writing scene in English deserves attention and support should add to their bookshelf. – The Vibes, January 16, 2021
Available online from NutMag and in Gerakbudaya Penang, elsewhere next month
