TOYOLS, pontianaks and other specifically Malaysian apparitions have captured the imaginations of Malaysians for generations upon generations. Just uttering their names or a simple ‘hantu’ is enough to raise the superstitious hackles of people, no matter their socio-economic status or level of education. In many ways, wariness of the otherworldly is the great equaliser.
Toyols ’R’ Us, by writer Terence Toh, is a decidedly lighthearted affair that imbues the scary moments and the gory violence with a tongue-in-cheek quality, imagining a parallel secret world in the shadows of our own where the supernatural is commonplace.
The protagonist is Inspector Khairul – a cop investigating a series of grisly (and odd) murders around the KL area – who approaches his job with a sense of humour, even when it’s inappropriate. As far as he’s concerned, there’s no such thing as a bad time to drop a pun. When it comes to the otherworldly, he leans to the sceptical side of the spectrum, and this case tests his understanding of the world.
The murders – along with the plights of Ismail, a sad sack with an overly demanding wife who wants to be rich, and Jing, a desperate university student who’s four months pregnant and is unsure of what to do with her unborn child, – are the reader’s entryway into a secret world that’s remarkable in how ordinary and relatable it is.
The titular business, Toyols ’R’ Us – as can be inferred from the cute book cover – sells the reanimated foetuses to prospective customers, at a high cost, to serve in their folkloric role as thieves to enrich their masters. Because of their short stature and magical abilities they are able to fit into small spaces, under the noses of humans.
This is why Ismail wants one, and this is a key aspect that ties all the murders together. After all, crime – even magic crime – doesn’t pay. (At least in fiction.)
The world building is a high point of the book, as it sketches a very Malaysian parallel society with its own law enforcement (and criminals, with evil bomohs running amok), media infrastructure (Bomoh Business Monthly, etc), among other things. There are also numerous references to political events and their connection to supernatural forces.
Soon enough, Khairul links up with Detective Fara Astaka of the Bukit Aman Occult Investigative Unit, a veteran of these sorts of cases, who is all too comfortable with the mysterious side of life. She’s unflappable and maintains an air of stern professionalism – in contrast to the almost too affable Khairul.
This reversed Mulder-Scully dynamic (in the X-Files the guy was the true believer, while the woman was the sceptic) is one of the central throughlines of the book. There’s a decent amount of buddy comedy – with a Malaysian flavour – as Khairul tries to crack Fara’s imperviousness to humour. You can guess where that’s headed.
There are other clichés to be sure, such as the characterisation of the bad guys. Once you meet them you can pretty much guess their entire arc. Of course, these stereotypes aren’t that unrealistic so you can’t ding it too bad.
On the plus side, there are a good amount of twists and the Klang Valley specific humour – in terms of jokes poking fun at Bangsar and Klang, as well as on the various accents specific to certain places – give the book a nice local flavour. Khairul is in many ways a relatable character, he frequents mamak eateries and he disappoints his parents. He feels like someone who actually lives around the area.
It should also be noted that there is plenty of actual horror in Toyols ’R’ Us, with the toyols routinely carrying out bloody violence upon whomever they are ordered to by their masters. Also, it shouldn’t be surprising that toyol fighting pits don’t really have high safety standards.
In terms of the book itself, it’s a pretty quick read as it comes to about 250 pages. The level of English should be understandable by all, and the sprinkling of choice words from Malaysia’s other rich languages are appropriate – once again giving that local flavour. In many ways, Toyols ’R’ Us succeeds as a story of Malaysia, where the modern and the superstitious interact on a daily basis. – The Vibes, November 6, 2021
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