22/02/2026

ON SUNDAY February 22, 2026 theSunday Special XI

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng First published: 2007 (English) Tan Twan Eng’s debut novel, The Gift of Rain , takes us to Penang in the years before and during the Japanese Occupation. The protagonist, Philip Hutton, is a young man of mixed Eng lish and Chinese heritage who becomes entangled in the moral complexities of war after befriending a Japanese diplomat. The novel is sweeping in scope, mov ing from Penang’s colonial mansions to WKH MXQJOHV ZKHUH UHVLVWDQFH ¿JKWHUV battled the occupiers. At its heart is a meditation on loyalty, betrayal and identity. What does it mean to belong when you are pulled between worlds? For readers who love history blended with personal drama, The Gift of Rain offers a deeply moving narrative. It also shines a light on Penang’s unique cultural fabric during one of the darkest chapters of Malayan history. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng First published: 2012 (English) Tan Twan Eng’s The Garden of Evening Mists may be a more recent publication, but LW LV ¿UPO\ URRWHG LQ WKH V during the Malayan Emergency. The story follows Teoh Yun Ling, a woman scarred by her experi ences in a Japanese internment camp. She retreats to the Cam eron Highlands and apprentices herself to a Japanese gardener who once worked for the emperor. The novel weaves together memory, art and healing against the backdrop of communist in surgency and colonial retreat. Its lyrical prose earned it the Man Asian Literary Prize and a place on the Booker shortlist. Reading it is like walking into a mist-shrouded garden yourself – beautiful, layered and tinged with melancholy. It’s also a reminder that the Emergency years were not just about soldiers and guerrillas but about how ordinary people tried to rebuild their lives amid trauma. , - t - s er r. er nst n Its an on to a lf – with nder not s but ed to

Interlok by Abdullah Hussain First published: 1971 (Malay) If you’ve ever wanted to understand how Malays, Chinese and Indians lived side by side in the years before independence, Abdullah Hussain’s Interlok is worth a read. The novel spans several decades, but much of its energy is devoted to the social and cultural tensions of the 1940s and 1950s. At its core, the book traces the lives of three families – Malay, Chinese and Indian and how their stories interweave as Malaya inches towards nationhood. It is a novel of struggle and belong ing, sometimes controversial in its portrayals, but undeniably important as a record of how dif ferent communities experienced the era. Despite debates around its use in schools, Interlok remains a powerful narrative of identity and nation-building. It reminds us that our plural society was shaped not just by policy but by countless human stories of FRPSURPLVH DQG FRQÀLFW sain stand dians efore sain’s novel ch of ocial 940s the ay, heir ya is g in ly f d s s y

Did you know? Interlok was once part of Malaysia’s Form 5 literature syllabus but was later withdrawn after objections over its depictions of certain communities.

Did you know? The novel was adapted into a 2019 film starring Malaysian actress Angelica Lee Sinje and Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe.

YOU might ask, why read fiction about an era that feels so far removed from the Grab rides and skyscrapers of to day? The truth is, these novels aren’t just about the past. They remind us of the human costs behind historical headlines, of the resilience of communities and of the compromises that built the founda tion of modern Malaysia. They also show us that history isn’t abstract. It lives in the bodies and voices of characters such as Salina, Lahuma, Yun Ling and Philip. Through them, we can ask ourselves bigger questions about survival, identity and belonging – questions that are just as relevant in the 21st century. So, if you’re looking for your next weekend read, why not reach for a Malaysian novel that takes you back to the 1940s–1960s? You’ll get his tory, but with the added depth of lived experience. And who knows – you may even see reflections of your own family stories between the lines. History at a glance • 1941–1945: Japanese Occupation of Malaya and Singapore • 1948–1960: Malayan Emergency, a guerrilla war between Com monwealth forces and communist insurgents • 1957: Malaya gained independence • 1963: Formation of Malaysia Why these novels still matter

Did you know? The Gift of Rain was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2007, putting Tan Twan Eng on the global literary map.