I couldn't follow this story, the dialogue is mixed dialect and English, the plot leaps forwards and backwards in a confusing way, the pacing is off and I just can't with the slurs.

"...he has dribbled piss down his legs; he is looking down at the puddle like a retarded baby his mouth and eyes and all making big pitiful Os that you just want to pour sand inside."

A RETARDED BABY

No Ms Samarasan. We do not use that word anymore.

The author has a highly distinct voice and I admire that. The stream-of-consciousness-esque first person narration lends a nice Manglish-inspired voice, but is somewhat overwritten with its overuse of hyphenated adjectives and "lists without commas" (I'm not sure what is the name of this device). Nonetheless, I really respect how blunt this novel is in its critique of racial and religious relations in Malaysia. The story is able to weave the complicated reality of the Malaysian society with the messy personal lives of its cast of toxic, petty characters.

Tale of the Dreamer's Son
by Preeta Samarasan

This book was difficult to read and was also not easy to hold attention to. After two tries, I am not going to finish this book. Just to mention, I really liked the author's first book a lot

In "Tale of the Dreamer's Son" by Samarasan, a rich cultural tapestry unfolds through intricate characters. The narrative weaves family dynamics and societal shifts, though pacing can feel uneven. Samarasan's prose is evocative, yet at times overly verbose. The book offers an immersive experience that invites both contemplation and connection.

A cynical narration against the backdrop of Malaysia, from a man still reeling from an ethnic violence and having established an utopian community as a prophet, explores a complex family saga steeped in socio-political upheaval of the country.

I found this exploration of a moment in Malaysian history really well-written and interesting. It gave me a lot of food for thought and left me wanting to learn more.

4 stars

I am grateful to World Editions for sending me an advanced copy of this book for review.

I read this book over a month ago now, and I still think of how interesting this setting, perspective, and story were (though I really should have written this review sooner...). The author did so much and touched on so many topics in this book, that I think it could have easily gone off the rails. However, everything came together and this storytelling really worked for me.

It was interesting being in the perspective of a young boy, as he observes life around him in a very unusual upbringing. The author did something very interesting by anchoring us in an isolated setting of a religious commune, while using that perspective to give larger commentary on Malaysian society. The story starts off in a very explosive and very harrowing way, and then we are thrust into a community that was born from the condition of Malaysian political landscape. Our perspective character is a young boy who doesn't really understand what is going on around him but due to his overly religious upbringing he offers us his self-righteous opinions. What a lens for a story so rich in cultural nuance!

This story followed two timelines , and touched on many historical points in Malaysian history and was a deep dive into Malaysian culture and societal structure. We got to see from this perspective how Malaysian society was divided along the lines of religion and ethnicity on a large scale. On the other hand, this is also an intimate story of family, relationships, and love, under the strain of societal pressure. It was raw, sad, and emotional. I will admit though, I saw this book described as being funny and I found no humor in these pages... But that may just be me.

I think this is a cultural fiction book which offers rich insight into the country and the people, but I think that this story might not be the easiest read for many western readers especially considering the language used. However, I think the writing style really matched the story and enhanced the impact of this novel. With all that said I still think it was a wonderful novel and one I would recommend to fans of historical fiction, literary fiction, and cultural stories.

Preeta Samarasan is quite a popular author and has given best selling works in the past. This is my first book from the author and I had been really looking forward to reading this.

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me as i thought it would given the setting of the story is what drove me to it in the first place. The author begins the narration during the early days of independent Malaysia, bearing the history of the past and events that occurred. The story is narrated by a son, and it tries to balance the current and the past, of people who lived and died, and continue to live on. Though there are a lot of historical facts that are tactfully handled, the use of slurs were quite jarring; it perhaps is justified given the setting, its a personal peeve. The non-linear narrative felt choppy and the stream of thought stopping abruptly.

I am quite glad to have read this, with local verbiage and vernacular intact and providing introduction to history of Malaysia.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and World Editions for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This is a well written book but it took me a while to realise it. Jumps in time and perspective and quite short chapters don’t make this an easy read, and the frequent use of Malaysian phrases whose purpose remain a mystery to me compound this issue. However, my advice is to go with it and the reader will be rewarded with an interesting story and characters full of depth and subtlety.

The story takes its reader via the narrative voice of Yusuf – the Dreamer’s son - to post-colonial Malaysia with all its racial tensions that had arisen out of a strong surge of nationalism promoting Islam as the only acceptable religion. The dream of Cyril Dragon (Yusuf’s dad) is a place where religion, class and the nationality of a person doesn’t determine one’s standing in society. He gathers followers and creates an idealistic community in a deserted tea planter’s mansion in the Malaysian Highlands where he aspires to live by his word. This does not turn out to be easy – not only that he ignores and underestimates the political changes and powers beyond the walls of his neat little set up, he also unwittingly creates new rules that somehow perpetuate the privilege of the powerful and harms the very people he seeks to protect.

This is however not necessarily a book about Malaysia, for me its core lies in a thorough investigation of the relationships formed between parents and their offspring. As Preeta Samarasan points out herself: ‘This (the book) was born out of a lifetime of thinking about children who are unwilling or unaware participants in their parents’ spiritual quests’. – I think this is true for all of us, we are all somehow entwined in our parents’ dreams and ambitions, whether they are of a spiritual nature or not. The desire to live up to one’s parents’ expectations and the consequences of breaking the cycle is being explored here, and this exploration leaves the reader with the fundamental question where to find the truth of one’s own life.

It took Yusuf almost a lifetime to understand that ‘you can’t sit there waiting for someone to hand you the truth because anybody who claims they can do this is a world-class Grade-A Bullshitter’. The journey he undertakes to get there is interesting and thought-provoking - I am glad I was allowed to accompany him.

I am grateful to NetGalley and World Editions Ltd. for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read at least a third of the book. The author certainly has significant ability with vivid descriptions but I’m really struggling with the cacophony of characters. Struggling to finish this extensive tome

This book is about a son narrating his story with the backdrop of newly formed Malaysia after independence and the current Malaysia. Hence, the narration alternates between the past and the present.

Some of the things I liked include was the language used. It’s sort of Manglish (Malay mixed with English language). I could associate while reading the book. However, some readers who are not familiar with Malay language may find it a little difficult but there is a glossary page behind provided. That might help things out.

Apart from that, the author seamlessly weaved an eye opening connection between May 13th 1969’s racial riot (that took place in Malaysia) and it’s aftermaths. Also mentions of Ops Lalang which I just heard about when I read the book. That was informative. I wonder why they don’t teach us this while we were in school. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Besides that, I also enjoyed the style of writing. It’s impeccable and wonderful to devour it. ❤️

On the other hand, some of the things I detest will include the use of racial slurs. I have been at the receiving end of the slur even till today. Some may argue that it is to keep it authentic, but I’m certainly not a fan. 😕

In addition to that, the pacing and jumping of different timelines made it difficult to follow through the story at times. Also the ending included many twists that I felt could’ve been spaced out. I just felt that too many things were going at once. 😅

Talking about the characters; none of them were likeable. 🥲 However, I suppose that’s how life is as well. We are not supposed to like everyone and to be liked by everyone. 🙃

Overall, it was an eye opening, fascinating and a thought provoking read. I would suggest all especially Malaysians to read this book. This book cleverly depicts the domino effects of one’s actions that may raze the generations to come.

My ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Some of my favourite lines:
🍀 ‘You see, the longer different peoples have lived together, the more expertly they can hurt each other.’
🍀 ‘So his children are twice-sorted. Daddy’s money plus the gomen (government) gravy train of special rights. All they have to do is finish school without killing anyone or getting pregnant and they will be A-okay.’

#taleofthedreamersson #preetasamarasan #malaysianauthor #racialriots #dominoeffects #harmony #malaysiavotes2022 #pollingday #malaysianbookstagrammer #bookreviewer #bookreccomendation #bibilophile #love #bookstagramcommunity #malaysiamembaca #qotd #review

Samarasan has written a story of a man wanting to create an idealist society where all are welcome and accepted, but in doing so removes himself from the society he is trying to help. In that regard Cyril shows his naivety in navigating complex religious and cultural identities.

The trickle down effect, as recorded by his son, only serves to highlight this much more as he is unaware of what festers among his tiny community of followers. And falls without a fight to tyranny and incarceration.

Through his son Yusuf, the centre becomes a battlefield of adolescent rebellion, perverse thoughts, self-interest and strife. The breakdown and resentment between brothers comes across as young Yusuf tries to make a bond with his father, mother, and brother. Not being able to truly find a place with them and by them, he carries this yearning to be seen and accepted for the rest of his life.

As much as this tells of the separation between ethnicities via religion and race, it also tells of how in searching for the ultimate state of coexistence, we may end hurting and isolating the very people we had sought out to help.

Samarasan's unapologetic use of the dialect and syntax of her country was so enjoyable and had me laughing for many parts of this book.

I really enjoy reading books from other cultures because not only does it give me some insight into cultures I don't know much about and two different countries histories, but also because I find it lovely to experience reading books written and very different narrative styles that I'm used to.

Tell the dreamers son is a Malaysian book, I know next to nothing about Malaysian political history or really much East Asian history at all... And while of course this story is fiction I found it also gave me a lot of insight into things I'd previously known nothing about.

Some people may not like the way that the story jumps through time and I struggle with that myself, but I do think it worked really well for this particular book.

This book contains a lot of what I believe is Manglish, which from what I understand which is a kind of informal mix of languages. Sorry if I got that wrong, I was introduced to the term in another review for this book. This isn't something that bothers me because I read a lot of stories from different countries, but it may turn some non Malaysian readers off. I personally find it adds to story and despite the fact that I may miss some context, I like it. I think it's acceptable for me, a random Canadian woman, to feel like a bit of an outsider when reading a Malaysian book.

One of my favorite things in this book was how it described the different ways parents can fuck up their children. From emotional neglect to emotional incest the children in this book are never treated appropriately.That's something that I can relate to and I think that it was portrayed very well here. People too easily forget that children are real human beings with their own thoughts, feelings, and agency. They're not belongings.

This is a story about that spans decades. It is funny in some ways but also very sad. The prose is challenging but also accessible. I'd recommend this book definitely to anyone Malaysian or who knows about Malaysia, but id also recommend it to anyone interested in reading a book about class and religion and trauma and family.

Thanks to Netgalley and World Editions for providing me this advanced reader copy.

The book is good if considered from an overall perspective. The author puts her words and build the world flawlessly. However, one loses track after reading about too many timelines and characters haphazardly while going through the pages. Other than that. The book is good.

I read a copy provided by Netgalley and World Editions.

This is well written but I found the short chunks of chapters made it difficult to keep up with the overall arc of the story line. Some of the short chapters were more engaging than others but the style is good.

The novel us set in Malaysia and I was very interested in the complicated relationships between the people and their religions and culture. The beginning of the book is especially good.

My main problem, hence 3 stars, was that it was difficult to keep track as the novel flipped from character to character and from one time frame to another.

I like reading about the characters as children, which rang true. But Arundhati Roy does it better in The God of Small Things. Mind you, that is a 5 star novel.

It is worth reading.

[ARC provided by Netgalley in return for an honest review]

Let's start with what I didn't like - the prologue. I promise that if you persevere (because there ARE a few important plot points in there), it gets better! The writing in the prologue feels jumpy and confusing but that levels out for the rest of the book.

This is set in Malaysia and Indonesia, during some civil unrest, after the Japanese occupation of the country, where identities are confusing and the government is pressing its citizens to change their heritage to ONLY malay, with their 1Malay policy. Our narrators father is against this, and names his child one name for each of the religious cultures in the country. For this he is said to be a rebel and is eventually killed. We follow the narrator following on from this event.

The writing is very descriptive and humourous despite the heavy subject matter, with lots of dry comments in the narrators voice and documents a time and place in history that I feel (at least in the west), is not widely taught or known about. I wish I had researched a little before I read the book as I think this would have enhanced my experience but this is a wonderfully unique book with an important story to tell.

<i>Tale of the dreamer’s son</i> is a poetic and yet humorous treatment of Malaysia. The protagonist is the son of a revolutionary who followed god’s word in the revolution of Malaysia. <i>Tale of a dreamer son</i> was written by best-selling author Preeta Samarasan

Cyril Dragon lives in a former Scottish tea planter’s mansion in the highlands of Peninsular Malaysia. He claims that all religions are one and race is unheard of. And then Salmah, a Malay Muslim woman arrives and everything changes. Cyril Dragon, tries to ignore news of the changing political climate and increasing religious intolerance. He is still trying to forget a fateful and terrifying day in 1969. Tale of the Dreamer’s Son guides us from that fateful incident in Malaysian history to the present day.

I find the story on the whole very confusing. I wonder if we can determine the reason Cyril went to the Scottish Manor in the first place? Then the Malaysian woman enters. Then it jumps to present day and back a number of places. I was not able to follow the book as a whole and felt disappointed by the abruptly ending stories so it would be difficult for me to recommend it to anyone.

This author is well respected and has received many accolades so I am sure this book will be well received. I expect it is more about me than about the book.

There may be some parts of the story that were of interest of people that like the Malaysian political history. I give this story I give it a 2 on 5. I want to think of the NetGalley and World Editions for providing me with a digital copy of this book. I give this review voluntarily.

An interesting read, but not a book for me, I don't think. The pacing felt off and there was something missing from the writing. There was certainly potential, yet there was nothing that really gripped me. I found the characters interesting, and it's definitely a unique book that will find it's way to it's readers.

An interesting and unusual mix of sadness and humor. I found this to be engaging and well-written. I like the author's imagination, and look forward to the author's future work.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

This is a pretty funny book in spite of it's melancholy. I wondered where the author wanted to take us and I thought the pacing was wrong. Everytime I started to get into the writing, the chapter would end and we would move towards another topic and the book is also slow to start..
It was however interesting to learn about Malaysian culture.

Not my cup of tea but I can see potential there and I'm sure many will fall in love with it.