We Could Not See the Stars
A Literary Speculative Novel
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Pub Date Jul 24 2026 | Archive Date Sep 11 2026
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Description
Set in an alternate Malaysia, We Could Not See the Stars follows Han who crosses the Peninsula in search of his mother's origins, to the forest of Suriyang, so cursed that those who enter return without their memories. A literary speculative novel for readers of Piranesi, The Memory Police, and Haruki Murakami.
'No people, only ghosts here,' he whispered.
Han has lived his whole life in a sleepy fishing village on the Peninsula, raised by a mother who arrived from across the seas, carrying no memories and a mysterious spade. Now she is gone, and the questions that she has left behind are the only inheritance he has.
When a stranger comes asking about his mother, Han sets off to cross the Peninsula and the seas. His destination: the forest of Suriyang, so cursed that those who enter will return without their memories. Somewhere in the forest is rumoured to be an ancient civilisation, and a mysterious golden tower -- and the truth of where Han's mother came from.
For readers of Piranesi, The Memory Police, and Haruki Murakami, a luminous and devastating novel of memory, loss, and the stories we carry, written with the lyrical precision that announces Elizabeth Wong as a singular new voice in literary speculative fiction.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
Praise for We Could Not See The Stars
Fantastical elements and dreamlike sequences that elevate it above the ordinary... A tale of loss, memory, and remembering, this literary speculative fiction surprised me at every turn. -- Elaine Lau, Lit Books
I get this feeling like I have a tenuous grasp of something profound as I was reading this book, like I am on the verge of a revelation. And then that feeling is gone, like wisps of a dream. -- A Naga of the Nusantara
Elizabeth Wong's debut novel is a beautiful and heartbreaking read. -- Jasmine, Goodreads
Marketing Plan
Publication: Previously published under the JM Originals imprint, John Murray Press (Hachette UK) in 2021 This edition published by Trace Fold Press in 2026, and available for the first time to US readers.
Audience: Readers of literary speculative fiction. Comparable titles like Piranesi, The Memory Police, and comparable authors like Haruki Murakami, David Mitchell. Malaysian Chinese diaspora literary fiction. Libraries and readers seeking diverse international literary voices.
Active marketing:
Kindle Countdown Deal September 1 at $0.99
Goodreads Giveaway running August-September, 400+ entries
Amazon Sponsored Products ads launching September 1
BookBub self-serve ads launching September 1
Substack author platform with excerpt posts in August and September
Press/reviews:
Originally published by John Murray Press (Hachette UK)
Profiled in The Edge Malaysia
Endorsed by Elaine Lau, LitBooks
Reviewed by A Naga of the Nusantara
Endorsed by June Rubis, Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Author platform:
Substack: elizabethwong.substack.com
Goodreads Author Profile active with 500+ Want-to-Read additions
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9786299277507 |
| PRICE | $3.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 299 |