The Weight of Our Sky

The Weight of Our Sky
Hanna Alkaf
RRP:
NZ$ 25.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 20.79
Paperback
h210 x 140mm - 304pg
27 May 2021 US
International import eta 7-19 days
9781534426092
Out Of Stock
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A music loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this heart-pounding, "stunning" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut. Melati Ahmad looks like your typical movie-going, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. Unlike most other sixteen-year-olds though, Mel also believes that she harbors a djinn inside her, one who threatens her with horrific images of her mother' s death unless she adheres to an elaborate ritual of counting and tapping to keep him satisfied. A trip to the movies after school turns into a nightmare when the city erupts into violent race riots between the Chinese and the Malay. When gangsters come into the theater and hold movie-goers hostage, Mel, a Malay, is saved by a Chinese woman, but has to leave her best friend behind to die. On their journey through town, Mel sees for herself the devastation caused by the riots. In her village, a neighbor tells her that her mother, a nurse, was called in to help with the many bodies piling up at the hospital. Mel must survive on her own, with the help of a few kind strangers, until she finds her mother. But the djinn in her mind threatens her ability to cope.
This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati' s sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. This isn' t an easy story by far; an author' s note warns of "graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers"-but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable. -- Publishers Weekly, Starred This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one' s race or religion. Unabashedly rooted in the author' s homeland and confronting timely topics and challenging themes, this book has broad appeal for teen readers. -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred At the sentence level, Alkaf' s use of first-person narration expertly (and, in some cases, painfully) places readers inside Melati' s head as she experiences internal and external horrors. . . . Echoing contemporary race relations, the subject feels especially relevant. VERDICT Alkaf' s immersive, powerful writing make this a must-purchase for all YA collections. -- School Library Journal, Starred With her debut young adult novel, The Weight of Our Sky, journalist Hanna Alkaf provides heart-pounding, graphic insight into the seismic life shifts experienced by residents of Kuala Lumpur in the days directly following the May 1969 Malaysian Riots. -- Shelf Awareness, Starred Alkaf offers a gripping fictionalized account of the 1969 post-election riots in Malaysia, limning acts of bravery and tolerance that unreel alongside the slaughter perpetrated in the Kuala Lumpur streets. -- BCCB Melati' s growing strength gives hope to readers: If she can fight her inner demon and save the day, then they can, too. -- Booklist
Hanna Alkaf is the author of The Weight of Our Sky and The Girl and the Ghost. She graduated with a degree in journalism from Northwestern University and has spent most of her life working with words, both in fiction and nonfiction. She lives in Kuala Lumpur with her family.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781534426092
Published: 27 May 2021
Published In: United States
Imprint: Simon & Schuster
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Paperback
Height: 210mm
Width: 140mm
Spine: 18mm
Weight: 236g
Pages: 304

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