A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic: An Anthology

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By Anna Tan

Publisher Description

A burong descends from Tansang Kenyalang in the midst of a dire catastrophe. A shapeshifter frees Kedah from the dreaded Raja Bersiong only to uncover a darker secret. A woman learns to channel her family's food magic. A young huntress of supernatural creatures charts her own path of love.

This anthology of short stories offers fresh takes on Malaysian folklore and fairy tales, adds enchantment to the ordinary, and bursts with new, wonderful flavours. Stir a little spoonful of magic into your tea, whether you're from these shores or from far away.

Stories by:

Collin Yeoh · Hamizah Adzmi · Ilnaz A. Faizal · Ismim Putera · Joni Chng · Joshua Lim · Julia Alba · Rowan C · Sharmilla Ganesan · Stuart Danker · Syazwani Jefferdin · Zufar Zeid

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A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic: An Anthology Reviews

3.5

One Anjana

Created about 1 year ago

“A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic, which was written by various authors, is composed of 12 fantasy stories that were based on Malaysian folktales. Reading retellings of folktales is always a pleasant experience for me. I think it would be unfair to rate this book as a whole, so I will provide an individual rating for each title, a synopsis, and my opinion on some of the titles. 1. Burong by Ismim Putera - 4★ Flashback story of Shajat, a burong warrior. The majority of the narrative revolves around Shajat's journey to becoming a warrior. Burong is a bird-like creature that resembles humans. I am fond of both world-building and the magic system. It’s beautiful! 2. Kampar and the Kings of Kedah by Joshua Lim - 5★ Kampar, a shapeshifter, was arrested by Bendahara, a king's advisor, for unintentionally starting a rebellion against the king. He was then employed as the guard of Bendahara. He eventually became aware of Bendahara's other agenda and his evil plans, as well as the truth about the past king. The ending is what I find most enjoyable. I really value the choices Kampar made for his life. Additionally, this story includes original folktales and historical knowledge related to a city in Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia called Kampar. 3. Visitor in the Night by Zufar Zeid - 5★ Imagine what you would do if a beautiful, immortal creature came to visit you on a random night? It may sound scary, but thankfully, this beautiful creature is actually just lonely and needs someone to hear her story. The writing-style has calming flow, and I love the creature’s story. The emotion is captured so well. 4. Moonlight City of the Hidden Ones by Joni Chng - 4★ During his travels, Bram visited Bulan Café several times. Each time he went, he saw that there were no other customers and sometimes even the waiter was not present. Eventually, a cafe owner guided him to the kitchen, which ultimately led to a liminal space or another dimension where the Hidden People live called Moonlight City. The world-building is stunning. The story about Hidden People and Moonlight City is also fascinating and at times heartwarming. 5. Rosetta and the Fairy-in-Training by Ilnaz A. Faizal - 4★ Rosetta is a seamstress. A fairy came up to her one night after she finished a dress order for a customer. The fairy is currently in training and will be responsible for giving Rosetta a makeover. The friendship that is formed despite their chaotic dynamics is something I enjoy. It’s adorable. 6. Remembering How to Cook by Sharmilla Ganesan - 3★ A tale about Shree's struggle to cook food with magical abilities. Shree's family is known for having a gift of food magic, but she believes she doesn't possess it yet. As she tried to practice, she reminded herself of her memories of her late grandmother and all the magical foods she had tasted. It was unfortunate that the ending was so abrupt that the magical feeling seemed to disappear suddenly. 7. The Rivers and Lakes by Collin Yeoh - 3★ An action-based fantasy story about special people who have martial arts gifts. The fantasy aspect is impressive, but I question the absence of the folktales necessary to form the core of this anthology. 8. Flower Fell by Syazwani Jefferdin - 3★ An intriguing tale that is based on ancient Japanese mythology, Hanahako disease, an illness that occurs when one experiences unrequited love. Although this is in my best interest, the abrupt ending is a disappointment. 9. Up in Flames by Stuart Danker - 4★ Liam dreamed of being a wizard, but the magic school only prioritized Neesha ethnicity because they believed only Neesha people had the talents required for wizardry. The story is a great example of perseverance and not giving up for our dreams. 10. Taxation by Rowan C - 3★ This one probably the most complex fantasy in this book. It has great world-building, magic system, and political system. Despite being predictable, the plot is not bad. It's just that I can't quite grasp the point. I had assumed it would be about the taxation system in their world. It was indeed, in the beginning, and I am intrigued by it. But it turns out the story is mostly about the fight against the power-hungry conspirator. 11. The Fiery Tale of Embun and The Prince by Julia Alba - 5★ In the event of unwelcome circumstances, Embun has to travel from her village to the palace. She then assigned to tend to Zahir, the prince, every time he returns from fighting demons. I am fond of the warm friendship that exists between every character. They are generally likable. The characters' ability to handle conflict is also something I love. So is the maturity of the king, who as a parent is willing to admit his mistakes and apologize to his son. 12. The Dahlia of Hutan Kilat by Hamizah Adzmi - 4★ Seri Dahlia is a huntress of supernatural creatures, who wields a powerful keris. When she supposedly hunts for creatures in Hutan Kilat, the forest near her house, she encounters Terjah, the guardian of the forest. This story is filled with heartwarming moments and explores the friendship between a hunter, a forest guardian, and supernatural creatures. Although it’s mostly having warm vibes, it's scary at some points. The fact that I know the names of the creatures/ghosts makes it even more terrifying.”

naddie.reads

Created almost 2 years ago

Ishieta

Created almost 2 years ago

“This was a new reading space to wade into - Malaysian Fantasy stories. I enjoyed the format of short stories and that it covered so many different themes. While I stay away from horror, this collection was quite engaging to read and explore the Malaysian culture and folklore and some of influences from other cultures.”

Sharifah Basma

Created almost 2 years ago

Lily Golding

Created almost 2 years ago

About Anna Tan

Anna Tan grew up in Malaysia, the country that is not Singapore. She is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith.

Anna has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel under a Chevening scholarship & is the President of the Malaysian Writers Society. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com.