Race, religion, riots and teenager with mental health issues – Hanna Alkaf’s young adult fiction The Weight of Our Sky touches all these complex issues all at once. Set against the backdrop of the May 13, 1969 race riots in Malaysia, the book the tells the story Melati, whose obsessive-compulsive disorder is manifested through the Djinn in her mind. The day that begins with an argument with her friend over the better Paul – Newman or McCartney- dissolves into unbridled chaos. As the city burns, Melati is saved by an elderly Chinese woman. With the Chinese family, as she waits and worries about her mother, she sees the issues and fears of the ‘other’ side. In the span of a few days, the girl acquires the maturity of an adult. Later as Melati searches for her mother through the streets ravaged by violence, one witnesses heart wrenching scenes of fear, and also of kindness and courage.
It is commendable the way the genre of young adult deals has evolved over the recent decades to tackle some most thought-provoking and complicated issues in a subtle and nuanced manner. On the one hand, it is possible to read The Weight of our Sky as a typical coming-of-age fiction of a young girl but the backdrop of the race riots make it an intense exploration of the socio-political realities of the world around us, and their place in our lives and interpersonal relations. Added to these is the theme of psychological instability which Melati overcomes as she takes charge of the situation later in the book – in charge of the Djinn instead of letting the Djinn dictate her behaviour.
The novel, given the backdrop, has a typical Asian flavour which is much appreciated since Malaysian young adult fiction books are few and far between. Hopefully Alkaff’s book will encourage more writers to experiment with the genre.
All in all, a wholesome read. I hope to read Alkaff’s The girl and the ghost soon.
Vandana writes 