Written in Black
Kindle Edition
Monsoon Books · Ebook · November 1, 2014
A darkly humorous coming-of-age novel set in Brunei on the island of Borneo, Written in Black offers a snapshot of a few days in the life of ten-year-old Jonathan Lee, attending the funeral of his Ah Kong, or grandfather, and still reeling from the drama of his mother leaving for Australia and his brother getting kicked out of the house and joining a rock band.
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- Who it’s for
- A darkly funny coming-of-age read where family upheaval meets an offbeat journey through Brunei.
- Themes
- Coming of age, Family separation and grief, Courage and friendship
- Pacing
- Steady
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Start with this bookAbout this book
A darkly humorous coming-of-age novel set in Brunei on the island of Borneo, Written in Black offers a snapshot of a few days in the life of ten-year-old Jonathan Lee, attending the funeral of his Ah Kong, or grandfather, and still reeling from the drama of his mother leaving for Australia and his brother getting kicked out of the house and joining a rock band.
Continue reading
Annoyed at being the brunt of his father’s pent-up anger, Jonathan escapes his grandfather’s wake in an empty coffin and embarks on a journey through the backwaters of Brunei to bring his disowned brother back for the funeral and to learn the truth about his absent mother. On a quest that takes him across the little-known Sultanate, past gangs of glue-sniffing poklans (Brunei’s teenage delinquents), cursed houses and weird shopkeepers, Jonathan discovers adventure, courage, friendship and, finally, himself.
Offbeat Growing Pains
A darkly funny coming-of-age read where family upheaval meets an offbeat journey through Brunei.
Come here for
- Brunei beyond the familiar, seen through a child’s eyes
- Family tension threaded with dark humor and odd encounters
Expect
- A few turbulent days moving through Brunei’s backwaters
- Adventure alongside grief, courage, and family rupture
Where it sits
| Coming of Age | 98% |
|---|---|
| Asia for Teens | 53% |
| Multigenerational YA Stories | 36% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Coming of Age
- Asia for Teens
- Authors
- KH Lim
- Publisher
- Monsoon Books
- Published
- November 1, 2014
- Format
- Ebook
- Theme
- Coming of age · Family separation and grief · Courage and friendship
- Reading lane
- Coming of Age