Reading Rumaizah Abu Bakar’s splendid collection of short vignettes in The Female Cell proves how wrong Wong Phui Nam was when he sounded the death knell for Malaysian writings in English at a press conference for the Singapore Writers Festival in 2009. Contrary to his grim predictions, a new generation of writers have emerged over time and these include, among others, Rumaizah herself, Chuah Kok Yee, Shi-Li Kow, to name but a few. Although official support is not readily given, the Malaysian literary scene is alive and thriving judging from events held such as regular monthly readings, blogging, book fests, book launches, story competitions etc. It is heartening to note that it is the hosting of such events, apart from the fact that new publishers have emerged, that have created opportunities for budding writers to experiment with refreshing perspectives, topics and themes.
Before discussing the collection, perhaps it is best to begin the review with a note on its format. The collection consists of twenty short stories which are told in two parts. The first part titled "Loves, Lies and Lives" contains twelve stories while the second part with the title of "Travel Tales" includes the remaining eight. The stories in the first part explore the lives of ordinary people in an urban setting, their relationships with one another, their feelings and emotions as well as their conflicts and struggles. In the second part, the stories centre on the travels and adventures of the author in exotic places such as Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, Makkah (Mecca), the Philippines and Malaysia’s historical city, Melaka (Malacca), labelled by the author as the "City of Warriors." The stories are simple and some are quite short (about two pages in length only). As such, they would appeal to those in need of a quick read while waiting for a friend in a cafe or the LRT, the latter, incidentally, happens to be a popular setting for a couple of stories. Elements of humour and irony are injected to enhance the appeal and dramatic effect of these short vignettes.
In a number of stories, the author sketches an urban life in modern day Malaysia that is fast-paced and energetic. People are always in a hurry and they barely notice anyone or anything in their rush....
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