Kitchen Curse

I have sought to read everything by Kurniawan that is available in English, and his novel Beauty Is a Wound was a top ten read for me a few years ago. Kitchen Curse is his first collection of short stories that has been translated, and they did not disappoint. Kurniawan has a great ability to convey atmosphere (Indonesian street life) in only a few short sentences. His style combines the surreal with the obscene — little is taboo. Think of Kurniawan as an Indonesian García Márquez for the 21st century. Often I find short stories disappointing or anticlimactic, but all pack a punch in this collection. With 16 stories across 135 pages, each averages just eight pages. I particularly liked "Graffiti in the Toilet", "Don't Piss Here", "Dimples", and "The Stones story". 9 out of 10.

By Eka Kurniawan