We, The Survivors

A murderer’s confession – devastating, unblinking, poignant, unforgettable – which reveals a story of class, education and the inescapable workings of destiny. Ah Hock is an ordinary, uneducated man born in a Malaysian fishing village and now trying to make his way in a country that promises riches and security to everyone, but delivers them only to a chosen few. With Asian society changing around him, like many he remains trapped in a world of poorly paid jobs that just about allow him to keep his head above water but ultimately lead him to murder a migrant worker from Bangladesh. In the tradition of Camus and Houellebecq, Ah Hock’s vivid and compelling description of the years building up to this appalling act of violence – told over several days to a local journalist whose life has taken a different course – is a portrait of an outsider like no other, an anti-nostalgic view of human life and the ravages of hope. It is the work of a writer at the peak of his powers. Tash Aw's We, The Survivors is a compelling piece of literary fiction that delves into the gritty realities of urban life. The narrative, punctuated by a shocking crime, is a stark commentary on the political landscape of a city in flux. For fans of Karen Russell (Vampires in the Lemon Grove), Samantha Harvey (Orbital), Ocean Vuong (The Emperor of Gladness), Alan Hollinghurst (The Line of Beauty), and Percival L. Everett (James).