Eka Kurniawan
This novel is the third by the Indonesian writer Eka Kurniawan to be translated into English. While it lacks the monumental scale of his magnum opus, Beauty is a Wound, this book too is both political and profound, even though it uses language drawn from pulp fiction and popular movies. Its main character is a hitman who is literally impotent, and seeks to cure himself by engaging in orgies of violence. Through the hitman’s journey, Kurniawan tells a story about injustice, the limits of revenge and the redemptive power of love.
Speaking Tiger, 216 pages, Rs 350