Nuril Basri is an Indonesian author whose writing spans bildungsroman and tragicomedy. With a distinctive style, he navigates the complexities of coming-of-age and human existence, often infusing his narratives with subtle humor and a profound understanding of life's absurdities. His prose explores themes of identity and interpersonal relationships with remarkable sensitivity. Through his original perspectives and literary craftsmanship, he has garnered recognition both within his native Indonesia and internationally.
In this coming-of-age novel four Indonesian high-school students seek to discover what their future will bring and find answers to their questions about sexuality. With characters ranging from cross-dressing hairdressers, drag queens, and rent boys to fanatic Muslims and low-life security personnel, the action of this tragicomedy moves between an Islamic boarding school and a gay bar in Jakarta, and in so doing illuminates the mindset and yearning of a new generation of Indonesians.
Maya, a thirty-something Indonesian, takes a leap of faith from Jakarta to a job as a waitress aboard a European cruise ship. Set in cruise ship cabins and East London pubs, this tragicomedy is a tale of survival, a search for identity, and the hope of finding a harbour in life’s stormy sea.