Recs if you like The Question of Red...

A selection of novels and short story collections by Indonesian women writers, available in English translation and spanning works from the late twentieth century to today.

The collective trauma of state violence remains an everpresent motif in Indonesian literary canon. This list is meant to be a non-exhaustive collection of fiction and nonfiction which features, chronicles, and/or are allegories about the "New Order" (Orde Baru/Orba) era, from its origins during the anti-left genocide of 1965 to its collapse and the start of the Reformasi era in 1998. Suggestions welcome, although this list specifically centers works by Indonesian authors (some of which are available in English translation!)

These are 20 defining Indonesian books available in English, spanning foundational post-colonial epics, modern literary fiction, and cultural blockbusters.

Fiction books set in Indonesia

Indonesian literature