Between 1983–1985, a series of extrajudicial executions of criminals took place throughout Indonesia in which bodies, many of which had tattoos, were found shot and left in public places. The killings, which became known as petrus, an acronym for penembak misterius (mysterious marksman) and were later admitted to be a government effort to control crime, terrified the unsuspecting public. Three of the stories in this collection are related to this confusing and fearful time. All of the stories deal with despair—sometimes tender, sometimes absurd, sometimes grotesque. Seno Gumira Ajidarma is a master storyteller who can capture a sentiment and turn it into events that unfold as comedy or heartbreaking tragedy, each revealing a desperate struggle to deal with memories and change.

Translated by: Joan Suyenaga