Black Water Sister is a standalone book written by the Zen Cho, the author of the Sorcerer to the Crown series. It may qualify as a sort of urban fantasy or a modern-day folk tale. It takes place in modern day George Town which is the capital of the island of Penang in Malaysia. It involves vengeful gods, sacred shrines, a dead grandmother speaking to her granddaughter and lots of shady corporate dealings. It’s also a story about a family and about the relationships between mothers and daughters and the secrets they keep from each other.
Jessamyn Teoh has a lot going on right now. She’s recently graduated, unemployed and broke. She’s extremely closeted and her girlfriend is in another country. She’s just moved back to Malaysia, a country she hasn’t lived in since she was a toddler, living with her parents, an aunt and uncle along with lots of visiting relatives asking her what her plans are. As if all that weren’t enough, her estranged dead grandmother Ah Ma starts talking to her. It seems Ah Ma has unfinished business on the corporeal plane. A local business tycoon has done something to offend one of the gods and Ah Ma wants to stop him and maybe exact a little vengeance as well. Unfortunately, Ah Ma is very insistent and is not above taking over Jess’ body when it suits her. Soon Jess finds herself running afoul of local gangsters, corporate thugs, and powerful gods all while trying to navigate her complicated family life, find a job and salvage her relationship with her girlfriend.
I have not read Zen Cho’s other books though they come highly recommended. But I know that this is a departure from her more “high fantasy” selections. It has a lot to offer including family drama, a glimpse of Malaysian culture and a grandmother so salty she could garnish a margarita. There are a couple of parts where the action drags a bit and I would like to have seen more about Jess’ relationship with her girlfriend. Aside from that, Black Water Sister was a thoroughly enjoyable read.