#Short Stories Mirandi Riwoe

• Author: Miranda Riwoe
• Title: The Burnished Sun (232 pg)  2022 (title refers of lines in the play Merchant of Venice)
• Genre: short stories (10) + 2 novellas, but I’m saving them for later.
• Australian TBR List
• #AusReadingMonth23 @ This Reading Life (Brona)
• Intro:  The Burnished Sun was shortlisted Short Story Collection QLD literary Awards 2022

Conclusion: = Wonderful collection 

Short Stories:

1. Invitation – 10 pg 
2. Theme: sense of belonging
3. Strong point: such attention for detail…just amazing: mothers with children
4. the narrator (mother)  trying  to blend in with other mothers but lacks confidence b/c of  the language barrier.
5. Title: refers to an invitation to a children’s birthday party

1. Hardflip – 14 pg.  
2. Theme: sense of belonging, less conspicuous, more a part of things.
3. Strong point:  Writing is strong…(2x smell) (1x sense of taste) 8 x similes
4. Skateboarder wants to make a risky jump with his board….”He’ll be a star on YouTube.’
5. Title: refers to a popular skateboarding trick.

1. Hazel – 06 pg.
2. Theme: sense of belonging although separated  from family b/c of Covid restrictions
3. Strong point: brings back memories of the torment felt by elderly during pandemic
4. Writing is less impressive, story is very short….but still a good read.
5. Title: refers to main character in nursing home.

1. Dignity – 13 pg.
2. Theme: sense of NOT belonging, a servant in household and  woman who has been evicted.
3. Strong point: Story describes a typical Sunday as a servant in a household. Riwoe uses
4. the sense of “smell” often: smell of clove smoke, layers sweat and sandalwood,
5. …the smell of bacon as it fries and curls.
6. Writing is excellent with a cyclical ending …simply ending things as they started and
7. ….b/c the servant is working in Australia separated from her husband and 2 yr old boy
8. …the ending pulls on readers’ heartstrings
9. Title: refers to the decision to work in Australia while  
10. …she feels she should go home to preserve her dignity.

1. Growth – 07 pg.

1. Theme: sense of NOT belonging, not feeling like a mother, postpartum depression 
2. Strong point: Ms Riwoe packs a punch even in a very short story…emotions compacted in a few phrases.
3. Writing is strong…at times giving a reader unexpected jolt!
4. Title: refers to the “fetus in fetu”…also  sense of NOT belonging

1. Cinta Ku – 10 pg

1. Theme: sense of NOT belonging  Grandmother returns with grandson Riley to Indonesia 
2. …and Maya is reminded that  “she so no longer from here, that her body
3. …betrays her time away from this place.”
4. Strong point: Love the way Riwoe weaves Maya’s emotions with her cooking….just so creative!
5. Writing is so touching…old woman remembering her long lost love, Jakub.
6. Title: refers to “my love”  in Indonesian

1. She is Ruby Wong – 16 pg

1. Theme: sense of friendship. Ruby and Fran were friends years ago
2. …creating mischief wherever they went.
3. Fran’s mischief in her teens had dire consequences.
4. Ruby’s mischief  now on stage could potentially be embarrassing as well.
5. Strong point: Building up  a feeling of tension….
6. Will the old friends recognise each other?  
7. Ruby on the stage…Fran in the audience.
8. Writing  is still very good…cannot spot a weakness anywhere, bravo!
9. Title: refers to the actress in London…who grew up in Australia.

1. Mind Full – 09 pg
2. Theme: sense of grief – Jennifer’s son died in Bali on a school trip.
3. She wants to follow his  Ben’s itinerary during his last days. Jennifer books a flight to Bali.
4. Strong point: Expressing grief as a ritual of closure.
5. Writing demonstrates Jennifer’s transition in dealing with grief…in just 9 pages.
6. Title: refers to advies from Jen’s thearapist…she must practice mindfulness
7. ..the practice of being aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment,
8. …thought to create a feeling of calm.

1. What Would Kim Do? – 08 pg
2. Theme: sense of the erotic… Milly, Liv and Georgia go to a  night club
3. Strong point: Milly takes us deep into her fantasies while cruising the night club.
4. Writing...couldn’t get more vivid if you tried!
5. Title: refers to Kim Kardashian

1. So Many Ways – 11  pg
2. Theme: sense of being at a turning point – Ella listen to her mother as she leafs trhough
3. a family photo album.  Ella is scheduled to have an abortion….but starts to doubt about it. 
4. Strong point: Life is tough…work…family…children  and sometimes people are too young
5. to manage all these “turning points”
6. Writing is excellent.
7. Title: refers to….so many ways to lose a child. Her mother lost a child and drives…what will Ella do?