The Dog Meows, the Cat Barks by Eka Kurniawan

Sato Reang’s childhood in a small Javanese town is full of laughter, mischief and freedom – until the day his father declares it is time to become pious. Circumcision is just the beginning of a life hemmed in by ritual and obedience.

But Sato is no meek disciple. He dreams of wickedness, he rebels in secret, and delights in the chaos of small sins. He eats with the wrong hand, skips prayers and finds joy in mocking the rules meant to shape him. Yet rebellion is never without consequence and when Sato dares to pull others into his orbit, innocence collides with vengeance in ways he could never have foreseen.

By turns darkly funny and devastating, The Dog Meows, The Cat Barks is Eka Kurniawan at his sharpest – a bold tale of faith, defiance and the dangerous pleasures of freedom.