Tuala and Other Horrors

Leon Wing’s Tuala and Other Horrors presents a collection of supernatural tales rooted in Malaysian folklore and modern dystopia. The title story follows Tuala, a human-fae hybrid living in Kuala Lumpur who hides gossamer wings beneath her skin. She survives by working as a sex worker, consuming humans to sustain her dual nature. When she becomes hungry, her seductive facade drops, revealing a vampiric entity capable of transferring faerie traits to her victims. The anthology expands beyond this central figure to explore various eerie scenarios. One narrative involves a man who expects death but instead encounters the entity responsible for his survival. Another reimagines Red Riding Hood within a Malaysian dystopian setting, while a third focuses on a Goldilocksian invader forced to eat to survive. The collection also includes stories about ghosts who cross-dress, neighbors with disturbing obsessions over children, and passengers witnessing a train accident. Wing draws on traditional fairy tales and gothic horror tropes, adapting them to contemporary Southeast Asian contexts. This book suits readers interested in folk horror and reimagined classics set in urban Asia. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional Western vampire lore or linear narratives. The stories are organized as distinct vignettes rather than a continuous plot. Wing’s background allows him to blend local mythologies with global horror conventions, creating a unique atmosphere that feels both familiar and unsettling. The collection concludes with tales of nostalgia at churches and confrontations between fathers and foreign invaders, offering a varied look at fear in modern Malaysia.