Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

When Meddy agrees to meet the man her mother secretly sets her up with, she has no idea just how the night is going to end. It so happens that the next day, she and her family find themselves with a dead body in Meddy’s trunk and a wedding to cater to.

Dial A For Aunties is that fun, lighthearted novel that you want to carry with you on a vacation. It doesn’t require too much of your brain energy and is quite entertaining.

I found it to be relatable in its representation of Asian families. The values and beliefs that Meddy’s family holds dear are quite familiar to me.

The book is character driven. Meddy’s mother and aunties are a driving force, propelling the story forward. There is a lot of bickering that goes on amongst them, which added mild tension to the plot progression. Just when you think that they’ve found a way out, something else would go wrong.

These apprehension-causing elements certainly kept me more engrossed in the story.

You’d think that with Meddy’s family being a stickler for rules in many ways and their traditional thinking, they would have a bit more of a hard time coming to terms with the death. But the ease with which they move forward was an interesting addition.

I enjoy reading stories that are set around events, especially a wedding. The way this is incorporated into the plot makes the book even more fun!

The writing is humorous at times. Jesse Q. Sutanto has left no leaf unturned in bringing out the most real and personal aspects of Meddy’s family dynamics.

I wasn’t a fan of Meddy and Nathan’s romantic storyline. It didn’t feel convincing, and I don’t think made much of a difference to the novel as a whole.

Maybe if there were a few more meaningful scenes about them that added some weight to their history, it would’ve been great.

From Meddy being compelled to find a partner, having to work in her family’s business, and their firm adherence to hierarchy, there are a few stereotypical themes. But that’s to be expected. This is the lived reality for thousands of people today.

I found Dial A For Aunties to be worth the read and interesting enough to keep an eye out for whatever Jesse Q. Sutanto writes next.

Pick it up if you’re looking for a comedy of errors style contemporary novel.