MANGALOKA.com – Amidst the proliferation of modern fiction, a work emerges that not only offers imagination but also explores cultural roots within a meaningful story.

The novel “Warisan Dua Dunia,” the latest work by Dr Shienny Megawati Sutanto, bridges Chinese-Indonesian cultural heritage with a fantasy world rich in aesthetic and historical value.

A lecturer in Visual Communication Design at Ciputra University (UC), Shienny created this novel not just for reading but also as an important part of her doctoral dissertation, which she began in 2022.

This is a unique blend of art, culture, and academics rarely found in literary works.

Highlighting the tradition of Lontong Cap Go Meh as a cultural thread, Warisan Dua Dunia (Two World Heritage) invites readers to delve into the story of the main character who grew up within a diverse range of Peranakan cultural identities.

Shienny’s strong inspiration from her childhood around the Hok An Kiong Temple in Surabaya provides a strong and authentic setting for the story.

“I used to accompany my mother there (the Hok An Kiong Temple). I used that for the main character and the setting,” Shienny explained.

Strikingly, the novel also features 18 hand-drawn illustrations by the author, including depictions of the 12 zodiac signs and architectural elements of the temple, which enhance the story’s atmosphere.

These visuals are not merely complementary but rather important representations of the effort to integrate the narrative with the richness of visual culture.

However, integrating culture into a fictional story is certainly not easy. Shienny acknowledged that the biggest challenge was making cultural elements feel natural and not patronising, thus remaining integrated into a dynamic and engaging storyline.

“I want culture to resonate with the younger generation through fantasy stories, not through lectures,” Shienny said.

With the release of Heritage of Two Worlds, Shienny provides a valuable gift to the current generation: a new window into understanding and appreciating Chinese-Indonesian cultural heritage through a creative and relevant medium.

Heritage of Two Worlds is not just a novel, but a reflection of civilisation in story form, stimulating the imagination while educating without being patronising.

A work worthy of mandatory reading for anyone seeking to explore culture in an exciting and unique way.***