Exiled. Powerless. The world he grew up in is changing—he feels it, feels the devastation being wrought. But what can he do so far away from home?

Lost. Afraid. She’s being enlisted to help save Alam Dongeng—a magical world she knows little about. How can she tell stories she doesn’t even know?

Worried. Confused. He’s long forgotten his grandfather’s stories—it’s familiar, but he’s never really believed in them. Why should he start now?

Dongeng tells the story of Sara and Helmi’s awakening to magic in their own country. There’s a war to protect Alam Dongeng, helmed by the Orang Bunian and Garuda. But are the ranks of Hantu really their enemies? They may very well be fighting the wrong battle.

A sequel to Coexist, Dongeng draws you into a whole new realm of fairy tales.

Fairy-tale creatures are dying as people forget their stories. Someone must write the stories to keep their worlds from crumbling. The fairy-tale creatures choose Sara—against her will—drawing her into a world of magic, where monsters are real and boundaries are broken. Sara wants to help, but doesn’t know how. She doesn’t know the stories, and the creatures she meets are terrifyingly different from the folklore. The more she writes, the worse things get. But all is not as it seems, and some creatures want to tell stories of their own. Sara must decide who to trust as she learns to breathe life back into the fairy-tale worlds. Author Anna Tan creates a beautiful multicultural world for Dongeng, weaving in characters from traditions both familiar and foreign. Danger and hope, fear and joy all come to life in this thoroughly fun adventure.

Best for: Young adults who enjoy fairy tales from multiple canons and cultures.

Discern: Some references to dark themes, some references to non-biblical gods.