The Weight of Our Sky, the critically acclaimed debut novel of Malaysian author Hanna Alkaf, joins Webtoon’s upcoming slate of webcomic adaptations of popular young adult books, alongside titles such as Dan Wells’ I Am Not a Serial Killer and Jonathan Maberry’s Rot & Ruin.
Published in February of this year by Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, The Weight of Our Sky tells the story of Melati, a Malaysian teenager with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), who becomes separated from her mother during the racial tensions of May 13th, 1969. Together with a boy named Vincent, Melati attempts to find her way back to her mother while struggling with her internal demons.
The novel was published to both critical and commercial success, with Publishers’ Weekly calling it “a stunning debut” and that the story depicts a “visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time”. Alkaf also received praise for her deft handling of difficult subjects, namely that of mental health issues and racial discrimination in 1960’s Malaysia.
Webtoon’s adaptation will be illustrated by fellow Malaysian Nisrina AN, with the first episode set to launch later this September.
Congratulations to Hanna Alkaf on the exciting news! Be sure to follow her on Twitter for more updates.
