In Between

In Tengah-Tengah, Valerie Patkar delves into the lives of Maika and Rio, two individuals navigating the complexities of their existence. Maika, often positioned in the middle, finds herself in a constant state of ambiguity—neither fully present nor absent, neither happy nor sad. In contrast, Rio stands at the extremes, always at the beginning or the end, never in between. Their paths cross, leading them to explore the nuances of being "in the middle." Through their journey, the novel reflects on the uncertainties and ambiguities of life, encouraging readers to find meaning and purpose in the spaces between.