Southeast Asia’s literary scene is shaped by powerful female novelists whose works bring honour to their countries while exploring themes like migration, identity and social justice. These authors are gaining international acclaim, using their voices to tell rich cultural stories that resonate globally. Their contributions not only highlight contemporary issues but also celebrate their nations’ histories and traditions. In this list, Top 10 of Asia highlights the top ten influential female novelists (in no particular order) whose works are shaping the future of literature and are proudly representing Southeast Asia on the world stage.
Kim Thúy (Vietnam)
Vietnamese-born Canadian novelist Kim Thúy left her homeland with the Boat People at the age of ten and settled in Quebac, Canada. A graduate in translation and law, she has worked in diverse fields, including as a seamstress, interpreter, lawyer, restaurant chef-owner and television host. Thúy is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2010 Governor General’s Literary Award, and was a 2018 Alternative Nobel Prize finalist. She is also a Knight of the National Order of Quebec, and a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic. Her books, which have sold over one million copies, are available in 45 countries and territories, and have been translated into over thirty languages. Thúy now lives in Montreal with her two sons.
Gina Apostol (Philippines)
Gina Apostol is a renowned Filipino novelist who has earned prestigious accolades, including the Rome Prize, the PEN America Open Book Award and two Philippine National Book Awards, along with various fellowships and residencies. She grew up in Tacloban, Leyte, in the Philippines, and now splits her time between New York and western Massachusetts. In 2023, she was honoured with the Alagad ni Balagtas Award for Fiction, the highest honour from her peers for literature in the Philippines. Apostol has authored five novels, including Insurrecto, which was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Ten Best Books of 2018. Her most recent work, La Tercera, was also selected as a New York Times Editor’s Choice.
Dr. Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Vietnam)
Dr. Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai is the author of 13 books in Vietnamese and English, including the global bestseller The Mountains Sing and Dust Child. Her works, translated into over 25 languages, have earned prestigious awards such as the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award, the International Book Award, the BookBrowse Best Debut Award, the Lannan Literary Fellowship in Fiction and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Runner-up). Through her writing, Quế Mai advocates for peace, women’s rights and equality. She has spoken at events worldwide, representing Vietnam and Southeast Asia on the global stage. In 2021, Forbes Vietnam named her one of the country’s 20 inspiring women.
Ika Natassa (Indonesia)
Ika Natassa is a banker with a 22-year career who has been passionate about writing since childhood. Despite her demanding profession, she has become one of Indonesia’s most celebrated novelists, known for her sharp, modern storytelling. Her novels – Critical Eleven, The Architecture of Love, Antologi Rasa and more—reflect the aspirations of Indonesia’s urban professionals. Most of her works have achieved bestseller status and been adapted into films, with The Architecture of Love earning her a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination at Festival Film Indonesia 2024. Beyond literature, Ika is an award-winning banker and a sought-after speaker on corporate culture, transformation and storytelling. A rare force in both finance and literature, her journey proves that passion and profession can coexist.
Merlinda Bobis (Philippines)
Merlinda Bobis is an award-winning novelist, poet and dramatist from the Philippines, now based in Australia. Her works explore themes of women, borders, migration, the environment, war and memory. Merlinda has written four novels: Locust Girl, A Lovesong (winner of Australia’s Christina Stead Prize), Fish-Hair Woman (winner of the Juan C. Laya Philippine National Book Award), The Solemn Lantern Maker and Banana Heart Summer (shortlisted for the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal). Additionally, her six poetry books, two short story anthologies and 10 performance works have earned international acclaim. Her highly anticipated novel, In the Name of the Trees, is set to be launched at the end of 2025. She will also be presenting her work at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Vanessa Chan (Malaysia)
Vanessa Chan is the Malaysian author of the internationally bestselling novel The Storm We Made, which became a Good Morning America and BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick, as well as a New York Times Editors’ Choice. Named best book of the year by NPR, Amazon, Elle and Goodreads, it tells the story of an unlikely spy—a discontented mother and wife in 1930s British Malaya whose actions unknowingly trigger her country’s most violent war. The Storm We Made is set to be translated into over twenty languages. Vanessa’s other work has also been featured in Vogue, Esquire and more. While she grew up in Malaysia, Vanessa now lives in Brooklyn.
Emily Lim-Leh (Singapore)
Emily Lim-Leh is an award-winning author of 50 children’s books. She is the first outside North America to win 3 medals at the IPPY Awards, the world’s largest book awards. Emily is also a 4-time US-based Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards winner, and first in Southeast Asia to win a Moonbeam medal. Emily was named Mediacorp Singapore’s Singapore Woman Award Honouree for inspiring readers and received the Public Service Medal (Covid-19) from the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. Emily’s first children’s novel, Little Hero, released by Penguin Books SEA in 2024, has received numerous accolades, including being the #1 Bestseller in children’s books on Amazon Singapore and #1 Bestseller on Strait Times Singapore’s Children’s List. Little Hero also won a Bronze Medal at the US-Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.
Prabda Yoon (Thailand)
Prabda Yoon is a Thai novelist, best known for her literary works The Sad Part Was (2017) and Moving Parts (2018), both translated into English by Mui Poopuksakul and published by Tilted Axis Press. These story collections won the PEN Translates! Award and have garnered critical acclaim. In addition to her novels, Prabda is an accomplished filmmaker, with her first feature film, Motel Mist, premiering at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2016, and her second, Someone From Nowhere, competing at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2017. She also co-wrote and served as showrunner for Netflix’s Bangkok Breaking (2021).
Loung Ung (Cambodia)
Loung Ung is a bestselling author and activist, best known for her memoir First They Killed My Father, which recounts her survival of the Khmer Rouge genocide, and was adapted into a Netflix film directed by Angelina Jolie. Her other books, Lucky Child and Lulu in the Sky, continue her powerful story of trauma, resilience and healing. Loung’s work has been translated into 15 languages and is widely taught around the world. She is also an advocate for landmine victims and human rights, using her platform to inspire change and raise awareness globally.
Leila S. Chudori (Indonesia)
Leila Salikha Chudori is an Indonesian author known for her bold storytelling that tackles taboo themes such as state absolutism, chauvinism and the hypocrisy of public mores. Her works, including the bestselling Pulang (“Home”) and short story collections Malam Terakhir (“The Last Night”) and 9 dari Nadira (“Nine Stories from Nadira”), have been translated into several languages. Chudori’s writing blends personal experience with mythology, creating complex narratives that reflect both traditional and modern Indonesian society. Her work has earned critical acclaim, with Pulang winning the Khatulistiwa Literary Award in 2013. Leila is also a respected journalist and TV writer.