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Meet Yunus Turaibi, a 44-yo-bus driver in Tehran, Iran. He once gathered at a bus drivers strike where things went awry. Violence breaks out and it leads Yunus to one and another chaotic chapter of his life following his arrest and imprisonment in Even Prison. In the prison, the stories keep shifting between the interrogation and his flashbacks. Most flashbacks talk about his personal relationship-with his friend’s wife and the father (this includes Yunus doing a solo hand-job in pleasure department while being imprisoned); while the interrogations are often absurds. Why on earth a prison warden asks a prisoner, “Have you ever fuked? How did you fuk?” Let’s return to the book by looking at the bible in which God sent a big whale to swallow Jonah and to save him from drowning. While in the belly of the big whale, Jonah prayed to God for help, repented, and praised God. For three days and three nights, Jonah sat in the belly of the fish. All the while Jonah kept thinking about himself and his plight. The bible part and this book in which portray Yunus (Jonah - Eng) clearly has moral message to impart. Both are to condemn the people narrow nationalism and small-mindedness in Iran. It shows with the corruption of the justice system is exposed during his time in prison and later when Yunus goes to trial. I must say that Yunus as the main character is quite boring but the political turmoil and its depictions happen around him are what make this book interesting. Add the prose used here. It’s beyond beautiful esp the allegory of “the fish that swallowed him..” Referring to Yunus and his existence in such oppressive socio-system. Give this a go tho. Des ✨ PS: a buddy read with @amandamachii_29 @asmayanikusrini @itzreibrary #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IranianLiterature #IranianAuthor #ThentheFishSwallowedHim #AmirAhmadiArian (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/Chho0Idr_N6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧/𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚d 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩/𝙪𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬. Here is what I wanted to hear when I grew up “Well done.. You’re doing great, Des…” “You are precious and we love you…” I instead heard this “You can do better..” when I was actually an A-straight student back then “Is this something you can do…?” making me feel so small like I was not good enough in every thing I do. Growing up in such environment which give you a certain pressure can be a blessing and a curse. It forms you to become a super woman that can weather your own storms and it’s a blessing when it comes to a professional arena. In contrast, when it comes to a personal arena; you become emotionally dull. You prolly feel the urge of pleasing people simply because you have no confident in you. You feel so small and you’re not good enough in whatever you’re being and doing. Such a ghost you have been living with. Then comes this book: Emotional Blackmail written by Zhou Mu-Zi in such an easy narration in dealing with those emotional ghosts you’ve been living with. Mu-Zi gives the example in every point he makes. Some come as a trigger and a reflection to me. Add the fact that the language style is so easy and crunchy making this book enjoyable to read. A question related to the 2nd chapter: instead of saying “building confidence (percaya diri), why does the translated word written is “harga diri” (pride)? I somehow think that confidence is more suitable than the pride but well, I prolly can be wrong. This also reminds me that an emotional blackmail can somehow be so unconsciously oppressive like the Bourdieusian symbolic violence. There is nothing we can do about it but to recognise our existence and to seek a help to deal with it. And this book can be one of the ways to help tho. Give this a go. Des ✨ (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChbazMiL5-Y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

“No, I am not imagining it. Yes, my father truly was lovely.” I have never been in a good terms with my dad for so many years. Yes we did reconcile a few years back and we started to understand each other. Romo as what I call my dad is a heavy smoker, a drinker and also a casanova! He’s one of the kinds. When other fathers brought their daughter to McDonnalds and sit with them; he’d leave me in the bookstore for hours when I was a kid to sneak out and to see your mistress(es). When other fathers taught their daughters to behave like a lady; it was him who taught me horseback-riding, fishing and took me out for hunting. He even taught me how to use his favourite riffle back then. Surprisingly he has never done that to my brothers. People also say that father is a daughter's first love. Even thought I kept saying the harsh words to him, I prolly unconsciously idolise him. It's just so hard to keep myself civilised when I was an inch away from him back then. . Well, despite of all the fucks-ups; I really thank him for what he has done. I always enjoying our fishing moment and when we go on a ride with my old Land Rover. He’d always open the window and smoke his cigars - violating my rule: no smoking in my old land rover. I also thank him for leaving me for hours in that bookstore for me to be able to read. I wouldn't be able to write those articles if I haven't had the habit to read. So comes this book; a kind of reflection of my regret for not being so sweet and spending more quality time as a filial daughter to my Romo. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #NigerianLiterature #NigerianAuthor #ChimamandaNgoziAdichie #NotesonGrief (at Bangkok, Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChV42gHvk32/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Happy Monday, everyone Today (and onwards) is going to be a great beautiful day filled with love, a successful life, peace of mind, happiness and joys. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #JessicaStern #Terrorism #JulieChernovHwang #ArieKruglanski (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChRMDZvr28q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

In the previous edition of Erotica Universalis, Gilles Néret will take you to see the erotic visual either paintings or illustrations from the antiquity to the modern days. If you're into erotic art, you will love it. He also provides the readers with small explanation written in several languages. Here in the newer edition, Néret provides his readers with more illustrations on the erotic arts. He includes the erotic arts from the era of Pompeii to Picasso. Still he will talk about each period of erotics arts from the antiquity, classic, revolutionary, romanticism, new art and modern. Yet what makes it different than the previous one is the inclusion of several erotic arts from the artists whose name wasn't mentioned previously like George Grosz, René Magritte and others. What I love the most is the part where Néret presents some engravings from one of the controversial erotic writers like John Cleland and Giovanni Boccaccio. Boccaccio's Decameron is one of the notable works in the erotic literary arena. In addition, Cleland's book Fanny Hill is considered as a canonic book for erotic literature. And Néret doesn't neglect that fact. The pics of the engraving are beautiful even I prefer those from Édouard Henri-Avril (last slide). I personally still think that it would be better for Neret to provide more information and explanation on each period of time. Read this book and Kearney’s History of Erotic Literature then one will have at least have an entrée to erotic literature. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #EroticaUniversalis #EroticLiterature #Erotica #GilesNeret https://www.instagram.com/p/ChQpveOPVd7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

In the previous edition of Erotica Universalis, Gilles Néret will take you to see the erotic visual either paintings or illustrations from the antiquity to the modern days. If you're into erotic art, you will love it. He also provides the readers with small explanation written in several languages. Here in the newer edition, Néret provides his readers with more illustrations on the erotic arts. He includes the erotic arts from the era of Pompeii to Picasso. Still he will talk about each period of erotics arts from the antiquity, classic, revolutionary, romanticism, new art and modern. Yet what makes it different than the previous one is the inclusion of several erotic arts from the artists whose name wasn't mentioned previously like George Grosz, René Magritte and others. What I love the most is the part where Néret presents some engravings from one of the controversial erotic writers like John Cleland and Giovanni Boccaccio. Boccaccio's Decameron is one of the notable works in the erotic literary arena. In addition, Cleland's book Fanny Hill is considered as a canonic book for erotic literature. And Néret doesn't neglect that fact. The pics of the engraving are beautiful even I prefer those from Édouard Henri-Avril (last slide). I personally still think that it would be better for Neret to provide more information and explanation on each period of time. Read this book and Kearney’s History of Erotic Literature then one will have at least have an entrée to erotic literature. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #EroticaUniversalis #EroticLiterature #Erotica #GilesNeret (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChQpVToPpGO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧/𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚d 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩/𝙪𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬. When I read Improvisasi X ages ago, I told myself: "what a story!!" Not knowing that Mona is the writer;I was just thinking,"She can be the Indonesian Jessica Zafra." Then came this book: A Tale of Redemption and Other Stories. The book contains of four short stories, a trilingual edition published by The Lontar Foundation. They're translated into English by Toni Pollard and German by Thomas Zschocke. They have ever been published in the Indonesian media. In this book:Samsu tells his story while digging into his past in the Tale of Redemption. Then There is No Tera Incognita seems like an oxymoron because the narrator of the story will take us to an unknown land which she occupies on her own. Meet a Chinese Indonesian, Maria who would have to undergo series of misfortunes following the tragedies in the Last Face. In the end of the book, welcome to a Shakespearean Hamlet, when a young man assumes a predestined bound with a girl just because he sees her for several times. There are two things I highlight here: 1st: the book is well-translated. I must say that the English version is more spicy instead of the Bahasa Indonesia ones which tend to be flat. I can grab more essence too in the Eng. trans version. 2nd: I personally think that these stories are somehow unique. They're open for interpretations. In the story the Tale of Redemption for instance; the redemption can be seen in two different ways: when Samsu begs forgiveness to Laksmi and when it refers to the coup and the mass killings in September 1968. The stories also rise certain issues even most of them are delivered implicitly. Like the women's issues in There's No Tera Incognita or the Indonesian minority ethnic and 98 Riots in Indonesia which targetted Indonesian Chinese ethnicity. And no... some may not have any resolution by the end of the story. You may feel like reading Beckett's Waiting for the Godot while reading them. And yes... they may be like Mona: dark, likely rough, lightly sweet but they are delicate in their own way. Des ✨ (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChLpBxIPEWP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I can always go on with great things about Joan Didion and her writings. That's one of the reasons why I read this book: Let Me Tell You What I Mean. The book consists of collection of twelve essays written by Didion circa 1968 to 2000. It rises varied topics from newspaper, Ernest Hemingway to Martha Steward and some more. What makes this book interesting is because Didion delivers her message from her perspectives. The experiences she has gone through like the rejection from Stanford university and her encounter with Nancy Reagan enrich the discussions. Despite the fact that I enjoyed reading her own thought and challenges through her struggles, I really cannot get myself lost into the book - this is so unlike my previous experiences with Didion's. Didion (to me) will likely focus on the perupheral details combined with an incisive critique towards the society narrated through her personal experiences. I do not feel the depth of the writings like what I feel like Didion's even they are memorable and enjoyable to read esp the part about motherhood. It's an interesting read even not as wow as her other works. Give this a go tho. A buddy read with Yasmin's mummy @mamaoreads Des✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #WomenEmpowerment #FemaleWriters #LetMeTellYouWhatIMean #JoanDidion (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKeUM4rmbD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Set in the rural area of Telangana, South India, the dalit people - refer to people that come from the lowest stratum of castes - tell their daily lives throughout the collection of short stories in this book. Their suffering does not stop to a certain aspect but in most aspects of their life. These people esp the dalit women face and experience the abuse and the humiliation as well as the discrimination. I do love reading this book. Despite the darkness depicted in the stories, these are stories also depict hope, dignity and surreal strength told in a near mesmerising manner. The narrative is a bit difficult to adjust to in the beginning but the readers will later feel such a familiar feeling as they go deeper into the stories. A set of wonderful stories wrapped in a beautiful cover. Des ✨ A buddy read with @teguhafandi and @itzreibrary #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IndianLiterature #IndianAuthor #GoguShyamala #FathermaybeanElephantandMotheronlyaSmallBasketbut (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChJES_2vkoP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hip Hip hoera! 🎉 The queer parade continues! Parade yang tak Pernah Usai (a never ending parade - raw Eng) consists of 17 short stories which rise the issue about sexuality and gender equality. This issue is not something new; simply because in the Indonesian society, heteronormative relationship is what considered as normal, neglecting the fact that sexuality is always fluid. What can we say? The state laws are always intersected with the religious values and norms. This book comes as a form of resistance in raising the unheard voices, the sexually-oppressed ones. They're not only a short story written to highlight and to tell but also a celebration of gender equality and diversity. The title itself shows that the walk to reach the goal of creating utopian world that recognises the diversity among us is still far to go. Thanking @emil_amir for shipping me this book all the way from Indonesia to Bangkok! I had a great time reading these stories. Khob khun kha na ka. A full and longer review is available on different platform. Give this book a go and experience the continuous queer parade. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IndonesianLiterature #IndonesianAuthor #IndonesianQueer #EmilAmir (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChGXV42vppO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hip Hip hoera! 🎉 The queer parade continues! Parade yang tak Pernah Usai (a never ending parade - raw Eng) consists of 17 short stories which rise the issue about sexuality and gender equality. This issue is not something new; simply because in the Indonesian society, heteronormative relationship is what considered as normal, neglecting the fact that sexuality is always fluid. What can we say? The state laws are always intersected with the religious values and norms. This book comes as a form of resistance in raising the unheard voices, the sexually-oppressed ones. They're not only a short story written to highlight and to tell but also a celebration of gender equality and diversity. The title itself shows that the walk to reach the goal of creating utopian world that recognises the diversity among us is still far to go. Thanking @emil_amir for shipping me this book all the way from Indonesia to Bangkok! I had a great time reading these stories. Khob khun kha na ka. A full and longer review is available on different platform. Give this book a go and experience the continuous queer parade. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IndonesianLiterature #IndonesianAuthor #IndonesianQueer #EmilAmir (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChGW480PXBf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Arum Manis by Teguh Affandi consists of three parts" Saya, Anda, and Dia. Each part consists several short stories. The short stories in the first part Saya; mostly tell about those what happen in our daily life like living with a nosey neighbour. In the second part: Anda tell about the social issues we experience in our Indonesian society. This is my favourite part - I must say. In this part, Teguh- as what we call him uses allegories and metaphors in convey his message. The rose seed. kweni and pakel seeds come to me as an allegory aforementioned. My favourite part is Tuhan Bermalam di Rumah Melly (The Lord stay over in Melly's house). It tells a story about a prostitute named Melly whose child's health is deteriorating. The Lord does not only cure the sickness but also stay over in this prostitute's house. This angers those moral guardian like Kyai Toha. The people living in that village then burn Melly's house down. They forget whether the Lord has left the house of not. This shows a lamentable fact in our society that a prostitute is seem from the darker perspective, neglecting the fact that prostitutes are also a human. It reminds me a part in the bible when the Pharisees brough a woman who had been caught in adultery to test Jesus “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” Jesus later stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her,” (John 8:7). This is so relatable to Melly's story. The third part: Dia mostly tells about the unrequited love. Still using the allegories, Teguh tries to convey this message which I assume likely deals about the sexual orientation. I love the satire used to narrate the stories. These stories may seem like simple but we will feel that we're so familiar with them and the issues depicted there. Prolly that is why the cover of the book is also in the form of human body. Ah this book is so sweet as arum manis (candy floss- Eng) and also as tasty as arum manis - a variety of mango, we Indonesian love the most. Full review is available on different platform. Des ✨ (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChD7D5Sv8oG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Let's travel to Latvia, in the time when everything is forbidden simply because there's a clash between the religious beliefs and science following the war. And meet three generation of women: a grandmother, a mother and a daughter! who are they? They're an unknown here and you dun need to know them. All you have to do is to read their story. The grandmother gives birth to mother circa 1945. The mother later gives birth to the daughter circa 1969. The mother is a gifted doctor, while the daughter is still a student. The grandmother lived in the period of independent Latvia whose partner was a part of the Presidential guard before WWII. Mother is born at the beginning of the Soviet take over things so she's exposed to the Soviet system. She's highly gifted and capable to develop a diagnosis of her patients' illness. She also experiencing the mental break down from helping people. This prolly what causes her to refuse breastfeed the daughter. The daughter grows up at the end of the Soviet period. Her days are coloured with social oppression and the injustice. Therefore, her narration is mostly related to the birth of a new nation. The readers will later meet an intersexual person who happens to be the mother and daughter's contemporary friends. I happened to read this book in both version: Bahasa Indonesia and English. It was translated as Soviet Milk in English and Air Susu Ibu in Bahasa Indonesia. Both versions share a similarity that it was a bit hard to digest at the beginning. The reason is simply because there is the shifting between the mother and the daughter in speaking their voice. In addition, the readers will be presented with some historical background at first. However, as the story gets deeper, the readers can grasp who the narrator of the story is. It gets better because there isn't much political or sociological aspects in this book. Yet what remains with me longer and what makes a great impression in Ikstena's Soviet Milk/ Air Susu Ibu is the fractured and distant relationship between a mother and a daughter. It's somehow relatable to my life. An interesting read! Thank you for shipping this book, Penerbit Spring @penerbitspring Des ✨ (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChDrs5Ovlwk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Do you know what I love the most? a book mail! The reason is simply because they're entertaining and they're such a remedy of my homesickness. I kindda miss home and the Indonesian literary arena: the discussion, the book talk, and the readathon. Ah, I am now playing Bring Him Home by Alvie Boe on my stereo and wishing that I could be home. Thanking Rini for shipping me these books all the way from Indonesia to the concrete jungle of Krung Thep Maha Nakorn, Thailand. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IndonesianLiterature #IndonesianAuthor #AsmayaniKusrini #TanaToraja (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChDpvpDvbvV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Misi, a young girl from Tana Toraja, eastern part of Indonesia has experienced the sexual abuse leaving her traumatised. She later travelled from Tana Toraja to England then Brussels, Belgium. The story starts with her being hired as a nanny for Mbak Jessica and her mother, Julia. Misi didn't really want to go at first but she had no choice. She's indebted to Ibu Julia and out of courtesy, she'd have to go. In this book, the readers will still go on journey to Europe throughout the story with its characters. I guess it's so Rini - as what we call Asmayani Kusrini; to present us with a complex plot of the story and so many characters. This book is without exception. Yet the story I character I love the most are Rhandra and Zappa. They're what I call women of steel. They show us that being a woman is a tough job. One thing I also highlight is the maturity in developing the plot and the simplicity of the line which Rini has successfully mastered in this book. An interesting read tho. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #IndonesianLiterature #IndonesianAuthor #AsmayaniKusrini #Misi (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChDM4GMPdgk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

It starts with the death of Bahjan Komarudin: a respected politician from a small city of Butabella, successful businessman, father of three and a husband of two: a Chinese descendant Mayang or Lie Mei Yuan and a native Sulistiawati. Such a busy life for a man! Bahjan fathered two children from his unofficial marriage with Sulis: Arsyad, a young doctor working in the conflict areas and Arimbi, a naive young lass who is obsessed with her Papuan-Dutch activist bf. He also fathered a son from his official marriage: Agung, a gay painter. The readers will also meet Johanna, Dani Ramadan and the journalist Pol. Their path is intersected and intertwined as they all share a small bit of each other's life. This novel is so draamatic and may (at first) be considered 'heavy' to the readers. How can I say so? There are so many characters either the main or suppportive characters and each of them is given a space to raise his/her voice. So many narrations amd descriptions. I would have to make a note so I won't get lost lol (last slide). The POV also keeps changing every chapter because the story is told from each character's (Arsyad does seem appealing tho...rambut gondrong, dokter, aktifis..my kind of guy!). The plot goes back and forth and it is sometimes confusing because we do not even know who's telling us a story (as in POV term). Yet those are the beauty and the strength of the story in this novel. It takes me a while to get myself immersed in the story. When I can get into the story and see the plot in the wider scope, I'm amazed with the conteoversial issues that are being revealed here: women subjugation, modernity vs culture and norms, Papuan conflicts, homosexuaality and human rights are some of the issues raised here. The Makassar dialects also enrichs the story. I would recommend this book as one of the books one should read! Thank you, Rini @asmayanikusrini for shipping me your book. I am often gregeten, giggle and my ❤ sometimes constricts with the social issues you revealed here. A longer article that I wrote about this book is going to be published soon in different platform of electronic and printed media. Will keep everyone of you updated. Des ✨ (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChCCMV5rqcV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

How does it feel to live in an elite housing complex of Hibari Hill and witness a murder? A reputable doctor was killed in that complex. People have been questioning on “who is the muderer?” And “why is he killed?” Little did we know that this will lead the readers to unveil those so-considered elite families in Hibari Hill. One thing I realise in this book is that the plot of the story is simple. I do not know about other translated versions but at least that is my opinion on the Bahasa Indonesia translated one. The language style is just so flowwy and digestible dragging the readers into the story. What fascinate me the most is how Kanae depicts the women esp the mothers living in Hibari Hill. She kindda shows her readers that the notion of motherhood or being a mother is not an easy-pensy thing like what people do. These women and mothers in Hibari Hill told us so and they will give us, the readers their surprise in the end of the story. A light reading but I cherish it. Des ✨ #bookishindonesia #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookstagramindonesia #bibliophile #bookreview #bookreviewer #booknerd #bookaddict #bookblogger #bookaesthetic #bookenthusiast #booksbooksbooks #descalibrary #descaslibrary #descareading2022 #fictionbook #literaturejunkie #nonfiction #igreads #igbook #instaread #instabooks #ReadTheWorld22 #riotgrams #BookstagramReels #JapaneseLiterature #JapaneseAuthor #MinatoKanae #FerrisWheelatNight (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg-5E0OLEPE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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