Antologi Rasa by Ika Natassa

Disclaimer

I felt very woman when I read this book, so this review maybe had very woman-vibe in it. Try to read it from perspective of a woman.

I've read this book for a while, forgot about that, and re-read it yesterday night, while accompanied by some mellow songs. Suits the book very well. Probably you'll sob out loud, so never, never try to do both things (read the book and listen those kind of broken heart music) while you're sad. Or broken heart of course.

I saw a new cover, did they really change its cover? But I prefer this one actually.

Summary

Three best friends. A Question. What if in the person that you love, you find a best friend instead of a lover?

Keara

We're both just people who worry about the breaths we take, not how we breathe.

How can we be so different and feel so much alike, Rul?

And tonight, three years after the night that made me fall in love with you, my dear, and here I lay staring at the stars in the Singapore sky, and I still love you. And you may never know.

Ruly

What I'm not telling you Keara, until now, the only moment I could be happier and relieved is when someday I enter the hospital room and Denise is holding our new baby she gave birth. What I am not telling you is a feeling of warmth I felt in the chest when the nurse woke me up at dawn and said, "Sir, your wife was conscious," and that I was not even having slightest intention of correcting the statement. Dream on, Rul.

Harris

Happiness in my version: see you laughing. In your version: Maybe I'll never know. Because every time I try to do sweet things that I do with other women throughout history who never fails to make them falling for me, all I heard for you is, "Harris darling, please, keep your sweet things. Go back being the chauvinistic jerk that I love. "

That's probably as close as I can get to hearing that she loves me.

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This story is written from everyone's perspective, but I love Keara's most. She's typical urban working woman, working as an account officer in an international bank, thinking that her job is something that helps her to get those Kate Spades for her closet, and something she does between the weekend. Love photography. She loves her best friend, Ruly. Too bad, Ruly is in love with their best friend, Denise. And Harris, who also happen to be their best friend too, falls into Keara.

Typical love square story huh?

But, it's not.

From the very beginning, Ika Natassa has already brought me into her world. She told romantically how airport means for everyone, what travel should teach you about. She is a romantic story-teller. I love how Keara (yes, my favorite character) being told to have such as photographic memory, when she's able to remember all the details from everything she love, the first time she felt in love with photography, first time she met Ruly, what clothes he wear exactly, and their first conversation who made her fall'n love with him. Keara, while she has similar and not very similar background with me (I also happen to be a banker, but I am not a bitch like her, of course!), with her charm and tempting figure, turns out to be like every ordinary girl who is falling in love. Remember when you feel that everywhere you go, when you close your eyes, and you'll see only him? And every time you listen a song, you'll think it's about you and him. Ika perfectly creates an universe when we feels we are Keara. Hopelessly want that every thing would be fall perfectly into places we want.

Love every details Ika put at Keara's travel, F1 show in Singapore, business trip to Bali, getaway with Ruli in Ubud, John Meyer's concert in Manila. I feel like Ika is really putting herself in Keara's shoes, since I was reading somewhere that she loves traveling and photography too. Keara's life style is too metropolis for me, but I still be able to enjoy it as well.

I thought, people will be torn into two team, good guy Ruly, and bad boy, Harris. As much as I love bad boy, but Ruly takes special position in my heart, because from the beginning, he was the one who always closed himself, an introvert one, so we had no idea about his feeling. I know he has special feeling for Denise, but I can't resist from all magical moment which happened between him and Keara. As a hopelessly romantic person, I really want a happy ending though. For everyone.

Meanwhile, Harris, has his own persona. Of course, he's a jerk, and I don't like what he did to Keara at the early chapter, but step by step, he proves that he's a good friend. And he deserves Keara.

So in the end, the maturity will bring everyone into a decision. It maybe not a happy ending, but surely it's the best for everyone. And the best ending is who gives you an open probability to keep the future changing to follow its nature. Find happiness.

PS. I created a playlist to company me reading this book, because Ika inserted many songs inside her book, so it's really appropriate to compile both of them. Try "Edge of Desire" by John Meyer. It works perfectly!

Tea for Two by Clara Ng

Summary

Tea for Two is Matchmaking Company, owned by Sassy. For her, there are no bigger responsibility and happiness than set up two strangers, and then bring them to most expected moment in life: MARRIAGE!

Live happily ever after. This is Tea for Two’s motto, which sounds nice.

But wait!

Is it true that marriage is the only way to be happy? Is marriage always full of happiness, flower, and romantically beautiful? The truth is, Sassy’s own marriage is facing a big problem. Secret lies, which is transforming slowly into big ones. Domestic violence. And all is started with infatuating romance, and ended with brutalism.

It could happen to you. It could happen to anybody.

This book epically tells us about bad side of marriage. Not intended to scare us of marriage, but teach us to be warned, to think logically, to be careful, because a Mr. Right is able to change into Mr. Totally Wrong.

Look Sassy. Successful career woman in her twenty something. Has her own company, which is reaching its peak. Pretty. Has four lovable, caring friends.  Smart, of course. Independent.

So, when one day, she met Alan, a young professional, handsome, wealthy, and dreamy, she thought that she’s already found her Mr. Right. What else does she look after? And after eight months, they got married.

At their honeymoon, Alan slapped Sassy.

It’s so unpredictable. How could Smart Sassy not be able to observe its sign, that Alan is violated person, freaky jealous husband? But, love conquers all. Although Alan continues his cruelty, in the name of love, Sassy hides it all. From her mother. From her best friends. From the world. Even after a baby comes between them, Alan becomes more and more aggressive. Not only physically, but also verbally. He forbids Sassy to hang out with her friends, asks her to quit from his company, and sell them.

And Sassy, who we’ve known previously, is so independent, is defeated. She is scared, not be able to leave her husband. She leaves once, but Sassy always thinks a million reasons to return.

How does Sassy solve its problem?

The best thing that we can learn is even the strongest woman needs help when they face such as domestic violence. Some women maybe could runaway easily, leave it all behind, but the rest of them are scared. Scared of loneliness, scared of reputation, scared of not to be loved. In Sassy’s case, we could see, that love is like heroine for her. And, after a while, she becomes familiar with Alan’s habit, and treats it as if it’s ordinary routine. It’s fearful, realizing how women can accept awful behavior, just because they are used to it.

This book is beautiful in its own way. It’s giving spirit, revealing some facts, which is maybe we’ve known before, but we choose to ignore it. Good way, Clara Ng.

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Synopsis



Calli Clark, a selective mutism since she was 4 years old. Dreamer, sweet, and calming.
Petra Gregory, a talkactive girl. Cheerfull, brave, and extraordinary.


They are best friends. These seven years old girls always come together, Petra is used to be Calli's voice. Nobody know how could Petra understand what's inside Calli's mind, what she likes to eat, what she wants to play, what she needs to do. Petra receives Calli just the way she is, and vice versa.


And one gloomy morning, both of them had disappeared. Nobody saw them, their parents took them into each other bed at previous night, and found it's empty in the morning.


Sheriff Louis is Calli's mother's -Antonia- best friend. He even had a history with her. Would he tell Antonia that he suspected Griff, Calli's violent father, Antonia's husband, who had kidnapped Calli? Was Griff do it?And why did he take Petra with them?



The Weight of Silence tells about family, how different people come and unite a family, and don't recognize how different they are, until a tragedy happens. First chapter brought me into fast adrenaline, when one of the girls is dragged to forest, and the other girl follow them. Next chapter is really riveting, it has slow plot, like every family drama novel, explain every character's background and history. The center is Calli's mutism, how an active girl turned to a total silence one, what has happened when she saw her mother's miscarriage 3 years ago. Then, how her mutism affected her family. Her mother is frustated, her father is becoming more severe drunker, and often do violence to Calli and her brother.


Then come Petra, a genuine young girl, who always help Calli at school. She help her against mean kids, and scary subtitute teacher. What interesting is Petra's characteristic, which is likeable person. She always comes with outstanding ideas, frequently assist her father's problematic students. Who knows that someday it'll turn against her?


This is the first time I read Heather Gudenkauf's, and she reminds me to Jody Picoult. They both have similar note, detailed characterization, ordinary life with twisted family's secret. I enjoy it page by page, not in hurry to know who's the kidnapper, and it feels good to know, even in the worst family, there's love indeed. Life is choices, and you'll see how every characters make a choice, regret it, and be grateful after realizing that their bad choices bring some kindness after all.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult

What does it mean to be a good mother?
How far would you go in the name of love -- and justice?

Summary

In the course of her everyday work, career-driven assistant district attorney Nina Frost prosecutes child molesters and works determinedly to ensure that a legal system with too many loopholes keeps these criminals behind bars. But when her own five-year-old son, Nathaniel, is traumatized by a sexual assault, Nina and her husband, Caleb, a quiet and methodical stone mason, are shattered, ripped apart by an enraging sense of helplessness in the face of a futile justice system that Nina knows all too well. In a heartbeat, Nina's absolute truths and convictions are turned upside down, and she hurtles toward a plan to exact her own justice for her son -- no matter the consequence, whatever the sacrifice.

I was crying while reading this book. I swear I never felt heart-broken before while reading a book. In middle of page, I even put off it and almost decided not to finish it. It's too hurting. But, as I am a bookworm, I took it back, and started reading again. For everyone, who have read Sister's Keeper, or Salem Falls, should have known how Picoult aware about morality and law, how it can be opposite but sometimes mistakes should be executed to get better life. Maybe we have to take very hard decision, which break a law, but we think that it should be done for our future.

That's what Nina Frost does. She is an attorney, but also a mother. Her feeling is broken when she knows Nathaniel, her son, becoming sex violence victim. While Nathaniel is traumatized, he becomes mute, and not able to inform who had performed it to him. Nathaniel, who was active kid before, like to ask around, talkative, turns to vegetative boy, silent, and often try to do suicidal.

When Nathaniel finally tells Nina who's the offender, Nina must take reality that imperfect States law of sex assault can give freedom to suspect. So, Nina takes a decision, brave decision, which able to change her life forever.

I even can't choose side here. I know that Nina is doing mistakes, very huge one, but for God sake, she is doing it for her son. I'll have no idea what am I gonna to do, if I am in her position. Nina have to sacrifice everything to protect her son, and maybe other children, who maybe will be treated the same, if they release the suspect. So once again, right and wrong is gray area, huh? We'll never know the difference. It always change in different condition.

Galaksi Kinanthi by Tasaro GK

This time, I'd like to recommend an Indonesian novel. Honestly, I rarely read Indonesian novel. Yes, I know, love your country product, but I must say, there are only little Indonesian writer who have similar taste like I have. Am not judging myself too high, but it's more comfortable if I read foreign books.

It was unforeseen coming. I was kinda busy with few books in my hand. It's too hard to pick which one I should read first, among FREEFALL, third book of Tunnels, The Labor of Hercules, one of Agatha Christie's book, latest Detective Conan's comic, and The Sorceress, third book of Alchemist by Michael Scott (by the way, oh my God, I am so exciting, finally this book is published!). Suddenly, last Tuesday, when I met my old friend from college, she offered me a book with interesting cover. It's so unique, because you'll see woman gazes moonlight from cruiser deck, and when you flip undercover, you can see, a man, lay on wide meadow, looking up same moon. My friend said it was great book, containing twisted plot, and rarely found in Indonesia. So, I decide to give it a try, after reading recommendation from Dewi Lestari in its cover.

I could finish it in 3 hours. I must give my two thumbs up for the writer. Standing applause. This book has many things, wrapped up into one story. Kinanthi, young girl from Gunung Kidul, become main role. Like other kids there, she had poor and miserable life. She often get harsh treatment from her friends, only because of her poorness, and her "dirty" blood. Fate brings Kinanthi to Bandung. Her parents trade her with 50 kg of rice. Kinanthi become labor, and sent to Arab Saudi.

Her affliction didn't stop until this. You can read how bad her employer treat her, and what makes me mad is Indonesian Embassy there haven't do anything! They see Kinanthi's case like other cases, just let it be, what a harsh! Well, when i read it, I've been so ashamed being Indonesian people. How could it be? Why can we protect our own citizen?

Curious about its ending? Kinanthi become an American citizen. wait, wait.. why America? You should read the book to know the reason. I don't blame Kinanthi for her shallow nationalism. You can't give deep loyalty to a country, which never do any efforts to protect you while you're in danger.

It's a little picture of what our woman labor feel. They feel alone, none can help them. When you walk abroad, as a labor or TKW, your dignity will be replaced to lowest position. That's what I conclude.

Powerful book. And, I've just noticed that this story is based on true story. Oh, really? Well, I can't imagine it, tough.