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misspalah's review
5.0
“I pray that all of us in our own ways will work towards the pot of gold on the other end of the rainbow : our shared dream of lasting harmony”.
- This end of the rainbow by Adibah Amin
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Before ‘Hanna Alkaf’, we have ‘Adibah Amin’. Before ‘The weight of our sky’, we have ‘this end of the rainbow’. This novel despite its few flaws really touched my heart. The story of Malaya - pre independence day was told via Ayu’s narration : her mother’s optimism in believing that Malaya could be self governed, Lin’s family whom Ayu lost contact due to Japanese occupation and her memories of mingling with other races - back then in school or in university. Throughout the book, we only follow Ayu life run its course from school to university - one chapter to another, but we also being introduced few characters that though only make up short appearance really is leaving an impact towards. For instance , when she decided to change her major from Medicine to Art, she really wanted to do well writing thus getting tips directly from Keris Mas, Hamka and Tongkat Warrant really prode her to get better in producing a manuscript. There are few parts she recalled memories of her growing up though it was a time of uncertainty and bloodshed often occured, she also has the best memories of it. Her friends, Nimmi and Surmeet made her an honorary members of their family and even called their mother, Amma to show how close their friendship is. Few notable events was pointed out in the novel did show how fragile race relation in Malaya back then - one remark from Han the cynic stated to Ayu that once we reached independence , we will be at each other’s throat. It was proven right when Malaysia got its own racial riots at 13 May 1969. Ultimately, Ayu reminded me of ‘Melati’ from ‘The weight of our sky’ because of their idealistic persona - that this country’s unity is a work in progress and unless all of us put it in efforts fo make if work and not let politics divided us - the harmony will crumble. Media censorship on any issue regarding race and religion is real in order to avoid confrontation but both Po Po and Ayu believe that if it was written fairly, it should have been published. Ayu’s narration progressed with Dato’ Onn fight against the Malayan Union and followed to the Tunku Rally for an Independence Day. Ayu’s POV on mirroring Both Dato Onn and Tunku is interesting - one felt unity meant it should be inclusive, the other felt unity meant collaboration and cooperation but still reserved the right to their identity. Adibah Amin also showed us the vulnerability of others who didn’t really felt they belonged in the land who just got their independent. When Krish confronted Ayu and Hafiz after they joked around that he’s going to stay abroad once he finished his study. Krish chided them and said ‘Why shouldn’t i stay? this is my country too’. The clash of Idea that Ima and Ayu has a Malay also being explored here. As Ima felt that Ayu is not enough Malay and couldn’t see why it should be ‘US vs Them’ and Ayu felt unity in diversity is what this country needed in the first place. Overall, this is a highly recommended book. Although it is short but i believe it did well in portraying the stark realities of Colonialism, Racism, Prejudices and Injustices in Malaysia during 1950s. If Adibah wrote this 150 pages more, reduce the characters in the book as some still feel like a filler and rather than reminiscing the memories back and forth, the story could be written in linear way letting us readers to see how Ayu grow up and eventually attending University Malaya, this would have been a perfect novel. Either way I still give this 5 stars.
- This end of the rainbow by Adibah Amin
.
.
Before ‘Hanna Alkaf’, we have ‘Adibah Amin’. Before ‘The weight of our sky’, we have ‘this end of the rainbow’. This novel despite its few flaws really touched my heart. The story of Malaya - pre independence day was told via Ayu’s narration : her mother’s optimism in believing that Malaya could be self governed, Lin’s family whom Ayu lost contact due to Japanese occupation and her memories of mingling with other races - back then in school or in university. Throughout the book, we only follow Ayu life run its course from school to university - one chapter to another, but we also being introduced few characters that though only make up short appearance really is leaving an impact towards. For instance , when she decided to change her major from Medicine to Art, she really wanted to do well writing thus getting tips directly from Keris Mas, Hamka and Tongkat Warrant really prode her to get better in producing a manuscript. There are few parts she recalled memories of her growing up though it was a time of uncertainty and bloodshed often occured, she also has the best memories of it. Her friends, Nimmi and Surmeet made her an honorary members of their family and even called their mother, Amma to show how close their friendship is. Few notable events was pointed out in the novel did show how fragile race relation in Malaya back then - one remark from Han the cynic stated to Ayu that once we reached independence , we will be at each other’s throat. It was proven right when Malaysia got its own racial riots at 13 May 1969. Ultimately, Ayu reminded me of ‘Melati’ from ‘The weight of our sky’ because of their idealistic persona - that this country’s unity is a work in progress and unless all of us put it in efforts fo make if work and not let politics divided us - the harmony will crumble. Media censorship on any issue regarding race and religion is real in order to avoid confrontation but both Po Po and Ayu believe that if it was written fairly, it should have been published. Ayu’s narration progressed with Dato’ Onn fight against the Malayan Union and followed to the Tunku Rally for an Independence Day. Ayu’s POV on mirroring Both Dato Onn and Tunku is interesting - one felt unity meant it should be inclusive, the other felt unity meant collaboration and cooperation but still reserved the right to their identity. Adibah Amin also showed us the vulnerability of others who didn’t really felt they belonged in the land who just got their independent. When Krish confronted Ayu and Hafiz after they joked around that he’s going to stay abroad once he finished his study. Krish chided them and said ‘Why shouldn’t i stay? this is my country too’. The clash of Idea that Ima and Ayu has a Malay also being explored here. As Ima felt that Ayu is not enough Malay and couldn’t see why it should be ‘US vs Them’ and Ayu felt unity in diversity is what this country needed in the first place. Overall, this is a highly recommended book. Although it is short but i believe it did well in portraying the stark realities of Colonialism, Racism, Prejudices and Injustices in Malaysia during 1950s. If Adibah wrote this 150 pages more, reduce the characters in the book as some still feel like a filler and rather than reminiscing the memories back and forth, the story could be written in linear way letting us readers to see how Ayu grow up and eventually attending University Malaya, this would have been a perfect novel. Either way I still give this 5 stars.
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