Reviews

Pulang by Leila S. Chudori

softrosemint's review against another edition

4.0

It is a little difficult to rate this book as it helped me learn about and better understand a part of the world I do not know too much about and its history. 

The prose was particularly beautiful and impactful in the early chapters and when focusing on Dimas's character and his generation. It only underperformed in the last quarter of the book as it seemed less suited for more dynamic fast-paced scenes. 

It is not perhaps my favourite family saga I have read but I grew to love and care for each of the characters regardless and what more is required here?

moonshower's review

3.75

Ayah adalah seorang Ekalaya. Dia ditolak tapi dia akan bertahan meski setiap langkahnya penuh jejak darah dan luka.

 
Well, this was a ride, albeit sadly monotonous. I did not like Laut Bercerita as much as I have wished for. I found it decent but not to the point that I get why people were raving about it on the Internet. So I had hoped that Pulang would serve me the redemption arc but alas, it has also failed me.

My main qualm with this novel is that it is too apolitical for a novel that is set in a heavily political era. The way that the characters (except for Mas Hananto) were all so quick to dismiss communism and all left-leaning ideologies irked me. I understand that maybe Leila wanted to paint another layer to the 1965 tragedy, that not every victim involved automatically believed in communism, but really? Seriously?  This novel is a good intro for anyone who is still unfamiliar with the aforementioned massacre but it is never enough of a medium to be used to understand the layered nuance of the whole thing.

The rest of the story mainly revolves around the life of Dimas as he tries to rebuild his life in Paris as an exile and Lintang as she attempts to get in touch with her Indonesian identity. It is rather flat but still enjoyable enough for me to keep flipping the pages. It only started to test me on the third part of the novel as

we were introduced to a dilemma on Lintang's love story. I practically could care less on the cheating but isn't it rather weird to hook up with the son of your father's ex lover? The one he is still hung up on even until today?

Interestingly, I could pick up similarities in Pulang and Laut Bercerita, such as in the wayang analogies, the detailed description of local food, or even having sex in the middle of a political uprising. It was an okay read but now I'm starting to get tired on having to encounter yet another mid overly glorified Indonesian literature.

phielanthropy's review against another edition

4.0

negara "ngebunuh" rakyatnya dengan menjadikan mereka eksil yang gak bisa pulang sekedar mengucap rindu di tanah air. negara "ngebunuh" rakyatnya dengan titel eksil yang disematkan tujuh turunan, mereka yang gak bersalah bahkan gak tau apa yang sebenarnya terjadi, harus ikut andil menanggung beban berat titel yang disematkan dan gak bisa hidup sesuai dengan apa yang harusnya mereka pantas dapatkan. (gue males banget sama lu ya Segara Alam)

meirysza's review against another edition

3.0

Teringat ada sebuah cuitan, kira-kira mengungkapkan kalau, kenapa ya penggambaran orang-orang yang sedikit/condong ke kiri punya stereotipe tersendiri? Buku ini salah satu contohnya.

Bagus! Walau gak nyangka banyak unsur romansa untuk menggiring plot dan semakin ke sini ternyata romansa adalah plotnya?

kristine2221's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

paperandcoffee's review

adventurous emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

repobi's review against another edition

3.0

Home's where the heart is, and home's where the hurt is too
- There Will Be Fireworks - Ash Wednesday

Potongan lirik itu menggambarkan dengan apa yang dirasakan oleh Dimas, Risjaf, Tjai dan Mas Nug: Mereka terluka karena terusir dari rumahnya yang wangi melati, anggrek dan cengkeh dan kunyit. Namun bagaimanapun juga, Indonesia adalah rumah bagi mereka. Sebesar apapun luka mereka, luka itu akan hilang setelah mereka menginjakkan kaki kembali di Indonesia-termasuk ketika mereka di makamkan.

nabilaandta's review against another edition

5.0

Berlatar belakang peristiwa bersejarah 30 September 1965 hingga Mei 1998. Ketika dilarang kembali ke negeri sendiri, tidak memiliki kewarganegaraan, terasing, kekejian politik, kehidupan seorang eksil politik dan dampaknya sampai ke generasi berikutnya. Tragic and heartbreaking. Bu Leila ga pernah gagal membuat diriku belajar sejarah melalui karangan fiksinya..

gkahahaha's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

chochurros's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

5.0