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acecatlady's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Do you like Isabelle Allende? Can you handle stories of the brutalization of Korean women by the Japanese in the early 1900s? Then this (probably not fiction enough) story about 20th century Indonesia might just be for you.
Not for the faint of heart. It is a fantastically raw magical realism take on colonialist and post-colonialist violence. On the horrors of humanity. But it can also be flippant and funny. A lot of very time-specific stuff and culturally specific stuff that if you've spent time in SE Asia are interesting to read like this.
I think people really focus on the male/female aspect of this, and I get that, totally. Sexual assault and rape and love or desire as a sickness are a big part of it, but you really can't ignore the colonialism inherent in the story. It at the very foundation of the curse.
Honestly, a lot of modern western horror WISH it went this hard. If you have triggers? Make sure to check the content warnings cuz this book has all of them.
Not for the faint of heart. It is a fantastically raw magical realism take on colonialist and post-colonialist violence. On the horrors of humanity. But it can also be flippant and funny. A lot of very time-specific stuff and culturally specific stuff that if you've spent time in SE Asia are interesting to read like this.
I think people really focus on the male/female aspect of this, and I get that, totally. Sexual assault and rape and love or desire as a sickness are a big part of it, but you really can't ignore the colonialism inherent in the story. It at the very foundation of the curse.
Honestly, a lot of modern western horror WISH it went this hard. If you have triggers? Make sure to check the content warnings cuz this book has all of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, War, Abortion, Confinement, Genocide, Incest, and Rape
vetathebooksurfer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The story covers most of the XX century's history of Indonesia, including World War II, Japanese invasion, growth to independancy, rise of communists - all of this is told in a form of folklore surrounding main character's - Dewi Ayu's - family. You would never guess it involves the element of mystery, and every time you are presented with a fictional element, you know it's bound to have a legitimate explanation.
I liked how most of the characters were morally grey and some were plainly evil. Mostly you'd expect communitsts to be the bad guys in every single novel you read, and here the politics had nothing to do with how a person was with others. For the most part the relationships were handled well, with a variety of ways life can go, although in one storyline the r*pe was forgiven, which is questionable.
...A number of nuns tried to persuade her to take the vows of poverty, purity, and chastity. “There’s no way,” she said. “If every woman took a vow like that, humans would go extinct like the dinosaurs.”
“Have you become a communist?” asked his mother, almost in despair. “Only a communist would be so gloomy.”
“I’m in love,” said Kliwon to his mother.
“That’s even worse!”
Now, after finishing the dinner that Kamino had given her, Farida found herself once again chatting with her dad, as if death didn’t exist, until she remembered and said:
“But you are dead, Daddy!”
“Well don’t be too jealous of me,” said her father, “you’ll get your turn someday.”
She passed by a group of four soldiers, and she stopped them.
“Have you killed my husband?”
“This time yes we have, Madam,” said their leader, “and we extend our condolences.”
“Where did you put his corpse?”
“Go straight for about a hundred meters, and there you will find his body, already surrounded by flies. We crucified him on a mango tree first.”
“Is he in a sack?”
“In a sack,” replied the soldier, “curled up like a baby.”
“See you later.”
“Later.”
RUS:
У нас есть тетенька. Тетенька прожила нехилую жизнь, весьма тесно связанная с историей Индонезии в целом. У тетеньки была семья. В этой семье было много горя, но и любовь, какая-никакая, тоже была.
Мне очень понравилось, как автор поровну демонизирует всех, а не только местных, голландцев или коммунистов: если человек - скотина, то здесь это не имеет отношения к их политическим взглядам. Однако не очень понравилась линия, что одному из персонажей простилось изнасилование, вроде как его достаточно жизнь наказала.
Любимые цитаты:
... Кое-кто из монахинь убеждал ее принять обеты бедности, безбрачия и целомудрия. "Вот еще! - фыркала она. - Если все женщины дадут обеты, люди вымрут, как динозавры"
– В коммунисты подался? – спросила она в отчаянии. – Только коммунисты ходят такие понурые.
– Я влюблен, – признался Кливон матери.
– Час от часу не легче!
В тот вечер, покончив с едой, Фарида вновь говорила с отцом, будто смерти нет, пока не спохватилась наконец:
– Папа, но ты же умер!
– А ты не завидуй, – сказал отец, – придет и твой черед.
Она остановила четверых встречных солдат:
– Вы убили моего мужа?
– На этот раз да, мадам, – сказал их командир, – примите наши соболезнования.
– А где труп?
– Пройдите еще метров сто, там и найдете тело, его уже мухи обсидели. Мы его прибили к дереву манго.
– В мешке?
– В мешке, – кивнул солдат, – лежит там клубочком, как младенец.
– До свидания!
– До свидания!
I liked how most of the characters were morally grey and some were plainly evil. Mostly you'd expect communitsts to be the bad guys in every single novel you read, and here the politics had nothing to do with how a person was with others. For the most part the relationships were handled well, with a variety of ways life can go, although in one storyline the r*pe was forgiven, which is questionable.
...A number of nuns tried to persuade her to take the vows of poverty, purity, and chastity. “There’s no way,” she said. “If every woman took a vow like that, humans would go extinct like the dinosaurs.”
“Have you become a communist?” asked his mother, almost in despair. “Only a communist would be so gloomy.”
“I’m in love,” said Kliwon to his mother.
“That’s even worse!”
Now, after finishing the dinner that Kamino had given her, Farida found herself once again chatting with her dad, as if death didn’t exist, until she remembered and said:
“But you are dead, Daddy!”
“Well don’t be too jealous of me,” said her father, “you’ll get your turn someday.”
She passed by a group of four soldiers, and she stopped them.
“Have you killed my husband?”
“This time yes we have, Madam,” said their leader, “and we extend our condolences.”
“Where did you put his corpse?”
“Go straight for about a hundred meters, and there you will find his body, already surrounded by flies. We crucified him on a mango tree first.”
“Is he in a sack?”
“In a sack,” replied the soldier, “curled up like a baby.”
“See you later.”
“Later.”
RUS:
У нас есть тетенька. Тетенька прожила нехилую жизнь, весьма тесно связанная с историей Индонезии в целом. У тетеньки была семья. В этой семье было много горя, но и любовь, какая-никакая, тоже была.
Мне очень понравилось, как автор поровну демонизирует всех, а не только местных, голландцев или коммунистов: если человек - скотина, то здесь это не имеет отношения к их политическим взглядам. Однако не очень понравилась линия, что одному из персонажей простилось изнасилование, вроде как его достаточно жизнь наказала.
Любимые цитаты:
... Кое-кто из монахинь убеждал ее принять обеты бедности, безбрачия и целомудрия. "Вот еще! - фыркала она. - Если все женщины дадут обеты, люди вымрут, как динозавры"
– В коммунисты подался? – спросила она в отчаянии. – Только коммунисты ходят такие понурые.
– Я влюблен, – признался Кливон матери.
– Час от часу не легче!
В тот вечер, покончив с едой, Фарида вновь говорила с отцом, будто смерти нет, пока не спохватилась наконец:
– Папа, но ты же умер!
– А ты не завидуй, – сказал отец, – придет и твой черед.
Она остановила четверых встречных солдат:
– Вы убили моего мужа?
– На этот раз да, мадам, – сказал их командир, – примите наши соболезнования.
– А где труп?
– Пройдите еще метров сто, там и найдете тело, его уже мухи обсидели. Мы его прибили к дереву манго.
– В мешке?
– В мешке, – кивнул солдат, – лежит там клубочком, как младенец.
– До свидания!
– До свидания!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Incest
Moderate: Xenophobia and Pedophilia
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