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itzreibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Fall Baby by Laksmi Pamuntjak.
Just after his father, Adalhard Eilers died, Srikandi (Siri) found out the father she knew all her life wasn’t her biological father. Amba finally told her the story of Bhisma Rashad, Siri’s biological father that was accused of involved in communism party and exiled to Buru Island and died there. Enraged and shaken, she fled to Berlin hoping to start a new life, new inspirations for her art. Then she received another grim news; her ex-husband Riaz died and Amalia, her stepdaughter, the light of Siri’s life, went to live with Dara, Siri’s ‘ex-best friend’.
Siri’s life became more complicated when Amalia suddenly appeared on her studio in Berlin. She claimed her life was in danger, threatened by Indonesia’s right-wing party. They demanded that Siri cancelled her exhibition for her art was controversial and violated the Blasphemy and Pornographic Law. Siri had no other choice but to complied, and flew back to Jakarta and faced her mother and ex-best friend, for the sake of Amalia.
This book is complex. A lot of sensitive issues such as politics (span between 1965, Suharto’s regime, and present time), religions, art censorship, even LGBT. I especially impressed by how Laksmi created conflicts between art and ideology/religion. The conflict between Siri and Dara also very intriguing and I found myself torn between which side to take, though Dara’s character wasn’t that hard to read. The most complicated character was of course Siri, just like Amba, and the writer made sure of this by using so many metaphors in described what was going on inside Siri’s head.
All of those; sensitive issues, complicated characters, intriguing conflicts, are what make a book my favorite. But unfortunately, my heart wasn’t in it. Laksmi Pamuntjak’s way of complicate every thoughts of Siri’s were too much for me, I mostly skip her ramblings since I have no patient for it.
Still, I think this book brought up important issues and worth to read, especially if you like poetic narrations and lyrical writing style.
“Some people don’t give themselves the chance because they don’t seek it; they go for the responsible choices in the first place, and to believe in the value of their sacrifices, they have to actively unbelieve their own desires.” -page 211.
“Marriage is like all-knowing state, the battered body civil society. A marriage that tries to cobble together so much is a porous one. It can never stay in one piece.” -page 228.
“Why can’t people just accept that terrible things happen and sometimes these things are so terrible that they demand terrible decisions that have terrible consequences for others but they simply can’t be helped?” -page 274.
“Not because I believe woman should be dependent on men. I don’t believe though that women should suffer all the consequences while men get off scot-free with their good name, dignity, and family stability intact.” -page 284.
“One minute I’m straining every nerve to the woman against the world, saying who needs men – fuck them all – even while I’m shaking most of the time in fear of failure. Yet the next minute I know with supreme confidence that if even I could succeed as that freest of creatures, a life of no service to others is no life at all.” -page 285.
“I don’t know how she does it; seeing and working with so much ugliness every day, and still having it within her to care for others. To go through life and seeing only tasks, not problems. To be so calm within oneself, to be so assured deep down that there are no challenges harder than the human ability to solve them.” -page 309.
Just after his father, Adalhard Eilers died, Srikandi (Siri) found out the father she knew all her life wasn’t her biological father. Amba finally told her the story of Bhisma Rashad, Siri’s biological father that was accused of involved in communism party and exiled to Buru Island and died there. Enraged and shaken, she fled to Berlin hoping to start a new life, new inspirations for her art. Then she received another grim news; her ex-husband Riaz died and Amalia, her stepdaughter, the light of Siri’s life, went to live with Dara, Siri’s ‘ex-best friend’.
Siri’s life became more complicated when Amalia suddenly appeared on her studio in Berlin. She claimed her life was in danger, threatened by Indonesia’s right-wing party. They demanded that Siri cancelled her exhibition for her art was controversial and violated the Blasphemy and Pornographic Law. Siri had no other choice but to complied, and flew back to Jakarta and faced her mother and ex-best friend, for the sake of Amalia.
This book is complex. A lot of sensitive issues such as politics (span between 1965, Suharto’s regime, and present time), religions, art censorship, even LGBT. I especially impressed by how Laksmi created conflicts between art and ideology/religion. The conflict between Siri and Dara also very intriguing and I found myself torn between which side to take, though Dara’s character wasn’t that hard to read. The most complicated character was of course Siri, just like Amba, and the writer made sure of this by using so many metaphors in described what was going on inside Siri’s head.
All of those; sensitive issues, complicated characters, intriguing conflicts, are what make a book my favorite. But unfortunately, my heart wasn’t in it. Laksmi Pamuntjak’s way of complicate every thoughts of Siri’s were too much for me, I mostly skip her ramblings since I have no patient for it.
Still, I think this book brought up important issues and worth to read, especially if you like poetic narrations and lyrical writing style.
“Some people don’t give themselves the chance because they don’t seek it; they go for the responsible choices in the first place, and to believe in the value of their sacrifices, they have to actively unbelieve their own desires.” -page 211.
“Marriage is like all-knowing state, the battered body civil society. A marriage that tries to cobble together so much is a porous one. It can never stay in one piece.” -page 228.
“Why can’t people just accept that terrible things happen and sometimes these things are so terrible that they demand terrible decisions that have terrible consequences for others but they simply can’t be helped?” -page 274.
“Not because I believe woman should be dependent on men. I don’t believe though that women should suffer all the consequences while men get off scot-free with their good name, dignity, and family stability intact.” -page 284.
“One minute I’m straining every nerve to the woman against the world, saying who needs men – fuck them all – even while I’m shaking most of the time in fear of failure. Yet the next minute I know with supreme confidence that if even I could succeed as that freest of creatures, a life of no service to others is no life at all.” -page 285.
“I don’t know how she does it; seeing and working with so much ugliness every day, and still having it within her to care for others. To go through life and seeing only tasks, not problems. To be so calm within oneself, to be so assured deep down that there are no challenges harder than the human ability to solve them.” -page 309.
brewingwriter's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Times Reads for sending me a review copy.
It is my first time reading a book by an Indonesian author and it did not disappoint.
This book has many elements that challenged me intellectually - history and politics of Indonesia, subtle Hindu mythology, motherhood, sexuality and art. I would have been able to enjoy the book more if I was well equipped with knowledge revolving around Indonesian history and politics. I guess that’s the best thing about reading, it feeds your mind something new every day.
Siri is an illegitimate child of Amba and Bhisma. She is also an artist and a mother (a child which she did not bare from her womb). She has fled to Berlin in hopes of escaping the pain and grief of loss.
The story portrays three women of different generations that have fates so similar, yet different, making their lives intertwine seamlessly.
I sympathize with Siri but her consistent melancholy throughout the chapters bored me midway of the book. However, later in the book, stories about her life unravels and I understand why she seems to be depressed a lot of the time.
The chapters fluctuate between the POV of Siri and her best friend turned foe, Dara. I found Dara’s POV more engaging to read. Although this book is complex, the author has a poetic way of writing that makes it easy to read.
This book has taught me to savour art when looking at it, to think of what it means to me and what it might mean to the artist. The author describes several famous art pieces. While reading, I find myself searching up those art pieces to have a better vision of it.
Besides that, this books also portrays that running away from family chaos may not the best thing to do and the pain of loss must be dealt in an adaptive manner to avoid psychological distress.
Fall baby is a sequel to ‘The Question of Red’ which I am intrigued by Amba and Bhisma’s unrequited love story that is set in Indonesia during the Communist times. I can see myself picking up a copy of ‘The Question of Red’ very soon!
It is my first time reading a book by an Indonesian author and it did not disappoint.
This book has many elements that challenged me intellectually - history and politics of Indonesia, subtle Hindu mythology, motherhood, sexuality and art. I would have been able to enjoy the book more if I was well equipped with knowledge revolving around Indonesian history and politics. I guess that’s the best thing about reading, it feeds your mind something new every day.
Siri is an illegitimate child of Amba and Bhisma. She is also an artist and a mother (a child which she did not bare from her womb). She has fled to Berlin in hopes of escaping the pain and grief of loss.
The story portrays three women of different generations that have fates so similar, yet different, making their lives intertwine seamlessly.
I sympathize with Siri but her consistent melancholy throughout the chapters bored me midway of the book. However, later in the book, stories about her life unravels and I understand why she seems to be depressed a lot of the time.
The chapters fluctuate between the POV of Siri and her best friend turned foe, Dara. I found Dara’s POV more engaging to read. Although this book is complex, the author has a poetic way of writing that makes it easy to read.
This book has taught me to savour art when looking at it, to think of what it means to me and what it might mean to the artist. The author describes several famous art pieces. While reading, I find myself searching up those art pieces to have a better vision of it.
Besides that, this books also portrays that running away from family chaos may not the best thing to do and the pain of loss must be dealt in an adaptive manner to avoid psychological distress.
Fall baby is a sequel to ‘The Question of Red’ which I am intrigued by Amba and Bhisma’s unrequited love story that is set in Indonesia during the Communist times. I can see myself picking up a copy of ‘The Question of Red’ very soon!
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