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literautres 's review for:
Nadira
by Leila S. Chudori
The first word that came out of my mouth as I finished the book: GOD.
This book is.. a lot. There is a lot of things to take in.
Out of all Leila Chudori's books that I've read, this is the darkest, most emotionally exhausting and time consuming despite it being only 300 pages. I had to take several pauses while reading this book. And by pauses I mean it can take one or two days when I didn't touch this book at all eventhough it is always in my bag. Like I really had to ask myself, am I ready to continue? Am I in a condition where I can take whatever tragic thing that's happening in Nadira's life without affecting myself so much? Because really when I first read it I was in page 34 and crying at work and almost cannot function properly and I had a really hard time to finish my day because Nadira's grief really took a toll on me.
The way Leila Chudori takes us into Nadira's journey--how her mother's death took everything in her, how this one specific event affects every aspect of her life--is extraordinary. Sad is an understatement. This book broke me. Everything that happens to Nadira broke me. It also doesn't help that the writing is so beautiful. The writing is beautiful, carefully and perfectly placed and yet it doesn't lose its soul. It's also filled with cultural references, just like every other of her book. While Laut Bercerita also has the similar tragic vibe to it, Nadira is a whole different of tragic. It's more personal, it's much in-depth and centered (in Nadira) therefore the pain that can be felt through this book is totally in a different level.
I also love how Leila took the time to write one full chapter of Satimin, a character that from the outside, seems insignificant and yet it provides another view of how Tara and Nadira's relationship is seen. This book also makes me realize how fragile human are, how messy life is, how we can only control so little things if not at all, and the fact that sometimes no matter how hard we try to seek for answers, some things are still gonna be left unanswered.
This book is.. a lot. There is a lot of things to take in.
Out of all Leila Chudori's books that I've read, this is the darkest, most emotionally exhausting and time consuming despite it being only 300 pages. I had to take several pauses while reading this book. And by pauses I mean it can take one or two days when I didn't touch this book at all eventhough it is always in my bag. Like I really had to ask myself, am I ready to continue? Am I in a condition where I can take whatever tragic thing that's happening in Nadira's life without affecting myself so much? Because really when I first read it I was in page 34 and crying at work and almost cannot function properly and I had a really hard time to finish my day because Nadira's grief really took a toll on me.
The way Leila Chudori takes us into Nadira's journey--how her mother's death took everything in her, how this one specific event affects every aspect of her life--is extraordinary. Sad is an understatement. This book broke me. Everything that happens to Nadira broke me. It also doesn't help that the writing is so beautiful. The writing is beautiful, carefully and perfectly placed and yet it doesn't lose its soul. It's also filled with cultural references, just like every other of her book. While Laut Bercerita also has the similar tragic vibe to it, Nadira is a whole different of tragic. It's more personal, it's much in-depth and centered (in Nadira) therefore the pain that can be felt through this book is totally in a different level.
I also love how Leila took the time to write one full chapter of Satimin, a character that from the outside, seems insignificant and yet it provides another view of how Tara and Nadira's relationship is seen. This book also makes me realize how fragile human are, how messy life is, how we can only control so little things if not at all, and the fact that sometimes no matter how hard we try to seek for answers, some things are still gonna be left unanswered.