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renpuspita's reviews
1353 reviews
Dari Toko Buku ke Toko Buku by Muthia Esfand
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Sebelum gue mulai ngoceh, eh ngereview, cuma mau bilang walau gue kenal personal dengan penulisnya dan sering main ke toko bukunya di area Depok (karena deket juga sama rumah gue, hehe) plus juga kenal editornya karena sering berbalas pantun di WAG, bintang lima ini murni dari hati terdalam gue tanpa harus merasa ga enak sama keduanya wkwkwk. Gue emang suka baca buku - buku traveling walau mungkin hanya baca bukunya Trinity yang setelah gue baca bukunya Mba Muthia ini, terasa banget ngepop gayanya Trinity. Berasa makan snack, enak buat camilan, light, tapi ya udah gitu aja. Baca buku ini gue merasakan main course yang beragam karena gue diajak jalan - jalan ke toko buku di belahan Eropa, walau lebih banyak fokusnya ke daerah Eropa Timur, Inggris dan Jerman (plus beberapa negara lain).
Ga cuma bahas toko buku, walau judulnya ada "toko buku", Dari Toko Buku ke Toko Buku atau disingkat DTBkTB ini lebih terasa seperti catatan yang sangat personal. Ditulis dari sudut pandang Mba Muthia yang memang sudah makan asam garam dunia penerbitan dan toko buku di Indonesia, jadi gue merasakan keintiman yang berbeda jika dibandingkan buku Trinity. Gue mungkin ga fair ngebandingin keduanya, mengingat gue juga ga banyak baca buku2 catatan perjalanan orang. Tapi gue bisa bilang, baca buku ini emang seperti membaca catatan harian seseorang tapi juga seakan diajak ikut berdiskusi. Ga semua pendapat Mba Muthia di buku ini gue setuju kok, wkwkw, tapi disitulah daya tariknya.
Gue bahkan bisa melihat sedikit perbedaan gaya tulis dari beberapa bab, karena ada bab yang ditulis tahun 2017 dan tahun 2020. Mungkin hanya perasaan gue, di 2017 terasa seperti campuran perasaan yang lelah, kadang sinis, kadang menggebu - gebu, dan kadang sendu. Sementara di 2020 gue merasa kayaknya udah lebih kalem, hehe. Gue saat baca buku ini emang seperti bayangin Mba Muthia bercerita ke gue langsung dengan gayanya yang khas. BAHKAN, gue kadang ngerasa ini kayaknya ada pengaruhnya Onie deh (si editor), karena kok kayak berasa baca Onie ngomong ya XD. Jadi, bisa dibilang sungguh pengalaman membaca yang intim. Membuat gue juga agak enggan baca cepat - cepat karena ingin menikmati cerita di dalamnya, tapi juga penasaran untuk membalik halamannya satu persatu.
Untungnya, gue dulu pesan yang format Hardcover, jadi foto - foto di dalamnya berwarna! Asyik sekali bisa melihat foto dalam buku, karena walau gue hanya duduk terdiam di kursi saat baca buku ini, gue juga seakan dibawa melanglang buana menyusuri beberapa toko buku, bahkan ada foto yang berisi pemilik toko bukunya! Karena Mba Muthia emang fans fantasy, thriller, buku bertema perempuan dan juga puisi, maka toko bukunya beberapa yang didatangi ya yang ada buku - buku tersebut, walau gue juga kadang mikir "judul - judul romance apa yang laku di negara itu ya? Apa seleranya sama kayak pembaca Amrik atau malah sebaliknya?". Hal yang membuat gue terhenyak, karena kayak sesuatu yang rasanya masih JAUH di masa depan untuk memimpikan sebuah toko buku yang tematik karena toko buku di Indonesia masih mayoritas dari jaringan toko besar. Indonesia bahkan kalah dari Faroe untuk masalah biaya distribusi buku. Bagian tentang Rumania mengingatkan gue saat Mba Muthia cerita kalau dia pernah ke kastil Bran abis baca The Historia, buku tebal yang bikin gue ngantuk itu (wk!). Bagian tentang Dresden cukup lucu, karena gue jadi inget bahasan kami dulu soal buku - buku Karl May. Bagian Frankfurt dan Leipzig sangat informatif dan full of insight untuk kamu yang mungkin penasaran sama gimana proses di balik industri buku. Bagian dari negara lain tentunya juga menarik dan ga mungkin gue bahas semua juga kan, nanti malah jadi ga seru.
Kekurangan buku ini mungkin di typo yang bejibun, dan kebetulan punya gue ini beberapa halamannya kebalik :'). Masalah kebaliknya sih, ya udah lah gue terima aja. Ini masih mending kebalik daripada halamannya hilang kan. Selain itu, beberapa gaya penceritaan Mba Muthia masih bisa diterima karena gue sendiri aslinya juga nyindiran, tapi bisa jadi yang lain ga bisa nerima, hahaha. Jadi ya kembali ke preferensi kamu juga, karena beberapa hal bisa banget buat jadi diskusi lebih menyeluruh.
Baca DTBkTB sedikit banyak mengingatkan gue sama salah satu mimpi anak- anak BBI dulu mau bikin buku tentang Literatourism, gabungan literasi dan jalan - jalan. Sayangnya impian itu akhirnya kandas, layu sebelum berkembang. Tapi gue seneng karena Mba Muthia justru memilih menuliskannya dan menerbitkan dalam buku. Membagi pengalaman, insightnya yang sangat banyak dan mungkin rasa resah hatinya terkait industri buku atau malah hal yang lebih personal, kepada orang asing aka calon pembacanya itu sungguh keberanian yang luar biasa.
Ditunggu buku jilid dua DTBkTBnya ya! ^_^
Ga cuma bahas toko buku, walau judulnya ada "toko buku", Dari Toko Buku ke Toko Buku atau disingkat DTBkTB ini lebih terasa seperti catatan yang sangat personal. Ditulis dari sudut pandang Mba Muthia yang memang sudah makan asam garam dunia penerbitan dan toko buku di Indonesia, jadi gue merasakan keintiman yang berbeda jika dibandingkan buku Trinity. Gue mungkin ga fair ngebandingin keduanya, mengingat gue juga ga banyak baca buku2 catatan perjalanan orang. Tapi gue bisa bilang, baca buku ini emang seperti membaca catatan harian seseorang tapi juga seakan diajak ikut berdiskusi. Ga semua pendapat Mba Muthia di buku ini gue setuju kok, wkwkw, tapi disitulah daya tariknya.
Gue bahkan bisa melihat sedikit perbedaan gaya tulis dari beberapa bab, karena ada bab yang ditulis tahun 2017 dan tahun 2020. Mungkin hanya perasaan gue, di 2017 terasa seperti campuran perasaan yang lelah, kadang sinis, kadang menggebu - gebu, dan kadang sendu. Sementara di 2020 gue merasa kayaknya udah lebih kalem, hehe. Gue saat baca buku ini emang seperti bayangin Mba Muthia bercerita ke gue langsung dengan gayanya yang khas. BAHKAN, gue kadang ngerasa ini kayaknya ada pengaruhnya Onie deh (si editor), karena kok kayak berasa baca Onie ngomong ya XD. Jadi, bisa dibilang sungguh pengalaman membaca yang intim. Membuat gue juga agak enggan baca cepat - cepat karena ingin menikmati cerita di dalamnya, tapi juga penasaran untuk membalik halamannya satu persatu.
Untungnya, gue dulu pesan yang format Hardcover, jadi foto - foto di dalamnya berwarna! Asyik sekali bisa melihat foto dalam buku, karena walau gue hanya duduk terdiam di kursi saat baca buku ini, gue juga seakan dibawa melanglang buana menyusuri beberapa toko buku, bahkan ada foto yang berisi pemilik toko bukunya! Karena Mba Muthia emang fans fantasy, thriller, buku bertema perempuan dan juga puisi, maka toko bukunya beberapa yang didatangi ya yang ada buku - buku tersebut, walau gue juga kadang mikir "judul - judul romance apa yang laku di negara itu ya? Apa seleranya sama kayak pembaca Amrik atau malah sebaliknya?". Hal yang membuat gue terhenyak, karena kayak sesuatu yang rasanya masih JAUH di masa depan untuk memimpikan sebuah toko buku yang tematik karena toko buku di Indonesia masih mayoritas dari jaringan toko besar. Indonesia bahkan kalah dari Faroe untuk masalah biaya distribusi buku. Bagian tentang Rumania mengingatkan gue saat Mba Muthia cerita kalau dia pernah ke kastil Bran abis baca The Historia, buku tebal yang bikin gue ngantuk itu (wk!). Bagian tentang Dresden cukup lucu, karena gue jadi inget bahasan kami dulu soal buku - buku Karl May. Bagian Frankfurt dan Leipzig sangat informatif dan full of insight untuk kamu yang mungkin penasaran sama gimana proses di balik industri buku. Bagian dari negara lain tentunya juga menarik dan ga mungkin gue bahas semua juga kan, nanti malah jadi ga seru.
Kekurangan buku ini mungkin di typo yang bejibun, dan kebetulan punya gue ini beberapa halamannya kebalik :'). Masalah kebaliknya sih, ya udah lah gue terima aja. Ini masih mending kebalik daripada halamannya hilang kan. Selain itu, beberapa gaya penceritaan Mba Muthia masih bisa diterima karena gue sendiri aslinya juga nyindiran, tapi bisa jadi yang lain ga bisa nerima, hahaha. Jadi ya kembali ke preferensi kamu juga, karena beberapa hal bisa banget buat jadi diskusi lebih menyeluruh.
Baca DTBkTB sedikit banyak mengingatkan gue sama salah satu mimpi anak- anak BBI dulu mau bikin buku tentang Literatourism, gabungan literasi dan jalan - jalan. Sayangnya impian itu akhirnya kandas, layu sebelum berkembang. Tapi gue seneng karena Mba Muthia justru memilih menuliskannya dan menerbitkan dalam buku. Membagi pengalaman, insightnya yang sangat banyak dan mungkin rasa resah hatinya terkait industri buku atau malah hal yang lebih personal, kepada orang asing aka calon pembacanya itu sungguh keberanian yang luar biasa.
Ditunggu buku jilid dua DTBkTBnya ya! ^_^
Hidup kan memang sekumpulan itinerari perjalanan dan daftar destinasi impian. Tak ada yang perlu dicemaskan dari hari esok yang akan menjelang. Selama otak masih terus berputar dan hati masih terus hangat, semua akan baik - baik saja.
Death on the Nile - Pembunuhan di Sungai Nil by Agatha Christie
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Baru kali ini gue baca novelnya Agatha Christie dan bisa nebak siapa pelakunya 😂. Kayak kecurigaan gue itu bener saat Poirot dan Kolonel Race menginvestigasi semua penumpang kapal Karnak, terus seperti kebenarannya itu sedikit demi sedikit terungkap. Selalu menarik membaca Poirot mengutarakan deduksinya dan membayangkan bagaimana pelaku melakukan kejahatan. Benar2 kejahatan berdarah dingin!
Ceritanya sendiri memang full drama dengan unsur percintaan yang kental (kalau ga bisa dibilang LEBAY) dan tak lupa, skandal. Endingnya pun juga dramatis sama seperti awal cerita yg mulainya dramatis. Banyak hal2 yang ditulis Dame Christie di awal cerita yang nantinya akan jadi clue saat cerita bergulir dan bikin jadi "AHA!! 👆" moment. Death on the Nile ini memang unik, karena sampai pertengahan cerita kita diajak untuk membaca kejadian2 dramatis yg mengelilingi sang korban, Linnet Ridgeway atau Linnet Doyle setelah dia menikah dengan Simon Doyle yang sebelumnya adalah mantan tunangan Jacqueline de Bellefort dimana Jackie ini adalah sahabat akrab Linnet. Akward tentunya saat Jackie selalu ada pas Linnet dan Simon lagi bulan madu di Mesir. Kita akan dihadapkan pada drama penuh kecemburuan sebelum akhirnya Linnet tewas terbunuh di kabinnya.
Seakan belum cukup rumit, Dame Christie juga mengenalkan banyak tokoh, suatu ciri khas beliau untuk membuat ensemble cast di novelnya sehingga kalau pembaca ga awas bacanya, ya bakal bingung ini siapa dan itu siapa. Karakter yang banyak ini juga berfungsi sebagai red herring, bikin kita menebak - nebak apa mereka pelakunya? Apalagi semua karakter memang berhubungan dengan Linnet dan semuanya juga setidaknya punya motif untuk membunuh Linnet, TAPI juga punya alibi yang membuat mereka lepas dari kecurigaan.
Seperti yang gue katakan sebelumnya, dengan kecerdasan (dan keangkuhannya!), Hercule Poirot berhasil memecahkan kasus yang tampaknya rumit, tapi sebenarnya juga sederhana. Gue merasa sebagai pembaca, gue kayak diajak menduga -duga dan berprasangka. Apalagi saat Kol. Race bilang ada dugaan pemberontak berkeliaran di Karnak, sehingga membuat gue berpikir apa ini akan jadi "kasus berlapis" ? Atau malah sebenarnya motif pembunuhan Linnet ini karena dendam mengingat keluarga Linnet yg kaya raya juga punya banyak musuh atau justru perampokan saat kalung mutiara mewah punya Linnet hilang? Semua dugaan dan prasangka ini cukup bikin gue gregetan tapi lega juga setelah tahu kecurigaan gue terbukti walau gue tentunya agak tertegun pas baca howdunnitnya. Kayak yang..wow, bisa gitu yah! 🤣
Death on the Nile tetap menarik dibaca dan gue bersyukur ga nonton versi Kenneth Brannagh yg terlalu banyak improvisasi dan bedanya. Tidak hanya diajak memecahkan kasus, tapi Dame Christie juga mengajak pembacanya untuk menyusuri kekayaan sejarah Mesir. Bikin gue jadi pengen ke Mesir juga kan jadinya 😁
Ceritanya sendiri memang full drama dengan unsur percintaan yang kental (kalau ga bisa dibilang LEBAY) dan tak lupa, skandal. Endingnya pun juga dramatis sama seperti awal cerita yg mulainya dramatis. Banyak hal2 yang ditulis Dame Christie di awal cerita yang nantinya akan jadi clue saat cerita bergulir dan bikin jadi "AHA!! 👆" moment. Death on the Nile ini memang unik, karena sampai pertengahan cerita kita diajak untuk membaca kejadian2 dramatis yg mengelilingi sang korban, Linnet Ridgeway atau Linnet Doyle setelah dia menikah dengan Simon Doyle yang sebelumnya adalah mantan tunangan Jacqueline de Bellefort dimana Jackie ini adalah sahabat akrab Linnet. Akward tentunya saat Jackie selalu ada pas Linnet dan Simon lagi bulan madu di Mesir. Kita akan dihadapkan pada drama penuh kecemburuan sebelum akhirnya Linnet tewas terbunuh di kabinnya.
Seakan belum cukup rumit, Dame Christie juga mengenalkan banyak tokoh, suatu ciri khas beliau untuk membuat ensemble cast di novelnya sehingga kalau pembaca ga awas bacanya, ya bakal bingung ini siapa dan itu siapa. Karakter yang banyak ini juga berfungsi sebagai red herring, bikin kita menebak - nebak apa mereka pelakunya? Apalagi semua karakter memang berhubungan dengan Linnet dan semuanya juga setidaknya punya motif untuk membunuh Linnet, TAPI juga punya alibi yang membuat mereka lepas dari kecurigaan.
Seperti yang gue katakan sebelumnya, dengan kecerdasan (dan keangkuhannya!), Hercule Poirot berhasil memecahkan kasus yang tampaknya rumit, tapi sebenarnya juga sederhana. Gue merasa sebagai pembaca, gue kayak diajak menduga -duga dan berprasangka. Apalagi saat Kol. Race bilang ada dugaan pemberontak berkeliaran di Karnak, sehingga membuat gue berpikir apa ini akan jadi "kasus berlapis" ? Atau malah sebenarnya motif pembunuhan Linnet ini karena dendam mengingat keluarga Linnet yg kaya raya juga punya banyak musuh atau justru perampokan saat kalung mutiara mewah punya Linnet hilang? Semua dugaan dan prasangka ini cukup bikin gue gregetan tapi lega juga setelah tahu kecurigaan gue terbukti walau gue tentunya agak tertegun pas baca howdunnitnya. Kayak yang..wow, bisa gitu yah! 🤣
Death on the Nile tetap menarik dibaca dan gue bersyukur ga nonton versi Kenneth Brannagh yg terlalu banyak improvisasi dan bedanya. Tidak hanya diajak memecahkan kasus, tapi Dame Christie juga mengajak pembacanya untuk menyusuri kekayaan sejarah Mesir. Bikin gue jadi pengen ke Mesir juga kan jadinya 😁
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide
Dimsum Terakhir by Clara Ng
emotional
reflective
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
4.25
Dimsum Terakhir adalah buku karya Clara Ng pertama yang gue baca. Gue milih judul ini pun saat scroll koleksi buku di gramdig dan entah kenapa ingin melepas penat dengan membaca judul metropop. Dalam bayangan gue, judul2 lini metropop itu ringan dan menghibur, pun dengan judul mengandung kata "dimsum", gue bayangkan ini akan jadi sebuah novel dengan tema foodies meski gue sudah membayangkan dari deskripsinya aja buku ini akan lebih mengacu pada drama keluarga. Gue ga nyangka akan mayan nyesek saat baca lembaran bak lembaran Dimsum Terakhir 😂. Plus banyak hal - hal yg cukup triggering dan provokatif dan membuat gue sedikit tertegun mengingat buku ini awalnya diterbitkan di 2006.
Siska, Indah, Rosi dan Novera adalah kembar empat, anak dari pasangan Nung Atasana dan Anas, yang lahir setelah tahun pernikahan mereka yang ke-13. Si kembar empat ini peranakan China dan berumur sekitar 28-29 tahun saat cerita dimulai. Setting ceritanya sendiri tahun 2005, tepatnya 7 tahun setelah tragedi 98. Jadi buku ini tidak hanya menceritakan drama keluarga dan konflik antara si kembar dengan kepribadian yang berbeda, tapi juga menjabarkan secara blak2an kengerian tragedi 98 serta perlakuan rasis yang dialami oleh Nung dan anak-anaknya selama masa Orde Baru. Walau bukan fokus utama, tetap rasanya hati gue sesak membaca bagian yang tidak mudah ini. Apalagi saat keluarga Nung merayakan Imlek dan pada masa Orba Imlek itu bukan hari libur dan gue juga inget kalau Imlek baru dijadikan hari libur nasional pada era alm Gus Dur. Adegan saat Nung memaksa anaknya tetap masuk sekolah saat Imlek karena khawatir dengan perlakuan represif yang akan diterima sangat menyesakkan hati. Tapi di sisi lain Clara Ng banyak memasukkan unsur2 budaya masyarakat China peranakan termasuk tradisi keluarga Nung dan Anas saat merayakan Imlek yang unik (memakan dimsum di pagi hari).
Clara Ng sendiri menulis karakterisasi dan permasalah yang dialami si kembar empat dengan baik dan jelas. Siska, si anak pertama adalah pengusaha sukses di Singapura dengan sikap yg tegas, bossy dan tidak merasa perlu terikat dengan lelaki manapun. Indah, anak kedua adalah penulis yg lagi kena writing block dan kalau sudah stress tingkat tinggi maka akan gagap tutur bicaranya ditambah dengan sikapnya yang sangat tukang atur. Rosi, si anak ketiga adalah petani bunga mawar di Puncak, penampilannya yang maskulin menyembunyikan pemberontakan atas jati dirinya karena Rosi merasa dirinya adalah Roni, lelaki yang terjebak dalam tubuh perempuan. Dan yang terakhir adalah Novera, guru TK di Jogjakarta yang ingin mengabdikan diri sebagai biarawati tapi kebingungan saat Nung yang sedang sakit parah ingin melihat anak2 perempuannya menikah sebelum dia meninggal. Empat perempuan muda, satu merasa dirinya lelaki, satu merasa saudara2nya tidak peduli dengan kondisi sang ayah yg makin sekarat, satu kebingungan harus memilih pengabdian pada agama atau mengabulkan keinginan ayahandanya dan satu yang merasa pekerjaannya lebih penting tapi mau tak mau kembali juga ke Jakarta untuk menemani adik - adiknya merawat Nung.
Gue sendiri sangat menikmati narasi dan dialog -dialog para tokoh di Dimsum Terakhir ini. Renyah khas metropop, enak dibaca dan gue kagum dengan perbendaharaan kata Clara Ng yang sangat kaya. Si kembar empat terasa sangat berbeda mulai dari sikap Siska yg sangat bossy cenderung cuek, Indah yg gugup tapi ingin semuanya beres, Rosi/Roni yang ceria lepas tanpa beban dan Novera yang lemah lembut. Tentunya cerita tak cuma dari si kembar, tapi juga ada beberapa bagian yang diceritakan dari sudut pandang Nung maupun orang2 terdekat si kembar. Walau begitu, menjelang akhir cerita gue merasa Clara Ng bagai kehabisan bensin dan gue juga merasa beberapa kilas balik serta pergantian adegan antar karakter kurang mulus dan kurang jelas juga timelinenya. Dimsum Terakhir memang diceritakan memakai gaya orang ketiga serba tahu walau ada beberapa bagian yg memakai 1st PoV, sehingga gue merasa ceritanya lebih ke telling ketimbang showing dan ini sangat terasa dari pergantian sudut pandang karakter yang kurang mulus tadi yg jadi sedikit mengurangi kenikmatan baca. Pun, karena banyaknya sudut pandang karakter si kembar (empat lho!), gue merasa Clara Ng lebih fokus kepada pergulatan batin Rosi sebagai Roni dan juga Novera. Indah sendiri cukup mendapatkan porsi yang sama dengan konflik yang sama beratnya dan ini akhirnya jadi mengorbankan Siska. Gue merasa masalah Siska jadinya tidak terlalu pelik karena karakternya sendiri juga kurang digali secara mendalam selain dia adalah anak pertama dan yang paling sukses diantara sodara-sodarinya.
Dengan banyaknya masalah yang mendera Siska, Indah, Rosi/Roni dan Novera, endingnya sendiri cukup bahagia dan bahkan menurut gue agak terlalu mudah, hehe. Entahlah, mungkin gue sudah bersiap akan ada tragedi menimpa tapi ternyata ya...silakan baca buku ini aja untuk tahu 🤣. Buku ini memang ditujukan untuk pembaca dewasa karena juga memuat konten adegan seksual (het & translw), walaupun tidak terlalu eksplisit dan untuk gue masih bearable kok. Namun tidak cuma adegan seks, karena issue2 lain cukup triggering seperti perlakuan rasis, keinginan untuk bunuh diri, percintaan yang tabu dan bahkan pergulatan batin Rosi sebagai Roni yg perlu dibaca dengan pemikiran terbuka.
Untuk perkenalan pertama gue dengan Clara Ng, Dimsum Terakhir ini bagus dan sangat thought-provoking. Pun membuat gue jadi ingin mencoba kembali baca2 buku lini metropop terutama judulnya yang jadul-jadul, karena dulu gue mikirnya ah metropop paling fokus cinta - cintaan aja, tapi buku ini membuktikan sebaliknya karena lebih fokus pada keluarga dan perkembangan karakter yang cukup bagus. Dimsum Terakhir menunjukkan meski Siska,Indah,Roni dan Novera berbeda dari segi kepribadian dan mereka pun punya masalahnya masing-masing, pada akhirnya mereka juga saling melengkapi dan menerima satu sama lain. Tanpa paksaan dan tanpa menghakimi.
Siska, Indah, Rosi dan Novera adalah kembar empat, anak dari pasangan Nung Atasana dan Anas, yang lahir setelah tahun pernikahan mereka yang ke-13. Si kembar empat ini peranakan China dan berumur sekitar 28-29 tahun saat cerita dimulai. Setting ceritanya sendiri tahun 2005, tepatnya 7 tahun setelah tragedi 98. Jadi buku ini tidak hanya menceritakan drama keluarga dan konflik antara si kembar dengan kepribadian yang berbeda, tapi juga menjabarkan secara blak2an kengerian tragedi 98 serta perlakuan rasis yang dialami oleh Nung dan anak-anaknya selama masa Orde Baru. Walau bukan fokus utama, tetap rasanya hati gue sesak membaca bagian yang tidak mudah ini. Apalagi saat keluarga Nung merayakan Imlek dan pada masa Orba Imlek itu bukan hari libur dan gue juga inget kalau Imlek baru dijadikan hari libur nasional pada era alm Gus Dur. Adegan saat Nung memaksa anaknya tetap masuk sekolah saat Imlek karena khawatir dengan perlakuan represif yang akan diterima sangat menyesakkan hati. Tapi di sisi lain Clara Ng banyak memasukkan unsur2 budaya masyarakat China peranakan termasuk tradisi keluarga Nung dan Anas saat merayakan Imlek yang unik (memakan dimsum di pagi hari).
Clara Ng sendiri menulis karakterisasi dan permasalah yang dialami si kembar empat dengan baik dan jelas. Siska, si anak pertama adalah pengusaha sukses di Singapura dengan sikap yg tegas, bossy dan tidak merasa perlu terikat dengan lelaki manapun. Indah, anak kedua adalah penulis yg lagi kena writing block dan kalau sudah stress tingkat tinggi maka akan gagap tutur bicaranya ditambah dengan sikapnya yang sangat tukang atur. Rosi, si anak ketiga adalah petani bunga mawar di Puncak, penampilannya yang maskulin menyembunyikan pemberontakan atas jati dirinya karena Rosi merasa dirinya adalah Roni, lelaki yang terjebak dalam tubuh perempuan. Dan yang terakhir adalah Novera, guru TK di Jogjakarta yang ingin mengabdikan diri sebagai biarawati tapi kebingungan saat Nung yang sedang sakit parah ingin melihat anak2 perempuannya menikah sebelum dia meninggal. Empat perempuan muda, satu merasa dirinya lelaki, satu merasa saudara2nya tidak peduli dengan kondisi sang ayah yg makin sekarat, satu kebingungan harus memilih pengabdian pada agama atau mengabulkan keinginan ayahandanya dan satu yang merasa pekerjaannya lebih penting tapi mau tak mau kembali juga ke Jakarta untuk menemani adik - adiknya merawat Nung.
Gue sendiri sangat menikmati narasi dan dialog -dialog para tokoh di Dimsum Terakhir ini. Renyah khas metropop, enak dibaca dan gue kagum dengan perbendaharaan kata Clara Ng yang sangat kaya. Si kembar empat terasa sangat berbeda mulai dari sikap Siska yg sangat bossy cenderung cuek, Indah yg gugup tapi ingin semuanya beres, Rosi/Roni yang ceria lepas tanpa beban dan Novera yang lemah lembut. Tentunya cerita tak cuma dari si kembar, tapi juga ada beberapa bagian yang diceritakan dari sudut pandang Nung maupun orang2 terdekat si kembar. Walau begitu, menjelang akhir cerita gue merasa Clara Ng bagai kehabisan bensin dan gue juga merasa beberapa kilas balik serta pergantian adegan antar karakter kurang mulus dan kurang jelas juga timelinenya. Dimsum Terakhir memang diceritakan memakai gaya orang ketiga serba tahu walau ada beberapa bagian yg memakai 1st PoV, sehingga gue merasa ceritanya lebih ke telling ketimbang showing dan ini sangat terasa dari pergantian sudut pandang karakter yang kurang mulus tadi yg jadi sedikit mengurangi kenikmatan baca. Pun, karena banyaknya sudut pandang karakter si kembar (empat lho!), gue merasa Clara Ng lebih fokus kepada pergulatan batin Rosi sebagai Roni dan juga Novera. Indah sendiri cukup mendapatkan porsi yang sama dengan konflik yang sama beratnya dan ini akhirnya jadi mengorbankan Siska. Gue merasa masalah Siska jadinya tidak terlalu pelik karena karakternya sendiri juga kurang digali secara mendalam selain dia adalah anak pertama dan yang paling sukses diantara sodara-sodarinya.
Dengan banyaknya masalah yang mendera Siska, Indah, Rosi/Roni dan Novera, endingnya sendiri cukup bahagia dan bahkan menurut gue agak terlalu mudah, hehe. Entahlah, mungkin gue sudah bersiap akan ada tragedi menimpa tapi ternyata ya...silakan baca buku ini aja untuk tahu 🤣. Buku ini memang ditujukan untuk pembaca dewasa karena juga memuat konten adegan seksual (het & translw), walaupun tidak terlalu eksplisit dan untuk gue masih bearable kok. Namun tidak cuma adegan seks, karena issue2 lain cukup triggering seperti perlakuan rasis, keinginan untuk bunuh diri, percintaan yang tabu dan bahkan pergulatan batin Rosi sebagai Roni yg perlu dibaca dengan pemikiran terbuka.
Untuk perkenalan pertama gue dengan Clara Ng, Dimsum Terakhir ini bagus dan sangat thought-provoking. Pun membuat gue jadi ingin mencoba kembali baca2 buku lini metropop terutama judulnya yang jadul-jadul, karena dulu gue mikirnya ah metropop paling fokus cinta - cintaan aja, tapi buku ini membuktikan sebaliknya karena lebih fokus pada keluarga dan perkembangan karakter yang cukup bagus. Dimsum Terakhir menunjukkan meski Siska,Indah,Roni dan Novera berbeda dari segi kepribadian dan mereka pun punya masalahnya masing-masing, pada akhirnya mereka juga saling melengkapi dan menerima satu sama lain. Tanpa paksaan dan tanpa menghakimi.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Abandonment
The Confession Of The Sirens - Nyanyian Sang Siren by Shichiri Nakayama
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Speechless gue habis baca buku ini. Bener - bener yang ga bisa berkata - kata, huhuhu. One of my Top Read of 2024 for sure!
The Confession of the Sirens, atau dalam bahasa Jepangnya, Sirens no Zange, adalah buku pertama karya Shichiri Nakayama. Ga seperti Rikako Akiyoshi atau Keigo Higashino yang lebih familier di kalangan pembaca Indo, keputusan Clover untuk menerbitkan buku ini emang gue rasa cukup unik. Gimana engga, awalnya gue mikir novel ini hanyalah novel memecahkan misteri kasus penculikan anak SMA bernama Ayaka Higashira yang malah berujung pembunuhan sang gadis. Dimana pemecahan misteri dilakukan oleh jurnalis yang tentunya dianggap sebagai pengganggu oleh detektif yang menangani kasus.
Yang gue ga menyangka, Confession of Sirens lebih dari itu. Buku ini adalah kritik KERAS terhadap sisi kelam dunia jurnalisme, utamanya praktek bisnis stasiun TV Jepang. Nakayama-sensei tanpa tedeng aling - aling menjabarkan proses pengejaran Scoop melalui sudut pandang duo Takami Asakura dan Taichi Satoya. Takami yang bisa dibilang anak bawang di stasiun TV Teito dengan pandangannya yang idealis namun juga sangat naif, dipasangkan dengan sang senior Satoya yang sudah banyak makan asam garam tapi juga sinis,sarkastik dan hobi menjelek-jelekkan profesi sendiri. Gue sampe mikir kalau apa yang diomongin Satoya itu sebenarnya adalah kritik dari authornya sendiri sementara Takami bagaikan mewakili pembaca yang awam akan dunia jurnalistik. Berkali - kali gue membaca perasaan Takami yang terpecah dan ga tahu arah, kadang gemas dengan Takami yang begitu naif tapi juga simpatik melihat Takami yang terguncang gegara kesalahan saat pengejaran scoop yang berujung fatal bagi stasiun TV mereka.
Kritik tentang dunia jurnalisme juga tak melulu dari kacamata Satoya maupun pandangan Takami, tapi juga dari sisi Kenji Kudou, detektif yang ditugasi mengusut kasus pembunuhan Ayaka. Walau menurut gue tetap spotlightnya ada di Takami dan Satoya, detektif Kudou juga melontarkan pandangannya terhadap wartawan yang dianggapnya seperti para siren, mengeluarkan nyanyian merdu untuk menyesatkan pelaut. Pokoknya ya siap - siap nyesek deh baca buku ini, karena begitu banyak hal - hal yang menohok dan bisa banget jadi diskusi yang mendalam.
Yang bikin gue juga terhenyak dan merasa hampa setelah baca buku ini salah satunya adalah kebenaran di balik misteri pembunuhan Ayaka. Nakayama-sensei seakan ingin menunjukkan betapa rapuhnya hubungan manusia. Betapa hal - hal yang seharusnya ga perlu kejadian akhirnya pun kejadian dan membuat hati gue berteriak "KENAPA???". Ditambah dengan kritikan tajam dunia jurnalisme, perundungan di sekolah, kecenderungan masyarakat untuk menginterpretasikan informasi dari stasiun TV yang kadang justru sudah dibumbui sendiri oleh presenternya, membuat buku ini memang tak mudah untuk dibaca. Endingnya sendiri cukup oke dan menegaskan kenapa buku ini diberi judul "Confession" yang walau diterjemahkan jadi "nyanyian", gue lebih mengacu pada arti confession itu yaitu "pengakuan". Pengakuan dari siapa? Hehe, baca aja bukunya buat tahu XD.
Untuk terjemahannya sendiri menurut gue cukup oke, ada beberapa footnotes untuk menjelaskan beberapa hal yang tidak umum atau idiom dalam bahasa Jepang. Tapi ada juga yang menurut gue lucu, kayak idiom "curiousity kill the cat" yang dijelasin. Gue be like, ya itu gue juga paham, tapi mungkin ga banyak yang tahu ya hehe. Sayangnya, cara Nakayama-sensei dalam mengutarakan pendapat via karakter-karakternya emang bisa terasa sangat menggurui dan judgmental. Tapi, ini tergantung dari mood pembaca dan preferensi ya. Secara preferensi, gue ga terlalu suka mode- mode menggurui yang "in your face" banget, tapi karena mood gue lagi oke ya gue kesampingkan aja cuma itu jadi salah satu faktor kenapa gue kurangi sedikit ratingnya. Untuk gaya berceritanya emang cenderung "telling" ketimbang "showing", tapi kata Dion, ini biasa di J-Lit jadi ya gue abaikan juga selama ga terlalu mengurangi kenikmatan membaca dan ga ngurangi esensi dari ceritanya.
Gue mayan kaget karena buku ini ga banyak dibaca sama temen - temen penggemar J-Lit yang gue kenal wkwkwk, dimana yang ngerate dan baca di Goodreads juga ga sampe 100. Gue rekomendasi banget the Confession of the Sirens ini kalau nyari misteri dan thriller yang juga mengulik sisi kelam jurnalisme.
The Confession of the Sirens, atau dalam bahasa Jepangnya, Sirens no Zange, adalah buku pertama karya Shichiri Nakayama. Ga seperti Rikako Akiyoshi atau Keigo Higashino yang lebih familier di kalangan pembaca Indo, keputusan Clover untuk menerbitkan buku ini emang gue rasa cukup unik. Gimana engga, awalnya gue mikir novel ini hanyalah novel memecahkan misteri kasus penculikan anak SMA bernama Ayaka Higashira yang malah berujung pembunuhan sang gadis. Dimana pemecahan misteri dilakukan oleh jurnalis yang tentunya dianggap sebagai pengganggu oleh detektif yang menangani kasus.
Yang gue ga menyangka, Confession of Sirens lebih dari itu. Buku ini adalah kritik KERAS terhadap sisi kelam dunia jurnalisme, utamanya praktek bisnis stasiun TV Jepang. Nakayama-sensei tanpa tedeng aling - aling menjabarkan proses pengejaran Scoop melalui sudut pandang duo Takami Asakura dan Taichi Satoya. Takami yang bisa dibilang anak bawang di stasiun TV Teito dengan pandangannya yang idealis namun juga sangat naif, dipasangkan dengan sang senior Satoya yang sudah banyak makan asam garam tapi juga sinis,sarkastik dan hobi menjelek-jelekkan profesi sendiri. Gue sampe mikir kalau apa yang diomongin Satoya itu sebenarnya adalah kritik dari authornya sendiri sementara Takami bagaikan mewakili pembaca yang awam akan dunia jurnalistik. Berkali - kali gue membaca perasaan Takami yang terpecah dan ga tahu arah, kadang gemas dengan Takami yang begitu naif tapi juga simpatik melihat Takami yang terguncang gegara kesalahan saat pengejaran scoop yang berujung fatal bagi stasiun TV mereka.
Kritik tentang dunia jurnalisme juga tak melulu dari kacamata Satoya maupun pandangan Takami, tapi juga dari sisi Kenji Kudou, detektif yang ditugasi mengusut kasus pembunuhan Ayaka. Walau menurut gue tetap spotlightnya ada di Takami dan Satoya, detektif Kudou juga melontarkan pandangannya terhadap wartawan yang dianggapnya seperti para siren, mengeluarkan nyanyian merdu untuk menyesatkan pelaut. Pokoknya ya siap - siap nyesek deh baca buku ini, karena begitu banyak hal - hal yang menohok dan bisa banget jadi diskusi yang mendalam.
Yang bikin gue juga terhenyak dan merasa hampa setelah baca buku ini salah satunya adalah kebenaran di balik misteri pembunuhan Ayaka. Nakayama-sensei seakan ingin menunjukkan betapa rapuhnya hubungan manusia. Betapa hal - hal yang seharusnya ga perlu kejadian akhirnya pun kejadian dan membuat hati gue berteriak "KENAPA???". Ditambah dengan kritikan tajam dunia jurnalisme, perundungan di sekolah, kecenderungan masyarakat untuk menginterpretasikan informasi dari stasiun TV yang kadang justru sudah dibumbui sendiri oleh presenternya, membuat buku ini memang tak mudah untuk dibaca. Endingnya sendiri cukup oke dan menegaskan kenapa buku ini diberi judul "Confession" yang walau diterjemahkan jadi "nyanyian", gue lebih mengacu pada arti confession itu yaitu "pengakuan". Pengakuan dari siapa? Hehe, baca aja bukunya buat tahu XD.
Untuk terjemahannya sendiri menurut gue cukup oke, ada beberapa footnotes untuk menjelaskan beberapa hal yang tidak umum atau idiom dalam bahasa Jepang. Tapi ada juga yang menurut gue lucu, kayak idiom "curiousity kill the cat" yang dijelasin. Gue be like, ya itu gue juga paham, tapi mungkin ga banyak yang tahu ya hehe. Sayangnya, cara Nakayama-sensei dalam mengutarakan pendapat via karakter-karakternya emang bisa terasa sangat menggurui dan judgmental. Tapi, ini tergantung dari mood pembaca dan preferensi ya. Secara preferensi, gue ga terlalu suka mode- mode menggurui yang "in your face" banget, tapi karena mood gue lagi oke ya gue kesampingkan aja cuma itu jadi salah satu faktor kenapa gue kurangi sedikit ratingnya. Untuk gaya berceritanya emang cenderung "telling" ketimbang "showing", tapi kata Dion, ini biasa di J-Lit jadi ya gue abaikan juga selama ga terlalu mengurangi kenikmatan membaca dan ga ngurangi esensi dari ceritanya.
Gue mayan kaget karena buku ini ga banyak dibaca sama temen - temen penggemar J-Lit yang gue kenal wkwkwk, dimana yang ngerate dan baca di Goodreads juga ga sampe 100. Gue rekomendasi banget the Confession of the Sirens ini kalau nyari misteri dan thriller yang juga mengulik sisi kelam jurnalisme.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Violence, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape and Suicide
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I read one of this book's review that stated the story feels like a self-insert pairing with Nikolas Coster-Waldau (you know, Jamie Lannister) and..somehow I agree. Heck, Marcus full name, Marcus Caster-Rupp kinda rhyme with Coster-Waldau, lol. I really, REALLY want to love Spoiler Alert. I bought the book because I like the cover, the representation of plus size woman since I'm myself also fat too, the premise that seems interesting despite I'm not that familiar with fanfiction world. However, April kinda grated my nerves. For a woman age 36, a same age with me when I read this book, she acts like a teenager or in early 20-ish when it's come to her treatment to Marcus. I got that her low self-esteem issues come from fat-shaming that she received from her parents, but I hate that mostly she assumed things regarding Marcus's act to her.
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea sempat bikin heboh di tahun 2022 karena selain covernya yang menarik, ceritanya dibilang mirip animasi Ghibli, yaitu Spirited Away. Gue sih belum nonton ya, jadi ga banyak ekspektasi juga pas mulai baca. Pun, ternyata terjemahannya juga memakai cover yang sama dengan versi aslinya. Apa mungkin karena itu, untuk buku tipis ga sampe 300 halaman dengan font kecil sangat membuat mata gue berteriak "alamak!!", harganya pun hampir 100k? Hehe.
Girl Who Fell (kepanjangan, gue singkat aja) adalah adaptasi bebas dari kisah rakyat Korea, The Tale of Sim Cheong. Namanya juga adaptasi bebas (banget), jadi Axie Oh bebas mengkreasikan kisah Sim Cheong versinya sendiri. Sim Cheong memang tetap dijadikan pengantin Dewa Laut, tapi tokoh utama buku ini justru Mina, adik dari Joon, dimana Joon yang tidak rela Cheong dikorbankan berusaha menyelamatkan kekasihnya tapi Mina juga ga rela Joon dihukum mati karenanya. Dari situlah cerita bergulir, membawa pembaca pada dunia Dewa Laut yang menurut gue cukup nano - nano mitologinya. Membaca kisah Mina di dunia Dewa Laut justru mengingatkan gue sama novel The Ghost Bride, karena tokoh utamanya sama - sama berkelana di dunia para arwah. Bedanya, gue masih bisa lebih menoleransi Mina ketimbang Li Lan di The Ghost Bride.
Saat gue bilang adaptasi bebas, Axie Oh emang banyak memasukkan unsur mitologi di buku ini. Istana Dewa Laut mau ga mau mengingatkan gue sama legenda Urashima Taro dari Jepang dan gue bertanya - tanya ini dunia dewa laut ternyata tetanggaan juga sama dunia arwah dan dewa - dewi lainnya? Karena selain Dewa Laut, ada juga dewa - dewi lain, seperti Dewa Kematian yang berasa terinspirasi dari Hades dan lalu ada Dewi Bulan dan Kenangan yang gue ga tahu kenapa kok saingan sama Dewa Laut. Ga dijelasin juga sih, hahaha. Staple mitologi korea seperti gumiho atau rubah berekor sembilan pun juga ada dan Axie Oh memasukkan makhluk mitologi bernama Imugi (atau Imoogi). Imugi ini seperti naga, cuma mereka perlu 1000 tahun untuk menjadi naga beneran dan dasarnya mereka jahat. Tapi Namgi, salah satu karakter di buku ini yang nantinya jadi teman Mina, adalah imugi yang baik. Selain Namgi, ada juga Kirin, yang kalau tahu makluk2 legenda Asia, pasti dah bisa nebak Kirin ini apa lah ya.
Selain makluk mitologi, Girl Who Fell sarat dengan dongeng, karena dongeng adalah senjata Mina untuk bertahan hidup di dunia bawah laut ini selain dengan pisau yang Mina warisi dari neneknya. Dongeng - dongeng memang sangat berperan penting di buku ini, karena ada beberapa aspek dalam dongeng nantinya akan membantu Mina. Salah satu dongeng yang menurut gue unik adalah dongeng tentang tukang kayu dan bidadari, karena kesamaan dongeng ini dengan beberapa dongeng di dunia lain bahkan termasuk di Indo sendiri yaitu legenda Joko Tarub. Terus terang gue suka dengan cara Axie Oh ngecampur mitologi dan juga dongeng di buku ini, walau memang ada beberapa hal yang butuh penjelasan. Aura magis dan mengagumkan dunia Dewa Laut ini ditulis dengan cukup baik. Hal lain yang gue cermati dari buku ini adalah beberapa bagian terasa sangat melankolis dan lembut. Bagian favorit gue adalah saat Dai melindungi Miki dari serangan Imugi. Membaca bagian Dai yang bener - bener menyayangi Miki itu bikin gue sangat terharu :'). Tema keluarga memang kental banget di buku ini selain juga misteri di balik kenapa Dewa Laut dikutuk.
Gue baca beberapa review yang bilang kalau romansa antara Mina dan Shin itu agak hambar. Menurut gue, sebenarnya ga juga ya hahaha. Ini masih mendingan dan gue juga ngerasain kok perasaan Shin yang mendamba ke Mina. Mungkin karena romansanya bukan tipe slow burn ya, kan waktu Mina juga sangat terbatas di dunia Arwah jadinya kayak berasa cepet aja ini jatuh cintanya. Tapi gue tetap ngerasain kok dan romansanya pun bukan tipe yang cukup lebay. Karena buku ini pakai PoV pertama Mina seperti laiknya buku2 YA fantasy, jadi pembaca ga tahu apa yang sebenarnya Shin pikirkan tentang Mina dan kapan tepatnya pemuda ini mulai jatuh hati ke Mina karena kita hanya tahu semuanya dari sudut pandang Mina. Pun, menurut gue, kisah (hampir) cinta segitiga antara Mina, Shin dan Dewa Laut itu agak maksa dan konklusinya pun termasuk yang terburu - buru. Tanpa kisah cinta segitiga sebenarnya bisa lebih bagus sih, cuma mungkin buat bumbu - bumbu biar bikin gregetan kali ya.
Untuk stand alone YA fantasy romance, menurut gue The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea sudah cukup bagus. Ada bagian yang kurang, seperti romansa antara Mina dan Shin yang lebih bisa digali lagi dan kisah cinta segitiga yang menurut gue ga perlu - perlu banget. Banyak juga bagian yang bagus seperti penggambaran dunia Arwah, sentimen terkait dewa - dewi, tema kekeluargaan yang kental, hubungan pertemanan antara Mina dengan Namgi, maupun Mina dengan Kedok, Dai serta Miki; dan penggunaan dongeng yang membuat cerita jadi kaya. Mina sendiri emang beberapa kali bertindak gegabah tapi gue cukup suka sama gadis ini karena dia berani menentukan takdirnya sendiri. Untuk terjemahannya sendiri cukup rapi dan enak dibaca serta minim typo. Cuma ya, CUMA, fontnya sangat diirit - irit, bikin versi terjemahan ini bahkan lebih tipis dari versi aslinya yang 300 halaman lebih!
Recommended untuk yang cari YA fantasy romance yang diadaptasi dari kisah rakyat dan juga stand alone.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
"Aku memang marah, tapi bukan kepadamu. Aku marah pada takdir yang diberikan kepadaku. Ketika aku sadar, agar kau bisa mendapatkan apa yang kau inginkan, aku harus kehilangan satu - satunya yang pernah kuinginkan."
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea sempat bikin heboh di tahun 2022 karena selain covernya yang menarik, ceritanya dibilang mirip animasi Ghibli, yaitu Spirited Away. Gue sih belum nonton ya, jadi ga banyak ekspektasi juga pas mulai baca. Pun, ternyata terjemahannya juga memakai cover yang sama dengan versi aslinya. Apa mungkin karena itu, untuk buku tipis ga sampe 300 halaman dengan font kecil sangat membuat mata gue berteriak "alamak!!", harganya pun hampir 100k? Hehe.
Girl Who Fell (kepanjangan, gue singkat aja) adalah adaptasi bebas dari kisah rakyat Korea, The Tale of Sim Cheong. Namanya juga adaptasi bebas (banget), jadi Axie Oh bebas mengkreasikan kisah Sim Cheong versinya sendiri. Sim Cheong memang tetap dijadikan pengantin Dewa Laut, tapi tokoh utama buku ini justru Mina, adik dari Joon, dimana Joon yang tidak rela Cheong dikorbankan berusaha menyelamatkan kekasihnya tapi Mina juga ga rela Joon dihukum mati karenanya. Dari situlah cerita bergulir, membawa pembaca pada dunia Dewa Laut yang menurut gue cukup nano - nano mitologinya. Membaca kisah Mina di dunia Dewa Laut justru mengingatkan gue sama novel The Ghost Bride, karena tokoh utamanya sama - sama berkelana di dunia para arwah. Bedanya, gue masih bisa lebih menoleransi Mina ketimbang Li Lan di The Ghost Bride.
Saat gue bilang adaptasi bebas, Axie Oh emang banyak memasukkan unsur mitologi di buku ini. Istana Dewa Laut mau ga mau mengingatkan gue sama legenda Urashima Taro dari Jepang dan gue bertanya - tanya ini dunia dewa laut ternyata tetanggaan juga sama dunia arwah dan dewa - dewi lainnya? Karena selain Dewa Laut, ada juga dewa - dewi lain, seperti Dewa Kematian yang berasa terinspirasi dari Hades dan lalu ada Dewi Bulan dan Kenangan yang gue ga tahu kenapa kok saingan sama Dewa Laut. Ga dijelasin juga sih, hahaha. Staple mitologi korea seperti gumiho atau rubah berekor sembilan pun juga ada dan Axie Oh memasukkan makhluk mitologi bernama Imugi (atau Imoogi). Imugi ini seperti naga, cuma mereka perlu 1000 tahun untuk menjadi naga beneran dan dasarnya mereka jahat. Tapi Namgi, salah satu karakter di buku ini yang nantinya jadi teman Mina, adalah imugi yang baik. Selain Namgi, ada juga Kirin, yang kalau tahu makluk2 legenda Asia, pasti dah bisa nebak Kirin ini apa lah ya.
Selain makluk mitologi, Girl Who Fell sarat dengan dongeng, karena dongeng adalah senjata Mina untuk bertahan hidup di dunia bawah laut ini selain dengan pisau yang Mina warisi dari neneknya. Dongeng - dongeng memang sangat berperan penting di buku ini, karena ada beberapa aspek dalam dongeng nantinya akan membantu Mina. Salah satu dongeng yang menurut gue unik adalah dongeng tentang tukang kayu dan bidadari, karena kesamaan dongeng ini dengan beberapa dongeng di dunia lain bahkan termasuk di Indo sendiri yaitu legenda Joko Tarub. Terus terang gue suka dengan cara Axie Oh ngecampur mitologi dan juga dongeng di buku ini, walau memang ada beberapa hal yang butuh penjelasan. Aura magis dan mengagumkan dunia Dewa Laut ini ditulis dengan cukup baik. Hal lain yang gue cermati dari buku ini adalah beberapa bagian terasa sangat melankolis dan lembut. Bagian favorit gue adalah saat Dai melindungi Miki dari serangan Imugi. Membaca bagian Dai yang bener - bener menyayangi Miki itu bikin gue sangat terharu :'). Tema keluarga memang kental banget di buku ini selain juga misteri di balik kenapa Dewa Laut dikutuk.
Gue baca beberapa review yang bilang kalau romansa antara Mina dan Shin itu agak hambar. Menurut gue, sebenarnya ga juga ya hahaha. Ini masih mendingan dan gue juga ngerasain kok perasaan Shin yang mendamba ke Mina. Mungkin karena romansanya bukan tipe slow burn ya, kan waktu Mina juga sangat terbatas di dunia Arwah jadinya kayak berasa cepet aja ini jatuh cintanya. Tapi gue tetap ngerasain kok dan romansanya pun bukan tipe yang cukup lebay. Karena buku ini pakai PoV pertama Mina seperti laiknya buku2 YA fantasy, jadi pembaca ga tahu apa yang sebenarnya Shin pikirkan tentang Mina dan kapan tepatnya pemuda ini mulai jatuh hati ke Mina karena kita hanya tahu semuanya dari sudut pandang Mina. Pun, menurut gue, kisah (hampir) cinta segitiga antara Mina, Shin dan Dewa Laut itu agak maksa dan konklusinya pun termasuk yang terburu - buru. Tanpa kisah cinta segitiga sebenarnya bisa lebih bagus sih, cuma mungkin buat bumbu - bumbu biar bikin gregetan kali ya.
Untuk stand alone YA fantasy romance, menurut gue The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea sudah cukup bagus. Ada bagian yang kurang, seperti romansa antara Mina dan Shin yang lebih bisa digali lagi dan kisah cinta segitiga yang menurut gue ga perlu - perlu banget. Banyak juga bagian yang bagus seperti penggambaran dunia Arwah, sentimen terkait dewa - dewi, tema kekeluargaan yang kental, hubungan pertemanan antara Mina dengan Namgi, maupun Mina dengan Kedok, Dai serta Miki; dan penggunaan dongeng yang membuat cerita jadi kaya. Mina sendiri emang beberapa kali bertindak gegabah tapi gue cukup suka sama gadis ini karena dia berani menentukan takdirnya sendiri. Untuk terjemahannya sendiri cukup rapi dan enak dibaca serta minim typo. Cuma ya, CUMA, fontnya sangat diirit - irit, bikin versi terjemahan ini bahkan lebih tipis dari versi aslinya yang 300 halaman lebih!
Recommended untuk yang cari YA fantasy romance yang diadaptasi dari kisah rakyat dan juga stand alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Blood
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and War
Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
It's so good to be back to the Demonica world again!!
One word that come to mind when I read Larissa Ione's introduction in the early pages is "nostalgia". I had read and follow Demonica series for more than 10 years. I will always thanks my friend that sadly I never communicate again with her, for recommend Pleasure Unbound for me. Who knows that in the years that follows, Demonica become one of my favorite series? I lost count when re-read Pleasure Unbound and Revenant back then. While I'm devastated in the end of Sin Undone, I'm glad Larissa expand the Demonica world, adding Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Grim Reaper, but somehow can manage to make the OGs Seminus brothers (Eidolon, Shade & Wraith) still relevant.
Maybe Larissa write Legacy of Temptation as a first book of the Demonica Birthright series, but I definitely think that this book can't be read as a standalone. I know that Demonica series itself have 22 books (!) and it's kinda a chore to read all the books, but with the ever-growing and complex world building I can't really blame Larissa, lol! Legacy of Temptation happen 30 years after the event of Reaper, and since I read Reaper like 4 years ago, ofc I don't remember some of the events, lol. Although, I'm already familiar with Logan, and also Logan's parents, Thanatos and Regan. The first part kinda make me confused to see who and who, since the child of the OGs characters are now already grown-up and become a person in their own right BUT, the parents still meddling. From what I gather, the book introduce Sabre (Eidolon & Tayla's son); Mace (Lore & Idess's son, but his biological father is Wraith), the triplet Stryke, Blade and Rade also Crux (Shade and Runa's sons), Talon (Wraith's son), Aleka and Scotland (Ares & Cara's daughters), Laelani (Limos & Arik's daughter), Amber (Thanatos & Regan's daughter, also Regan is pregnant with the third child) and then Raika (Azagoth & Liliana's daughter). Fyuh, I think I got them all covered, right, hahaha. For Reseph & Jillian, they don't have child and I don't really remember why.
While Logan is already in his 33-ish, I still feel that he's young and that an understatement because many Demonica characters that I read is basically hundred to thousand years even though their partner is young (and then, bam, turn to immortal or part demon or angel or something). Basically, the story have a huge ensemble of cast so it can be overwhelming to read at first. But, the story also fast paced, full of high octane action and like usual Larissa didn't hesitant to kill some characters, therefore make things more complicated. The main problem is because of Azagoth's action to destroy Sheoul-gra, a very bad succubus named Lilith, known as the mother of the Four Horsemen (so, that's make her as Logan's grandma and the scene when she seduce him is EWWW) escaped and now plan her revenges. Also, The Aegis is on their propaganda again that all demon are BAD, BAD and WORST. As if there's not enough, problem also brewing in Heaven, make Reaver and Harvester's hands tied. Larissa really mean it that some of the character's actions from the past books will come with consequences.
I think Logan and Eva's relationship is okay. Remind me with some of the past characters's relationship, although the enemy to lovers trope can be polished more. I know that Eva is not Tayla despite their hatred of the demon in the first place, but I like the fact Larissa make her different with portrayed Eva as a journalist and also virtual game aficionado. Logan is...Logan, I think. Just your usual Larissa's alpha hero, lol. For me Logan didn't really make a distinguished characteristic, although I love his banter with Eva, his tight relationship with the Seminus's children and his reactions when knowing the fact behind his birth that I admit, I FORGOT. It's been so MANY YEARS after I read Lethal Rider, guys!! The steamy parts are of course still hawt. It's Larissa's signature after all, although while I appreciate the shower sex, I don't really recommend the sex on the beach scene. Imagine the sands that will go everywhere, phew!
The next book, Legacy of Chaos, will tell the story of Stryke, the estranged brother from Runa's triplet and Cyan, one of DART agency. Stryke is brooding and saddled with difficult past and Cyan still grieving her friend's death because of Stryke's company (long story, must read this book) so I predict the book will FULL of ANGST. Some of the big problems is not finish yet, but I see that Larissa already set the ground with some of pairing. I'm pretty much curious with some of the pairing (Sabre & Aleka; Talon & Amber), so I hope I won't waiting that long, since Chaos will be released in Dec 2024. If you like Legacy of Temptation but didn't have a chance to read from the start of the Demonica series, I suggest to read Pleasure Unbound. It's have so many element of old skool paranormal romances element, but I'm glad that back then I give it a chance so I can meet with so many wonderful characters from the Demonica world!
PS: Also boy, the epilogue. Revenant will be very PISSED OFF, and I can't wait to read how he will wreaking havoc. Must be very entertaining *smirk*
One word that come to mind when I read Larissa Ione's introduction in the early pages is "nostalgia". I had read and follow Demonica series for more than 10 years. I will always thanks my friend that sadly I never communicate again with her, for recommend Pleasure Unbound for me. Who knows that in the years that follows, Demonica become one of my favorite series? I lost count when re-read Pleasure Unbound and Revenant back then. While I'm devastated in the end of Sin Undone, I'm glad Larissa expand the Demonica world, adding Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Grim Reaper, but somehow can manage to make the OGs Seminus brothers (Eidolon, Shade & Wraith) still relevant.
Maybe Larissa write Legacy of Temptation as a first book of the Demonica Birthright series, but I definitely think that this book can't be read as a standalone. I know that Demonica series itself have 22 books (!) and it's kinda a chore to read all the books, but with the ever-growing and complex world building I can't really blame Larissa, lol! Legacy of Temptation happen 30 years after the event of Reaper, and since I read Reaper like 4 years ago, ofc I don't remember some of the events, lol. Although, I'm already familiar with Logan, and also Logan's parents, Thanatos and Regan. The first part kinda make me confused to see who and who, since the child of the OGs characters are now already grown-up and become a person in their own right BUT, the parents still meddling. From what I gather, the book introduce Sabre (Eidolon & Tayla's son); Mace (Lore & Idess's son, but his biological father is Wraith), the triplet Stryke, Blade and Rade also Crux (Shade and Runa's sons), Talon (Wraith's son), Aleka and Scotland (Ares & Cara's daughters), Laelani (Limos & Arik's daughter), Amber (Thanatos & Regan's daughter, also Regan is pregnant with the third child) and then Raika (Azagoth & Liliana's daughter). Fyuh, I think I got them all covered, right, hahaha. For Reseph & Jillian, they don't have child and I don't really remember why.
While Logan is already in his 33-ish, I still feel that he's young and that an understatement because many Demonica characters that I read is basically hundred to thousand years even though their partner is young (and then, bam, turn to immortal or part demon or angel or something). Basically, the story have a huge ensemble of cast so it can be overwhelming to read at first. But, the story also fast paced, full of high octane action and like usual Larissa didn't hesitant to kill some characters, therefore make things more complicated. The main problem is because of Azagoth's action to destroy Sheoul-gra, a very bad succubus named Lilith, known as the mother of the Four Horsemen (so, that's make her as Logan's grandma and the scene when she seduce him is EWWW) escaped and now plan her revenges. Also, The Aegis is on their propaganda again that all demon are BAD, BAD and WORST. As if there's not enough, problem also brewing in Heaven, make Reaver and Harvester's hands tied. Larissa really mean it that some of the character's actions from the past books will come with consequences.
I think Logan and Eva's relationship is okay. Remind me with some of the past characters's relationship, although the enemy to lovers trope can be polished more. I know that Eva is not Tayla despite their hatred of the demon in the first place, but I like the fact Larissa make her different with portrayed Eva as a journalist and also virtual game aficionado. Logan is...Logan, I think. Just your usual Larissa's alpha hero, lol. For me Logan didn't really make a distinguished characteristic, although I love his banter with Eva, his tight relationship with the Seminus's children and his reactions when knowing the fact behind his birth that I admit, I FORGOT. It's been so MANY YEARS after I read Lethal Rider, guys!! The steamy parts are of course still hawt. It's Larissa's signature after all, although while I appreciate the shower sex, I don't really recommend the sex on the beach scene. Imagine the sands that will go everywhere, phew!
The next book, Legacy of Chaos, will tell the story of Stryke, the estranged brother from Runa's triplet and Cyan, one of DART agency. Stryke is brooding and saddled with difficult past and Cyan still grieving her friend's death because of Stryke's company (long story, must read this book) so I predict the book will FULL of ANGST. Some of the big problems is not finish yet, but I see that Larissa already set the ground with some of pairing. I'm pretty much curious with some of the pairing (Sabre & Aleka; Talon & Amber), so I hope I won't waiting that long, since Chaos will be released in Dec 2024. If you like Legacy of Temptation but didn't have a chance to read from the start of the Demonica series, I suggest to read Pleasure Unbound. It's have so many element of old skool paranormal romances element, but I'm glad that back then I give it a chance so I can meet with so many wonderful characters from the Demonica world!
PS: Also boy, the epilogue. Revenant will be very PISSED OFF, and I can't wait to read how he will wreaking havoc. Must be very entertaining *smirk*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Medical content and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Grief
Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Bitter Medicine is a book, that for me, difficult to review. It's so rare nowadays with the surge of fantasy romance/romantasy (semantics) book, to find a paranormal slash urban fantasy romance that didn't happen in the lalala-land or unpronounceable land with many fancy characters name. Bitter Medicine happen in modern world, sets in Raleigh, North Carolina, Paris and Strasbourgh, France. Sadly, when starting read this book, I faced with an already established world building. There's no explanation or maybe some description. I have this feeling that Tsai maybe afraid to info-dumping the world building, but I wish she did. I don't mind with a long description about the world building if that mean I can understand what's going on.
I don't have a slightest idea what is the rules of the world that the characters lived in. Yes, our heroine, Elle Mei or Yiya Jiang is a descendant of Shennong, a Chinese god of medicine. She is a healer but also very powerful with her glyph-making ability and pyrokinetics. Luc Villois, the hero is half elf and also a French, an ace for the Bureau or agency called Roland and Riddle. The big question is, what is Roland and Riddle did actually? An agency for what? To avoid any supernatural disaster or to save human from supernatural alike? I don't even sure if human and supernatural in this book world live in harmony until page 200-ish in which Elle must avoid to attract human attention to herself, so basically the human didn't have any idea that these supernatural beings exist? What is the Fixer? Why the Wrecking Crew called Wrecking Crew and they all just act like asshole toward Luc, bordering envy and jealousy? Who is Oberon, aside than he's the leader of Roland and Riddle? I have so many questions and sadly some of them go unanswered.
While the lack of explanation of world building is the weakness, I think Tsai excels in writing the romance. I did like reading the romance between Luc and Elle. It's tropey af and all of them are my catnips, such as platonic friend to lover, he feel first and she feel harder, found family, etc etc. The romance aspect is the saving grace for Bitter Medicine. Remove the romance and I will DNF'd the book in the first place because a weak world building since this book is marketed first as xianxia-inspired fantasy. My physical copy of this book is filled with sticky notes marked the feeling from both characters. Especially Luc. I think Tsai write him best compared to Elle. Luc is the definition of torture hero but minus the "I'm really not worthy of you" hyperbole woes. Reading his feeling toward Elle is one of the highlight of this book and I often go "awww". Luc also a green flag man walking and Elle is a lucky woman to be loved by him. I liked that this book was written in omniscient 3rd PoV, switched between Luc and Elle, provide insights to both characters. This book is also not YA, since both Elle and Luc are immortal and already in their hundreds age give and take, so there's some sex scenes and it's so..steamy. Well written tho, without being gratuitous. Yeah, there are some purple prose, but in my defense, not that make-me-rolling-my-eyes kind of purple prose and successfully describe both Elle and Luc's feelings. I also like that it's consensual and they practice safe sex, lol.
I think one of the star of Bitter Medicine is Elle's brother, Tony. He's so unapologetic and often become a voice of reason, especially when Elle is stubborn because of familial duty. Sigh, I really want a brother like Tony, since I'm a firstborn myself. Elle herself is okay, although at first she can be a little bit infuriating to read by being middle child so she always try to play peacemaker and always blamed herself with what happen between her brothers. I also annoyed and angry with the way Elle's parents threat her. They are just your typical Asian (or in this case Chinese) parents that prefer the boys rather than the girl. So I'm happy that Elle finally stand up to herself and like Tony suggest, being selfish and pursue her own happiness.
I feel that Bitter Medicine is like a two books that compressed into one book and the publisher try to make it as a stand alone. The problem with Elle's murderous brother, Yiwu, are done in 65% mark or so, make the following chapter feel anti-climatic although focusing more to both Elle and Luc's relationship. Then, there's a problem between Luc and Oberon that pretty much have this "Devil Wears Prada" vibes. I think maybe Tsai try to incorporated about work-life balance with the way Oberon always pushed Luc to the limit with his outrageous demands and abuse of power. However, the end left me feel unsatisfied with how easy Oberon get away and didn't get his comeuppance after abusing Luc's true name for I don't know how many times. Oberon really is a boss from hell, manipulator expert and gaslighting aficionado that I really hope, he at least got his demise or maybe death is too merciful for the like of him. I'm curious if there's will be more story for Luc and Elle, despite they already got their HEA.
Bitter Medicine have a rough start, feels like a debut book that suffering from glaring weakness regarding the world building and unclear explanation about some of the characters. But the romance part is worth to read. It's also have some actions scene that I guess inspired by C-drama despite I never watch one myself, but I can clearly pictured the scene unfold with the way Tsai write it. It's also contain dialogue in Chinese and French and Tsai also explain why she write them at it is and I really don't mind since I can google the translation myself. If you like your paranormal romance cater more to romance rather than its fantasy/supernatural setting, try to read this one.
I don't have a slightest idea what is the rules of the world that the characters lived in. Yes, our heroine, Elle Mei or Yiya Jiang is a descendant of Shennong, a Chinese god of medicine. She is a healer but also very powerful with her glyph-making ability and pyrokinetics. Luc Villois, the hero is half elf and also a French, an ace for the Bureau or agency called Roland and Riddle. The big question is, what is Roland and Riddle did actually? An agency for what? To avoid any supernatural disaster or to save human from supernatural alike? I don't even sure if human and supernatural in this book world live in harmony until page 200-ish in which Elle must avoid to attract human attention to herself, so basically the human didn't have any idea that these supernatural beings exist? What is the Fixer? Why the Wrecking Crew called Wrecking Crew and they all just act like asshole toward Luc, bordering envy and jealousy? Who is Oberon, aside than he's the leader of Roland and Riddle? I have so many questions and sadly some of them go unanswered.
While the lack of explanation of world building is the weakness, I think Tsai excels in writing the romance. I did like reading the romance between Luc and Elle. It's tropey af and all of them are my catnips, such as platonic friend to lover, he feel first and she feel harder, found family, etc etc. The romance aspect is the saving grace for Bitter Medicine. Remove the romance and I will DNF'd the book in the first place because a weak world building since this book is marketed first as xianxia-inspired fantasy. My physical copy of this book is filled with sticky notes marked the feeling from both characters. Especially Luc. I think Tsai write him best compared to Elle. Luc is the definition of torture hero but minus the "I'm really not worthy of you" hyperbole woes. Reading his feeling toward Elle is one of the highlight of this book and I often go "awww". Luc also a green flag man walking and Elle is a lucky woman to be loved by him. I liked that this book was written in omniscient 3rd PoV, switched between Luc and Elle, provide insights to both characters. This book is also not YA, since both Elle and Luc are immortal and already in their hundreds age give and take, so there's some sex scenes and it's so..steamy. Well written tho, without being gratuitous. Yeah, there are some purple prose, but in my defense, not that make-me-rolling-my-eyes kind of purple prose and successfully describe both Elle and Luc's feelings. I also like that it's consensual and they practice safe sex, lol.
I think one of the star of Bitter Medicine is Elle's brother, Tony. He's so unapologetic and often become a voice of reason, especially when Elle is stubborn because of familial duty. Sigh, I really want a brother like Tony, since I'm a firstborn myself. Elle herself is okay, although at first she can be a little bit infuriating to read by being middle child so she always try to play peacemaker and always blamed herself with what happen between her brothers. I also annoyed and angry with the way Elle's parents threat her. They are just your typical Asian (or in this case Chinese) parents that prefer the boys rather than the girl. So I'm happy that Elle finally stand up to herself and like Tony suggest, being selfish and pursue her own happiness.
I feel that Bitter Medicine is like a two books that compressed into one book and the publisher try to make it as a stand alone. The problem with Elle's murderous brother, Yiwu, are done in 65% mark or so, make the following chapter feel anti-climatic although focusing more to both Elle and Luc's relationship. Then, there's a problem between Luc and Oberon that pretty much have this "Devil Wears Prada" vibes. I think maybe Tsai try to incorporated about work-life balance with the way Oberon always pushed Luc to the limit with his outrageous demands and abuse of power. However, the end left me feel unsatisfied with
Bitter Medicine have a rough start, feels like a debut book that suffering from glaring weakness regarding the world building and unclear explanation about some of the characters. But the romance part is worth to read. It's also have some actions scene that I guess inspired by C-drama despite I never watch one myself, but I can clearly pictured the scene unfold with the way Tsai write it. It's also contain dialogue in Chinese and French and Tsai also explain why she write them at it is and I really don't mind since I can google the translation myself. If you like your paranormal romance cater more to romance rather than its fantasy/supernatural setting, try to read this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Racism and Transphobia
In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When reading through "In the Company of Witches" reviews, I see that this book penned as "Practical Magic meet Gilmore Girls". I said, I never watch them both, but I pick this title because I love read any book with witch on it. Add with the book genre that is cozy mystery and the colorful cover, I'm sold already. However, after finish reading, I'm a little bit conflicted to rate this book. I'm hovering between 3 or 4, or maybe 3,5. Then, I decide to give 3 because, while I enjoy the story there is something of this book that didn't sit well with me.
In the Company tell the story about the Warren witches and their B&B in the small town called Evenfall. They are mostly good witches with our heroine, Brynn can converse with the dead, while her aunt Izzy is a kitchen witch and the other aunt, Nora is a garden witch. Brynn's uncle, Gideon, deal with premonition but for something that happen in the past, he rarely left the B&B attic. Like your usual cozy mystery, there was a murder with a mix of closed room case. There's some sleuthing by Brynn to clear Nora's name because Nora is the person that discover the victim body. There's a mystery of whodunnit while the whydunnit itself is pretty much simple to guess.
This book main theme is apparently how to deal with your grief and let the past go. The grief is pretty apparent not just from Brynn that lost her husband a year before the story start and make her lost her ability to perform magic, but to others characters as well. However, the grief theme also overwhelmed another aspect, like the mystery. The mystery itself is pretty easy to guess. Sure, there was false lead and some red herrings, but in the end my guess was right. This book is more like how to deal with your family, and the mystery just like a second theme. There's so many family drama, not only between the Warrens, but also from the victim family. In which, when the truth behind the victim demise come out the light, all I feel is a sadness. How, even bound by blood, family can be strangers and tear each other apart, all that left are regrets.
While I enjoy reading Brynn's voice since the story is told entirely from her PoV, I have problem with one of the aunt and she's Nora. At first I think Nora's problem is her temper that running hot, contrast with her big sister, Izzy that pretty much a peacemaker and hate conflict. However, I see that Nora just love to girlbossing to the point it's become so annoying to read. She's not only bossy, sometimes childish, aggressive, abrasive and maybe a little bit narcissistic; but I don't like the way Nora gaslighting Brynn to move on from her grief. She literally challenge everyone and while I get that this is the way Nora care for people she love and she never hesitate to play bad witch or use forbidden spell to help a friend in need, I just don't like her gaslighting. I also feel that there's not much groveling from Nora since she think her attitudes were justified while in the other side Brynn say sorry because Brynn hide the fact that her magic was gone because of the grief. It's just feel..unfair. Brynn try her damnedest to clear Nora's name from being a culprit yet Nora pay it by gaslighting Brynn to move on and accept that her husband is gone.
The writing itself actually pretty good since the author successfully make me hating Nora and try to sympathize with Brynn, lel. There's also no detective or law enforcement that lead the investigation just like in any cozy mystery I read since the mystery mostly solved by Brynn playing amateur sleuth and with some help of magic. I did enjoy read this one, but I just hope that Nora's part can be handle differently.
In the Company tell the story about the Warren witches and their B&B in the small town called Evenfall. They are mostly good witches with our heroine, Brynn can converse with the dead, while her aunt Izzy is a kitchen witch and the other aunt, Nora is a garden witch. Brynn's uncle, Gideon, deal with premonition but for something that happen in the past, he rarely left the B&B attic. Like your usual cozy mystery, there was a murder with a mix of closed room case. There's some sleuthing by Brynn to clear Nora's name because Nora is the person that discover the victim body. There's a mystery of whodunnit while the whydunnit itself is pretty much simple to guess.
This book main theme is apparently how to deal with your grief and let the past go. The grief is pretty apparent not just from Brynn that lost her husband a year before the story start and make her lost her ability to perform magic, but to others characters as well. However, the grief theme also overwhelmed another aspect, like the mystery. The mystery itself is pretty easy to guess. Sure, there was false lead and some red herrings, but in the end my guess was right. This book is more like how to deal with your family, and the mystery just like a second theme. There's so many family drama, not only between the Warrens, but also from the victim family. In which, when the truth behind the victim demise come out the light, all I feel is a sadness. How, even bound by blood, family can be strangers and tear each other apart, all that left are regrets.
While I enjoy reading Brynn's voice since the story is told entirely from her PoV, I have problem with one of the aunt and she's Nora. At first I think Nora's problem is her temper that running hot, contrast with her big sister, Izzy that pretty much a peacemaker and hate conflict. However, I see that Nora just love to girlbossing to the point it's become so annoying to read. She's not only bossy, sometimes childish, aggressive, abrasive and maybe a little bit narcissistic; but I don't like the way Nora gaslighting Brynn to move on from her grief. She literally challenge everyone and while I get that this is the way Nora care for people she love and she never hesitate to play bad witch or use forbidden spell to help a friend in need, I just don't like her gaslighting. I also feel that there's not much groveling from Nora since she think her attitudes were justified while in the other side Brynn say sorry because Brynn hide the fact that her magic was gone because of the grief. It's just feel..unfair. Brynn try her damnedest to clear Nora's name from being a culprit yet Nora pay it by gaslighting Brynn to move on and accept that her husband is gone.
The writing itself actually pretty good since the author successfully make me hating Nora and try to sympathize with Brynn, lel. There's also no detective or law enforcement that lead the investigation just like in any cozy mystery I read since the mystery mostly solved by Brynn playing amateur sleuth and with some help of magic. I did enjoy read this one, but I just hope that Nora's part can be handle differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent
Drinks and Sinkholes by S. Usher Evans
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What a fun and charming cozy fantasy!
I discovered Drinks and Sinkholes while searching through e-book deals in Kobo site. When I see "sinkholes", my eyebrows rise up and "hmm, what a catchy title, maybe I'll try to add this title to cart and let's see what the story about". I'm glad that my decisions (and money) are well paid off. For me, D&S feels more like a cozy mystery but with medieval fantasy settings. It's located in small town, and although no one dies, the sinkholes problems deserve its investigation by our heroine, Bev. Beverage Wench or Bev is an innkeeper of the Weary Dragon Inn and her inn also become casualties from the sinkholes that appeared from nowhere as a result of sudden earthquake. Before you ask, "why the name of Beverage Wench?", Bev herself was amnesia and she doesn't know her own name. The citizen of Pigsend city or more precisely the latest owner of the inn was responsible for her name, so the name Beverage Wench or Bev is kinda stuck, lel.
I really enjoy reading D&S and appreciate the way of Evans can evoke my emotions with her writing and storytelling. It's hard to not warmed up toward Bev, since her kindness and her willingness to save her inn, the place that become her home for 5 years is the bread and butter (ha!) of the book. I liked that the town citizens are varied in their role and personalities. You can't help to become angry with them when they accusing Bev was slow in her investigation. You also feel annoyed by the Major that (at first) seems like only want to save her own position. To said I feel angry for Bev when some of the town people starting to act rude to her while Bev try her damnedest to solve the sinkholes problems is an understatement. But, I like that Evans able to make me change my perception with the way she solve the problems in the end. It's sure left me dumbfounded in the first but also smiling a little! Bev might find some of townspeople are irritating, but she also meet new friends (a mole man named Merv!), save her neighbor and also strengthen her friendship with the local butcher, Ida and her wife, Vellora.
With the way the story end, I feel like there's more adventure (and maybe investigation!) for Bev. Beside, we don't know who Bev is and I kinda guess, she is a magical in nature or possessing magic of her own. If you like your fantasy low of stakes and just want to enjoy the cozy feelings of small town interactions, you might want to check this one!
I discovered Drinks and Sinkholes while searching through e-book deals in Kobo site. When I see "sinkholes", my eyebrows rise up and "hmm, what a catchy title, maybe I'll try to add this title to cart and let's see what the story about". I'm glad that my decisions (and money) are well paid off. For me, D&S feels more like a cozy mystery but with medieval fantasy settings. It's located in small town, and although no one dies, the sinkholes problems deserve its investigation by our heroine, Bev. Beverage Wench or Bev is an innkeeper of the Weary Dragon Inn and her inn also become casualties from the sinkholes that appeared from nowhere as a result of sudden earthquake. Before you ask, "why the name of Beverage Wench?", Bev herself was amnesia and she doesn't know her own name. The citizen of Pigsend city or more precisely the latest owner of the inn was responsible for her name, so the name Beverage Wench or Bev is kinda stuck, lel.
I really enjoy reading D&S and appreciate the way of Evans can evoke my emotions with her writing and storytelling. It's hard to not warmed up toward Bev, since her kindness and her willingness to save her inn, the place that become her home for 5 years is the bread and butter (ha!) of the book. I liked that the town citizens are varied in their role and personalities. You can't help to become angry with them when they accusing Bev was slow in her investigation. You also feel annoyed by the Major that (at first) seems like only want to save her own position. To said I feel angry for Bev when some of the town people starting to act rude to her while Bev try her damnedest to solve the sinkholes problems is an understatement. But, I like that Evans able to make me change my perception with the way she solve the problems in the end. It's sure left me dumbfounded in the first but also smiling a little! Bev might find some of townspeople are irritating, but she also meet new friends (a mole man named Merv!), save her neighbor and also strengthen her friendship with the local butcher, Ida and her wife, Vellora.
With the way the story end, I feel like there's more adventure (and maybe investigation!) for Bev. Beside, we don't know who Bev is and I kinda guess, she is a magical in nature or possessing magic of her own. If you like your fantasy low of stakes and just want to enjoy the cozy feelings of small town interactions, you might want to check this one!