renpuspita's reviews
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The Woman in Cabin 10 ini contoh novel yang ga ngerti sebenarnya mau fokus di misteri, psychology thriller atau malah jadi survival genre. Semuanya dicampur aduk oleh pengarangnya. Sebenarnya gue ga keberatan, seandainya tokoh utamanya minimal bikin simpatik. Astaga, Lo, literally act like a loser dan bahkan tindakan bodohnya pun konsisten dan permanen dari awal sampai hampir akhir cerita. Gue ngerti kalau trend buat novel dengan genre psychological thriller itu biasanya unreliable narrator dan ga perlu disukai. Okay, unlikable is fine, tapi minimal bikinlah pembacamu bersimpati pada karakter utama apalagi penceritaannya dari sudut pandang orang pertama. Gue berkali - kali tepok jidat dan bahkan sampe bilang "syukurin lo" pas tahu Lo jadi kena musibah. 

Kenapa kok gue kesel sama cara penulisnya membawakan narasi Lo? Berkali - kali dibilang kurang tidur, padahal pembaca juga udah tahu sejak awal Lo itu kurang tidur semenjak kerampokan. Terus ga riset dengan baik saat ditugaskan membuat artikel untuk pelayaran kapal pesiar, padahal katanya jurnalis dengan pengalaman 10 tahun. Walau bisa dibela dengan alasan Lo ini dasarnya emang punya anxiety parah dan juga abis kemalingan, rasanya itu juga jadi alasan yang lemah. Sejak awal emang susah mau simpatik sama Lo, jelas - jelas punya pacar yang bucin parah tapi pacarnya malah dijudesin bahkan begitu taking things for granted pas si pacar, Judah, rela meninggalkan pekerjaannya dengan bilang kalau Lo ga pernah minta Judah buat berkorban. Gue KECEWA sampe akhir Judah masih setia sama Lo, alih - alih ninggalin cewek ga tahu diri ini karena ya Judah itu terlalu BAIK buat Lo. Ga cuma judes ke Judah, tapi Lo juga agresif ke banyak orang dan alasannya selalu karena panic attacknya serta kurang tidur. Udah tahu kurang tidur, butuh minum obat anti depressant, Lo malah MABUK - MABUKAN. Gini mau simpatik gimana coba, hahaha.

The Woman in Cabin 10 sebenarnya menggambarkan dengan baik idiom "no good deeds goes unpunished". Apa yang terjadi sama Lo, dengan penyelidikan amatirannya adalah karena dia ngerasa kalau wanita yang jatuh ke laut dari Kabin 10, pas di sebelah kabin tempat Lo, sama nasibnya kayak Lo. Ga berdaya karena tindakan kejahatan orang lain, sama seperti Lo yang ga berdaya abis kemalingan (wicis, gue ga ngerti kenapa Lo tetep bersikeras naik ke kapal Aurora abis kemalingan mengingat dia punya riwayat serangan panik dan juga kurang tidur. Segitu ngejar karir deh si Lo ini). Masalahnya semuanya jadi kacau karena Lo yang sering mabuk dan inisiatifnya buat menyelidiki kasus pembunuhan malah membuatnya jadi incaran si pelaku yang sebenarnya. Dua pertiga novel ini gue jabanin dengan sangat sabar membaca tingkah laku Lo yang bikin gregetan (nuduh sana sini, sinis ke banyak orang) dan baru mencapai momentum setelah twist terungkap. Bagi gue, twistnya emang rada - rada outlandish walau mungkin banget kejadian. Lucunya walau Lo ini tokoh utama tapi bagi gue 

  justru Carrie, wanita di Kabin 10 yang dianggap awalnya tewas oleh Lo, yang lebih pantas jadi tokoh utama. Walau sama - sama unlikable character kayak Lo, tapi Carrie lebih punya alasan yang kuat untuk apa yang dia lakukan selama ini. Dan bahkan menurut gue endingnya ditulis dengan cukup oke 

. Ruth Ware mungkin ingin menulis kisah seorang cewek yang ga dipercaya karena histeris dan histerisnya tuh karena dia punya anxiety dan kurang tidur. Sayangnya eksekusinya kurang bagus, meskipun mendekati akhir cerita emang ada perkembangan karakter pada Lo yang cukup signifikan. Tapi gimana lagi, udah kadung kesel sama tingkah laku Lo.

Ga bakal gue baca ulang tapi kalau nyari mystery dan thriller suspense (dan sedikit unsur survival) dengan unreliable narrator, menurut gue, The Woman in Cabin 10 masih sedikit lebih baik dibandingkan dengan The Silent Patient. 

 When my friend hold a reading challenge with foodies as a main topic, I know that I have that one particular title that I always want to read. Arsenic and Adobo is my choice. I remember I bought this because I always love to read a cozy mystery with foodies elements, hence why almost of my cozy mystery collections are about food. Arsenic and Adobo is the debut book by Mia P. Manansala. With the story unfold and how I know the main character and the family that surrounded her, this book kinda have same setting and premise with Dial A for Aunties, by Jesse Q Sutanto. Both books also published in the same year (2021), although I'm not read Sutanto's book yet although we both Indonesian. 

Reading Arsenic and Adobo make me feel connected with our sharing cultures. Manansala provide the glossary and some of the Tagalog language is pretty much the same with Indonesia. That's why, although Manansala provide how to pronounce them in English/American way, I just said it with my Indonesian tongue because they sound the same. Like, "anak", "tito", "tita", etc. Even the food also have lumpia, which is a staple of snack in my country. I also liked that Manansala provide trigger warning and content warning in the first page, despite this is cozy mystery so sometimes things can be triggering of sort, but she's so thoughtful to provide it in the first place. Although, she made some slip regarding inappropriate diabetic jokes that she already apologize for in her website. Arsenic and Adobo feels different compared to some cozy mysteries I read this year and year before. First, of course it's diverse and also queer (Lila's close friend, Adeena is a lesbian). Two, it's point to some of millenial discourse, with Lila herself is in her twenty five, so basically she's in the same age with my sister that nine years younger than me (myself is also millenial, though). And then, it deal with some personal struggle and joked (mostly in sarcasm manner) about the family culture of Filipino folks. The last thing make me amend to that, maybe because it's Asian thingie. 

I feel like the mystery, while well-written, kinda not as main focus and the focus more like in Lila's personal development and her struggle regarding her family circumstances and close friends, not to forget some of potential love interest. Also, a parade of description about Filipino dishes. From ube cookies, ginataang bilo - bilo (that the victim, Derek, eat before his death), lumpia, almondigas (like Vietnam's pho), ensaymada, coconut jam, etc. Reading this book make my mouth is watering, ngl. I also like that both of Lila's potential love interests is not the police or detective, although I'm more inclined for Lila to be Jae's girlfriend although Jae is Jonathan's little brother, the detective who pretty much gung ho to ensure Lila to go to jail. The culprit is not what I'm expected at all. Sadly, the adobo is pretty much just a pun and not a main course of this book despite its become the title of the book.

So, is Arsenic and Adobo a mystery book about food? Or a foodies book about mystery? Imho, it can be both and I'll look forward to Lila's adventure for both the mysteries and delicious foods. 

 Setelah Murder in Mesopotamia dan The Pale Horse, Hallowe'en Party atau Pesta Halloween jadi buku ketiga dari Dame Agatha Christie yang gue baca di tahun 2023. Buku ini dibaca bareng-bareng teman BBI Joglo yaitu Dion, Hani dan Ratih. Buddy read ini lebih ke spontanitas soalnya waktu itu Hani nanya ada film Poirot versi Kenneth Brannagh yang terbaru yaitu Haunting in Venice. Gue terus nyamber kalau itu diambil dari buku Halloween Party. Lalu Dion pun ngajak baca bareng dimana Ratih pun nimbrung. Ya udahlah kami semua buddy read di Twitter, walau kayaknya baru gue sama Dion yang selesai duluan nih XD.

"Aku pernah melihat pembunuhan!", itulah yang dikatakan Joyce, gadis umur 13 tahun yang dikenal pembual oleh orang - orang di Woodleigh Common. Joyce mungkin hanya membual, tapi sayangnya ada orang yang mengira kalau apa yang dikatakan Joyce itu benar dan Joyce pun harus tewas tenggelam dalam ember berisi apel - apel pada pesta Halloween. Ariadne Oliver yang doyan apel sampai trauma dan langsung menghubungi sobatnya, sang detektif partikelir kenamaan, Hercule Poirot. Tidak butuh waktu lama bagi Poirot untuk menyelidiki kasus pembunuhan ini, dengan dibantu juga oleh kawan lamanya, Inspekstur Spence dan adik Spence, Elspeth McKay dengan pengamatannya yang tajam akan masyarakat Woodleigh Common serta kasus - kasus kematian di beberapa tahun yang lalu. Semakin Poirot berusaha menyelediki kasus - kasus mana yang kemungkinan dilihat oleh Joyce, semakin rumit penyelesaiannya! Poirot pun diburu waktu untuk menyelesaikan kasus dengan dua pertanyaan yang menggantung. Benarkan Joyce melihat pembunuhan atau dia hanya membual saja? Lalu siapa yang membunuh Joyce kalau gadis itu sebenarnya tidak membual?

Gue sendiri hanya bisa menebak siapa pelakunya dengan separuh benar dan sejujurnya gue ga menyangka kalau motif di balik pembunuhannya sebagiannya bisa sampai seruwet itu. Untuk kali ini plot twistnya gue acungin jempol, ga kayak di Murder in Mesopotamia yang menurut gue rada outlandish atau The Pale Horse yang rada klenik. Layaknya novel misteri, banyak red herring yang diumpankan Dame Christie pada pembaca. Red herringnya pun kadang ga kelihatan karena tersembunyi di balik percakapan - percakapan yang menurut gue beberapa sangat bertele - tele dan ga langsung on point. Baca buku ini emang harus sabar, hehehe. Bahkan meskipun gue berusaha fokus dalam memecahkan misteri, ternyata tetep aja ada yang terlewatkan. Di balik kasus pembunuhan Joyce, ada empat kasus pembunuhan yang terjadi bbrp tahun lalu yang harus dipecahkan Poirot. Seperti kasus surat warisan dari seorang janda kaya raya yang codicilnya dipalsukan oleh gadis au pair (atau helper) si janda, kasus ditikamnya seorang pemalsu dokumen yang juga pegawai di sebuah firma, kasus dicekiknya guru di sekolah Joyce dan satu kasus kematian lagi. Walau awalnya emang kelihatan ga berhubungan, ternyata beberapa emang ADA hubungannya dan semuanya pun terungkap di akhir. Untuk endingnya gue cukup puas walau sayangnya penyelesaiannya agak menggantung.

Buku ini infonya ditulis pada jelang akhir karir Dame Christie (tahun 1969) dan ada semacam nyeritain kasus - kasus Poirot yang lama (paling mencolok Mrs McGinty, sayang gue belum punya bukunya). Pun beberapa bahasan di buku ini menurut gue sangat so yesterday dan sexist banget. Kayak awalnya Joyce diduga dibunuh karena alasan seksual, bahkan Poirot sampe nanya apa Joyce itu seksi. Astaga, Joyce itu baru 13 tahun huhuhu. Pun ada bagian yang menurut gue euh banget (kayak salah satu tokoh, Michael Garfield memuji Miranda itu cantik, padahal Miranda kan masih bocah umur 12 tahun wkwk) Selain itu banyak prejudice terhadap orang - orang yang diduga membunuh karena adanya mental disorder. Emang agak triggering ya beberapa isinya, namun mungkin juga agak menggambarkan kondisi pada tahun 1969 (era hippies) walau gue kurang tahu buku ini settingnya pada tahun berapa karena gue belum baca semua buku Poirot. 

Salah satu novel Dame Christie yang menurut gue misterinya cukup solid dan bahkan tensinya memuncak pas mendekati akhir cerita. Deduksi Poirot pun sangat menarik untuk dibaca. Sayangnya, gue merasa ini nanti versi filmnya Kenneth Brannagh sepertinya bakal loosely adaption dari buku ini. Selain judulnya beda (jadi Haunting in Venice), lokasinya juga beda (malah di Venesia), ceritanya pun beda (Ada seance. Padahal di buku ini ga ada sama sekali!), bahkan di filmnya pun tokoh Joyce Reynolds malah diperankan...Michele Yeoh??? Ini sih udah pasti ga patuh bukunya sama sekali dan kemungkinan besar kayak The Pale Horse yang versi buku dan filmnya (yang ada Rufus Sewell) akan sangat berbeda. 

Setelah entah puluhan tahun gue ga pernah pergi ke perpus kota/daerah dan baca disana (ya karena koleksi dan timbunan gue gila banyak banget), akhirnya di tahun 2023 gue main ke Perpus di Cikini. Itu juga setelah 12 tahun kerja di Jakarta baru sekali ini juga main di daerah Cikiniii...ke Gondangdia (malah nyanyi). Kenapa kok tahu-tahu ke perpus? Karena ada yang ngajakin dan gue akhir2 ini suka ikutan acara bookish walau ya hanya dateng kalau penyelanggaranya kenal. Maklum, anak INFP (apa hubungannya? A lot, sadly)

Namanya juga baca di perpus dan jamnya terbatas karena cuma sampai jam 12 acara library date dan silent readingnya (baca di perpus kan harus tenang ya bestie), dimana gue nyampe perpus jam 9, maka milih bukunya yang ga tebel2 banget (under 300 halaman), terjemahan (gue baca buku dalam bhs Inggris tuh lama) dan kalau bisa genre yang gue suka. Akhirnya setelah ngider milih2 dan sejujurnya gue seneng plus galau mau baca buku mana (banyak banget buku2 referensi dari DK!) gue milih buku The Shrunken Head yang ditulis Lauren Oliver (penulis beneran) dan Hester J.C (kagak jelas bionya. Diterjemahkan oleh Mizan Fantasy dan sejujurnya gue juga ga tahu sama buku ini dimana pas gue lihat stempel perpus di bukunya ternyata tahun 2019? Mungkin Mizan udah males masarinnya karena toh PJO yg paling laris dan juga karya Rick Riordan lainnya. Gue beruntung juga nemu buku ini karena cuma 1 eksemplar dan juga ini buku pertama.

Singkat cerita, karena keterbatasan waktu dan walau namanya silent reading tapi gue masih sempat ngobrol cekikikan ma Mba Yuska, Mba Treez, Febri dan Marina yg duduk deket gue (wkwk kelakuan emang eyke ini), gue berhasil menuntaskan baca buku ini dalam waktu dua jam. Mungkin karena isinya juga termasuk ringan dan terjemahannya sendiri dan luwes dibacanya plus minim typo. The Shrunken Head sendiri adalah buku pertama dari seri The Curiosity House, menceritakan tentang sebuah Museum berisi hal-hal ganjil dan orang2 unik yang mempertunjukkan kemampuan mereka bak orang sirkus. Dipimpin oleh Mr Dumpfrey yang bak sales tulen, buku ini berfokus sama anak - anak belia yang usianya mungkin masih di kisaran belasan tahun. Ada Thomas yang cerdas dan bisa melipat - lipat tubuhnya. Ada Phillippa atau Pip yang bisa menerawang apa yg ada di kantongmu dan belakangan ternyata dia mulai bisa membaca pikiran manusia. Lalu ada Samson atau akrab dipanggil Sam yang sangat kuat bisa menghancurkan dinding atau mengangkat benda berat tapi juga sangat pemalu. Terakhir ada Mackenzie atau Max, anggota terakhir yang bergabung dengan Museum Mr Dumpfrey, ahli melempar pisau tapi suka berkata sinis dan kleptomania.

Keempat tokoh kita jelas bukan anak - anak biasa. Mereka juga ga akur, terutama Pip dan Max. Tapi ketika sebuah artefak bernama Kepala Mengerut disinyalir membuat beberapa orang terbunuh dan Mr Dumpfrey dicurigai sebagai pembunuh, keempat anak ini berusaha menyelidiki siapa yg mencuri Kepala Mengerut dan menuduh Mr Dumpfrey. Mulai dari sini memang ceritanya lebih condong ke misteri whodunnit ala Nancy Drew dan gue akuin element misterinya yang membuat gue bisa baca dengan cepat. Selain itu ternyata ada juga misteri di balik kemampuan khusus para anak-anak yang nantinya akan sedikit terungkap di akhir cerita. 

The Shrunken Head cukup membuat gue teringat akan cerita Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children tapi juga semacam digabungkan dengan Freak Showsnya P.J.Barnum. Tidak ada petunjuk waktu yang menunjukkan pada era apa buku ini ditulis, dan ilustrasi yang ada di dalam bukunya terasa modern. Meski banyak orang aneh di buku ini, cerita memang hanya berkutat pada Thomas, Sam, Pip dan Max. Masing - masing cukup menarik dengan personalitas yg beda-beda. Thomas yg jail tapi optimis, semacam pemimpin tidak resmi, Sam yang takut2 kalau kekuatannya akan melukai seseorang, Pip yang kaku dan hobi berantem dengan Max yang semaunya sendiri. Gue merasa ceritanya lebih fokus ke Thomas, sementara Pip jauh lebih banyak diceritakan bermusuhan sama Max walau mendekati akhir cerita mereka mulai akur. Para orang dewasanya juga campuran antara kebapakan (Mr Dumpfrey) atau yang menyebalkan sekalian seperti wartawan bernama Bill Evans yang artikel-artikelnya suka menyudutkan museum. Bagi gue misterinya cukup solid tapi agak membingungkan pada akhir cerita yang juga membuka kemungkinan ada cerita selanjutnya.

Buku ini cocok dibaca untuk sekali duduk. Dilengkapi dengan ilustrasi yang menurut gue cukup unik dan bergaya gothic dan alurnya juga cukup cepat. Misterinya ga terlalu sulit, gue sebenarnya udah bisa nebak siapa pelaku di balik menghilangnya Kepala Menyusut. Walau sayangnya Kepala Menyusut ini, alih2 sebagai judul, sebenarnya lebih ke arah plot device aja. Kalau suka sama buku anak dengan element misteri yg cukup kental dan sedikit bumbu fantasy, buku ini boleh dicoba. 

 

Hanya selang tiga bulan setelah gue baca buku Mitologi Norse karya Donna Jo Napoli , kali ini gue mencoba penceritaan kembali dari salah satu novelis fantasy yang minimal pembaca fantasy pasti tahu yaitu Neil Gaiman. Walau di belakang buku ini disebut novel fantasy, bagi gue Mitologi Nordik lebih ke setengah fiksi dan non fiksi karena isinya sebenarnya lebih ke penceritaan kembali dari Gaiman, berdasarkan risetnya pada Mitologi Norse, terutama dari Puisi Edda yang ditulis kembali oleh sejarawan Islandia, Snorri Sturlusson. Baik Napoli maupun Gaiman sama - sama mereferensi Puisi Edda ini, karena memang semacam "kitab suci"nya mitologi para dewa dewi Norse. Gue ga heran kenapa Gaiman menulis buku ini karena American Gods sendiri sangat terpengaruh oleh mitologi Norse dan karakter - karakter utamanya sendiri juga dari mitologi itu. Membaca kata pengantar dari Gaiman sangat mengasyikkan dan memberi gambaran apa yang akan kita dapat dari buku ini.

Gaiman sendiri mengingatkan kalau akan ada beberapa inkonsistensi dan hal itu emang terjadi. Seperti kisah cerita ketel raksasa Hmyr. Pada kisah pertama, ketel Hmyr diambil berkat kedekatan Tyr dengan ibunya yang adalah istri Hmyr dan kecenderungan Thor untuk menyelesaikan masalah dengan kekerasan. Tapi di kisah selanjutnya, yang mengambil ketel Hymr adalah Loki. Awalnya gue ngira apakah Gaiman ini typo dan lalu teringat oleh kata pengantarnya bahwa kisah - kisah mitos jaman dulu emang banyak versi. Ada juga versi nama yang berbeda untuk si ular raksasa Midgard, dimana yang gue tahu namanya Jormungand tapi di buku ini Jormungurd. Selain itu di buku ini juga antara dark elf atau svartalfar dengan dwarf atau kurcaci itu ternyata sama. Gue kirain beda karena kurcaci tinggalnya di Nidavellir, sementara dark elf itu penampilannya persis light elf (ljosalfar). Mayan lah dapat ilmu baru lagi nih.

Mitologi Norse (atau Nordik) memang ceritanya muter - muter antara tiga tokoh besar yaitu Odin, si Allfather (atau Maha-bapa) yang berpengetahuan luas, Thor yang mudah lapar, bodoh dan berprinsip kalau kekerasan menyelesaikan semua masalah. Tak lupa, Loki yang licik, penipu handal, suka merepotkan para dewa tapi juga di suatu waktu menyelamatkan mereka (meski masalahnya juga semuanya karena Loki). Buang jauh - jauh image Odin, Loki, apalagi Thor yang kamu tahu dari Marvel. Ini adalah para dewa yang sesungguhnya. Odin meski bijaksana, tak lupa kalau di awal cerita dia membunuh raksasa Ymir untuk membuat Asgard, mengawetkan kepala Mimir untuk menjaga sumur pengetahuan, menyamar menjadi raksasa bernama Bolverkr untuk merayu Gunnlod demi mendapatkan mead yang terbuat dari darah Kvasir, si dewa kecerdasan. Thor sangat gegabah, glutton thy name ist Thor, dan kalau tidak bisa memecahkan masalah, pokoknya ayunkan saja palu Mjolnir dan semuanya beres. Hanya Loki yang setidaknya masih sesuai karakter, jahat, licik, bedanya Loki versi mitologi tentu saja tidak semanusiawi versi Marvelnya.

Namun Gaiman juga tahu, kalau dewa - dewi Nordik tidak hanya tiga dewa itu, walau memang ketiganya nyaris ada di semua kisah. Ada kisah tentang Freya, Frey, Tyr, Heimdall, Idunn, dan terutama kematian Balder yang nantinya akan berujung pada diikatnya Loki di bebatuan yang lalu berlanjut ke Ragnarok. Walaupun buku ini tipis, tapi Gaiman cukup runtut menceritakan kembali. Dimulai dari penciptaan yang hampir sama di semua mitologi, dimana semuanya bermula dari kehampaan dan lalu menjadi ada. Dilanjutkan kisah para dewa dewi dan diakhiri dengan Ragnarok. Ragnarok sendiri memang cukup unik karena tidak jelas kapan waktunya, meski arti Ragnarok sendiri adalah "the twilight of the gods", akhir para dewa - dewi.

Gue merasa beberapa kisah di mitologi Nordik ini emang semacam alegori. Mulai dari sapi Audhumla yang susunya menghidupi Ymir, ini seakan menggambarkan dua hal. Yang pertama adalah galaksi bima sakti atau milky way, dan yang kedua adalah susu sebagai salah satu sumber makanan. Menurut gue, mungkin di skandinavia banyak sapinya jadi sapi pun masuk jadi salah satu aspek di cerita. Kemudian ada pohon Aesc atau Ash, yang menjadi dasar dari penciptaan Ygddrasil. Bahkan ada penceritaan tentang Banjir Besar, dimana nyaris di semua mitologi memang ada Banjir Besar. Ragnarok sendiri bisa jadi menggambarkan peralihan dari agama pagan ke agama Kristen, mengingat Puisi Edda digubah oleh Snorri pada abad 9-an. Walau pas baca deskripsi Ragnarok gue ngebatin ini kayak semacam bencana besar akibat gunung meletus karena hempasan api dari pedang Surtr yang membuat bumi jadi berabu emang mirip - mirip kondisi abis letusah gunung berapi. Gaiman mengatakan bahwa kisah di Mitologi Nordik terasa keras, gelap dan dingin, mungkin ini juga karena daerah Eropa Utara itu dominan malam dan juga udaranya dingin maka tak heran kalau ceritanya lebih banyak kekerasan ketimbang katakanlah, horny setiap saat seperti di mitologi Yunani. Bukan berarti tidak ada konten seksual di buku ini. Ada sih, tapi dikit dan tidak implisit. Pun jarang ada adegan merebut istri/suami orang.

Buku ini hanya ada 16 kisah pendek. Beberapa hanya narasi tapi ada juga yang dilengkapi dengan dialog - dialog, mengingatkan gue sama bukunya Napoli. Baik penceritaan kembali ala Napoli ataupun Gaiman, semuanya sama - sama menarik untuk dibaca. Ada cerita di buku Napoli yang tidak ada di bukunya Gaiman dan juga sebaliknya jadi bisa saling melengkapi. Terjemahannya Djokolelono sangat enak dibaca. Membaca buku ini seakan membaca sebuah kisah dongeng yang bisa banget dibacakan ke orang lain. Seperti kata Neil Gaiman di kata pengantar, kuasailah mitologi biar kamu bisa menceritakannya kembali. Karena mitologi memang awalnya berawal dari tradisi cerita pada malam panjang di depan api unggun, diceritakan oleh pujangga yang mungkin karena mabuk (atau entah nyimeng apa), jadi ceritanya emang beberapa cukup outlandish.

Plus, dari semua karya Gaiman yang pernah gue baca (Stardust, Good Omen, American God), buku ini malah lebih bisa gue nikmati, hahaha. Mungkin karena ceritanya dari mitologi yang gue juga suka bacanya. Sangat gue rekomendasikan kalau kamu mau tahu tentang cerita mitologi Nordik tapi ga mau baca yang panjang-panjang atau ribet.

 Gue masih ingat sekitar 2012 (lama ya), temen2 BBI banyak yang baca buku The Book of Lost Things atau yang diterjemahkan jadi Kitab Tentang yang Telah Hilang. Karena gue juga kepo, akhirnya beli walau tetep aja ditimbun dan akhirnya baru dibaca tahun 2023. Mestinya gue baca ini tahun 2024 aja biar lama ditimbunnya sama kayak usia tokoh utamanya, David, yang berumur 12 tahun. Tapi ya sudahlah, kan niatnya habisin timbunan yak.

Gue awalnya mengira ini hanya fairy tale biasa dengan dark twist, semacam A Tale Dark and Grimm karya Adam Gidwitz. Gue ga mengira, ceritanya bakal DEPRESIF, GELAP dan SADIS . Dari awal emang udah ngebatin, kenapa kisah fairy tale dengan tokoh anak kecil dikategorikan sebagai novel dewasa. Mutual gue di Twitter bilang kalau ini ceritanya banyak konten gore dan juga kayak Narnia tapi versi lebih dark. Buku ini sepertinya ditulis Connolly untuk membuat Narnia versinya sendiri, yang digabungkan dengan kegilaan ala Alice in the Wonderland dan vibe sadis, depresif yang berasal dari setting bukunya yaitu awal Perang Dunia II. Buku ini emang mau ga mau bikin teringat Narnia, mengingat sub genrenya sama - sama portal fantasy (dateng ke dunia lain) dan juga terjadi di awal serangan Jerman ke Inggris di tahun 1940. Bedanya hanya David ini sendiri, sementara anak - anak Pevensie ada berempat. Tentunya tidak ada Turkish Delight disini. Yang ada hanyalah aura suram, binatang jahat yang ingin jadi manusia dan manusia yang juga keji.

Diceritakan sepenuhnya dari sudut pandang orang ketiga serba tahu tapi tetap berfokus pada David, Connolly banyak bermain dengan kisah - kisah dongeng yang kita tahu. Dongeng aslinya yang sudah suram (dengan harapan sebagai pengingat untuk anak - anak. Ingat ya, versi Disney itu versi yang jinak), sama Connolly dibikin lebih suram lagi. Ada awal mula kaum Loup (atau werewolf) yang bermula dari Kisah si Tudung Merah, ada kisah Hansel and Gretel yang tidak berakhir bahagia, para kurcaci yang benci kapitalis dan Snow White yang sangat ga snow white banget XD. Lalu ada juga kisah Goldilocks dan Tiga Beruang yang..yah anda benar, pokoknya ga happy end. Kisah Putri Tidur yang ga biasa, pemburu gila yang suka membuat chimera (gabungan manusia dan binatang) dan kehadiran makhluk jail bernama Lelaki Bungkuk yang membawa David ke Negeri Dongeng dan ga ingin bocah itu pergi. Tapi, walau banyak kekejaman dan kebengisan yang menerpa, David pun bertemu dengan bbrp orang yang membantunya seperti Tukang Kayu dan Roland si prajurit. 

Endingnya sendiri menurut gue bisa dibilang "bahagia", tergantung sama definisi bahagia itu kayak gimana. Tapi gue akuin abis baca buku ini gue berasa hampa. Memang benar kalau buku ini tuh sebenarnya lebih ke perjalanan David secara emosional, aka coming of age. Menurut gue juga ini cara Connolly menceritakan David untuk memproses rasa dukanya akibat ibunya yang meninggal terlalu cepat dan rasa amarah serta tersisihkan karena ayahnya menikah lagi dengan Rose yang notabene dulu perawat ibu David bahkan sampai punya anak. Bagaimana David akhirnya menerima kalau ibunya sudah meninggal dan juga akhirnya belajar mencintai keluarga barunya. Menurut gue, bagian terakhirnya memang bagus banget ketika David tiba di ujung perjalanannya. Sayangnya, rasa hampa itu tetap ada karena gue merasa apakah kekerasan dan kekejaman di buku ini emang perlu? Gue merasa dengan tema horror dan twisted, terlalu banyak konten gore dan mutilasi yang terjadi sampe gue mati rasa waktu baca. Apalagi si Lelaki Bungkuk yang hobinya menyiksa orang hanya untuk hiburan. Gue berkali - kali mikir apakah porsi kekejamannya ini diperlukan agar David beranjak dari anak kecil menjadi dewasa?

Buku ini memang banyak content & trigger warningnya. Keterangan "Novel Dewasa" emang bukan sekedar tempelan meski tokohnya anak kecil karena banyak bagian cerita yang berpotensi bikin kamu mual bagi yang ga biasa . Pun buku ini dibaca pas moodnya lagi baik, karena endingnya emang bikin kayak tertegun dan ngerasa hampa. Tapi kalau kamu suka kisah dongeng dengan bumbu horror dan banyak versi twistnya, buku ini cocok untuk dibaca. Yang jelas ini bukan buku untuk anak - anak. Ini untuk orang dewasa yang ingin dongeng yang cocok untuk mereka, karena orang dewasa pun masih butuh kisah dongeng sebagai pengingat. 

 4,5 stars

The Daevabad Trilogy is one of my favorite reads this year and I will always recommend this trilogy for anyone in search of a good and epic fantasy. But, what comes after the end? What happen in the pasts that shaped some of major player in Daevabad, that justified their atrocities in the first place? What if after everything that happen, every hurt and pain, do they deserve the forgiveness and redemption?

Chakraborty in her introduction said that she write this in the pandemic era, like try to visit an old friend. I did read the trilogy after the pandemic but I share the sentiments. Sometimes to pump up the creative juice, we will write or create something that we already familiar of. The River of Silver is more like an anthology, collection of the short stories or maybe deleted scenes that didn't made it into the books. Give us some perspective to some characters that not Nahri, Ali or Dara, even the trio also have their own story told in this book. So, since the River of Silver contain spoilers from the 3 books, I will marked them all with spoiler tag.

Manizheh, Hatset and that certain someone whom related to Nahri :

Why I put them together is while each have their own story told, there are some element that tied these chapters. It's a tidbits and little crumbs about Rustam. From Manizheh, Duriya and Hatset, all of them feature Rustam. Rustam himself is more like a phantom in the Daevabad Trilogy, just mentioned here and there but never make appearance (same with Duriya, to be exact). Yet, reader know that he's important. He's not only Manizheh's brother, Duriya's lover or more importantly, Nahri's father. Rustam is an example that even man can be broken beyond compare. Rustam is quiet and his light already suffused under Ghassan's torture to reins Manizheh's control. So all we know is Rustam in his bad state, even in this anthology. Even when we get a glimpse into how he met Duriya, he's already broken. Somehow, I want to see the real Rustam, before he get beaten over by Ghassan. If Kingdom of Copper make me despise Ghassan despite I admire his ruthlessness (Daevabad always come first), his treatment toward Rustam make me hate him more.

This is make me think that all of the events that happen in the Daevabad is a cause and effect. Action and reaction. The Nahid council deserve their demise for their treatment of shafit, yet the tyranny that Ghassan and his father did to both Manizheh and Rustam is what drive Manizheh to be as ruthless as Ghassan. I think maybe that's why Chakraborty write Nahri as Nahid-shafit Daeva and Jamshid's personality is what I wonder maybe Rustam was like him before he got broken by Ghassan. Too many violence, too many blood spilled. Too many prejudice, racism and xenophobia. Reading all the chapter from Manizheh, Duriya and Hatset is not easy to read. We know what happen in their future, since the three women story were told from their past. Uniquely enough, all of them are mothers. Chakraborty might want to show that all these mothers have power of their rights. From Manizheh's ruthlessness, Hatset's political maneuverings and Duriya's determination 

Muntadhir: 

  I admit Muntadhir is not my favorite characters (despite he's Chakraborty favorite, lol), because of his act in book 2 although he kinda redeemed himself in book 3. This anthology kinda reveal his life story, from the moment he lost his mother, then groomed to be an emir, a future king and his fated meeting with his true love, Jamshid. I still think Jamshid is too good for Muntadhir, lol. And I amend my opinion about how Nahri and Muntadhir have civilized marriage life. Maybe they look civilized at first but reading some tidbit of their marriage life from Nahri's PoV make me realized that Nahri indeed hate Muntadhir although they try to make their marriage work. At last, Muntadhir find his peace, he also got his HEA despite what he did to Jamshid (broke his heart) and also Kaveh. If you forget, it's Muntadhir who orchestrated Kaveh's murder although reader knew it's act of revenge since Kaveh killed Ghassan in book 2 

 Jamshid: 

  Ah, Jamshid. One of my favorite character, Muntadhir really didn't deserve you. His story actually entangled with Muntadhir, so I don't have much explanation except I really enjoyed his story. He also finally become a true Baga Nahid and I liked how he become a brother to Nahri although they are more like cousin. I admit I did like the way Chakraborty wrapped Jamshid and Muntadhir's HEA 

Zaynab: 

  We get her story after Daevabad fallen, so not much, to be honest. Although if Chakraborty write more of Daevabad world, I want to read her adventure together with Dara and Aqisa to hunt the ifrits 

The Scout : 

  even the unnamed characters have their own role! These scouts I believe didn't make it into the book since the event that happen to them more like a prologue to The Kingdom of Copper. We will get glimpse into a device that Manizheh create to destroy the Geziri. Sadly, one of the scout, the Tukharistani soldier, actually didn't deserve his gruesome death not like his Geziri companion (he deserve it with he try to manhandling Manizheh's servant and with his prejudice toward Daeva). Farewell Pran, you will be missed 

 Dara: 

  Just a short moment that happen when he and Nahri flee from Cairo and their ifrits pursuer. Reading this chapter make me feel melancholy. Despite I'm a fans of Nahri and Ali, I did at first think that Dara is capable to love Nahri and become her lover (or maybe husband). It's just his hatred for the Geziri run deep that lead to his first demise after he being freed from the slave ring. To said first love hurt is an understatement. Like Zaynab, I also want to read Dara's adventure and maybe when he already redeem himself enough, just maybe, he will finally meet Nahri? 

 Ali : 

  His first short story feel like a deleted scenes that got reworked and will make sense after we finish reading the trilogy. Since it's deal with his marid bloodline. I did get why it's not make into the book. The other is one of his little moment with Nahri in book 2. Not much opinion for Ali, though. I already gushed about him in the book 1 & 2 reviews XD 

and finally, Nahri: 

  do Nahri get her own HEA? With Ali? Yes, of course. I can said with much certainty that Nahri and Ali finally get their happy ending. Or more like happy for now. It's amusing to read Nahri waiting Ali to reach his quarter age (aka 25) to propose a marriage. Bold move to be expected from Nahri (in case you forget, it's also Nahri that kissed Dara first. Girl have guts). I did like that Chakraborty also wrote about Nahri's trauma after Qandisha try to drown her but she's healing bit by bit. I also liked that Nahri didn't want to rushed Ali into a wedding ceremony and knowing both, I suspect their wedding will be private, small and only attended by people that dear to them. All I can said is, I'm glad that both Nahri and Ali find their peace and place they belong to. And I hope Dara will, in the end, got his own peace 

 

Fyuh, that's a plenty for a book that its lenght is only half of the first book XD. This anthology make me want to revisit the world of Daevabad again, to reminiscence some events that happen in those books. Sadly, I have what you said "too many book to read, too little time." The River of Silver is a must read if you love The Daevabad Trilogy! 

 Part of my binge reading for Roaring Twenties series by Jenn Bennett.

Grave Phantoms is the third and also the last installment of Roaring Twenties series, feature Magnusson siblings and their significant others, set in San Francisco in Prohibition era. Being the last, so it's Astrid Magnusson's turn. The problem is, Astrid is still in her late teenage year aka 17-ish in Winter's book (Mid 1928). Lowe's book set half a year after Winter got his HEA with Aida and then the epilogue of Lowe and Hadley's story tell their journey to Egypt in early 1929. I think at first Bennett will give time for Astrid to be mature since she just start college in Lowe's book. But,nope. In this book, Astrid is in her first year of college. Just reach age 19. Then, how about Bo Yeung, Astrid's close friend? Apparently he just hit 21, since he's 2 years older than Astrid. With how young Bo and Astrid, Grave Phantoms feels like YA or NA novel for me but with the steaminess factor match book 1 & 2 #heh. I just realize that while Astrid in her 19-ish to found her love then married in her 20-ish is not unheard of, then it's make Aida and Hadley kinda..spinster? Honestly, I'm not disturbed with the fact that Aida and Hadley married in their mid twenties to thirties. It's just Astrid's (and also Bo) age that taken me aback since the gap is so apparent.

However, while the NA/YA factor kinda make me feel hesitant to read this one, with the story flows, I just feel into the same rythym that I already familiar from the previous books. Like book 1, Grave Phantoms pretty much focused to romance while the mysteries and the supernatural elements kinda like a background. The supernatural stakes might be not that high although I liked the Aztec myth that become its foundation. The higher stakes is the romance itself. Unlike the unbalance dynamic between Aida and Winter or the lies as relationship foundation between Hadley and Lowe, Astrid and Bo face the most difficult challenge that still resonate to this day. Love between different race and class. While Magnusson siblings and their staff were immigrants from Sweden, Astrid and her brothers are WHITE. They already have skin color privilege in the first place. While Bo is a Chinese, come from unquestionable parentage and he's also Winter's assistant therefore his feeling for Astrid can be too complicated. Bennett also tell reader that interracial marriage back at 1920-ish is totally forbidden. The xenophobia that mostly San Fransisco's resident have are pretty transparent although I like that Astrid didn't cower from their judgment. Don't worry, the HEA is guaranteed. If you love friends to lover trope, Bo and Astrid relationship is pretty much well written. I also liked how Bennett incorporated Chinese myth through Bo, especially about nine tailed fox spirit. Of course she used some liberties, like how Bo tell the story about the scholar and the fox spirit who loved him in which the story mirrored both Bo and Astrid situation.

Another things that I liked from Bennett is how all of her characters from book 1 to 3 is not virgin. Although, yeah, the men are pretty much experienced compared to the women and all the women have bad experiences with their latest lover or the sex is so bad. What I liked is how Winter, Lowe and Bo; all of them have past lover (or ex-wife for Winter) and they admit their mistakes. So basically the relationship between the hero and the heroine is an endgame despite so many past lovers. That make them realistic. However, while the sex scenes are still steamy, I still remember that both Astrid and Bo is too young for my reading preference in reading adult romance novels soo...yeah, awkward.

Grave Phantoms end with a good note and all the books can be read as stand alone. There's no a very evil organization that need so many books to defeat them. The supernatural threat for every books is different like ghost and curse in Bitter Spirits, Egyptian artifact and treasure hunting in Grim Shadows (still my favorite) and old dark magic in Grave Phantoms. Personally, my favorite still Grim Shadows with its Indiana Jones vibes, the rakish and cold queen relationship from the h/H and the steamiest sex scenes I've ever read. Followed by Grave Phantoms and the least favorite is Bitter Spirit. Like its title, the dynamics between Aida and Winter still left a bitter taste in me since I dislike the way Bennett handle their relationships although they got their HEA. But, eh, first book sometimes is the rough ones.

Roaring Twenties is one of paranormal romance series with historical settings that pretty much well written. Despite the series written almost 9 to 10 years ago from the time I read it in 2023, it's still manage to charmed me and remind me of the time when PNR is in golden era. Recommended! 

 Part of my binge read for Roaring Twenties series by Jenn Bennett.

I stated in my review of Bitter Spirit that I hope Grim Shadows will be better and well, it was! I had lower my expectation but this book exceeded it and make me read it twice back to back. Tbh, the second read is mostly to refresh my memory in order to write the review and usually I read it by skimming. I end up read the book thoroughly, lol. My issues with Bitter Spirit is the book is too heavy on romance instead supernatural elements and I don't like the way Bennett handle Winter and Aida's dynamic that still make me feel sour. 

It's not happen with Grim Shadows. Balanced at it's should be between the romance and the supernatural/paranormal elements and also have romantic relationships that totally my catnip. Lowe is a scoundrel, rakish to the boot and a professional liar. Winter might do bootlegging, yet Lowe also dabble in illegal activity beside become a legal archeologist himself since he also sell forgery version of Egypt artifacts to greedy people. An act that also make him targeted by some bad guys. Hadley is a museum curator with chips on her shoulder or to be precise, a spectre that gung-ho to destroy everything depend on Hadley's haywire emotion. She's also an ice queen type, older than Lowe by 4 years, cold and hesitant to touch another people because of her past. Two very much different people. One is cold, one is a rascal, yet I prefer their romance compared to the previous couple.

The things with Lowe and Hadley is, Lowe didn't force Hadley with his alpha manliness to accept him. He's so patient with her and knowing that she's a control freak, he give a control to her regarding their sizzling attraction to each other. Their first impression is not that good, but reader will see bit by bit when Hadley begin open her heart to Lowe. Girl have trust issues and low self esteem to begin with so I liked how Bennett write the romance aspect. I also liked that Lowe himself have some moments of doubts. While he's as much as alpha hero like his brother, Winter; Lowe is not asshole. He's truly care to people that mean the most to him like his best friend, Adam and Adam's daughter, Stella. He admit that he make mistake and want to amend them, a fact that can be read when he have a change of heart regarding the amulet that he promised to Hadley's father since he also falling in love to Hadley. When the revelation behind Lowe's lies to Hadley start revealed, I also liked the way Bennett write it. The apology scene didn't rushed, Bennett give both Lowe and Hadley time to arrange their heart and how they talk to make their relationship work. Also, no kidnapping plot device to make things interesting! Frankly, I'm surprised but a good surprise indeed.

As for the sex scenes, Grim Shadows might have one of best sex scenes I had read in my journey of reading romance novel *heh!. Lowe is pretty much like Winter, he's pervert to the core and if Winter is more like breast man then Lowe appreciate Hadley's ass (no kidding). Lowe and Hadley might be not over excited about sex like Winter and Aida, since Hadley also have low self esteem regarding her sex life but when the deeds happen, its happen spectacularly and with some tender moments as well. But, my favorite might be the second sex scene. All I can said is just..wow. Wow and wowza. Bennett seems like outdone herself in writing sizzling sex scene with this one. Not that I'm complaining 😏.

I have stated my opinion about the romance (and the steamy scenes), now about the story I like Grim Shadows the most. The vibes remind me of Indiana Jones, one of my favorite movies. The Egypt myth work wonders since I also love it. The treasure hunting, the puzzle solving, the many camaderies that Lowe and Hadley did in order to collect the artifacts are delightful to read and that what make the book interesting. The amount of action and suspense is well balance with some of romance and tender moments. Maybe that's why I read this book twice, I just so happen to enjoy Lowe and Hadley working together to solve the mysteries while also read how their romance unraveled.

This book is not standalone since the story is a continuation of Bitter Spirit. But if you read Grim Shadows first; it's okay since Winter and Aida only have minor roles and the story spotlight is still on Lowe and Hadley. One of the best historical romance with paranormal aspect that I had read, combined the best elements of the two genres and completed with a sizzling sexual tensions between a rakish hero and ice queen heroine that in the end got her melted against the hero in a totally wicked ways. Recommended! 

 Back at 2020, I binge read Jenn Bennett's urban fantasy series, Arcadia Bell and very much liked it. However, I had collect the Roaring Twenties series in physical form back at 2014 even though I had not read Arcadia Bell series yet. If you ask why, it's just back then I loved paranormal romance genre and always search for any unique PNR books. To be honest, I had read Bitter Spirits back then in 2014 or 2015 but the book didn't hold my interest so I kinda wish to pick it later. Since I liked Arcadia Bell series, I have hope that I will love Bitter Spirits as well.

Bitter Spirits have all that oldies but goldies paranormal romance aspect although set in the past, the Prohibition era and also located in San Francisco . This book, imho, is more like romance than paranormal. The romance aspect is pretty much upfront compared to Arcadia Bell. If I had read this one back then in my PNR era, I might appraised the romance aspect. However, I think that the romance aspect kinda set the supernatural elements and mysteries to the back burner. Both MCs, Aida Palmer and Winter Magnusson come with so many emotional baggage and chips on their shoulders that come from their hard pasts. Usually this characterization will make me praised the characters. However, seems like I'm not in the mood to appreciate the emotional talk and the angst as well. Although I did enjoy Aida and Winter's witty banter also I liked how both characters are enjoying sex in positive manners. Especially Aida, I liked that she's not a shivering lilies and welcome Winter with all his pervert thoughts. It's just the angst got in the way and make things can go from a happy sunshine moments to ugly fights really fast.

I also dislike how Bennett handle Aida and Winter's different views and their relationship in the end. I always want Aida to be independent and although she still gained her independence I just dislike how its represent. I get that Bennett write those part to tell that being in love with your significant others mean that some things must be compromised or the happy ending will not works. Didn't mean I will liked it also the last part after the big fight between Aida and Winter kinda rushed. It's also remind me one of PNR plot device that I don't very much like aka the kidnapping. I swear many PNR (and maybe cozy mysteries) books I read always end up with kidnapping! Because of this kidnapping, Aida and Winter finally reconcile but what make me pissed off is how Aida bend and admit that she loved him just because Winter manage to get her deceased brother things and that happen after Winter shout to Aida to get out from his house in their last fight. I just like whoaa, I want a groveling if my husband shout out to me like that. Pronto. It just the groveling didn't happen on screen, there's no "sorry" said from both parties. It's all happen by showing not telling, and I admit that part make me feel sour. Anyway, I'm surprised with the amount of steaminess (or spiciness, whatever) this book had. To said this book make me almost fanned myself is an understatement. The sexual tensions are plenty you can see it from afar. The sex scenes itself are well written without being too corny. Basically, just like the good ol' PNR books I had read back then. It's just my taste had changed and some things that I can tolerate back then, I found that now I didn't.

You ask about the story, hmm? Well, it already described in the blurb 🤣. The story is pretty simple and straightforward. The mysteries is okay. The haunting is just a little and not scary at all. The stake while higher, feel just not that explored thoroughly. As characters, both Aida and Winter are likable and I can't help to picture Alexander Skarsgard as Winter with how he towering over Aida (the male model in the cover didn't hold Winter justice). I also liked that both characters have minor deformation from accidents and still struggle about that but they also confirm to each other that it's okay. It's just the way Bennett handle the outcome of their relationship is what annoyed me. I liked Winter's sister, Astrid; his trusted companions, Bo Yeung; and also Winter's household staffs that apparently have logical mind compared to their employer since Winter is apparently too much haunted by his pasts.

Well, Bitter Spirits is the first installment of Roaring Twenties series featuring Magnusson siblings and people around them. This book have its up and down.It get slow in the middle and too focused in romance rather than paranormal elements (goodness, how can I declare myself as a romance reader after this??), also with my busy schedule that's why I'm slogging while reading this book . I hope the next book, Grim Shadows, feature Winter younger brother, Lowe Magnusson at least will be more interesting.