Jaipong Dancer

Heyya!

I finally finally finished the book, Jaipong Dancer by Patrick Sweeting!

Synopsis:

Set in Sumatra, around 1950s. A beautiful Javanese girl named Yahyu was a popular classical Javanese  dancer who innocently fell in love with a Dutch soldier, who abandoned her after she conceived his baby. Her family arranged her a marriage with a man she doesn't even know. She refused and ended up in a long and not-so-pleasant adventure figuring out life which tested her belief, principle and values.

Favorite Quotes:

"I think it's better to spend life constantly searching for paradise than to find only disappointment." (98)

"...but now I know the world's not like that. Everyone is fighting and everyone is upside down. I don't know any longer what's right and what's wrong." (321, 322) 

My Opinion:

I picked up the book because of the title. As an Indonesian, the title appeals to me the most and I was expecting something similar to Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk trilogy (which is superb! *biased detected*) because I just finished that book when I saw this.

To be perfectly honest, the book might not be enjoyable for teenagers. Good story line? Yes. There are conflicts and resolution. He provided a lot of background information about Sumatra's condition in 1950s. The description about the settings and characters were quite detail. I also like the way he gave us insight to almost each characters. Good stuffs for a historical fiction.

However, I don't really like the resolution of the main character's problems. It seems too easy. *Spoiler alert* I still don't understand how the popular House accept her only for dancing while all the other girls have to do some 'extra jobs'? And at the same time, she's pregnant. It's not logical. And how we never knew about the belando's business with the owner of The House...

All in all, though, if you enjoy historical fiction book, this might be something to start with. (since i haven't read any historical fiction book hahah)

Oh Sylvia...

I was chilling in this very comfy bookstore, looking around to find what's on store today. I came across this book that I wanted to buy which is a published diary of Sylvia Plath. She was one of the greatest female poet/writer ever and was Ted Hughes' wife. I found out about her in my Self Study Lit class because we were studying Ted Hughes and touched a little bit on hers too.

From the very first entry, you can get the feel of her style of writing and everything and you can tell right away that she is a writer, a great one. She graduated from Smiths College, summa cum laude. In the entry I read today (in the beginning of the book), I read this inspiring sentences that I would like to share to the world...

The present is forever, and forever is always shifting, flowing, melting. This second is life. And when it is gone it is dead.

I wish you all a great present :) 

Si Penangkap Ikan

Selamat siang semuanyaaa (kalo lo lagi baca ini pas pagi, siang atau malem, maklumin aja ya. Nulisnya siang soalnya) !!!!

Gue mau berbagi sedikit cerita oh cerita. Jadi gini, gue udah menargetkan untuk hidup lebih baik. Baru menargetkan. Jadi intinya gue ga boleh tidur malem2, ga boleh bangun siang2, makan 3 kali sehari,mandi dan gosok gigi 2 kali sehari. Gitu doang. Kalo lo nanya apanya yg lebih baik silakan bandingkan dengan gaya hidup gue sebulan terakhir (bedeuuh gaya hidup sok banget). Tidur subuh2, bangun siang banget, makan 2 kali sehari, kalo yg terakir tetep 2 kali sih. Hahaha. Jadi saya baru saja MENARGETKAN. Masalah kesampean atau tidak niat baik yang sudah saya tanam dihati saya, hanya Tuhan yang tau.

Masalahnya, niat tersebut dirancang di hari minggu. Tapi sampe sekarang hari rabu, belom ada yang jalan (oyehh). Semuanya masih berjalan seperti sebulan yang lalu. Inilah yang dinamakan 'Dampak Piala Dunia untuk Remaja yang Libur Sekolahnya 2 Bulan lebih 2 Minggu'. Padahal gue nonton match yg stengah 2 aja baru sekali. Pas Spanyol lawan siapaaa gitu pas masih 8 besar hahaha.

Oke. Jadi gue baru saja memulai membaca buku The Old Man and The Sea karya Ernest Hemingway. Buku ini akan dipakai untuk pelajaran Language A Self Study di sekolah. Karna gue orang indonesia, jadi nantinya, SEMOGA, gue belajar bahasa indonesia. Gue kira, ga bakalan ada yang tau buku ini, secara ini buku langka banget waktu gue cari versi bahasa indonesianya di jakarta (begitu pula dengan Shannen tp untung dia nemu).

Ini adalah bukunya, beda cover aja sih, yg gue baca covernya ga begini untuk yg bahasa inggris:


Pas gue nulis di twitter kalo gue lg BARU MAU MULAI baca ni buku, gue di mention oleh Mike, temen sekelas gue kls 8. Dia bilang dia udah baca. Gue spontan bengong. Ini buku langka begini, gimana dia udah baca aja? pikir gue dalam hati. Ga heran juga sih, Mike emang sukanya baca buku2 penuh inspirasi dan bahasa yang berat (Hehehe iya kan de? :P) trus dia bilang ini buku mengajarkan tentang nilai kesabaran dan kerja keras. Gue bengong lagi.

Gue denger dari Thasya sama Shannen ini buku isinya bener2 tentang bapak2 udah tua sama anak muda cowo jadi nelayan, mancing dilaut. Dan mereka berdua katanya udah ga kuat baca karna ga ngerti. Gue udah mulai baca dan baru nyampe halaman 21, sejauh ini isinya emang tentang ikan, laut, mancing, nelayan, sama baseball (yg trakir emg ga nyambung). Tapi baca mentionnya Mike gue jd mikir untuk berusaha tertarik dg buku ini. Ditambah lagi katanya pengarangnya pemenang nobel sastra. Nobel SASTRA men (gue tau lo semua ga ada yg buta, cuman biar seru gue ulang2 aja ni kata2 NOBEL SASTRA 3x). Ini buku bakalan gaul.

Semoga aja lah gue bisa semangat untuk membaca soalnya tulisannya kecil2 banget bikin ga betah (alibi)

Bonus video animasi The Old man and The Sea Part 1 kalo tertarik :) *video taken from YouTube*

Straight Up

Currently reading: Girls to Total Goddesses (Zoe and Chloe series)


Next reading: Girls, Muddy, Moody yet Magnificent (Zoe and Chloe series)


Waiting List: Goodnight Mr. Tom and Wuthering Heights (recommended by Ms. Aida)

Thanks to Chinese New Year holiday-ish that Singapore celebrate! So, I have 6 days off and will be back to my home :)

And Valentine's day is just about to come as the Lunar New Year coming! They share the same day. How beautiful :)

14 February 2010 - Valentine's day in Indonesia! Well, I know maybe for some people it doesn't make any difference at all. I mean, when I said Valentine's Day, it's a 'Happy Valentine's Day from my heart I love you guys!' but for some people it can be different.

Some say, 'Happy Valentine's Day! -I love my crush' or 'Happy Valentine's Day. Well, I don't have boyfriend anyway'. It doesn't really matter. I know it will be much much more nicer if you have your boyfriend (or girlfriend) next to you and say sweet things for Vday. But yeah, just accept the condition that we don't have one. So just spread your love to every one you love (and the one who really needs yours-!!). Really needs chocolate from my hometown frieeends ;)

Andrew Garcia is such a great great super talented guy! Love him!

Love,
xxSis

"I see your true colors. That's why I love you"
[True Colors - Phil Collins]