A Form of Delicacy in a Novel

Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Rose Bliss thinks she is just a boring ordinary girl compared to her two brothers, Ty and Sage, and her little sister, Leigh. She can't help feeling ignored. Her parents run a bakery in a small town called Calamity Falls. Her parents always trust her to do small things to help them with the bakery, but never allow her to do something amazing, that, Rose knows, has something to do with secret recipe her parents own which is involving magic. A secret recipe that is always able to help every single problems of the citizen in Calamity Falls. When her parents are out of town to do some of their 'magic', finally Rose is trusted to do something important: keeping her family secret from others. Will Rose be able to do that? Will Rose take advantage of her family secret to get what she wants: beauty, popularity,her crush attention, and all?

This book is a great mixture of fun, magic, and delicacy. The content of this novel is as 'yummy' as its cover. I couldn't take my eyes off the book once I saw it, and when I was in the first chapter I already felt something magical. The Calamity Falls is a unique town with unique characters of each citizen. I could picture the town and each character easily since the descriptions are so helpful. The feelings of its main character is so deep, and it can make people easily relate to her. Moreover, there are fun parts of baking cookies, cake, and other yummy pastries.

Here I learn that imperfection makes us know how to love each other. On the other side, loving yourself too much maybe makes you feel perfect, but also lonely.



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Daun yang Jatuh Tak Pernah Membenci Angin

Aku baru saja membaca novel berjudul 'Daun yang Jatuh Tak Pernah Membenci Angin' karya Tere Liye. Judulnya lah yang mendorong hatiku untuk membeli novel ini. Aku merasa harus menguak sesuatu yang tersembunyi di balik judul tersebut. Ternyata benar, aku menemukan beberapa potongan perasaanku terselip dalam kata-kata sang penulis. Tentang kita dulu. Dan aku mengutipnya.


“Bahwa hidup harus menerima…penerimaan yang indah. Bahwa hidup harus mengerti…pengertian yang benar. Bahwa hidup harus memahami…pemahaman yang tulus. Tak peduli lewat apa penerimaan, pengertian, dan pemahaman itu datang. Tak masalah meski lewat kejadian yang sedih dan menyakitkan.”

“Tak ada yang perlu disesali. Tak ada yang perlu ditakuti. Biarkan dia jatuh sebagaimana mestinya. Biarkan angin merengkuhnya, membawanya pergi entah kemana. Dan kami akan mengerti, kami akan memahami…dan kami akan menerima.”

“Dia tidak mencintaiku. Itulah kesimpulan yang kupaksakan. Kesimpulan yang membuat luntur wajah menyenangkanku. Kesimpulan yang mengubah perangaiku. Mengubah semuanya. Tetapi malam ini justru aku mengatakan kalimat itu. Dengan sebuah pertanyaan iya dan tidak. Aku tak mengerti secepat ini pembicaraan menuju jantung permasalahan. Aku tak mengerti. Perasaaanku sudah tak tahan lagi. Pertanyaan itu meluncur saja tanpa bisa kucegah.”

“Orang yang memendam perasaan sering kali terjebak oleh hatinya sendiri. Sibuk merangkai semua kejadian di sekitarnya untuk membenarkan hatinya berharap. Sibuk menghubungkan banyak hal agar hatinya senang menimbun mimpi. Sehingga suatu ketika dia tidak tahu lagi mana simpul yang nyata dan mana simpul yang dusta. Aku juga dulu seperti itu…sibuk menduga-duga. Aku tak pernah tahu bahwa simpul itu nyata. Itu bukan dusta hatiku. Tapi mengapa kau tak pernah mengatakannya? Mengapa?”

“Kau membunuh setiap pucuk perasaan itu. Tumbuh satu langsung kaupangkas. Bersemai satu langsung kauinjak. Menyeruak satu langsung kau cabut tanpa ampun. Kau tak pernah memberikan kesempatan. Karena itu tak mungkin bagimu?”

“Dan tunas-tunas perasaanmu tak bisa kaupangkas lagi. Semakin kautikam, dia tumbuh dua kali lipatnya. Semakin kauinjak, helai daun barunya semakin banyak.”

 Pasrah. Menerima setiap kejadian dalam kehidupan dengan lapang dada. Itulah yang harus aku lakukan. Setelah itu barulah aku bisa memperbaiki hidup, memaafkan diri sendiri dan juga orang lain.

For Every Woman Who Dreams of Beauty

Title of The Book :
Kabul Beauty School
Author :
Deborah Rodriguez with Kristin Ohlson
Publisher :
Bentang
Category :
Novel

Once again, I review one of the novel that inspired by a true story. This novel tells a story about the author, an American woman who is struggling to help Afghanistan's women when they're in a trauma and depression. Everyone must be surprised when finds out that she establishes a beauty school in order to make it happen.

At first Deborah or Debby comes to Afghanistan to be a volunteer like everybody else though her skill is to be a hairdresser. Then she finds out that Afghanistan needs help especially the women. The Afghan women need a rehab to be healed from trauma, and to rebuild their confidence. Saloons and beauty schools aren't allowed during Taliban's reign. With her skill, hardwork and help from some institutions and important people she establishes a beauty school. She struggles to defend the school no matter what the obstacles blocking her way. She doesn't help Afghan women to be beautiful only, but help them to find their place and save their dignity.
Her life in Afghanistan is such a complicated one. She marries to a Mujahiddin, and even fights with the government.

With this book we can see the real condition of the Afghanistan during and after the war. The culture and the society's conditions are open wide through this book, through a woman's point of view.

The True Story of Catching Dreams

Title of The Book :
Negeri 5 Menara
Author :
A. Fuadi
Publisher :
Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Category :
Novel

This novel is the first book written by A. Fuadi. Negeri 5 Menara is inspired by the true story of the writer when he lives in an Islamic boarding school located in East Java. It's published in 2009.

The main character of this novel is Alif Fikri Chaniago. He is from Maninjau, West Sumatra, and he never goes far from his village. When he has finished his education in a Madrasah Tsanawiyah (an Islamic school which has the same level with Junior High School) his dream is to continue his education in a Senior High School. On the day of his graduation he knows that his mother wants him to continue his study in a Madrasah Aliyah (an Islamic school which has the same level with Senior High School). She wants him to learn more about his religion, and be someone who has big efforts for Islam like Buya Hamka. Alif doesn't want to be Buya Hamka, but he wants to be more like Habibie.

He chooses to leave his village and study in a Madrasah Aliyah called Pondok Madani (PM) that located miles and miles from his village. He wants it because he doesn't want to disappoint her mother, but at the same time he wants to show his dissappointment to her mother. At the first day in his new school he's dazzled by a saying "man jadda wa jada". It means "who is struggling will reach success". He meets a lot of students from every single corner of Indonesia, but there are some friends who are so special for him. They are Raja Lubis from Medan, Said Jufri from Surabaya, Dulmajid from Sumenep, Atang from Bandung, and Baso Salahuddin from Gowa. They brings their unique character from the place they come from, but they are united by the endless activities and the strict rules of Pondok Madani for six years. They are getting closer and call themself as Sahibul Menara. They paint their dreams by staring at the clouds together. They choose different path to pursue their dream, but they take the same place to start; Pondok Madani.

This novel is truly inspiring. It burns our spirit. There are so much positive energy in every single word in this novel. We can experience how it feels to live in a dormitory, and find that many things that happen there are so interesting. This true story reminds us that religion is like an oxygen in everyone's life. We can't seperate it from every aspect of our life including education. It teaches us that we can reach success whatever our choice and our place to start might be. All you have to do is struggling.