Tarzan The Apes & The Return of Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan of the Apes (1912) and The Return of Tarzan (1913) are classic adventure novels written by the American author Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes was first published as a magazine serial in 1912 before being released as a book, while The Return of Tarzan followed in 1913. This CloudClassics edition presents the first two of tweleve novels in Tarzan's adventures.

Lord and Lady Greystroke from England are lost at sea, and their lives change forever. Their son, Tarzan, is raised by an ape named Kala in the African jungle. As Tarzan grows up, he must fight to earn his place among the apes while learning to survive in the wild. Later, he meets a group of white explorers and a beautiful young woman for the first time. Until then, Tarzan has only known apes and the African tribes living in the jungle, so he is surprised to see people who look different from anyone he has ever met but has a skin color as his own. Their arrival changes Tarzan's life and makes him question who he really is.

I cannot say much about the second book because I do not want to spoil the story. In the sequel, Edgar Rice Burroughs moves away from his experiment, but focuses on a classic adventure story. Tarzan returns to Africa, but before that he travels through Arab lands. Along the way, he becomes involved in an exciting intrigue that includes a beautiful Russian countess. The novel is full of action, adventure, and unexpected twists. 

The novel also helped spread stereotypes about African tribes. It often describes Africa as a wild and dangerous place where the people are primitive or violent. However, these ideas came more from colonial adventure stories than from real history. In reality, many African societies were well organized and had rich cultures. Therefore, while Tarzan of the Apes is an exciting adventure novel, modern readers should remember that its portrayal of Africa is biased and does not accurately represent African people or cultures.

“If you are a man, you will return to protect your kind. You will not run away from one of your own people, because one of them has run away from you.” (D'Arnott to Tarzan)

I think one of the most interesting parts of Tarzan of the Apes is that Tarzan naturally chooses to do good things, even though nobody truly teaches him morality. He grows up in the jungle among apes, without human education or society, yet he still protects people, shows kindness, and avoids hurting humans he sees as his own kind. It feels like goodness comes naturally from inside him. Perhaps Edgar Rice Burroughs wanted to show that Tarzan is noble by nature, not because civilization taught him to be civilized. That is why many readers see him not only as a jungle man, but also as a naturally good person.

“You are free now, Jane,” he said, “and I have come across the ages out of the dim and distant past from the lair of the primeval man to claim you—for your sake I have become a civilized man—for your sake I have crossed oceans and continents—for your sake I will be whatever you will me to be. I can make you happy, Jane, in the life you know and love best. Will you marry me?”

In conclusion, I probably expected too much from this novel from a literary perspective, but the story itself is simple and enjoyable. I like the way Edgar Rice Burroughs romanticizes Tarzan's adventure. Tarzan's love letter to Jane is almost impossible to believe, it is far too poetic for someone who has never formally learned grammar or writing. However, the best way to enjoy Tarzan of the Apes is not to expect complete realism, since Tarzan is portrayed as a superhuman with extraordinary intelligence, I chose to accept it as part of the novel's fantasy. As a romantic adventure story, I give this novel  3,5 stars of Five, and I think I don't need to read the third book.  

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬ ✬(3,5/5)

Title :  Tarzan The Apes & The Return of Tarzan

Author : Edgar Rice Burroughs

Publisher : CloudClassic (Canterbury Classics)
Year :  October, 2015 (First Published in 1912 )
Format / Pages : Softcover / 467 pages
ISBN :  1626864705

Review: Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood

Historical Context : based on the mysterious real-life murders of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery, in 1843, Canada. Both James McDermott and Grace Marks were also real people.

In the year 1859, Grace Marks, a convicted murderess in the eyes of the people of Kingston, is still imprisoned after eight years. She now works as a servant in the house of the prison governor as a seamstress, making quilt. Grace and James McDermott were accused of murdering Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. In Chapter 2, the public version of the murders is presented through a poem, which portrays Grace as a jealous and manipulative woman who persuaded McDermott to commit the crimes.

However, the truth about Grace’s involvement remains uncertain. Grace herself claims that she cannot clearly remember what happened because the events took place when she was still young and traumatized. Into this mystery comes Dr. Simon Jordan, an American doctor who becomes interested in Grace’s mental condition and begins interviewing her in hopes of discovering whether she is truly guilty, innocent, or psychologically disturbed.

The difference between Dr. Bannerling and Dr. Simon Jordan’s examinations is important because it shows the contrast between the old and modern approaches to mental health, which was still uncommon in Canada at that time. Dr. Bannerling treats Grace harshly and quickly judges her as dangerous or insane, while Dr. Simon Jordan tries to understand her mind, memories, and trauma more carefully. Through their different methods, Grace Marks becomes both a mental health study case, whether she is truly insane or sane, and also a criminal case that continues to question whether she is really guilty of the murders or not. Because of Grace’s good behavior while working in the governor’s house, some people there begin to believe that she deserves justice and another chance in life and return to society.

I am enjoying this novel very much. Through this story, Margaret Atwood wants readers to see how difficult life was for women at that time. Women often became victims of men’s selfishness and social power. I feel sympathy for Nancy Montgomery and Mary Whitney though Dr. Simon Jordan himself finds it difficult to prove whether Mary Whitney was truly a real person or only part of Grace’s memories and imagination. They aretruly victims, but not completely innocent, they do not fully understand how dangerous the world is, especially for poor women at that time. They are easily influenced by men and emotional decisions.

Atwood also intentionally makes Grace an unreliable narrator, so readers can never be completely certain about what is true, Compared to Nancy and Mary, Grace seems more intelligent, careful, and better at surviving because she observes people closely and hides her true thoughts.

The novel is based on true events, and we can search what happened at the end of the real case. But, I feel bewitched by Grace. Margaret Atwood makes her mysterious and sympathetic, so it is hard not to care about her. Even though the truth is still uncertain, I feel Grace deserved a better.

I almost forgot to mention the quilt patterns. They become an important symbol throughout the whole novel.

And since that time I have thought, why is it that women have chosen to sew such flags (quilts) and then to lay them on the tops of beds? For they make the bed the most noticeable thing in a room. And then I have thought, it’s for a warning. Because you may think a bed is a peaceful thing, Sir, and to you it may mean rest and comfort and a good night’s sleep. But it isn’t so for everyone; and there are many dangerous things that may take place in a bed. It is where we are born, and that is our first peril in life; and it is where the women give birth, which is often their last. And it is where the act takes place between men and women that I will not mention to you, Sir, but I suppose you know what it is; and some call it love, and others despair, or else merely an indignity which they must suffer through. And finally beds are what we sleep in, and where we dream, and often where we die. 

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬✬ (5/5)

Title :  Alias Grace

Author : Margaret Atwood

Publisher : Anchor Books
Year :  1997 (First Published in 1996 )
Format / Pages : Softcover / 468 pages
ISBN :  

Review: Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak

The story of Doctor Zhivago is a portrayal of Russian society under the immense tension of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Through the perspective of a doctor, Boris Pasternak allows readers to witness not only the brutality of war, but also the fragmentation of human life during one of the most chaotic periods in Russian history. Set in early 20th century, Newly married Yuri Zhivago is sent to the front lines as a paramedic, leaving behind his family in order to save others amidst the devastation of war, but What Yuri finds in war completely collides with his inner life.

Yuri Zhivago, the son of a wealthy but troubled family, grows up under the care of the Gromeko family after spending part of his childhood with his uncle, Nikolai Nikolaevich Vedenyapin, whose philosophical ideals later shape Yuri’s worldview. The novel mainly revolves around the complicated relationship between Yuri Zhivago, Tonya Gromeko, and Larisa Fyodorovna (Lara). 

Larissa “Lara” Fyodorovna Antipova (née Guichard) is a teacher and nurse who moves to Moscow with her mother, Madame Guichard, and her younger brother, Rodya, after the death of her father. As a teenager, Lara becomes entangled in a secret and emotionally tormenting affair with the powerful and unsettling lawyer Komarovsky. Hoping to escape his influence, she later flees to Yuriatin with Pavel “Pasha” Antipov.

At first glance, the story may appear to be a romantic drama set during wartime, especially because many film adaptations emphasize the love story. However, the novel itself is far more political, philosophical, and deeply concerned with the fragmentation of human existence during revolution and civil conflict. The narrative first tells Yuri and Lara’s lives separately, as if they are unconnected. However, the war eventually brings them together,  Yuri as a doctor and Lara as a nurse.

The war dominates most of the narrative. Beginning with World War I, the story later moves into the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War between the Whites, who represented the old imperial order, and the Reds (the Bolsheviks). Through his brilliant and vivid writing, Pasternak exposes the horrifying brutality of war in painful detail. Many scenes are difficult to stomach because they remind readers that such atrocities truly happened in history.

Yet despite all the violence, Pasternak constantly inserts moments of humanity, love, poetry, and spiritual reflection between the battles. Yuri Zhivago is not portrayed as a heroic patriot seeking glory for his country; instead, he longs for his family, personal peace, and inner freedom. In contrast, Pasha Antipov dreams of becoming a revolutionary hero and willingly sacrifices his family for ideology and ambition. This dualism between Yuri and Pasha becomes one of the novel’s strongest contrasts.

Because I am a woman, I find myself more interested in, and perhaps romanticizing the love between Yuri and Lara. The first time Yuri notices Lara is when he helps her mother after her suicide attempt by poisoning, and from that moment I already sensed that he was drawn to her. Yuri’s love for Lara feels magical, almost beyond physical reality, something spiritual and transcendent. Lara becomes the person who awakens Yuri’s passion for poetry, inspiring him to write.  

I wonder why classic Russian literature so often emphasizes unhappy marriages while portraying “free love” as something rare and once-in-a-lifetime. Perhaps wether these writers wanted to create a more tragic and emotionally complex atmosphere, or wether the unhappy marriage is become common at that time, because it's conflicts with duty and social expectations. Knowing that Yuri’s marriage to Tonya was partly shaped by his obligation to the Gromeko family and by Anna Ivanovna’s wishes, as a way to stabilize his life and secure his social position, makes the contrast between Tonya and Lara feel even more poignant. 

And, I also wonder why many classic Russian novels often feel spiritual, and heavily philosophical. In Doctor Zhivago, this atmosphere is reflected through Nikolai Nikolaevich Vedenyapin, Yuri’s uncle, a former priest and prolific writer who later becomes connected to revolutionary ideas. He becomes one of the first major intellectual influences on Yuri, shaping the way Yuri thinks about life, spirituality, and human freedom. However, as the story progresses, Yuri seems increasingly against the violent reality of the revolution itself. I think Yuri is not completely against the idea of change or justice, but he is deeply against bloodshed and ideological violence. As a doctor and poet, Yuri values individual human life more than political ideology.

Though I did not fully go deeper into Nikolai’s philosophy, one of his quotes stayed with me:

........the idea of the free person and the idea of life as sacrifice. Bear in mind that this is still extremely new. The ancients did not have history in this sense. Then there was the sanguinary swinishness of the cruel, pockmarked Caligulas, who did not suspect how giftless all oppressors are. They had the boastful, dead eternity of bronze monuments and marble columns. Ages and generations breathed freely only after Christ. Only after him did life in posterity begin, and man now dies not by some fence in the street, but in his own history, in the heat of work devoted to the overcoming of death, dies devoted to that theme himself.  

Ultimately, Doctor Zhivago is not simply a war novel or a love story. It is a story about how history crushes ordinary people, while war becomes an obstacle separating people from their loved ones. In the middle of suffering and chaos, love and pain are transformed into poetry, and the human soul struggles to survive  while still holding on to the feeling that life has meaning despite historical destruction. 

If you have read Tolstoy, this work feels pretty similar to his novels. Pasternak follows the Tolstoyan tradition of Russian literature, combining history, philosophy, spirituality, and deep human emotions into one powerful story.

"....but now I think that we’ll gain nothing by violence. People must be drawn to the good by the good." 

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬✬ (5/5)

Title :  Doctor Zhivago

Author : Boris Pasternak

Publisher : Vintage Classics
Year : September, 2011 (First Published in 1957 )
Format / Pages : Softcover / 544 pages
ISBN : 9780099541240

 

Howards End - E.M Forster

Although A Room with a View didn’t make a lasting impression on me, I found Howards End to be much deeper and more philosophically engaging. Howards End looks at social problems and how people behave between classes, but it also goes deeper into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. The themes feel different too. The story talks about class and social differences , but it also deals with harder issues like responsibility and understanding between people during Edwardian era or early twentieth century

Howards End begins with a letter from Helen Schlegel to her sister Margaret, telling her about an impulsive romance with Paul Wilcox during Helen's visit at Howards End. However, Mr. Wilcox dismisses the relationship as unserious because Paul “hasn’t a penny” to marry. In the Wilcox family, a man must be financially independent before taking a wife, even though the family itself is wealthy.

The Schlegels live at Wickham Place in London—Margaret being the eldest, followed by Helen and their brother Tibby. The Wilcoxes live across the street for a time, and during this period Margaret becomes close to Mrs. Ruth Wilcox. Ruth sees something genuine and trustworthy in Margaret, something that reminds her of the spirit of Howards End-the property of Ruth Wilcox, and the house where she was born. This connection leads Ruth to leave Howards End to Margaret in her will—on a piece of paper written by her hand. This becomes the source of the conflict between the Wilcoxes and the Schlegels. The Wilcoxes assume that the house belongs to them and treat Ruth’s deathbed wish as sentimental nonsense rather than a real inheritance. 

Leonard Bast first meets the Schlegels when he comes to Wickham Place to retrieve his umbrella after Helen mistakenly takes it at a concert. The sisters become interested in him because he seems thoughtful and eager to improve himself. They invite him into conversations about books and life, which makes Leonard feel respected. 

The three families in Howards End, each from a different social class, really interest me because they show how people live and think in completely different ways. The Wilcox, the upper-class represent as practical, materialist, and power. Their bussines somehow is building the empire. The Schlegels,  upper-class but not as royal as Wilcoxes, they are more like bohemian, they value arts, books and philoshopy. The Bast or Leonard Bast is the lower-class, he is poor but sometimes loses himself while reading, he believe with reading he want to become "something". 

The heroine of this novel is Margaret, at the begining in the novel she 28 years old but her personality is mature, she is able to connect the people from different classes, and brave enough to confront about idealism with her husband who is very phatriach. She is contrast with Wilcoxes who think success and wealth are proof of superiority, Margaret thinks every person has value, whether rich or poor. Mr. Henry Wilcox remarks that "there are always the rich and the poor", and this reflects his worldview, believe that class divisions are natural. I think he benefits from this system, because his companies rely on lower-class workers.

This outer life, though obviously horrid, often seems the real one —there’s grit in it.

Helen Schlegel is too romanticize her life, and fancying the idealistic life where everyone is equal. Offcourse by reading books too much, we can't solve every problem in this life, but with reading we gain an educated mind, emphaty for our hearts, and appreciate the artistic in life, those are what Forster said about "the inner life" that holds our feelings. Helen insist to help Mr. Bast whatever its cost. Different from her sister, Margaret brings something new to the Wilcox family—she feeds their minds, comforts their hearts, and reminds them that life is more than just work and keep getting whealty, these are also what Forster said to us, that The Wilcoxes just have "the outer life" shaped by work, duty, and society’s expectations. Because the true harmony comes when we learn to connect the two, the inner and the outer life.

"Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer. Only connect, and the beast and the monk, robbed of the isolation that is life to either, will die."

The Schlegels’ idea of “Only Connect” suggests that people from the lower class, like Leonard Bast, can be helped through meaningful connection with those from the upper class. The rich may offer advice or guidance, but misunderstandings still happen because a real gap exists between the classes, such as different experience and practical knowledge. Leonard is intelligent, but his idealism and ambition clash with the Wilcoxes’ practicality and the realities of his own situation. The novel asks whether someone from the lower class in that era could truly “rise,” or whether the rigid social structure makes such upward movement extremely difficult. 

The novel ends at Howards End, returning to where it began. Forster wants readers to understand the philosophy of a house—not merely as a building, but as a place filled with history and meaning. Ruth and Margaret value the house because they believe it represents continuity, harmony, and connection. This contrasts with the Wilcoxes, who see the house only as a piece of property.

In the end, I find Forster’s writing  is easy to read, well structured though heavy issues and sharp social commentary. He often describes London in 1910 as cloudy and polluted because of motor-car smoke, which makes the city feel busy and heavy. In contrast, he shows the English countryside as calm, relaxing, and peaceful. This difference highlights how Forster sees the countryside as a place where people can find clarity and connection.

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬(4/5)
Title : Howards End
Author : E. M Forster
Publisher : Penguin English Library
Year : 2012 (First Published in 1910)
Format / Pages : Softcover / 382 pages
ISBN : 978-0141199405

Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawrence

Connie’s marriage to Clifford was shaped more by social expectation than true love. At first, she tried to be a loyal and supportive wife, unfortunately Clifford returned from the war, paralyzed. Their relationship lacked physical intimacy as Clifford became more absorbed in his writing and intellectual world. Connie still young and full of life, began to feel lonely and invisible till Connie met Mellors, the gamekeeper of Wragby and Clifford’s servant, and over time, their quiet understanding grew into a deep and unexpected love.

It’s like—I don’t fully agree with what Connie to Clifford. I feel pity for Clifford—a  but is crippled, powerless, and impotent. He’s trapped in his own pride and intellect, unable to truly connect with Connie emotionally or physically. On the other hand, I also sympathize with Connie, who feels no joy or warmth at Wragby. It’s not entirely her fault; a man like Clifford never truly tried to understand her needs as a woman. Connie longs for freedom—to live by her own choices rather than stay imprisoned in an unhappy marriage. True love rarely comes in a lifetime, and when she found it in Mellors, she felt lucky. She surrendered to it, even if it meant giving up her social status, because for the first time, she truly felt alive.

Connie was raised with a sense of freedom, nothing could stop her from choosing her own happiness. She decided to follow her heart and trust in Mellors, the only man she truly loved. Some might say this is selfish in a world led by men, but the truth is, we women also have a choice—to live fully, not just to endure.

Lady Chaterley's Lover is not only about adultery and intimacy; it also serves as proof that Connie and Mellors relationship becomes a lens that subtly explores issues of class difference, economic disparity, the changing geographical landscape of old England, and the emotional damage caused by industrialization and social expectation. They reach a kind of primordial happiness—simple, natural, and deeply human. Away from the noise of society and industrial life, they find joy in each other’s presence, both physical and emotional bond.

Okay, maybe I’m a bit weird for liking this scandalous author, and I feel a little ashamed for reading this book. But somehow, despite the controversy, the story speaks to something real. I think, the readers in the early 20th century were not ready for Lady Chatterley's Lover because social and moral values at that time were much more conservative, especially involving a married woman and a working-class man, and were considered inappropriate and even scandalous. I don't know in this century, book like this become a common though I rarely read contemporer fiction, but the question is "why" ? people nowdays is more liberal to express their art and tought,  and the publisher does not censor strictly and basicly sales the book based on provit oriented. Nevertheless, classic authors stand out not just for their breakthroughs in literature, but also for their courage to speak about taboo subjects that reflect real human experiences. The more controversial, the more interesting for me, and the more forbidden the more I want to read. This is the second reading from D.H Lawrence, I would like to read more books from him. I also curious with The Rainbow.

"One may go against convention, but one must keep up tradition.”

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬(4/5)

Title : Lady Chatterley's Lover

Author : D.H Lawrence
Publisher : Signet Classics

Year : 2011 (First Published in 1928)
Format / Pages : Softcover /368 pages
ISBN :  9780451531957

Review The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim

"May scorched and withered; March was restless, and could be hard and cold in its brightness; but April came along softly like a blessing, and if it were a fine April it was so beautiful that it was impossible not to feel different, not to feel stirred and touched."

The Enchanted April offers a gentle, introspective story about four English women—strangers to one another—who decide to escape their unfulfilling lives and spend a month together in a medieval castle in Italy. Set in the 1920s, shortly after World War I, the novel explores themes of love, loneliness, and healing, all wrapped in the warm and fragrant atmosphere of an Italian spring.

“that anybody would quarrel about anything when they’ve not left off being together for a single day for two whole years. What we both need is a holiday.”

The premise is charming and simple: Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot, two rather ordinary and unhappy mediocore housewives in London, come across an advertisement for a castle available for rent in Italy. Longing for peace and beauty, they impulsively decide to share the cost—and the experience—with two other women: Lady Caroline, a glamorous socialite weary of constant attention and shallow relationships, and Mrs. Fisher, a conservative elderly widow clinging to the values of the Victorian era.

Pollyanna - Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna is a good children's classic. It says the story of Pollyanna Whittier, who was orphaned, and adopted by her aunt, Miss Polly Harrington. This, the first in the series, takes us through her life as a tweleve years old girl, leading her new life at Beldingsville, New England, Vermont. Her coming of age stories continue in second book, Pollyanna Grows Up.

Pollyanna's father, John Whittier is a poor priest in Western town. Her mother, Jenni Harrington died since Pollyanna was baby. Pollyanna and her father often playing 'The Glad Game'. The game teaches everyone that no matter how bad the life is, there is always something to be glad about. Soon she spreads the game to Beldingsville people. 

The story is quite interesting and enjoyable. I like the humor, Pollyanna is talkactive girl, and she has many friends but all of them are adult. Pollyanna's presence encouraging a positive outlook on life, fostering gratitude each day, and finding joy in everything, even during tough times. I think, Pollyanna has cheer up the reader too.

I love this kind of children classics, the stories will stay with us forever, when in difficult time, I remeber you, Pollyanna. Four stars for Pollyanna.

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬ (4/5)

​Title : Pollyanna

Author : Eleanor H. Porter

Publisher : Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Year :  2018 (First Published in 1913)

Pages :  260 pages

ISBN : 9786020395135

Passing - Nella Larsen

In 1920, America still implemented a system of racial segregation between blacks and whites. However, there are some descendants of mixed races or mulattoes who are considered to have passed, they can obtain the same social recognition and facilities as white community. Irene, with her light skin and black hair, was considered as passing, but because she married a black man (nigger), lived at Harlem street with her black community.

Clare Kendry, who looks exactly like a white person with blonde hair, married a white man, John Bellew. Clare lives in a white community, her husband is very racist and doesn't know the fact that Clare has black ancestry. Clare is Irene's childhood friend, lived together in a black neighborhood, in the 1920s, they accidentally met in a hotel restaurant, since then, Clare continued to meet Irene until they became close, but Irene felt a little uncomfortable with Clare's beauty and charm. He also really didn't like John Bellew with his offensive remarks about race.

Without knowing her husband, Clare's frequent visits to Harlem Street, indicate that she is unhappy with her current condition, she pretend as white for her husband, but it's tortured her. She longs to return  to the black community. Clare is the type of woman who will do anything to get what she want. But, for Irene, she don't want to get another problem with whites, especially with John Bellew. Irene's jelous thiking about Clare's charm is tortured her mentally, but she still maintaining her household, even though previously it was not good because of the political situation.

The idea of passing is really iteresting, this book is so thin yet so thick with meaning. Passing deals with issues that we are still dealing with today, no matter how far we think we have come, and no matter how far we'll go, we always longing the place where we used to belong. Without ignoring the political aspect, this novel is very good to read. 

Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✬✬✬✬ (4/5)

​Title : Passing

Author : Nella Larsen

Publisher : Penguin English Library

Year :  2020 (First Published in 1929)

Pages :  114 pages

ISBN : 9780241472712

Review dan Ulasan Novel Of Love and Other Demons - Gabriel García Márquez

Of Love and Other Demons adalah buku ke 6 atau yang paling terakhir yang diterbitkan, dari penulis pemenang penghargaan Nobel Prize, Gabriel García Márquez. Bertempat di Amerika Selatan pada era kolonial, secara langsung menyaksikan masa-masa kepercayaan metode pembasmian setan, orang-orang penderita kusta dan kejayaan orang-orang suci. Márquez terinspirasi dari legenda yang diceritakan oleh neneknya saat ia masih anak-anak. Menurut pendahuluan dalam buku ini, legenda tersebut berhubungan dengan pembongkaran makam Sierva Maria de Todos yang sudah menjadi tulang belulang namun rambutnya masih tetap tumbuh sepanjang  22 meter 11 cm. Gabriel García Márquez menyaksikan pembongkaran tersebut pada saat ia menjadi jurnalis di Cartagena de Indias pada tanggal 26 Oktober 1949. Sungguh pendahuluan yang menarik, seolah kisah dalam buku ini berdasarkan kisah nyata, namun setelah aku mencari-cari data dan berita mengenai kisah tersebut, tak ada satu pun fakta mengenai itu.

Of Love and Other Demons, berkisah pada Sierva Maria de Todos, 12 tahun, anak perempuan dari Marquis yang digigit anjing rabies. Kelahiranya dianggap sebagai pertanda buruk bagi keluarganya, Ibunya tidak ingin mengurus Sierva, maka ia dibesarkan oleh seorang budak negro Afrika. Rambutnya tidak pernah dipotong dan telah dijanjikan kepada Perawan Suci. Di bagian awal buku ini, Sierva digigit anjing rabies, namun tidak menunjukan gejala penyakit rabies. 

Namun banyak keanehan yang ditumbulkan dari kelakukan Sierva Maria membuat sang Uskup mengaggap penyakit Sierva Maria ini tidak lain adalah kerasukan iblis. Maka dari itu Ayah Sierva Maria berusaha mencari obat untuk mengobati anaknya tidak hanya pengobatan medis tapi juga pengobatan spiritual. Dibawalah, Sierva Maria ke Biara Santa Clara untuk menjalani metode pengobatan secara ortodoks, ia dikurung selama 93 hari.

"O  harta karun cantik, ditemukan untuk dukaku."  (Cayetano, hlm. 143)

Cayetano Delaura, seorang pendeta yang cerdas dalam segi keilmuan,  terlibat kisah dengan Sierva Maria pada saat masa 'pengurunganya'. Ia sering mengunjungi Sierva dan bercakap-cakap seperi orang normal biasa. Cayetano Delaura bergelut antara hasrat sekuler dan tugas Katoliknya sebagai pendeta, meski pada akhirnya, cinta romantis menguasai dirinya. Kelogisan dan pemikiran De Laura yang modern membuat ia dirundung kebimbangan apakah ritual penyembuhan Sierva Maria merupakan cara yang benar ataukah salah, di satu sisi ia harus menunjukan ketaatanya terhadap biara.

Dengan buku ini, Márquez menyampaikan secara simbolis, bahwa cinta yang universal adalah cinta yang bisa menyingkirkan ego, kebencian dan hirarki manusia. Empat bintang untuk  Of Love and Other Demons. Walaupun double terjemahan karena versi bahasa Indonesia ini diterjemahkan dari terjemahan bahasa Inggris (bahasa original-nya bahasa Spanyol) tapi buku ini sama sekali tidak kehilangan esensinya. 

Rating Ruang Buku Megga ✭✭✭✭ (4/5)

Judul : Of Love and Other Demons

Penulis:  Gabriel García Márquez

Alih Bahasa: Eka Kurniawan dan Edith Grossman (dari bahasa Spanyol)

Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Tahun Terbit: 2023 (Pertama kali, 1994) 

Tebal: 170  halaman

ISBN : 978-602-06-7235-9

Review - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer

Juliet Ashton, a writer who is promoting her new book, written under the pseudonym Izzy Bickerstaff. The book is a collection of humorous stories about life during World War II. However, Juliet still wanted to write according to her heart's desires,

In mid-January, Juliet, who lived in London, received a letter from Dawsey Adams, a foreigner from Guernsey. Dawsey knows Juliet's address from a book entitled Selected Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb which once belonged to Juliet, after a long journey the book fell into Dawsey's arms.

"I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true. "

(Juliet Ashton) 

Guernsey is an island in the Chanel archipelago on the border between England and France. Juliette is impressed that Adams is part of the literary book club The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The correspondence between Juliet and Dawsey continues, Dawsey tells that The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a book club that was accidentally created during the German occupation, but the club continues to this day even after the war is over. Juliet was immediately interested in their stories and experiences during the war, then she began corresponding with several island residents, they convinced Juliet to come visit Guernsey.

"That’s what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a

book, and that tiny thing will lead you on to another book, and another bit there will lead you on to a third book. It’s geometrically progressive—all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment." (Juliet Ashton)

Each character and member of the Guernsey book club, has a dark background about World War II. In the difficult and tense war situation, The Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book club meeting was a positive way for them to forget the meaning of war, loss and loneliness, so that they finally found simple happiness. With Juliet's arrival on the island of Guernsey, Juliet's enthusiasm for writing immediately increased and finally Juliet found writing material that truly suited her heart's desire.

This is the first time I have read an interactive epsitolary novel, although it does not have the normal chapter division, but the collection of letters is ordered chronologically based on the date of the letter and told through various correspondence between characters. At first it was a bit confusing because there were too many points of view, but over time you got used to it because each character had a unique writing characteristic. I read this book in the English version published by Bloomsbury.

Rating Ruang Buku Megga: ✬✬✬✬ (4/5)

Review Novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

"Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me."

That is the famous first line of Rebecca, book by Daphne Du Maurier that was released in 1938. I've never read a book by Du Maurier before, and I've never read a book with an unidentified heroine. first a little grating, but I believe the author's has a motive in it. We already knew how the ending in chapter 1, but as soon as we start reading chapter 2, we will start to understand what is happening.

"We can never go back again, that much is certain. The past is still too close to us."

The Unnamed, or the narrator, is a young orphan girl who works as Mrs. Van Hopper's companion while she is on vacation in Monte Carlo. A wealthy Englishman named Maxim de Winter, a widower in his forties, strikes up a friendship with the unnamed narrator, a gullible young woman in her early twenties. She decides to marry him after a fortnight of romance, and after the nuptials and honeymoon, she travels with him to his mansion in Cornwall, the lovely estate Manderley. The narrator later become The New Mrs. De Winter and the mistress of Manderley. 

"We came to Manderley in early May, arriving, so Maxim said, with the first swallows and the bluebells. It would be the best moment, before the full flush of summer, and in the valley the azaleas would be prodigal of scent, and the bloodred rhododendrons in bloom."

There is an evil housekeeper in Manderley named Mrs. Danvers. She didn't like The New Mrs. De Winter, because she devoted to the late Mrs. Rebecca De Winter who died in accident last year.  She makes repeated psychological attempts to undermine the narrator, implying quietly that she will never match Rebecca's charm, beauty, and sophistication. When these things are made, the narrator becomes envious.

Review dan Ulasan Novel Down And Out in Paris and London karya George Orwell

"Daerah kumuh Paris memang tempat berkumpul orang-orang eksentrik- orang - orang yang jatuh ke jalur kehidupan yang ter-kucilkan, setengah gila dan tidak lagi mencoba menjadi manusia normal atau wajar. Kemiskinan membebaskan mereka dari tata cara kelakuan biasa, seperti kekayaan membebaskan orang untuk tidak bekerja." 

Buku ini mengajak kita menyelami kemiskinan di tempat yang paling kumuh di Kota Paris dan London.  Buku ini ber-genre realisme-satire atau  lebih tepatnya sosial eksperimen dan filosofi kehidupan melarat. Masih belum bisa dibuktikan kalau buku ini sebagai autobiografi George Orwell. Tapi beberapa events atau kejadian dari buku ini nyata pengalaman Orwell dan dikemas dalam bentuk fiksi. Novel ini menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama, yaitu sudut pandang penulis itu sendiri, karena tokoh aku di sini tidak diketahui namanya, yang kemudian oleh pembaca disebut sebagai George Orwell.

Realita kehidupan miskin di kedua kota besar Paris dan London tidak berbeda jauh.  Hidup miskin tidak jauh dari kelaparan, kotor dan tidak punya tempat tinggal. Tidak ada lagi yang dipikirkan selain makan untuk hari ini dan tempat tidur untuk malam yang dingin. Tidak memikirkan esok pakai baju apa dan akan pergi kemana. Sebenarnya, saya sudah sering baca novel Emile Zola, kondisi kemelaratan di Paris pada abad 19 sampai abad 20 sudah tidak terlalu asing lagi. Kalau Zola lebih mendramatisir kemiskinan, Justru Orwell menyuguhkan kemiskinan dalam diselingi dengan humor, dan cara-cara menyelesaikan masalah orang miskin yang dibilang cerdik.

Review Novel Pachinko, karya Min Jin Lee

"Sejarah mengecewakan kita, tapi biarlah"

      
Kutipan tersebut merupakan kalimat awal bab pertama, sekaligus kata pembukaan buku ini yang mencerminkan keseluruhan cerita. Buku ini menceritakan tentang  diaspora 4 generasi etnis Korea, yang lahir, besar dan tingggal di Jepang sebagai kaum  minoritas. 

Generasi pertama dimulai dengan Kim Hoonie menikahi Yang Jin, dan melahirkan anak bernama Sunja. Mereka mengelola pemondokan di sebuah desa nelayan di Yeongdo, Busan, Korea  pada awal abad ke 20, saat pemerintahan Jepang berkuasa menduduki Korea. Sunja anak satu-satunya mereka setelah Yangjin empat kali keguguran. Sunja sangat dekat dengan ayahnya, namun takdir berkata lain, Hoonie mati muda akibat radang paru-paru. 

Pada awal musim panas, Juni 1932 seorang pastor muda, Baek Isak tiba di pemondokan dan jatuh sakit, Sunja hamil di luar nikah dan jatuh cinta dengan makelar ikan baru bernama, Koh Hansu yang sudah memiliki istri dan tiga putri yang tinggal di Osaka, Jepang. Sebagai balas budi atas pertolongan Yangjin  bersedia merawat Isak semasa sakit dan demi harga diri gadis itu, Pastor Isak bersedia menolong Sunja dengan menikahinya dan membawanya ke Osaka untuk tinggal bersama kaka kandungnya, Baek Yoseb dan istrinya, Kyung Hee. 

Review Agatha Christie - Halloween Party

Ariadne Oliver, attending the Halloween party while visiting her friend Judith Butle. The party held at Rowena Drake's home in Woodleigh Common. For Ariadne, this is going to be horrible party ever, because there was the murder happened. The victim named Joyce, thirteen-year-old tells everyone attending she had once seen a murder, but had not realised it was one until later. When the party ends, Joyce is found dead, having been drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. Immediately, Ariadne called out to her friend, the famous detective, Hercule Poirot to investigate the murder and Joyce's claim.

‘We go from the past to the future,’ said Poirot. 

So, Poirot had to investigate a case in the past that might not even have happened, and was just a teenage braggart. As many Woodleigh Commons say, Joyce was a kid who wanted attention, and wanted to look cool in the eyes of Ariadne Oliver, the mystery writer.  with the help of his friend, from retired Superintendent Spence, Poirot begins to investigate cases that occurred in the past,  in which at this time it was most likely that the perpetrators had not yet been brought to justice or were found innocent when tried.

Review The Incredible Journey - Sheila Burnford

Hanya dengan mengandalkan insting, Luath, seeorkor labrador retriver, Bodger, seekor bull terrier tua, dan Tao, seekor kucing siam bermata biru cantik - pergi melakukan perjalanan luar biasa ke barat menuju rumahnya. Mereka melakukan perjalanan 300 mil jauhnya melalui hutan belantara Kanada untuk bertemu tuannya, keluarga Hunters. Karena Keluarga Hunters sedang bepergian ke London, peliharan mereka dititipkan kepada kerabatnya John Longride.

Sungguh perjalanan yang luar biasa bagi mereka yang sebelumnya merupakan anjing dan kucing rumahan. Namun berkat kecerdikan Tao, keberanian Luath dan ke-kaleman Bodger, mereka pun berhasil melakukan perjalananya sampai ke rumah. 

Review Novel Klasik Petualangan Bambi, Life in The Woods - Felix Salten

Novel-Fabel yang menceritakan tentang kehidupan alam liar dengan tokoh utama seekor rusa bernama Bambi. Seiring bertambahnya usia Bambi, ibunya mulai meninggalkannya sendirian. Kemudian ia bertemu dengan Dia (Manusia) dengan senapan berburunya yang kerap memburu bambi dan teman-temanya. Hingga pada akhirnya ia memilih hidup sendiri karena tidak tahan melihat kerabat sejenisnya mati diburu.

Membaca novel ini, menumbuhkan perspektif baru-ku terhadap hewan, salah satunya menumbuhkan rasa empati. Aku bukanlah seorang vegetarian atau benar-benar Animal Defender, tapi setelah membaca ini aku bisa lebih merasakan empati terhadap hewan-hewan yang tak berdaya yang masih membutuhkan uluran tangan manusia. Kita tidak bisa lari dari hukum alam. Manusia berburu rusa di musim dingin karena kebutuhan untuk makan dan bertahan hidup. Rusa/ Bambi sebagai mangsa juga ingin bertahan hidup. Dengan keterbatasan mereka, mereka terus berlari dan bersembunyi dari si Dia.

Review The Lost World - Arthur Conan Doyle

Pertama kali aku mengenal Conan Doyle, tentu saja lewat novelnya yang berjudul Sherlock Holmes. Aku masih beranggapan bahwa Conan Doyle merupakan penulis yang sangat genius yang telah menciptakan Holmes yang sampai saat ini masih menjadi ikon Pop Culture. Setelah habis novelnya Sherlock, aku pun penasaran dengan karyanya yang lain di luar Sherlock Holmes. Ada beberapa kumpulan cerita yg berjudul The Tales of Terror and Mystery, kemudian yang paling menarik perhatianku adalah buku tentang Dunia yang hilang atau The Lost World ini. Sekilas buku ini mempunyai kesamaan judul dengan sub judul buku karya Michael Cricthon, Jurrasic Park 2: The Lost World, yg sama- sama juga berlatar tempat di Amerika Selatan. Mungkin, Jurrasic Park 2: The Lost World nya Cricthon terinspirasi dari karya Doyle ini.

Kisah petualangan ini diliput oleh Edward Malone, seorang wartawan muda untuk Daily Gazzete. Ia mempunyai misi dari atasanya, McArdle untuk membujuk

Professor Challenger, seorang ilmuan zoologi terkenal, menceritakan apa yang telah ia temukan di Amerika Selatan karena publik masih belum mengetahui eksepdisi tersebut tepatnya di mana dan hanya menceritakan dengan samar-samar. Sampai saat ini belum ada seseorang yang berani mewawancarai Professor Challenger mengenai hal itu. 

Edward Malone dengan tekad sekuat baja, juga untuk mengesankan wanita pujaanya yang meinginkan seorang Lelaki yang pemberani dan mampu melakukan hal-hal hebat, ia pun memberanikan diri menemui Professor Challenger. Ia mengekstraksi janji kerahasiaan informasi, dan akhirnya Prof. Challenger mengungkapkan bahwa dia telah menemukan hewan purbakala sejenis dinosaurus hidup di Amerika Selatan. Menindaklanjuti ekspedisi yang seblumnya oleh penjelajah Amerika yang sekarang sudah meninggal bernama Maple White.

Karena Pada pertemuan publik, Prof. Challenger mengalami ejekan dari sainganya Prof. Summerlee dan dianggap mengada-ada mengenai apa yang ia temukan di Amerika Selatan, Ia langsung menantang Prof. Summerlee memverifikasi penemuan tersebut dengan melakukan ekspedisi langsung ke Amerika Selatan. Maka, berangkatlah Professor Challenger bersama Edward Malone sebagai reporter sukarelawan, Profesor Summerlee yang akan menjadi saksi sesama Zoologi, dan Lord John Roxton, seorang bangsawan petualang yang telah berpengalaman, ke Amerika Selatan, ke pedalaman hutan Amazon, ke dunia yang hilang.

Dalam sejarahnya, Hutan Amazon, Amerika Selatan banyak sekali memikat para penjelajah untuk menjelajahi seluruh bagian Amazon. Tak jarang para penjelajah itu tidak kembali, dikarenakan berbagai hal yang masih dianggap misteri. Satu penjelajah meninggalkan jejak untuk penjelajah selanjutnya supaya meneruskan penjelajahanya. Seperti yang dilakukan Professor Challenger dalam cerita ini. Ibaratnya tak peduli ia gugur dalam penjelajahanya, yang penting ia bisa menjadi inspirasi bagi para penjelajah lain untuk melanjutkan obsesinya.

Ada satu hal yang tidak aku setujui mengenai penjelajahan Prof. Challenger ini. Dalam petualanganya, mereka menghadapi manusia kera pintar sejenis pithecanthropus yang sering kali menyerang mereka karena menganggap mereka sebagai pengganggu 'rumah mereka', yang akhirnya mereka menumpas semua manusia kera ini. Somehow related to Darwin's Theory tentang evolusi dan Hukum Alam. Manusia dari Inggris ini bisa disebut sebagai superior karena mempunyai peralatan dan senjata canggih. Mengapa harus memusnahkan semuanya ? tentu saja untuk dianggap sebagai pahlawan bagi penduduk lokal yang masih primitif yang memang juga terganggu oleh keberadaan manusia kera tersebut yang sering kali membunuh penduduk lokal. Sekali lagi manusia berada di puncak rantai ekosistem.

Kalau kalian kira buku ini bakalan seperti Jurassic Park, kalian salah. jenis dinasaurus yang muncul tidak banyak. Hanya ada beberapa seperti Iguanodon, pterodactyl dan stegosaurus yang memang saat itu para spesies tersebut diambang kepunahan, yang tersisa hanya jenis-jenis herbivora.

Buku ini direkomendasikan bagi pembaca yang seoenang dengan novel petualangan klasik yang sedikit dibumbui fiksi ilmiah. Sepanjang perjalanan membaca buku ini, aku tidak harus direpotkan dengan berbagai penjelesan sains. Namun sayangnya, novel ini agak sulit dicari versi terjemahnya, pembaca sepertinya mesti berburu buku ini di toko buku bekas. Tapi kalaupun ada yang berminat membaca dengan bahasa aslinya, bisa baca atau dowload versi epub di Website Project Gutenberg.

Selain sulit dicari, memang buku ini tidak seterkenal Sherlock Holmes, bahkan menurut survey saya di Goodreads, rating buku sekuel dan ketiganya tidak terlalu bagus, bahkan mungkin kurang terkenal dibandingkan Sherlock Holmes. Sepertinya banyak pembaca yang berhenti di buku pertama, seperti saya.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle pernah mengatakan,

“If in 100 years I am only known as the man who invented Sherlock Holmes then I will have considered my life a failure.”

atau dalam bahasa indonesianya: 

 "Jika dalam 100 tahun saya hanya dikenal sebagai orang yang menemukan Sherlock Holmes maka saya akan menganggap hidup saya gagal."

Sepertinya pembaca Indonesia lebih sedikit mengenal Professor Challenger dibandingkan Sherlock Holmes Pak Doyle. Atau mungkin mereka lebih menikmati adaptasi film dari buku ini? Ternyata The Lost World ini sudah 7 kali dibuat adaptasi layar lebar dari tahun 1925 hingga terakhir tahun 2005 dan beberapa adaptasi Telvisi. Tenang Pak Doyle, anda tidaklah seorang yang hidupnya gagal, bila dilihat kepopuleran Prof. Challenger dalam western culture sepertinya ide cerita ini bisa dibilang sukses.  

Kembali ke buku, sebenarnya saya tidak ingin menyalahkan gaya berceritanya yang terlalu banyak narasi sehingga membuat saya mengantuk, mungkin faktor kekurangan energilah (biasa baca malam dengan sedikit energi yang tersisa) yang menjadi penyebabnya. Tentu saja ini mempengaruhi kualitas membacaku. Azzz andai saja keseharianku hanyalah rebahan dan duduk manis membaca.

Selain itu, saya agak ganggu dengan penempatan kata plato yang merujuk ke dataran tinggi yang ada di Amazon tersebut. Mungkin maksudnya plateau, aku tidak tahu kalau terjemahan plateau menjadi plato. Plato bukanya filsuf Romawi ya? tapi memang sih ketika lihat di google translate pronounciation untuk plateau dibaca atau diucapkan menjadi plaˈtō. Tapi, dengan menggunakan plato sebenarnya lebih simple dibanding menggunakan kata dataran tinggi.

Kalau buku dengan genre fiksi ilmiah dan petualangan seperti ini, review jadi melebar kemana-mana. Sangat menarik untuk dianalisis. Review ini saya posting bertepatan dengan ulang tahun Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle yang ke 162 tahun. 

3rd Author's Birthday Challenge 2021-2022

Rating Ruang Buku ✭✭✭ (3/5)

Judul : The Lost World (Professor Challenger #1)

Judul Terjemahan: The Lost World
Penulis: Arthur Conan Doyle
Alih Bahasa: An Ismanto 

Penerbit: Indoliterasi
Tahun Terbit: 2013 (Pertama kali, 1912) 
Tebal: 304 halaman