Can death be sleep, when life is but a dream. – John Keats.

I am not that kind of girls who loves reading very much. One of the reasons I bought this book was due to the fact that the book was the winner of the “Khatulistiwa Literary Award 2013”. Yeah, after a few minutes of googling, the winner label which was put on the cover ensured me that this book was probably worth buying. And it turned out that I had made a right choice.

Overall, this is a fiction book about the situation in Indonesia before, during, and after 1998, when our country had its massive government’s transitional period. There are political stories, historical stories, some are frightening yet some are heartbreaking, and of course, a touch of romance (the intentional and the unintentional) which will make you forget that you are reading a historical novel (which is supposed to be somewhat tiresome), for a few minutes. But again, this is a fiction.

So, for you who need a new collection for spending your get-nothing-to-do-weekend, this book is recommended. Though there are those love things, believe me, Leila S. Chudori won’t give you a cheesy experience in reading the story about love. Besides, you might want to know and digest more about the history of our nation once you’ve finished the last page.