This sweeping multi-generational historical fiction novel tells the story of Dewi Ayu, her four daughters, their husbands and lovers, and their children, against the backdrop of years of tumultuous Indonesian history. Kurniawan dives briefly but deeply into numerous characters’ lives, weaving their stories together with a distinctly oral history feel, drawing on tropes from folk tales and ghost stories. ⁣
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I think this is the first work of historical fiction I’ve read written by a man, and at times I felt frustrated by the tone of this novel. While the women were subjected to horrific violence (accurately to the periods being described), they often felt further objectified and voiceless in the narrative. We had fascinating extensive discussions in our buddy read chat about whether this tone is an intentional decision by Kurniawan that serves to emphasize deeper points about Indonesia’s history with colonization and violence. For me it was difficult to get over the feeling of the male gaze upon the book’s female characters, but I’m also willing to admit that I don’t have a lot of muscles for approaching literature where the characters serve as symbols or operate on some metaphoric level. ⁣
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This book was easily as engrossing as it was frustrating though, and while my reaction is conflicted it was never a chore to read. Plus the buddy read conversations were some of the most rewarding I’ve been part of.