Top Social

Book review: Perahu Kertas

31 August 2013
BOOK OVERVIEW

Title: Perahu Kertas
Genre: Novel
Author: Dee
Publisher: Bentang Pusaka
Pages: 444

Namanya Kugy. Mungil, pengkhayal, dan berantalan. Dari benaknya, mengalir untaian dongeng indah. Keenan belum pernah bertemu manusia seaneh itu.

Namanya Keenan. Cerdas, artistik, dan penuh kejutan. Dari tangannya mewujud lukisan-lukisan magis. Kugy belum pernah bertemu manusia seajaib itu.

Dan kini mereka berhadapan di anatara hamparan misteri dan rintangan.
Akankah dongeng dan lukisan itu bersatu?
Akankah hati dan impian mereka bertemu?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kugy is a very, very cheerful girl, who doesn't care about her appearance at all: always sloppy, and is a dreamer. Her dream is to write fairy tales, a dream that has always been there but never really achieved. Through her best friends, Noni and Eko - who are a couple, Kugy gets to know a guy named Keenan. Keenan is Eko's cousin who has just come back to Jakarta after living for quite a while in Amsterdam. Even though Keenan's father doesn't agree at all, Keenan is incredibly artistic. The encounter between Kugy and Keenan seems to be some kind of fate. Both of them are dreamers. Together, the two of them venture their long journeys , heading to the achievement of their dreams.

Time has gone, their friendship is getting closer and closer. In their hearts grow some other feelings. But unfortunately, Kugy is in a relationship with her boyfriend, Ojos. Because of Keenan's status as single, Noni and Eko are planning to match him with a girl named Wanda - who is Noni's cousin. No need to doubt, Wanda is a very beautiful young woman; and does also understand art pretty much. Kugy's heart breaks a little hearing about Keenan and Wanda, but she has absolutely no rights to say a word - and the least she can do is avoiding Keenan. The friendship between Kugy and Keenan is now slowly slacking, with each of them living their own lives. Feelings that once were there seem to be forgotten - and so do their dreams.

Lots of things have changed as the times goes. Kugy has graduated earlier and has found a promising job in an advertising company. Kugy gets to know her boss better, Remi, a man lots of women adore. Keenan who now resides in Bali keeps creating artworks; also he meets a Balinese girl named Luhde.
Kugy and Keenan each have found their love. But it seems that they can't erase the love they once have felt.
There are now some challenges and obstacles for both Kugy and Keenan on their way to achive their dreams, that make everything seem impossible. Maybe fairy tales and paintings aren't meant to be together. Without nobody to talk to about her feelings, Kugy keeps writing letters to Neptune through paper boats - hoping that maybe Neptune will hear her heart screaming for something she herself doesn't even understand.



-- "Satu-satunya kegiatan menulis yang tersisa hanyalah perahu-perahu kertas yang diapungkannya di kali. Kugy bahkan merasa surat-surat itulah yang membuat dirinya mampu bertahan waras dan kuat. Cerita hatinya pada Neptunus yang entah ada entah tidak. Tak jadi masalah. Setiap kali melihat perahu kertasnya bergerak terbawa arus kali, Kugy kembali bisa bernapas lega."


I have really enjoyed reading Perahu Kertas. The different aspects of life that are spoken in this book just amaze me. It is not just a simple novel about love, it is so much more than that. First we have the dreams of Kugy and Keenan, the difficult relationship between them, friendship between Kugy and Noni, Keenan's problems with his father, Kugy who teaches in Sakola Alit, continued with the relationsips of Keenan-Luhde and Kugy-Remi, and it goes on and on and on.
I guess one of the reasons why this book really gets people is Dee's writing. I mean, it all just flows so naturally, the conversations aren't cheesy at all. AND Dee's way to write things is just so beautiful, so poetic. Beautiful. Thumbs up for the writing!
Another thing I love about this book is the characters. My favourite is surprisingly not Kugy nor Keenan, but... REMIGIUS ADITYA or Remi. He has succesfully robbed my heart. His character really made me fall in love; it was so hard not to fall in love with Remi. The way he expresses his love to Kugy........... oh damn, so sincere, so honest and so.. melting (?) No wonder that Remi is considered as the most eligible bachelor.


--"Remi lalu membungkukkan badannya, mendekatkan wajahnya pada wajah Kugy. "Ke mana pun itu, dari mulai warung nasi goreng sampai Pantai Sanur... kapan pun itu, dari mulai hari ini sampai nggak tahu kapan, selama bisa bareng sama kamu, saya mau.""


Overall, this book has really satisfied me. Definitely a page-turner. After reading Perahu Kertas I immediately downloaded (I'm sorry I couldn't buy the books, I don't live in Indonesia) her other books.So this was my review on Perahu Kertas, and if you decide to read this book, I wish you a pleasant read.

Love

X
Elizabeth