Missy J's Reviews > Laut Bercerita

I tagged this book as "historical fiction" even though it deals with a subject that happened only a little over 20 years ago. In 1998, Suharto finally stepped down from power after ruling Indonesia for 30+ years. In the 90s, there were a lot of protests calling for his resignation, most famous the Trisakti Tragedy, in which four unarmed students were shot dead by the military. Students were at the forefront of the protests and there are still unresolved issues of kidnapped students whose whereabouts are still unknown and whether they are still alive. That's the subject of this book.

“Laut Bercerita” is a wonderful book title. "Laut" means "ocean," but is also the first name of the protagonist. "Bercerita" means "to tell a story." I love how the author structured the novel; every chapter title gives us the location and year of the setting. The first half of the book is narrated by Laut, while the second half of the book is told by Asmara, his younger sister. The first chapter of the book already hits you with a splashing wave and I was gripped by a feeling of suspense and excitement. I had to continue reading. No wonder “Laut Bercerita” has such high ratings. Laut is in university and joins a student organization fighting for democracy in Indonesia. We learn a lot about the friendships within the group, how they organize, discuss and finally how they were kidnapped and tortured. Laut is one of the students who is never returned to his family. The second half of the book deals with this uncertainty and how his family and friends suffer.

Even though this is a fictional story, you can tell that the author interviewed and talked to real life subjects. We learn about the friendships of Laut, his relationship with his parents and his sister, his blooming romance with Anjani, his love for cooking and writing. I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters. Alex was my favorite, even though I find it hard to believe that such a person could exist. Suspicions arise within the organization. Somebody is leaking information to intelligence agents, which is why their attempt to help stage a protest with peasants fails. Who is betraying them?

This was my first time to read a book by Leila Chudori and I really enjoyed this. Her language flows smoothly. I've heard of Pulang, but have been hesitant to pick it up. Laut Bercerita has very high ratings, so I wasn't too worried. Laut Bercerita is in the process of being translated into English by the same translator who did Pulang's translation. I really hope the translator does Laut Bercerita justice, because this is a really important story for Indonesians. This history isn't too long ago, there are still families suffering and looking for answers. The scene of Laut's parents cooking the family meal every Sunday, listening to the Beatles and always laying out a plate for Laut even though he has been missing for several years is truly heart-breaking. The current government of Indonesia is allowing more freedom of speech than before, but has still not shown real commitment for an open dialogue to take place regarding this issue - where are the missing students? Sadly, some of Suharto’s croonies are still in power behind the scenes and don't want to face justice and reality.

"Dan yang paling berat bagi semua orangtua dan keluarga aktivis yang hilang adalah: insomnia dan ketidakpastian. Kedua orangtuaku tak pernah lagi tidur dan sukar makan karena selalu menanti 'Mas Laut muncul di depan pintu dan akan lebih enak makan bersama.'"

A 20-minute short documentary with English subtitles that I found on Youtube on this subject: Tuti Koto, the mother of Yani Afri, an activist who is still missing.