Some Novel Criticisms

1. Novel written in Bahasa Indonesia, a true story.

Lubis, Bahril Hidayat. Aku Sadar: Aku Gila (Memoar Seorang Psikosis yang Sembuh melalui Mimpi dan surat Ar-Rahman). Jakarta Timur; Bestari Buana Murni, 2007.

"Based on my understanding about psychoanalysis, this novel is counted as a very good one. Those who are interested to the psychoanalysis study on literature, they will find that this novel is really appropriate to be discussed and studied as an object of a research. The way the author describes the psychosis that the main character faces is really challenging and provoking. It leads us to the real image and picture of a man who have to struggle for himself lonely from the dangerous impact of drugs and misleading friendship.

The main character's name is really the author himself, Bahril Hidayat Lubis. The setting of the story is in Indonesia, exactly in Yogyakarta. None still believes the Power of God in this odd world for that kind of disease, drugs abuse. I believe, this novel will be a great one for those who is seeking for the way hos God touches the life of one of its' creatures, especially human. Just read the novel and you will find that there are still millions of ways to get to the piece of life through Allah's blessings. Only one sin that Allah does not want from human. It is declaring that Allah is not the only God. For all moslems in the world, please, be prepare...to face the death and the meaningless of this limited life."

2. Novel written in Bahasa Indonesia.

Tasaro. Wandu; Berhentilah Jadi Pengecut!. Jakarta Timur; Lini Zikrul Remaja - Zikrul Hakim. 2005.

From its' title, the novel sounds so 'judging', especially about Wandu, or those people who live as gays, lesbians, or transvestites. Basically, this novel is about criticizing the life of those people in a moderate way. The author does not judge those people only from his point of view. He views the homosexual people from the human right aspect. One thing that I like from this novel is that the way the author wants us to 'help' those people is by having them still as our friends. No matter what, they are still around us. They do not want to live lonely and die in pain. This is a good and democratic novel. It teaches me how to respect someone based on what they have done to the people's life in general rather than only to their sexual orientation. The question is: 'What will we do if the homosexual victims are looking for another victims to take revenge or they get be in what they are at the situation?'. God knows.

3. Novel written in English.

Sachar, Louis. Holes. New York; Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1998.

In spite of having so many great and respected awards from various institutions, this novel never lost its simplicity. The language used in this novel is understandable with the choice of words that is easy and context based. As an adolescent reader, I find that this novel tells about moral, attitude and responsibilities. Not only those things that are available to be studied from the novel, the mental growing and the learning process of making decision by teenagers are also implicitly taught from the novel. If you want to know about this novel, please visit:www.randomhouse.com/teens. At last, it is a very good one to be used as presents for your lovely children and young adult friends. :)
NB: Thanks Mr. Kevin Scoot Phillip, MA for this good book. Hope we can meet and talk again somewhere in the United States! :)

4. Novel written in English.

Cornwell, Patricia. The Body Farm. London; Warner Books, 1994.

Compared to the above novels, this novel is the 'scary' but challenging one. However, it has good ways for readers to follow the sequence of events. I will not retell the story in here. The most general idea seen from this novel is that the mysterious killing of so many victims in Black Mountain, North Carolina, is considered as a threatening action. When it is being investigated by Dr Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner, will she be able to open the 'gate' of the undetected murder? So challenging! Cool!

5. Novel written in English, translated into Bahasa Indonesia.

Brown, Dan. Digital Fortress (Benteng Digital). Trans. Ferry Halim. Jakarta; PT Serambi Ilmu Semesta, 2004.

I could still remember when I received this novel from a friend of mine . She wanted me to read this novel. At the first stage, I did not really get interested to read because the novel is thick and has, you know, a translation version. I would prefer to choose the original one, that is to say, the novel is written in English if the author is an English-speaking person. However, I tried to read it in a full-night time. After reading it for several pages and found many great tricks with intellectual language, as I thought so, I just could not stop reading it until I finished it completely. There are David Brecker, Susan Fletcher, Strathmore, Tankado, and many more unbelievable characters. I found myself was in the good eagerness to follow the story. I started to read this novel from 20.00 at night until 03.00 because I could not stand my eyes longer that time. I woke up in the following day at 05.00 o'clock in the morning and continued to read it again until 10.oo o'clock when all stories are over to read.

My comments dealing with the story:

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Can you guess what I write up there?