Palace of Illusion

Judul: Palace of Illusion (Istana Khayalan)
Pengarang: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Penerbit: Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tahun terbit: 2008/2009 (Indonesia)
Halaman: 493

Dropadi adalah seorang putri yang spesial sejak lahir. Ia lahir dari dalam api bersama kembarannya, Drestadyumna. Ia berkulit gelap, tidak seperti perempuan bangsawan pada umumnya. Selain itu, ia memiliki rasa ingin tahu dan keras kepala, sifat yang tidak sepantasnya dimiliki oleh seorang putri raja. Ia kerap merasa kecewa karena diperlakukan berbeda dari kembarannya, Dre, yang dipersiapkan ayahnya, Raja Drupada, sedemikian rupa untuk memenuhi takdir untuk membalas dendam ayahnya kepada guru pangeran Hastinapura, Drona. Namun demikian, Dropadi menghabiskan masa kecilnya dengan bahagia bersama Dhai Ma, pengasuhnya yang setia dan menggantikan sosok ibu baginya. Sampai suatu hari, Dropadi mengunjungi seorang peramal di hutan.

Kau akan mengawini lima pahlawan terbesar pada masamu. Kau akan menjadi ratu segala ratu, dicemburui semua dewi. Kau akan menjadi pelayan. Kau akan menjadi penguasa istana paling  hebat, lalu kehilangan itu. Kau akan diingat karena menyebabkan perang terbesar pada masamu.

Dropadi akhirnya mengetahui suratan takdirnya, walau pada awalnya ia setengah tak percaya. Bagaimana mungkin seorang wanita memiliki lima orang suami? Namun, tidak butuh waktu lama baginya untuk mengetahui bahwa satu per satu, ramalan itu menjadi kenyataan.

Semua dimulai ketika Raja Drupada mengadakan sayembara untuk mencari calon suami bagi Dropadi. Arjuna, yang saat itu sedang menyamar sebagai brahmana, berhasil memenangkan sayembara dan membawa Dropadi kepada ibu dan saudara-saudaranya yang tinggal di pondok reyot. Kunti, sang ibu, kemudian menyuruh kelima anaknya menikahi Dropadi. Setelah itu, perjalanan Dropadi bersama keluarga Pandawa yang sebenarnya merupakan ahli waris sah dari kerajaan Hastinapura pun berlanjut. Ada saat-saat sulit di mana Dropadi harus merebut hati ibu mertuanya, ada saat-saat senang ketika akhirnya Pandawa berhasil membangun Istana Khayalan yang merupakan istana terindah di dunia, ada saat-saat di mana harga dirinya harus terluka dan ia harus hidup dalam persembunyian, dan ada pula saat-saat di mana hatinya terasa mengkhianatinya, karena walaupun telah memiliki lima orang suami, sebenarnya hati Dropadi telah tertambat pada lelaki lain. Dan pada akhirnya, sampailah  Dropadi pada takdirnya yang paling utama: menjadi penyulut perang besar antara dua kubu saudara di padang Kurukshetra.

The Truth about Forever

Title: The Truth about Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Penguin Group
Year Published: 2004
Pages: 374
Price: USD 9.71 at The Book Depository

After her father's death, Macy lived her life focus on her study. Having a boyfriend who was smart and excelled in everything he did, Macy thought she had already got what needed to reach her goal. But one summer, her boyfriend, Jason, left her for the Brain Camp and asked Macy do his job at the library. Too bad, everyone in the library seemed like hating Macy. When Macy told about it to Jason, he unexpectedly asked Macy for a temporary break.

Heartbroken, Macy spontaneously joined Wish Catering, a catering that served one of her mother's party. There she met Delia, the owner, sisters Kristy and Monica, and brothers Bert and Wes. Doing a job in Wish Catering brought new ambiance to Macy. Her quiet and peaceful life soon changed to unpredictable and full of surprises life. And the most important of all, she finally found an opportunity to move on from her silent grieve after her father's death.

Out of Play

Title: Out of Play
Author: Nyrae Dawn and Jolene Perry
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Year Published: 2013
Pages: 318
Price: USD 9.10 at The Book Depository

After almost died because of OD, Bishop Riley, an 18 year old drummer from Grammy winner band, Burn, was sent to Seldon, Alaska, to get treatment by his manager. Anything was difficult at first. There was nothing to do in Alaska and Bishop's hands kept trembling because his body needed more pills. He kept trying to contact his drug dealer, Marryanne, to send some package to his place. But then he met Penny, the owner's daughter of the guest house he was renting.

Penny was a kick ass hockey player. She was the only female on her team and she played really well. Every body on the team respected her and also loved her. But Penny didn't think that everybody understood her. All she wanted was staying at Alaska and going to college there so that she could take care of her Gramps but seems like everybody wanted her to move and go to better colleges outside Alaska. Surprisingly, only the boy who stayed in a cabin her family owned, understood her.

Bishop and Penny soon became close. In Penny and Gramps, Bishop found people who really trusted him and he started to feel better without the pills and drinking. Penny also thought that in Bishop, she finally found a person who truly understands her. But what would happen after Bishop's secret is revealed? Would everything still be the same?

Andai Kau Tahu

Judul: Andai Kau Tahu
Pengarang: Dahlian
Penerbit: Gagasmedia
Tahun Terbit: 2013
Halaman: 365
Harga: Rp. 50.000 (Rp. 40.000 di Bukabuku)

Tania sedang sial. Sudah mobilnya ringsek ditabrak seorang pria, sesampainya ia di rumah, ayahnya mengutarakan maksudnya untuk menjodohkan Tania dengan anak dokter Mahendra, kenalan ayah Tania. Ayah Tania, dokter Erlangga adalah seorang dokter sekaligus pemilik rumah sakit yang sukses. Sejak dulu, dokter Erlangga memang mengharapkan agar Tania mendapat jodoh yang pas yang sekaligus bisa mengurus rumah sakit ayah Tania. Namun sebaliknya, Tania benci dokter. Ia benci ayahnya yang selalu sibuk dan tidak peduli pada keluarga sehingga ia tidak mau dijodohkan dengan seorang dokter juga. Kesal, Tania memutuskan untuk minggat ke rumah kekasihnya, Hendrik, yang penyanyi band kafe. Sayang, Hendrik malah berlaku dingin. Tak butuh waktu lama bagi Tania untuk mengetahui kalau Hendrik sudah selingkuh darinya.

Sakit hati, Tania minggat lagi dari rumah Hendrik, namun kali ini ia tidak punya tujuan. Sampai akhirnya ia bertemu Reza, lelaki yang mobilnya bertabrakan dengan mobil Tania. Tak disangka, Reza berbaik hati memberi Tania tumpangan di apartemennya. Bukan hanya itu, bahkan Tania yang sudah tidak punya uang sejak kartu kredit dan debitnya dinonaktifkan sang ayah malah diberikan kartu debit yang bebas digunakan sepuasnya oleh Reza.

Reza, yang ternyata juga berprofesi sebagai dokter, adalah pribadi yang kaku dan sangat memperhatikan kesehatan. Berkebalikan dengan Tania yang liar dan berantakan. Kehidupan mereka dalam satu apartemen selalu diwarnai pertengkaran. Namun lama kelamaan Tania dapat melihat sisi baik dari Reza, demikian pula Reza.

Apakah akhirnya Tania malah jatuh cinta dengan Reza, seorang pria dengan profesi yang sejak dulu selalu dibenci Tania? Bagaimana dengan rencana perjodohan Tania?

A Gathering Light

Title: A Gathering Light
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Year Published: 2003
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 389
Price: USD 6.98 (via Better World Books)

A Gathering Light (a.k.a A Northern Light) is a historical fiction novel inspired by the real murder case of Grace Brown, happened in 1906, in Big Moose Lake, Adirondacks, USA. Grace who was found drowned in pregnant condition, had left letters from her final days, that pointed Chester Gillette, her secret lover, as her murderer. In this story, Grace Brown's life intertwined with the fictional character, Mattie Gokey, and helped her to make a big decision of her life.

Mattie Gokey was a country girl with a tough life. Although her family had enough land and livestock to fulfill their needs, they were lack of manpower to work on it. Mattie’s brother, Lawton, had left the family after a fight with his father. Mattie’s mother had been dead and had left Mattie to take care her 3 younger sisters. Mattie was actually a talented student in literature. She loved to read books and write. Unfortunately, all people near her, except her teacher, Mrs. Wilcox, and her friend, Weaver, didn’t see her talent as useful. They wanted Mattie to help her family and became a housewife as soon as possible.

One day, Mattie got a scholarship to Barnard College, New York City, but she didn’t have money to pay the rent and living cost. Also she knew that she couldn’t leave her family. Her dilemma became worse after her neighbor, the handsome and rich Royal Loomis, showed his interest to Mattie. Mattie thought she had to forget her dream but deep down inside she knew that living as a farmer was not what she really wanted.

When the holiday season came, Mattie worked as a maid at Glenmore Hotel to earn some extra money for her family. There, she met Grace Brown, who later trusted her letters to Mattie to be burned before she got drowned.

What influence did Grace Brown’s letters have to Mattie’s life? Would Mattie finally decide to leave or stay?

Posting Bareng BBI: Along for the Ride

Judul: Along for the Ride
Pengarang: Sarah Dessen
Bahasa: Inggris
Halaman: 399
Tahun terbit: 2009
Penerbit: Speak
Harga:  USD 9.99 (The Book Depository) // Rp. 93.000 (Ak.sa.ra)

Karena dimaksudkan untuk posting bareng BBI bulan April bertema Perempuan, maka saya akan menulis review ini dalam bahasa Indonesia, walau buku yang saya baca adalah edisi bahasa Inggris (dan belum ada terjemahan bahasa Indonesianya).

Sejak kecil Auden tidak pernah menjadi anak yang menyusahkan. Status sebagai anak pencari perhatian sudah dimiliki oleh kakak lelakinya, Hollis, sedangkan Auden adalah si dewasa dan penurut. Ayah-ibu Auden selalu menyukai Auden namun lebih memperhatikan Hollis. Hollis tumbuh menjadi seorang petualang yang gemar backpacking ke berbagai macam negara dan ceria sementara Auden hidup sebagai si anak pintar yang dingin dan kurang peduli sekitar. Ia tidak memiliki teman dan lebih suka sendirian.

Perpisahan orang tuanya yang didahului perkelahian di malam hari membuat Auden mengalami insomnia dan kerap berkeluyuran di malam hari. Hal ini terus terjadi walau kini ayahnya telah menikah dengan Heidi dan memiliki seorang bayi, Thisbe.

Pada satu liburan musim panas sebelum Auden kuliah, Auden memutuskan untuk menghabiskan musim panas di rumah ayahnya di Colby. Awalnya Auden tidak mau peduli melihat kesibukan ibu tirinya, Heidi, mengurus adik tirinya, Thisbe, dan ketidakpedulian sang ayah terhadap keluarga barunya tersebut. Auden hanya ingin sendirian. Namun, akhirnya Auden malah membantu Heidi mengelola keuangan toko pakaiannya, Clementine, serta menjaga Thisbe. Di Clementine, Auden berkenalan dengan tiga penjaga toko, Maggie, Esther, dan Leah, serta bertemu seorang lelaki penjaga toko sepeda, The Bike Shop, yang letaknya di sebelah Clementine bernama Eli. Eli ternyata memiliki masa lalu yang pahit dan juga mengalami insomnia. Auden dan Eli kemudian bersahabat dan saling jatuh cinta.

Waktu yang dihabiskan Auden di Colby membuatnya perlahan-lahan berubah menjadi perempuan yang terbuka dengan keadaan sekitar dan belajar banyak hal yang selama ini ia lewatkan karena terlalu banyak menghabiskan waktu dengan buku pelajaran. Ia mulai bisa menikmati hidup. Namun sayang, pertemuannya kembali dengan seorang lelaki dari sekolahnya serta percakapannya dengan sang ibu membuat Auden sadar kalau ia telah kehilangan fokusnya. Ditambah lagi, ternyata ayahnya masih belum berubah, masih sama seperti ayah yang menjadi alasan Auden menjadi seperti Auden sebelum datang ke Colby.

Mampukah Auden berubah?

Revolution

Title: Revolution
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Year Published: 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Price: Rp. 108.000 (Times Bookstore)

What this book is about:
 
Andi Alpers was genius in music, rich, and a daughter of a noble-winner scientist. But her life was ruined two years before by the death of her 10 year old brother, Truman. Andi felt that it was her mistakes that caused her brother death. Her family was torn after that incident. Her dad kept busy with his research and her mother fell into depression. Andi herself almost failed to graduate because she didn't work her thesis about a classic French musician called Amade Malherbeau.

Seeing his daughter's condition, Lewis Alpers brought his daughter to France to stay with his friend, G and Lili. G happened to be his partner in a research about the French's lost prince, Louis XVII or Louis-Charles who was believed had died when he was 10 in prison after the Revolution. In G's house, Andi got a lot of references about Amade Malherbeau but one day, she found an old guitar case with secret compartment in it. The secret compartment happened to keep some photos, which Andi believed was the photo of Louis-Charles, and a diary.

Alexandrine Paradis lived by the time of the Revolution. She was a poor girl who worked as a street performer. Her encounter with the King and his family after the dead of the Dauphin (Crown Prince), Louis-Joseph, brought Alex to be the new Dauphin's, Louis-Charles', companion. At first, Alex only thought about keeping her stomach full but gradually she fell in love with young Louis-Charles. After the Revolution, Alex kept accompanying the Dauphin until Louis-Charles was separated from his mother, Queen Marie Antoinette, and imprisoned in the Temple jail. Alex always tried to save the Dauphin but failed until she remembered that the Dauphin loved fireworks so much. Alex then secretly threw the fireworks around the city, hoping that the Dauphin would be able to see it and knew that he wasn't left alone. Alex wrote her stories in her diary until her last day.

As Andi read pages by pages of the diary, unconsciously Andi had already begun her own adventure. By the end, Andi found out that the connection between her and Alex was more beyond her expectation.

Blue Remembered Heels

Judul buku: Blue Remembered Heels (Sepatu Biru Kenangan)
Pengarang: Nell Dixon
Tahun terbit: 2008/2012 (terjemahan Indonesia)
Jumlah halaman: 311 halaman
Penerbit: M-Pop
Harga: Rp.42.500 (diskon Promo Liburan bukabuku.com jadi Rp. 17.000)

Sejak ibu mereka meninggalkan mereka 17 tahun yang lalu, Gifford bersaudara yaitu Charlie, Abbey, dan Kip hidup dengan cara menipu. Teknisnya sih Kip tidak karena ia autis dan selalu resah, namun Kip terkadang membantu di bidang elektronik karena kemampuannya mengutak-atik benda-benda elektronik. Korban pertama mereka dalam buku ini adalah Freddie Davis, seorang playboy kaya raya. Sayang, ditengah-tengah tugas, Abbey tersambar petir yang mengakibatkan ia tidak bisa berbohong lagi. Penipuan terhadap Freddie berhasil, namun sesaat sebelum pindah ke Cheshire, Abbey sempat didekati polisi tampan bernama Mike Flynn.

Selain tidak bisa berbohong, petir juga mengakibatkan Abbey selalu bermimpi mengenai wanita bersepatu biru. Abbey mencurigai kalau itu adalah ibu mereka yang menghilang. Sayang, sangat sedikit informasi yang bisa Abbey dapatkan mengenai ibu mereka.

Di Cheshire, korban selanjutnya Gifford bersaudara adalah seorang pemain bola bernama Phillipe. Charlie berencana mendekati Phillipe sebagai kekasihnya sementara Abbey akan menjadi penjaga anjing Phillipe sebagai upaya mereka memasuki rumah keluarga Phillipe dan menjarah hartanya. Sayang, semuanya tidak berlangsung lancar. Charlie kesulitan mendekati Phillipe karena ibu Phillipe yang galak. Mike Flynn terus membuntuti Abby dan Kip jatuh cinta dengan gadis tetangga sebelah bernama Sophie. Ditambah lagi, Freddie ternyata seorang kriminal dan ia mengejar Gifford bersaudara untuk menuntut balas.

Bagaimana nasib Gifford bersaudara selanjutnya? Berhasilkah mereka menipu Phillipe? Siapa sebenarnya wanita yang selalu dimimpikan Abbey?

This Lullaby

Judul buku: This Lullaby
Pengarang: Sarah Dessen
Tahun terbit: 2012
Jumlah halaman: 454 halaman
Penerbit: Elex Media Komputindo
Harga: Rp. 62.800

Remy tidak percaya cinta. Ia memang kerap berpacaran dengan banyak lelaki, terutama yang memiliki tampang dan sifat nyaris sempurna, namun itu dilakukan Remy hanya untuk memutuskan mereka. Untuk menunjukkan kalau ia bisa menaklukkan semua lelaki itu. Hal ini karena Remy tidak mempercayai cinta. Hidup hanya dengan kenangan ayah dalam bentuk lagu berjudul This Lullaby (Ayah Remy seorang pemusik. Ia tidak menikah dengan ibu Remy dan meninggalkan ibu Remy, Remy, dan Chris, kakak Remy, ketika Remy masih kecil lalu meninggal dunia) dan memiliki ibu yang selalu mengalami kegagalan pernikahan, Remy merasa cinta itu tidak ada. Remy kemudian tumbuh menjadi gadis yang perfeksionis, mandiri, dan keras. Untuknya, lelaki hanya untuk selingan dikala liburan musim panas.

Di musim panas selepas lulus SMA, sebelum Remy berangkat kuliah ke Stanford, Remy bertemu Dexter, lelaki ceking vokalis band yang sedang singgah di kota Remy selama musim panas itu. Pertemuan mereka selalu terjadi di saat-saat tak terduga dan Remy akhirnya berpacaran dengan Dexter. Dexter sungguh jauh dari tipe pria yang biasanya dikencani Remy. Dexter bertubuh kurus dan selebor. Tali sepatunya selalu lepas. Jalannya menabrak-nabrak. Ia bahkan tidak tahu cara mencuci baju. Normalnya, Remy tidak akan mau bersama lelaki seperti Dexter karena ia hanya mau lelaki yang sempurna. Namun, ia merasa nyaman bersama Dexter yang cenderung bertingkah spontan namun baik hati. Remy selalu mengingatkan dirinya bahwa Dexter hanyalah selingan musim panasnya. Ketika liburan musim panas semakin mendekati akhirnya, Remy harus memutuskan Dexter, sama seperti Remy memutuskan lelaki-lelaki sebelum Dexter.

Namun apakah keputusan Remy kali ini tepat? Apakah Dexter hanya sekedar pacar musim panasnya saja? Apakah Remy akhirnya akan menemukan cinta sejati?

Keeping the Moon

Title: Keeping the Moon
Author: Sarah Dessen
Year Published: 1999/2004

Pages: 228

Publisher: Speak
Price: Rp. 93.000 (aksara bookstore)

Colie came to Colby, North Carolina to live with her aunt, Mira Sparks, for summer holiday while her mother, the famous aerobics instructor (and also motivator) Kiki Sparks was having tour in Europe. At first, Colie didn't have any expectation for her holiday. But she didn't know that this summer would change her entire life forever.

Colie grew up as a fat girl. She and her mom (fat also, before she knew aerobics) always moved from one town to another so that Colie didn't have any close friend. Other kids at school often insulted her, leaving deep scar in Colie's heart. After her mom became an aerobic instructor, both Colie and her mom changed as they became healthier and slimmer. Colie was very athletic now but in her new school, someone spread a gossip that she was a "hole-in-one" and that every boy at school could sleep with her easily. Colie lost her self confidence and being very introvert.

During her summer in Colby, Colie worked at a burger restaurant named Last Chance, owned by best friends Morgan and Isabel. Morgan was cheerful and perfectionist while Isabel was so cold and blunt. She also met Norman, a hippie tenant of her aunt who seems to like Colie at the first sight. Her interaction with the girls and Norman made Colie slowly built her confidence and self respect. Also from Aunt Mira, who was being judged by people as weird and eccentric, she learned about how to enjoy yourself no matter what people said about you.

But what happened when someone from Colie's home came to Colby too and started to spread bad rumors about her again? Would Colie be able to stand strong this time?

Someone Like You

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Sarah Dessen
Year Published: 1998

Pages: 281

Publisher: Speak
Price: Rp. 93.000 (aksara bookstore)

The story took 9 months from the beginning til the end. It began one summer before Halley's junior year started. The beginning of her new phase of life. Her best friend, Scarlett, was pregnant a deceased boy's baby. Michael, Scarlett's new boyfriend, got killed in a motorcycle accident and weeks later, Scarlett found out that she was pregnant. Then, Halley met Macon, a bad boy who was also Michael's best friend and suddenly, she fell in love with him. Halley's life, then, revolved aroud helping Scarlett getting through her pregnancy, spending time with Macon and his law breaking stuffs, and growing distance with her parents who suddenly didn't seem to understand Halley at all. Especially her mom. A lot of things happened to Halley's life that year. A lot of lessons learned. In the end, it was the meaning of growing up.