Novel Review: Keberangkatan by NH Dini (1977)

"karena kesendirian di tengah-tengah orang lain, inilah kesusahan yang paling sukar disandang."

- NH Dini -

so, this is gonna be my first book review. i honestly don't know how to make a review for a book in particular. just don't expect anything.

i bought 3 books about four days ago when i looked for a gift in Gramedia. i thought it's been a long time since the last book i read. moreover, Gramed has 50k discount, what an interesting offer, huh?

the first one that i unsealed is Keberangkatan by NH Dini. it's my first novel which contains a different kind of language. i guess it uses the old-Bahasa. well, it originally published in 1977, so no wonder, it's more like literature. a bit difficult for me to absorb since i don't get used to that type of novel. that's why i tried to challenge myself and surprisingly, i liked it.

here's the visual. i got the new cover one which is the 9th printing if i'm not mistaken?

when i look for books, cover is the first thing that matters to me. if it catches my eye, i'll take it and watch the detail. i get a pleasant feeling when i saw this abstract cover, fascinating.

ok, skip to the story.

the background is the post-independence era. it tells about a half-blood girl, Elisabeth Frissart. Elisa was born in Surabaya but then live in Jakarta. her fams left to Netherland at the beginning of the story and she's being the one who remains since she feels that Indonesia is already her home. also, she doesn't get along with her mom. she is a flight attendant and lives in the shared-house with some of her friends, one of which is her best friend, Lansih.

what comes in my mind when i knew that Elisa is a FA, i thought she must be rich, well at least she doesn't have to think much about financial. but instead, it tells the contrary: she lives the economic-standard of life. wow. then i realised, there's a huge gap between the FA condition now and then. 

Elisa is an Indo that can change my perspective. i know this is somehow a fiction but i don't think it totally is. i lived in a generalisation which i thought half-blood or westerners would always be ones though they live the eastern life since the very first time. but hell no, Elisa is different. she really gets along with Indonesian culture.

she is also an innocent that drives me mad when she's being left behind by her Javanese boyfriend, Sukoharjito, a president's aide, her first love. she's freaking in love with him even though Jito has cheated on her and is gonna marry to another girl because she's pregnant.

wow, could you imagine how fool Elisa is?

my favorite part is indeed not about Elisa and Sukoharjito. the story also tells about her "uncle" which turns out that he might be her inborn father. i love her efforts when looking for and encouraging him. when Elisa finally visits him in Surabaya and see his ill condition. when he doesn't even want to look her in the eyes in the first place. when he doesn't want to get treatment. when as the day goes by, he shows better progress because he eventually wants to be treated in hospital. when he moves to Jakarta. he's like the only reason that makes Elisa wants to survive after all that happens with Jito.

unfortunately, she's technically not that strong from the beginning. she gives up in the end, she chooses to leave Indonesia. even though she wants to be held back by her "uncle" but instead he says nothing. she no longer has reasons to stay.

to conclude, this novel illustrates how difficult it is to be an Indo since everyone looks down on you. the difficulties that you face when you choose to date an indigenous guy as your first love. they all make you weak althought you have one reason to keep your head high. afterall, you have no option but give up.

to be honest, the story is flat for me. it doesn't have a climax that affects my feeling. but, there are some lines on it that is touching, that results a goosebump in me. therefore, i don't regret buying it. (3/5)