Cerita-Cerita Jakarta by Maesy Ang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

B217AN. (2.o/5.0)
A predictable and common story which happens in a big city. Everything in it; a conciliation before a wedding, underground life, sex, alcohol, etc are just what we could expect from what Jakarta’s life would offer.

Aroma Terasi (5.0/5.0)
This is a bitter yet funny short story. Love it! It’s about how complicated a bureaucracy in Indonesia could be. The writer tell us a fresh story from a Chinese-Indonesian perspective. I don’t know if the writer actually wanted to point out about the racism or not, it’s not really reflected. But, is it only me or actually the writer wanted to associate the bad odor from “terasi” to the bureaucracy? 😀

Masalah. (2.5/5.0)
At the beginning I was too confuse reading the story that I didn’t even try to understand the background story. The writer keeps changing the point of view, from 3rd person, to Yuli’s inner thought and to another thoughts that tops it. Unfortunately, it buries the main message that the writer wants to talk about; Jakarta and its protests.

Buyan. (5.0/5.0)
OMG, this is so far my favorite! The writer create a dystopian Jakarta where half of it already drawn by the flood (well, it could be real thing, if we don’t to anything now). I laughed so hard to the references they put in it; Kejar, Avi Rahmat. LOL!

Rahasia dari Kramat Tunggak. (3.5/5.0)
Nothing special here. Just like an ordinary story from Jakarta Underground.

Anak-Anak Dewasa. (3.5/5.0)
Wait, is it only me who thought they’d do the suicide in Istana Boneka in the first place, instead of Hysteria? Did i skip something? Btw, I personally never like a suicide story. It cringes me a lot.

Haji Syiah. (5.0/5.0)
Funny at the beginning yet so bitter at the end. 😦

Matahari Tenggelam di Utara. (5.0/5.0)
The lost of relationship between bestfriend due to 1998 racism crisis in Jakarta. It’s sad, but I think it’s the truest story amongst the other.

Pengakuan Teater Palsu. (1.5/5.0)
I don’t like philosophy-based story. Sorry, It’s just not my type.

Suatu Hari Dalam Kehidupan Warga Depok yang Pergi ke Jakarta. (5.0/5.0)
I like this kind of “A Day in A Life” story. Also, it mentioned my fav Greek restaurant in Setiabudi building that has closed permanently now 😦

Some stories are funny, some are too weird, but most can be relate to me as a Jakartan myself. It also works as a reminder that the life in Jakarta are so wide, complicated and deep which sometimes we forgot as we’re too focus on our daily routine in the middle of our own version of Jakarta.

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