Potions and Paper Cranes: a bunch of bad things happen to a bunch of unlikeable people

June 12, 2019June 12, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 2 Comments

Potions and Paper Cranes, Lan Fang, 2013

Indonesia, #21
Kindle edition, $10
Read August 2017
Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: an additional perspective on race and gender in World War II-era Indonesia (but only if you’ve already read everything else)

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Daughters of Papua: Life’s a bitch. You know the rest.

May 6, 2019April 28, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 3 Comments

Daughters of Papua, Anindita S. Thayf, 2009

Indonesia, #18
Borrowed from SF public library (via Link+)
Read August 2017
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended for: People who found Bambi just a bit too lighthearted

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The Birth of I La Galigo: Intense pregnancy cravings, eggs of unknown provenance

April 25, 2019June 13, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ Leave a comment

The Birth of I La Galigo: A poem inspired by the Bugis legend of the same name, Mohamad Salim, Sapardi Djoko Damono, and John H. McGlynn

Indonesia, #17
Borrowed from SF library (interlibrary loan)
Read August 2017
Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: lazy folklorists

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A Very Sleep-deprived Assessment of “The Rainbow Troops,” or, Adventures in Toddler Jet Lag

March 23, 2019March 23, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 9 Comments

The Rainbow Troops, Andrea Hirata, 2005

Indonesia, #16
Kindle edition, $10.00 from Amazon
Read July 2017
Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Bad news bears

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The Original Dream: A very inaccurate synopsis

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 3 Comments

The Original Dream, Nukila Amal, 2003, translated by Linda Owens, 2017

Indonesia, #15
Kindle edition, $1.99 from Amazon
Read July 2017
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended for: hot messes

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Beauty is a Wound

February 19, 2019April 28, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 3 Comments

Beauty is a Wound, Eka Kurniawan, 2002

Indonesia, #14
Borrowed from SF library
Read August 2017
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended for: Anyone longing for a 100 Years of Solitude update written by Chuck Palahniuk
Content warning (after the jump): sexual assault

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Earth Dance

November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ Leave a comment

Earth Dance, Oka Rusmini, 2000 (translated by Rani Amboyo & Thomas M. Hunter)

Indonesia, #13
Borrowed from SF library (interlibrary loan from UC Riverside)
Read July 2017
Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: scheming social-climbers and their hapless daughters

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Saman: A very inaccurate synopsis

September 14, 2018September 17, 2018 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 4 Comments

Saman, Ayu Utami, 1998

Indonesia, #12
Kindle, $5 on Amazon.com
Read: June 2017
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended for: I don’t even know

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The Weaverbirds: Eyes are not like guns OR nipples, pick another metaphor please

August 1, 2018April 28, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 3 Comments

The Weaverbirds, Y.B. Mangunwijaya, 1981

Indonesia, #10
Kindle, $10 on Amazon.com
Read June 2017
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended for: boring people

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This Earth of Mankind: That’s enough, thanks

July 16, 2018January 8, 2019 ~ Kelly Dunagan ~ 2 Comments

This Earth of Mankind, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 1975

Indonesia, #9
Paperback (received as a gift)
Read May 2017
Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: guys who think #metoo is just a witch hunt

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