Reading Experience of Eka Kurniawan's Works

First time I knew author Eka Kurniawan was because his neon green cover of Seperti Dendam Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash) on the newest released shelves in a popular bookstore. I simply told my sister, "buy this, this looks cool and sounds interesting". but I myself didn't have any interest to read it by myself. 

Long story short, one day my sister told me to read his other work that is Cantik itu Luka (Beauty is a Wound). She said it was amazing. I responded "oh" and thought well maybe later. Until one day, my book club suddenly changed the topic of our conversation to Cantik itu Luka and I was the one who knew nothing and felt dumbfounded. I immediately determined to read the book and wow that was a quite novel. 

Cantik itu Luka is mystical tragedy and fantastic story about a family's interconnected history. As many other feel about the book, I also think it's a brilliant idea in the he puts the characterization to each characters. The story is so detailed and nicely elaborated. Honestly, when I read the book, it took me to a feeling of watching a documentary movie. But the most perfect thing that Eka does in this book is his brilliant the very first and very last lines that left me in awe. However there's one thing that I still can't figure out from the story, why the hell Anjing is invisible? I hope somebody can tell me the answer. 

Then on the spur of moment, I was scrolling on my twitter timeline and I saw Eka's announcement about him releasing a new "book" called Sumur. At first, I didn't really mind it. I just thought, well maybe later (do you get déjà vu?). But as I kept coming back to my Twitter, the author is so active promoting his new signed book. I couldn't resist it then I gave up and checked out the order. 

More than two weeks of waiting and voila it came. The book is small and thin. Sumur is about a romance short-story between an innocent boy and girl who live in a drought village. There's only one sumur (well) that's still provide them the water to live but it's located up on the hill. It leads to a misadventure between two men (the girl's father and the boy's father) that takes one of the men's life. Since then, the boy and the girl are no longer befriended anymore. They still meet each other while filling their basket from the well but everything changes completely.

It's plain but hurtful to read the short story. It's plausible and so engaging. I think a lot of people who happen to experience such condition would be able to easily connect with the story. It's just true that it makes me sad. But again, I'm again wondering.. why do the wife and the husband must die together? 

Gosh, I wish I can ask the author directly. 

I think it's a gift for us to have such a wild and creative author in this country. Eka Kurniawan isn't the only brilliant author in this country. His work is daring, witty and interconnected between the fantasy and real life which will drag you further to his mind. You should try to read his work to feel the sensation. And again, he's just one of the great authors in Indonesia. I think my people, including me, should appreciate and support more our local authors.

Okay, I'm going back to my to-be-read stack which one of them now is that neon green book.