Laut Bercerta

Author: Leila S. Chudori

Category: Fiction, literature

Language: Indonesian

Publication Year: 2017

Pages: 380

Description:

In a twilight at an apartment in Jakarta, a student named Biru Laut is ambushed by four unknown men. Along with his friends, Daniel Tumbuan, Sunu Dyantoro, and Alex Perazon, he is taken to an undisclosed location. For months, they are held captive, interrogated, beaten, kicked, hung, and electrocuted to force them to answer one crucial question: who is behind the activist and student movements at that time?

Jakarta, June 1998

As usual, on Sunday afternoons, the Arya Wibisono family cooks together, preparing Biru Laut's favorite dishes. The father sets a plate for himself, one for the mother, one for Biru Laut, and one for the youngest, Asmara Jati. They sit and wait. But Biru Laut never shows up.

Jakarta, 2000

Asmara Jati, Biru Laut's younger sibling, along with the Missing Persons Commission Team led by Aswin Pradana, attempts to trace the missing and record and study the testimonies of those who have returned. Anjani, Laut's lover, along with the parents and spouses of the missing activists, demand answers about their loved ones. Meanwhile, Biru Laut, from the silent depths of the sea, tells us and the world what happened to him and his friends.

"Laut Bercerita," the latest novel by Leila S. Chudori, narrates the story of a family in loss, a group of friends feeling emptiness in their hearts, people who revel in torture and betrayal, families seeking clarity about their children, and a love that will never fade.

Personal Notes:

A must-read book for Indonesian youth, to understand the nation history that is still in grey area.