#9 Kita Pernah Begitu, Dulu

Kita pernah begitu, dulu. Berseragam putih abu-abu, dibawah langit mendung dan hujan yang jatuh mengguyur jalan. Aku berbalut jaketmu, kamu berbalut pelukanku.

Ingatkah kamu? Hari itu hari Rabu. Kita basah kuyup dan akhirnya menyerah pada alam yang sedang mandi, memilih berhenti dan berteduh dibawah atap emperan toko buku. Menonton satu-satu air jatuh membentur tanah, mengaliri jalan, membentuk sungai impromptu sebelum akhirnya masuk membanjiri selokan.

Aku ingat. Ya, aku ingat kamu. Kamu dan rambutmu yang dihiasi bulir-bulir air hujan. Kamu dan buku tulis Sejarah yang tiba-tiba dikeluarkan dari ransel.

Aku mau buat perahu, begitu katamu waktu itu.

Aku tertawa. Boleh juga idemu, aku mau satu.

Kamu tersenyum, dan memberikanku satu kertas dari robekan buku Sejarahmu.

Kamu buat satu perahu. Aku buat satu perahu.

Mau dilayarkan dimana? tanyaku.

Lihat saja. Katamu, lalu membungkuk dan meletakkan perahu buatanmu di sungai impromptu dekat tempat kita berteduh. Perahumu bergerak menunggangi arus.

Aku berjongkok disampingmu dan melayarkan perahuku diatas sungai impromptu. Aku menatapmu, kamu menatapku. Kita tertawa. Hujan belum reda juga.

Dan dua perahu kertas, berlayar tanpa gentar mengarungi arus deras sungai impromptu. Perahumu, dan perahuku. Perahu kita.

***

Ah, hujan selalu membuatku rindu.

Now playing: suara hujan

#8 Dibuang Sayang

November has been the toughest month of this year. So much things are happening in this one month, and I don't know if I should feel happy? Anxious? Tired? Maybe all of them.

But I won't talk about that in this post, no. I will talk about... poems. Now, this is a new area for me. Jadi gini, in one of those days of November gue tiba-tiba terpilih menjadi kontingen puisi dalam ajang perlombaan seni bertajuk UI Art War. Those of you yellow jacketers must know what that competition is. Dan ya, I was one of the kontingen (the fuck is the english of kontingen, please pardon my bilingual-ness).

It was on a whim really, I didn't even thought about applying at al at first. Tapi akibat peer pressure (???) akhirnya gue memutuskan untuk mencoba. Poem is never really my forte. Yes, I write but it's more like a short story, novelet, drabble. Never poems.

Imagine how shocked I am when I got the notification that I was choosen to be the kontingen.

So, in the process of that gue diharuskan untuk membuat dan mengirimkan beberapa puisi. And this post, is about the poems I wrote and the one I finally send in for the competition.

***

Kata Ibuku

Kata Ibuku,

Ilmu membuat seseorang terhormat

Ilmu mengangkat derajat,

Dan membuat semua tangga sosial terpanjat

Kata ibuku,

Nak, tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke negeri Cina

Kejarlah asa hingga angkasa

Tanyakan segalanya

Tanyakan tentang manusia

Tanyakan tentang dunia

Tanyakan tentang langit

Tanyakan tentang semesta

Tanyakan semua

Jangan kembali jika kau belum mengerti,

Begitu kata ibuku

Dan ketika akhirnya aku kembali

Benak sesak dengan sejuta kontemplasi

Ibu malah menatapku pedih

Dengan air mata jatuh membasahi pipi

Nak, apa yang terjadi?

Matanya berkaca ketika kuberikannya jawaban

Atas satu pertanyaan;

Siapa Tuhanmu?

Aku.

***

Kepada Yth, Bibit Penerus Bangsa

Lihat disana,

Mereka yang menyebut diri bibit penerus bangsa

Berbicara

Berorasi

Berdebat

Mereka bilang itu perjuangan

Perjuangan demi rakyat yang telah menafkahi

Tahun-tahun mereka duduk di kelas

Menuntut ilmu

Menggapai asa

Membangun ego

Lihat disana,

Mereka yang menyebut diri bibit penerus bangsa

Kini sudah dewasa

Berbicara dihadapan rakyat jelata

Mengumbar semua kecuali kerja nyata

Memuntahkan kata dengan bangga

Seolah mereka mahatahu

Dan rakyat hanyalah monyet dungu

Semua hanya demi sebuah usaha

Perlindungan ego dari benturan malu

Logika

Akuisisi

Fragmentasi

Akuntabilitas

Intervensi

Denominasi

Fluktuatif

Relatif

Inflasi

Deflasi

Tuan… kami rasanya ingin berteriak,

Kami tidak butuh kata,

Kami butuh nasi

*** 

Dia adalah Warna

Dia adalah Biru

Laut

Langit

Dan sepasang celana jeans usang di lemari

Dia Biru layaknya rindu

Dia Biru dan dia  sendu

Dia adalah Merah

Api

Mawar

Dan darah

Dia adalah Merah yang membara

Dia adalah Merah yang bergairah

Tapi dia adalah Abu-abu

Tidak merah dan tidak pula biru

Dia abu dan kelabu

Bagai mendung di hari Rabu

Dan hujan yang kemudian datang menyerbu

***

So those are the ones I wrote tapi gak dikirim. And this one is the one I finally send in (30 minutes before the deadline, yeah kids I like to live life dangerously).

***

Pesan Bumi untuk Planet Selanjutnya

Jika suatu saat nanti aku tak ada lagi,

Kawan,

Bolehkah kutitipkan padamu beban ini?

Maafkan aku yang tak lagi mampu,

Kawan,

Sesungguhnya, dan jika saja aku bisa

Urung aku membiarkanmu menanggungnya

Tak akan tega 'ku melihatmu menderita

Tapi, Kawan

Maafkan aku

Aku tak lagi mampu

Aku telah habis diperkosa ketamakan

Diinjak-injak keangkuhan

Dimutilasi ambisi

Dibakar oleh benci

Dan aku, Bumi,

Sudah tidak kuat lagi.

***

It didn't win, just as I expected. But hey, I was a newbie and it's only normal (isn't it?) But I'm proud of myself. Lagian, deklamatornya menang (YAAAAAAAYY!) He got 2nd place, isn't he just great? 

I guess that's all for this post. I'll be posting another drabble soon! Stay tune aight, Love?

xoxo

F.

#7 Puisi Dini Hari // A Poem from the Dawn

Pukul 3 pagi itu elegi

Jika tidak bagi kalian, bagiku iya

Pukul 3 pagi yang ada hanya sunyi

Memperkuat suara-suara dalam kepala yang tak henti-hentinya berbunyi

Mencoba mengaburkan garis antara kenyataan dan imaji

Pukul 3 pagi itu penuh kontemplasi
Apa kau akan bangun pukul 6 nanti lalu mandi dan menyongsong hari

Atau memilih untuk tidur lagi hingga petang menyambangi

Pukul 3 pagi aku tidak sedang bermimpi

Tapi kenapa,

Kenapa aku bisa merasakan hadirmu disini?

//

But I love you when it was 4 am

And you were lying next to me

Eyes wide open

Consumed by your thoughts

Then you looked at me

And we closed our eyes

Intertwined our hands

And in that moment, baby

I know

That I want to consume your 4 am thoughts each moment in my life

In that moment, baby, I swear that gravity is not working for me and you

In that moment

I know those eyes will be mine forever

In collaboration with the dearest babe, Soraya. 

#6 Bila dan Jika

Bila dan Jika bertemu di Semesta.

Bukan, ini bukan metafora melainkan harfiah. Bila, perempuan di usia awal 20; senyum secerah langit musim panas, mata seteduh pohon beringin belakang sekolah. Jika, lelaki di usia pertengahan 20; beraroma seperti kopi dan masa lalu, seorang barista di sebuah kedai bernama Semesta.

Saat Jika menyapa, Bila tersenyum.

Secangkir kopi mengikuti duduknya Bila di sudut Semesta. Cappuccino. Standar memang, minuman kopi campur susu dengan hiasan berbentuk daun diatasnya yang dibuat dari hasil percampuran krim dengan busa dan tangan dingin Jika. Standar. Lagipula Bila memang standar seperti itu, ini menurut Bila sendiri tentu saja.

Menurut Jika, lain lagi. Bila adalah segala hal spesial bercampur dalam bentuk seorang perempuan. Lebih spesial daripada martabak dengan 3 butir telur bebek. Lebih spesial daripada promo spesial supermarket-supermarket menjelang hari raya. Lebih spesial daripada paket ayam goreng plus nasi di restoran fastfood sebelah. Bila adalah… Bila.

Bila akan duduk di sudut itu selama berjam-jam berhadapan dengan laptopnya, sesekali mencoretkan sesuatu diatas notebook dengan cover kulit sintetis. Sesekali menyesap cappuccinonya. Sesekali mengerutkan dahi. Sesekali mengetukkan jemari diatas meja kayu. Dan sesekali memanggil Jika untuk memesan sepotong cheese cake atau pai apel.

Dan Jika, Jika hanya akan berada di tempatnya, membuatkan kopi untuk para pelanggan. Sesekali mengantarkan pesanan. Sesekali mengobrol dengan pelanggan. Sesekali menjadi kasir dadakan. Sering kali mencuri pandang kearah Bila, penasaran apa yang sedang ia lakukan dibalik laptop berlambang apel yang sudah tergigit itu.

Menuliskah ia? Membacakah ia? Menggambarkah ia?

Jika tidak pernah memiliki jawaban pasti atas pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut, karena dalam setiap kesempatan dimana ia menghampiri meja Bila dengan secangkir kopi atau sepotong cheese cake, Bila selalu menutup laptopnya seolah apa yang sedang ia kerjakan adalah tugas rahasia dari presiden.

“Terimakasih” Bila selalu berkata dengan menyum, menunggu Jika kembali ke tempatnya sebelum membuka kembali laptop berlambang apel.

Bila selalu berhasil menggelitik rasa penasaran Jika. Bila adalah misteri, tapi bukan jenis misteri yang seram seperti dalam serial Goosebumps—buku bacaan Jika saat SD dulu. Bila adalah misteri seperti edelweiss adalah misteri. Bila adalah… Bila.

***

Bila tidak tahu sejak kapan karya-karyanya berubah menjadi sebuah koleksi candid portrait seorang barista bernama aneh itu. Ya, namanya Jika. Ia tahu dari plat nama plastik yang menempel di apron si barista bernama aneh saat dia mengantarkan cappuccino pesanannya.

Orangtua macam apa yang member nama anaknya Jika?

Seperti sebuah cerita dengan ending yang menggantung, nama itu rasanya seperti mengawang-awang. Jika… Jika hujan turun? Jika matahari terbit dari barat? Jika ku mati, kau juga mati?

Jika, Jika, Jika…

Ugh, rasanya Bila ingin mengantukkan kepalanya ke dinding Semesta saja.

Dicoretkannya pensil diatas notebook dengan frustasi. Garis demi garis tertoreh membentuk wajah seseorang. Seorang pria. Seorang pria dengan apron coklat dan mata sehitam espresso.

Sial. Bila merobek kertas itu dari bukunya dan meremasnya gemas. Kenapa ia malah menggambar Jika lagi?

***

Pukul 4 sore biasanya Bila meminta bill.

Ia kemudian akan membawa bill tersebut ke kasir sebelum akhirnya melangkah keluar Semesta, meninggalkan Jika yang lagi-lagi harus puas hanya dengan mencuri pandang dari jauh kearahnya. Begitu saja, tanpa tambahan apa-apa.

Hari ini pun begitu. Bila mengangkat tangannya, memanggil waiter, meminta bill, waiter memberikan bill, Bila membaca bill itu sesaat lalu menyelipkan sejumlah uang dan membawanya ke kasir, kemudian pergi.

Dan Jika, Jika masih di tempatnya, bersiap membuatkan pesanan pelanggan baru yang datang sesaat setelah Bila pergi.

Jika sedang sibuk meracik segelas frappucino saat salah seorang rekan kerjanya mendaratkan tepukan ringan di bahunya. “Apa?” katanya.

Rekannya tidak berkata apa-apa, melainkan hanya menyerahkan sebuah kertas lecek yang terlipat jadi dua. Ia menatap Jika dengan senyum penuh arti kemudian mengarahkan dagunya ke sudut tempat Bila biasa duduk.

“Kayaknnya barista kita punya fans nih”

Jika menuangkan frappucino racikannya ke gelas saji dan mengelap tangan ke apron sebelum menerima kertas tersebut dengan perasaan aneh. Siapa yang nge-fans dengan siapa? Dibukanya lipatan kertas dengan hati-hati, seolah ia sedang membuka gulungan sejarah peninggalan kerajaan zaman dulu.

Apa yang tertoreh diatas kertas itu berhasil menghapus perasaan anehnya tadi dan menggantinya dengan sebuah senyuman lebar di wajah. Masa bodoh kalau ia dianggap gila oleh rekannya maupun pelanggan yang sedang menunggu minuman mereka diracik olehnya karena dirinya yang tiba-tiba tersenyum seperti itu.

Satu-satunya yang ia pedulikan sekarang hanyalah coretan pensil yang membentuk wajahnya diatas kertas lecek tersebut. Dan Bila.

***

Bila tidak pernah merasa mencari apapun, tapi ia mendapati dirinya menemukan.

Jika tidak pernah merasa dirinya menemukan apapun, dan kini ia mendapati dirinya mencari.

#5 Don't Talk to Strangers on The Internet

Your mother used to tell you that you shouldn’t talk to strangers on the internet for he might be a 40 year old bald man who intended to kidnap you and tie you on a chair inside his dark cramped basement somewhere only God knows. For she might be a lesbian pedophile whose only purpose is drive her way into your body and stain you with her sin. For they might be a predator that would (and could) eat you up alive.

But, does your mother ever told you about this one? The one whose words feel more calming than the smell of rain on a lazy Sunday morning. The one whose words taste like ice cream on a hot summer days. The one whose words would echoes inside your head like a broken record playing on repeat (you’d remember every single damn of letters and punctuation they used on it, oh boy, you would). The one whose words you knew would slice your heart open when they leave but you also knew that you wouldn’t mind the bleeding and the numbing pain you’d feel.

I love you.

It’ll feel real, fuck it’ll feel so damn real. It’s as if you could clearly hear their voice whispering those words on your ear with their sleepy voice every morning. It’s as if they’re here, lying on the vacant side of your bed, arms wrapped around your waist, face nestled on the crook of your neck, and lips slightly brushed on your skin making your heart beats 10 times faster than its usual tempo. It’s as if you could feel their skin just right on your fingertips.

It’s as if they’re here.

Except they’re not. I love you.  No, the words doesn’t roll down their tongue coated in their sleepy voice greeting you the same way the sun greets the earth every morning. Instead it came on a form of digitally transmitted electromagnetic signal that is a plain Arial on your dimly lit phone screen. They’re not here. They won’t ever be here.

I love you too, but I wish I don’t.

Your mother used to tell you that you shouldn’t talk to strangers on the internet for they might be dangerous in every logical reason there is. But what she didn’t tell you is that they could make you fall deep in love with them in every illogical reason there is. And that, my dear, is far more dangerous than those things she used to tell you.

Reader's Guide: My K-Pop Fanfict Recommendation (part 1)

Hello reader fella!

This time I'm going to talk about one of my biggest interest in life since 3 years ago. yep, it's K-Pop. You know, those pretty boys and girls that sing and dance and act in a tear-jerking dramas and also do foolish things on a variety show. Yep. 

But, this post isn't about how the trend and culture of K-Pop itself. It's about one of the most essential part of being a fan of K-Pop idols (or any kind of idols actually). It's about fanfiction. 

Well, the thing about me is... I'm a hardcore reader. Like, ever since I was a kid I love reading everything I could get in sight. A brochure, my father's newspaper, my mother's old collection of Enid Blyton's series, even the boring stories about perang kemerdekaan on my history textbook. Growing up, I started to read various novels with various genres. I remember to have finished reading one of Dan Brown's novel (I forgot which one, was it Da Vinci Code? Was it The Lost Symbol?) only in one day. I was like 11 at that time, lol talking about nerdies.

And with that, when I joined this cult of K-Popus Fangirlismus, the fanfictions has become my biggest interest. I spend a lot (A LOT) of times browsing the net to look for the best fanfic every fandoms can offer, and God do they have amazing authors with amazing works. I even dare to say that those authors are even better than some of a cliche teenlit novels author whose book you could easily find on some popular bookstores.

And this is it. I've summarized a few of those fanfictions that are read worthy and not the usual 'oppa unnie saranghaeyo. omona waeyo? Arasseo' fanfictions (bleh, I cringed so hard writing those words). So... enjoy!

(Disclaimer: This isn't in a particular order, okay. I'll just write whatever title that comes into my mind first. And this will not be based on any particular fandoms too. Might contain BoyxBoy act)

1. Prayer For The Impossible by chasingbreaths

Genre: angst, romance

Cast: Bang Yongguk and Kim Himchan (B.A.P)

Angst is my favorite genre and this fanfic will always be on the top of my list. Quick summary: Himchan is a broken and sick artist while Yongguk is the one who destined to take his life. They fell in love. And you know the rest.

So fucking heart-wrenching, is what I could say. I read this fic on one summer night, it was almost 2 AM and I sobbed hard on the last few chapters. Like, seriously. Aside from the fact that its pairing was my two ultimate bias (Yasss BangHim shipper here yow!), the plot and storyline is just... too much to handle without tears. Just a glimpse of the story:

Unfortunately though, it seems like the author has deleted the entire story so I can't give you the link to the full story :( Author-nim, I'm still hoping that you would repost this...

2. Der Marchenclub by pinboo
Genre: thriller, suspense, angst
Cast: Super Junior and SNSD (Main)

It'd be a sin if I don't put this great masterpiece on this list. This is what I call: MINDBLOWING. I read this when I first entered the cult of K-Popus Fangirlismus, thus I didn't really have any particular fandom yet. I just browse mindlessly through asianfanfics and apparentlyl I had stumbled upon this masterpiece.

What can I say? The author has succesfully twist those fairytale we used  to know as a kid to some sick, maddening, emotionally-draining thriller plot. Death and blood would be everywhere, those characters you thought is an angels might be the actual lucifers, and those you think you could trust... might be plotting your death by now (MUAHAHAHA).

I don't even like Super Junior nor SNSD, let alone ship them but... this fic is definiteley a most read.

3. Flavors by Scheherazade

Genre: Slice of life

Cast: Jang Hyunseung (BEAST), OC

Sweet would be the only word fit to describe this fic. The words are enchantingly beautiful and as the title was saying, this fanfic would bring you to a journey of a thousand explosions of flavor. From the flavor of Peppermint Dewdrop, Anise Sunflower, Kaffir Velveteen, to the flavor of Numb.

You know, I kinda have a trust issue of fanfic that involves Bias x OC pairing because

it basically filled with cliche trash and shits. But this one completely changes my bad impression about the OC fanfictions. I love the way the author write the OC. Like, she was fragile, but not. She seems like insane, but not. She looks like she's in love with him, but not. She's simple but also at the same time has the most complex character in the story.

4. THIN AIR by asweetdepravity

Genre: angst, romance, a bit of fluff, and more angst

Cast: Choi Seunghyun (T.O.P) and Kwon Jiyong (G-Dragon)

I don't ship GTOP. I don't ship GTOP. I don't ship GTOP

But I think I might just change my mind after reading this fic.

Or maybe I just got a thing for broken people.

Quick summary: amnesia, terminal illness, broken Jiyong, equally messed-up Seunghyun.

Did I summed everything up?

5. Chopin's Embrace by elisaexplosive
Genre: angst, slice of life, mystery, thriller
Cast: Random idols

Beautifully thrilling. Ooh, I got goosebumps from reading this in the middle of the night. This story is a collection of connected one shots. But what is the connection? Well... Suicide. On the first chapter you got this bullied lesbian, played by Amber, who's in love with her bully. On The second chapter you'll get Zelo as the anxious teenager who's stalked by a mysterious middle-aged man (creeeeepy), the next you'll find the lonely Bom and many more. But well, as stated above, this is a thriller fanfic so don't expect that the characters will live happily ever after.

Maybe they will. I don't know. They're all died from suicide, right? Who knows.

6. SCANDAL by kpoponly
Genre: angst, angst, AAAAAANGST, a bit fluff
Cast: G-Dragon & Taeyeon (Main), Kiko Mizuhara, Leeteuk, Suju, SNSD, YGFam, Nuthang (Minor)

Never thought I'd put this fic on the list, though. I don't even know there are people who ships this two. Like... Can you imagine? G-Dragon and Taeyeon? Exactly. But that is exactly what triggers my curiousity towards this fic. To be very honest, I was kinda skeptical at first. You know, just like the OC fanifc, I also have trust issue about this crackpair fanfic. But, well, I thought there's no harm in reading a few chapters right?

And damn, I was wrong. Past the third chapter, I was already sold. I love how the writer describes G-Dragon's character as if it is the real him. The real Kwon Jiyong with all his cockiness, fluff, hopeles-romanticism, and shits (I don't know how's the real Kwon Jiyong is, but that's just the vibe I got from him so yeah. Subjective). And don't forget the fragile-and-sometimes-annoying-but-adorable Taeyeon. This is what I call imperfectly perfect. And oh, how can I left out Kiko, my dear Kiko Mizuhara? Wild and broken Kiko... God, I love how the author potrayed her. The plot, maaaann the plot is so thick with drama with just enough amount of fluff to balance the angst.

This fic is an absolute emotional roller coaster. Put on your seatbelt, and just enjoy.

1.

 2.

3.

(Lol, I even put three screencaps. That shows you how much I love this fic. I'm so biased /facepalm)

7. Grey by jongbuttbutt

Genre: Angst (maybe?), implicit smut
Cast: Bang Yongguk (B.A.P) and Kim Himchan (B.A.P)

This fic, has successfully illustrated its title. It is grey. The relationship between the character is grey. The character itself is grey. What is Himchan? Is he human? Is he angel? But angel didn't come to this part of town...

(And even the smut scene is 'grey' lol)

Overall I like the vague-ness of this one shot. It's like you're trying to read through a thick fog, if that's even possible. I like how the author wrote down every words, thumbs up for that.

Yeah, so I guess that's all for now. I'll update when I find another read-worthy fanfics. I hope you enjoy this recommendation, and don't be shy to drop any of your recommendation here if you happen to have one. See you another time!

xoxo

F.

[BOOK REVIEW] All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Another book review, yaaaaayyy!

Now this is my new baby that has just been added to my preshus collection of babies (re: books! Don’t panic, I don’t collect literal babies) very recently. And this baby is quite fat, it weighed 530 pages to be exact but that’s not really a problem for me though because I’m a fast reader, kinda.

So, first the thing that captured my attention was the little badge on the cover that says: “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction 2015”. And I thought, wow this must be some awesome sh---udgecake. And for that, I was sold.

Long story short, this book is about a blind girl and an orphan and a magical-slash-cursed diamond called Sea of Flames. It was set during the world war 2 in the city of Paris, Saint Malo, and Zollverein, Essen. The blind girl, whose name was Marie-Laure, has a father who worked at the National Museum of Paris as a locksmith. During the attack of Nazi, Marie-Laure and her father ran away from Paris to her great-uncle house in Saint Malo. Without the knowledge of Marie, her father has smuggled (or rather, been told to smuggle) the extremely rare yet beautiful but cursed diamond called the Sea of Flames. It is said that whoever carry the Sea of Flames with them will live forever, but the people around them will stumble upon a very very bad luck. (Marie Laure did stumble upon a strings of bad lucks because in the story she’s the one who practically carried the diamond, though)

On the other hand, the orphan whose name was Werner Pfennig is a genius with radio. Live in a place called Zollverein , he was destined to work as a coal miner for the rest of his life. That is until he and his sister, Jutta, found a broken radio that fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of Hitler Youth.

The rest is how the two found each other in the most peculiar, twisted, beautiful, surprising way. You’ve got to read them yourself, seriously!

Doerr is awesome (with capital A) at storytelling. He was very, very, very, very descriptive, detailed and… I don’t know, visual? The way he describes the city of Saint Malo, the miniature that Marie-Laure’s father build for her, how the siege happen on Saint Malo, how he describes the Sea of Flames seems very visual to me. I can almost smell the scent of sea every time Marie Laure goes to the beach near  her great-uncle’s—Etienne, the name’s Etienne—mansion. The furnished model of the city of Paris and Saint Malo, and the beautiful yet cursed Sea of Flames.  Every word sways me and has successfully brought me out of my quiet bedroom to the world of Marie Laure and Werner Pfennig.

The plot is also awesome. It was rather confuseing at first because, Doerr wrote it back and forth from Marie Laure’s perspective, to Werner’s perspective,  from the year of 1944, then goes back to 1934, then leaped to the year of 1954, and going back again to 1944, and so on until in the end it finally reached the year of 2014. He was basically trying to give us hints about how will Marie Laure and Werner meet through those leaping of time settings. And when they finally met, you will not be spoiled with a usual dramatic sappy meetings of a boy and girl in a romance novel. They meet in an unusual circumstances, unusual time, unusual place (kinda), and unusual situations. Even though the meeting was short (underlined the word SHORT), but it was… memorable. At least for me. And Marie Laure. And Werner. Doerr wrote it very swiftly and just the right amount of a supposed-to-be romance.

The ending… well, this is a big spoiler ahead. Werner died. Marie Laure got back to Paris with Etienne, and grow old peacefully.

And the diamond, you ask? Well… it was back to where it belong. To the earth. Waiting for another (lucky? Unlucky?) person to find it again and meet their fate. 

***

Title: All The Light We Cannot See

Author: Anthony Doerr

Publisher: Fourth Estate, London

Page Count: 530 pages

Score

Storyline: 4.5/5

Diction: 5/5

Cover: 4/5

Overall: 4.5/5