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The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree
Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942.
Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades—and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.
When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.
Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades—and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.
When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
August 14, 2023
The first thing that got my attention was the title, especially the rambutan word. Well I'd say it again as an Indonesian, who doesn't know what this words mean? Yes so it's definitely an Indonesian word, more specific it's a type of fruit that only exist in tropics country. My country, Indonesia for example. This rambutan word is also used in Malaysia. So far that's what I know. Alright let's get back to the book. After this amazing title, I can't hold to not read the synopsis and yess It got me even more excited after knowing that this book sets in Batavia, (known as Jakarta in this modern era) 1942. I couldn't help myself, the independent day of Indonesia is 1945 and with that being said, I knew well what's this book focusing on!!
So a quick information for y'all, Indonesia was known as Dutch East Indies and was occupied by The Dutch Empire during World War II for hundred of years until Japan came in 1942 and they offered to liberate Indonesia from the Dutch Empire, but they did that only to catch the attention of Indonesian people. Afterwards they did things that are so much worse and horrible. Japan finally surrendered in 1945, which means they occupied Indonesia for around 3 years.
Okayy so we have here, Emmeline Abendanon or shortly Emmy. An eleven years old dutch girl lives in Batavia with her parents, Ibu Lia, her maid and Bakti as Lia's son. Emmy grew up as a smart, brave, and passionate girl, She's a little bit stubborn but that's very normal and that's what makes her strong. Emmy lives happily with all what she has until that day when Japan invaded. Everything has changed. She's sent by the Japanese soldiers to a camp refugee where all children and women were being put in. A lot of things happened in that camp and the worst thing is they separated her from her father. Determined to escape and to find where her father and all that she loves could be, Emmy with all her genius brain has done many things that a little girl is impossible to do. Eager to know what will happen?? You'll find out in this book!!
Okay everyone 😭 I think I haven't given my thoughts about this book, have I? Oh my god I couldn't stop writing about what happened in that book argh.. alright alright let's start here.. so with no doubt I gave this book unlimited stars 🌟 5 or 10 is definitely not enough to describe how incredible this book is. I loved everything about this book. After studying the history of my country during the war time with Dutch and Japan, never once I know that Japanese have a specific camp for torturing women and children in my country, or probably it's me who missed the information but anyway I found out about that in this book. Thanks to the author for giving the best information. And I never once thought to get to know how was life for European in Indonesia during the Japanese empire been there and now I got to know that from the dutch themselves. Yes you probably wondering, this story of Emmy is based on true story from a dutch girl who shared her life story during living in Indonesia that time. And now you know that this what made the book more intriguing. The writing itself is wonderful, everything about this book is masterpiece 😍
Definitely recommend this book to every readers but watch out for the triggers I'm going to say them :
violence, war plane sounds, disgusting foods (it happened on the camp anyway so don't let it bothering you).
Lastly, thanks to the author for creating this masterpiece and Netgalley for the copy of this book.
So a quick information for y'all, Indonesia was known as Dutch East Indies and was occupied by The Dutch Empire during World War II for hundred of years until Japan came in 1942 and they offered to liberate Indonesia from the Dutch Empire, but they did that only to catch the attention of Indonesian people. Afterwards they did things that are so much worse and horrible. Japan finally surrendered in 1945, which means they occupied Indonesia for around 3 years.
Okayy so we have here, Emmeline Abendanon or shortly Emmy. An eleven years old dutch girl lives in Batavia with her parents, Ibu Lia, her maid and Bakti as Lia's son. Emmy grew up as a smart, brave, and passionate girl, She's a little bit stubborn but that's very normal and that's what makes her strong. Emmy lives happily with all what she has until that day when Japan invaded. Everything has changed. She's sent by the Japanese soldiers to a camp refugee where all children and women were being put in. A lot of things happened in that camp and the worst thing is they separated her from her father. Determined to escape and to find where her father and all that she loves could be, Emmy with all her genius brain has done many things that a little girl is impossible to do. Eager to know what will happen?? You'll find out in this book!!
Okay everyone 😭 I think I haven't given my thoughts about this book, have I? Oh my god I couldn't stop writing about what happened in that book argh.. alright alright let's start here.. so with no doubt I gave this book unlimited stars 🌟 5 or 10 is definitely not enough to describe how incredible this book is. I loved everything about this book. After studying the history of my country during the war time with Dutch and Japan, never once I know that Japanese have a specific camp for torturing women and children in my country, or probably it's me who missed the information but anyway I found out about that in this book. Thanks to the author for giving the best information. And I never once thought to get to know how was life for European in Indonesia during the Japanese empire been there and now I got to know that from the dutch themselves. Yes you probably wondering, this story of Emmy is based on true story from a dutch girl who shared her life story during living in Indonesia that time. And now you know that this what made the book more intriguing. The writing itself is wonderful, everything about this book is masterpiece 😍
Definitely recommend this book to every readers but watch out for the triggers I'm going to say them :
violence, war plane sounds, disgusting foods (it happened on the camp anyway so don't let it bothering you).
Lastly, thanks to the author for creating this masterpiece and Netgalley for the copy of this book.
January 3, 2024
Thank you the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree!
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🇸🇬 want to learn more about history
🎶 love to sing
💥 are interested in WWII
📦 have ever had to move
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942.
Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades―and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.
When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such an incredible and inspiring story about something that I never really knew about before. I’ve read a lot of WWII stories but most of them involve Europe rather than Asia, so this was a really eye opening read for me. Written through the eyes of a young girl, this story is perfect for younger kids who want to learn more about WWII and this history. While a bit dark at a times, I think it’s important that this kind of stuff isn’t forgotten about.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🇸🇬 want to learn more about history
🎶 love to sing
💥 are interested in WWII
📦 have ever had to move
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942.
Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades―and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.
When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such an incredible and inspiring story about something that I never really knew about before. I’ve read a lot of WWII stories but most of them involve Europe rather than Asia, so this was a really eye opening read for me. Written through the eyes of a young girl, this story is perfect for younger kids who want to learn more about WWII and this history. While a bit dark at a times, I think it’s important that this kind of stuff isn’t forgotten about.
August 25, 2023
Initially, the title and cover caught my attention, but this turned out to be a very powerful, moving, heartfelt story.
This is a very well-written middle grade historical fiction book. The prose is very lush, rich, and descriptive. I was fully immersed in this time period and the location/setting. I felt like I had been transported to Batavia and experienced the harrowing conditions of the internment camp. However, I did feel like there was a bit of a modern lens on this story. It really came through some of the dialogue of the children. They sounded like today’s conversations and responses, not from someone in the 1940s. (For example, there’s a conversation about speaking my truth/your truth. That is VERY 2023 and not of that time period!) That really pulled me out of the story at times. I questioned some of the wording and phrases used because they sounded too much like today's culture. It also felt a little preachy at times, like it was written from an activist’s angle, which was a turnoff for me.
But otherwise, I really enjoyed the story. It was compelling and engaging. The pacing was great. I never got bored. There were enough “action” sequences and interesting scenarios that kept me turning the page and wanting to know what happened next. It was also interesting to see the war through the eyes of children. I liked the perspective and voice this story took. We see the innocence and naivety of the main character. She doesn't understand what is happening and why. It helped build compassion and empathy toward her.
All the characters had their own unique voice and personality. They were all likable (or unlikable), and we got character growth and development throughout the story, which I always appreciate reading at the end. I like to see a character change from the beginning to the end, and we got that in a few of the characters. I also enjoyed the found family element that we got from some of the characters as they bonded closer in the camp. It was really sweet how they looked out for each other and helped one another during their time there. But there were also a lot of heartbreaking moments, which made me tear up. It’s an emotional read, and I had to be in a certain mindset to read it.
This point in history is always hard to read about, but we get some amazing stories of courage, bravery, and love. It’s inspiring to read how these prisoners survived, mostly by their sheer will to live and see their freedom again. The conditions they had to endure were unfathomable and horrific. I didn’t know much about what happened in that part of the world during that time period, so I felt like I learned a lot from this story. We always hear about the German/European concentration camps, but not really anywhere else. This was definitely an eye-opener of what went on in today's Indonesia.
Definitely read the author’s note at the end for some very interesting information because this is a work of fiction based on real life. I loved how the author told us which parts were real and which parts she fictionalized. There is also a section with some historical information, which helps to understand the story better. There were some definite surprises in these notes that I enjoyed reading at the end.
Absolutely worth the read, especially for middle graders, as they learn about WWII.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
This is a very well-written middle grade historical fiction book. The prose is very lush, rich, and descriptive. I was fully immersed in this time period and the location/setting. I felt like I had been transported to Batavia and experienced the harrowing conditions of the internment camp. However, I did feel like there was a bit of a modern lens on this story. It really came through some of the dialogue of the children. They sounded like today’s conversations and responses, not from someone in the 1940s. (For example, there’s a conversation about speaking my truth/your truth. That is VERY 2023 and not of that time period!) That really pulled me out of the story at times. I questioned some of the wording and phrases used because they sounded too much like today's culture. It also felt a little preachy at times, like it was written from an activist’s angle, which was a turnoff for me.
But otherwise, I really enjoyed the story. It was compelling and engaging. The pacing was great. I never got bored. There were enough “action” sequences and interesting scenarios that kept me turning the page and wanting to know what happened next. It was also interesting to see the war through the eyes of children. I liked the perspective and voice this story took. We see the innocence and naivety of the main character. She doesn't understand what is happening and why. It helped build compassion and empathy toward her.
All the characters had their own unique voice and personality. They were all likable (or unlikable), and we got character growth and development throughout the story, which I always appreciate reading at the end. I like to see a character change from the beginning to the end, and we got that in a few of the characters. I also enjoyed the found family element that we got from some of the characters as they bonded closer in the camp. It was really sweet how they looked out for each other and helped one another during their time there. But there were also a lot of heartbreaking moments, which made me tear up. It’s an emotional read, and I had to be in a certain mindset to read it.
This point in history is always hard to read about, but we get some amazing stories of courage, bravery, and love. It’s inspiring to read how these prisoners survived, mostly by their sheer will to live and see their freedom again. The conditions they had to endure were unfathomable and horrific. I didn’t know much about what happened in that part of the world during that time period, so I felt like I learned a lot from this story. We always hear about the German/European concentration camps, but not really anywhere else. This was definitely an eye-opener of what went on in today's Indonesia.
Definitely read the author’s note at the end for some very interesting information because this is a work of fiction based on real life. I loved how the author told us which parts were real and which parts she fictionalized. There is also a section with some historical information, which helps to understand the story better. There were some definite surprises in these notes that I enjoyed reading at the end.
Absolutely worth the read, especially for middle graders, as they learn about WWII.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
January 21, 2024
I was initially drawn to this story because I don't think I've ever read a book set in Indonesia during World War II. I was hooked from the beginning. This is excellent historical fiction. The author based this book on her grandmother's experiences during the war, and you could feel the love and admiration she holds for her throughout the story. Emmy is an amazing protagonist. So strong and courageous. This book is a great example of how we can become our best selves when everything is stripped away from us. She goes through so much in this book, but it never breaks her.
I loved the relationships in this story. The found family in the concentration camp is one of the best things about this book. The way they all help each other was beautiful. I also adore Bakti and Emmy's friendship, and the frenemies to best friends relationship between Emily and Violet. They were all incredibly inspiring and gave me hope that most people are good and that the good can shine through in the darkest of places. I think this is why I'm so drawn to stories written in this period - I need to see that goodness, courage, and bravery.
This is one of those books that you will not be able to put down. The writing is lush and compelling, and you're going to want to read "just one more chapter" until suddenly you look up and you are not in Batavia, but your own home, and oops, you read the whole book in one sitting. This is a middle-grade story, but it has universal appeal. I think it would make an excellent read-aloud.
Because there are some very harrowing moments, I'd recommend this one for ages 10+
Thank you so much to publisher Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the relationships in this story. The found family in the concentration camp is one of the best things about this book. The way they all help each other was beautiful. I also adore Bakti and Emmy's friendship, and the frenemies to best friends relationship between Emily and Violet. They were all incredibly inspiring and gave me hope that most people are good and that the good can shine through in the darkest of places. I think this is why I'm so drawn to stories written in this period - I need to see that goodness, courage, and bravery.
This is one of those books that you will not be able to put down. The writing is lush and compelling, and you're going to want to read "just one more chapter" until suddenly you look up and you are not in Batavia, but your own home, and oops, you read the whole book in one sitting. This is a middle-grade story, but it has universal appeal. I think it would make an excellent read-aloud.
Because there are some very harrowing moments, I'd recommend this one for ages 10+
Thank you so much to publisher Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2024
I will be buying this for my shelves!
WOWOW!! Recently published, Middle Grade debut “The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree” blew my expectations out of the water. This story should be part of primary school curriculums and winning kid lit book awards! ESPECIALLY since it’s strongly grounded in the author’s grandmother’s personal experiences and discusses the history of a lesser known part of the world (Java/Indonesia). Please read the author’s note at the end!!
What to expect:
- Friendships between the social classes
- Lush descriptions of the setting in Batavia and mouthwatering descriptions of dishes
- WW2 in Eastern Asia & deadly Japanese POW camps
- Parent/child relationships
- Courage in the midst of great danger & suspenseful moments
- Reclaiming identity
- “Indigenous” compared to a “local”
I won’t give much away but I think this should be required reading for everyone. Great book for discussion with older kids!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for an Advanced Reader’s E-copy. All opinions are my own.
WOWOW!! Recently published, Middle Grade debut “The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree” blew my expectations out of the water. This story should be part of primary school curriculums and winning kid lit book awards! ESPECIALLY since it’s strongly grounded in the author’s grandmother’s personal experiences and discusses the history of a lesser known part of the world (Java/Indonesia). Please read the author’s note at the end!!
What to expect:
- Friendships between the social classes
- Lush descriptions of the setting in Batavia and mouthwatering descriptions of dishes
- WW2 in Eastern Asia & deadly Japanese POW camps
- Parent/child relationships
- Courage in the midst of great danger & suspenseful moments
- Reclaiming identity
- “Indigenous” compared to a “local”
I won’t give much away but I think this should be required reading for everyone. Great book for discussion with older kids!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for an Advanced Reader’s E-copy. All opinions are my own.
February 21, 2024
Incredible story written about the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies . Based on the author’s grandmother’s life in Batavia and being interned there in a Japanese prisoner of war camp . Written from the perspective of 11-14 year old Emmy , this story is beautifully written . A page -turner that is historically accurate and gripping as well as heartfelt . I read it in one sitting !
December 9, 2023
Twelve-year-old Emmy feels right at home in Batavia, a bustling focal point of the Dutch East Indies in the 1940s. She has a strong friendship with a local boy named Bakti, and even though she stands out as a colonizer among the native Javanese, she respects the people and the culture as her own. But when World War II arrives on her doorstep and Emmy is taken to an internment camp run by the Japanese, she must summon all her courage to not only survive, but also to find her way back to the life and the people she loves.
This is a unique approach to the genre of World War II historical fiction, particularly because it takes place in the Pacific theater and focuses on one of the civilians caught in the crosshairs of a global conflict as opposed to the soldiers themselves. Japanese and Melayu words pepper the narrative, and even though Emmy primarily speaks Dutch, the bulk of the text is written in English. Local culture, flora, and fauna are frequently described within the novel, placing readers on this small island whether they have ever visited themselves or not. Detailed paragraphs bring the story to life for the reader, especially as they depict Emmy’s surroundings and experiences—both good and bad—in vivid detail.
Emmy is the primary protagonist of the story, and she speaks in the first person which gives readers insight into her myriad feelings as she undergoes her transformation. Initially a naive colonizer, Emmy begins to realize the injustices around her as she experiences many of them herself. Though she continues to be a flawed character as the narrative progresses, she has redeeming qualities that endear the reader to her. There are occasional slow moments within the narrative, but for the most part it is engaging and provides a potentially new perspective on the history of World War II for readers of all ages. This is a unique addition to historical fiction collections for middle grade readers.
This is a unique approach to the genre of World War II historical fiction, particularly because it takes place in the Pacific theater and focuses on one of the civilians caught in the crosshairs of a global conflict as opposed to the soldiers themselves. Japanese and Melayu words pepper the narrative, and even though Emmy primarily speaks Dutch, the bulk of the text is written in English. Local culture, flora, and fauna are frequently described within the novel, placing readers on this small island whether they have ever visited themselves or not. Detailed paragraphs bring the story to life for the reader, especially as they depict Emmy’s surroundings and experiences—both good and bad—in vivid detail.
Emmy is the primary protagonist of the story, and she speaks in the first person which gives readers insight into her myriad feelings as she undergoes her transformation. Initially a naive colonizer, Emmy begins to realize the injustices around her as she experiences many of them herself. Though she continues to be a flawed character as the narrative progresses, she has redeeming qualities that endear the reader to her. There are occasional slow moments within the narrative, but for the most part it is engaging and provides a potentially new perspective on the history of World War II for readers of all ages. This is a unique addition to historical fiction collections for middle grade readers.
February 5, 2024
I enjoyed reading this middle-grade historical fiction. It was a different perspective on WWII than I’ve ever read about before, and I liked that. The author did a great job of describing the setting and Emmy’s emotions so that I felt like I was in Batavia and Tjideng along with her. Emmy’s strength and loyalty were great, and I thought her character growth was done really well.
In the beginning I did find Emmy to be a bit naive and a bit annoying at times. She was so determined to get her way, but she didn’t consider the bigger picture. Throughout the story, her character experiences a role reversal as she’s locked up in Tjideng, and this gives her a new perspective to consider. She recognizes her selfish actions, and I’m glad that she got a chance to talk with Bakti and reconcile in the end.
The writing style was easy to follow along with, and though the story touches briefly upon some of the dark elements of war, it keeps it light enough that middle-grade readers won’t be too upset. There were a couple of time jumps but they were handled well and I enjoyed getting to see the end of the war and what happened to Emmy afterwards.
I also liked the author’s note at the end about her Oma Emmy and the parts of the story that were true and the parts that were fictionalized.
Thank you to Jolly Fish Press for an eARC to read via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CWs: prisoner of war, torture (starved, tied up, lashes mentioned but no explicit description), colonization, war, death of a parent
In the beginning I did find Emmy to be a bit naive and a bit annoying at times. She was so determined to get her way, but she didn’t consider the bigger picture. Throughout the story, her character experiences a role reversal as she’s locked up in Tjideng, and this gives her a new perspective to consider. She recognizes her selfish actions, and I’m glad that she got a chance to talk with Bakti and reconcile in the end.
The writing style was easy to follow along with, and though the story touches briefly upon some of the dark elements of war, it keeps it light enough that middle-grade readers won’t be too upset. There were a couple of time jumps but they were handled well and I enjoyed getting to see the end of the war and what happened to Emmy afterwards.
I also liked the author’s note at the end about her Oma Emmy and the parts of the story that were true and the parts that were fictionalized.
Thank you to Jolly Fish Press for an eARC to read via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CWs: prisoner of war, torture (starved, tied up, lashes mentioned but no explicit description), colonization, war, death of a parent
January 6, 2024
Oh, wow! This book is a stunner! I am happy to say that the first book I have finished reading in 2024 is a 5 STAR READ!
When I went on NetGalley and requested an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, I based my request solely on the title and the beautiful cover art. I didn't even read the blurb about the story! When I was approved for the ARC, I was so excited!
I have read a LOT of Historical Fiction (and Nonfiction) books that take place during World War II, but this is the first I have read that takes place in the Dutch East Indies.
The author weaved together a stunning tapestry of the beautiful country that is now Indonesia, its native residents, the Dutch colonizers, the unfair treatment towards the natives of the country, and the privilege of the colonizers. It was no wonder that the natives of Batavia fell for the lies of the Japanese, who claimed that they invaded Batavia in order to liberate, rather than dominate.
Amidst all the politics, and the ugliness of war was a naive young girl, named Emmy, her best friend Bakti, and a spoiled rich girl named Violet. Nothing could have prepared the three of them for what was to come, when Japan invaded.
If you were to ask me just one book to read this year, this one is it! The fact that this book is based on the real-life experiences of the author's grandmother only enhanced the story's appeal. (Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book.) Even though the author changed some of the details of what happened to her grandmother, she honored the beautiful spirit of her Oma Emmy. I can hardly wait for the publication date, so I can purchase a copy of this book to share with my friends!
Thank you, NetGalley, for an Advance Reader Copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
When I went on NetGalley and requested an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, I based my request solely on the title and the beautiful cover art. I didn't even read the blurb about the story! When I was approved for the ARC, I was so excited!
I have read a LOT of Historical Fiction (and Nonfiction) books that take place during World War II, but this is the first I have read that takes place in the Dutch East Indies.
The author weaved together a stunning tapestry of the beautiful country that is now Indonesia, its native residents, the Dutch colonizers, the unfair treatment towards the natives of the country, and the privilege of the colonizers. It was no wonder that the natives of Batavia fell for the lies of the Japanese, who claimed that they invaded Batavia in order to liberate, rather than dominate.
Amidst all the politics, and the ugliness of war was a naive young girl, named Emmy, her best friend Bakti, and a spoiled rich girl named Violet. Nothing could have prepared the three of them for what was to come, when Japan invaded.
If you were to ask me just one book to read this year, this one is it! The fact that this book is based on the real-life experiences of the author's grandmother only enhanced the story's appeal. (Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book.) Even though the author changed some of the details of what happened to her grandmother, she honored the beautiful spirit of her Oma Emmy. I can hardly wait for the publication date, so I can purchase a copy of this book to share with my friends!
Thank you, NetGalley, for an Advance Reader Copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
January 1, 2024
Truly one of the most beautiful and poignant middle grade novels I’ve read recently!
My grandfather spent two years in a POW camp in South-East Asia, so when I noticed that this novel – based on the author’s own family history – was set in the 1940s in what is now Indonesia, I knew I absolutely had to read it. And I was not disappointed: I cried, I felt in turn hopeless and hopeful, and I learnt about strength and resilience.
The topics the novel covers are very complex: they include colonisation and decolonisation, as well as war-time invasion and imprisonment, but the author really manages to capture with honesty and sensitivity the sometimes contradicting emotions of all the people involved. The characters learn, grow and evolve, and a glimmer of hope is always present. Language is also a key part of the story: by telling us which languages the characters speak (or do not speak), we delve yet again in the complex relationships of all those present.
I cannot recommend this book enough! Beyong the young protagonist’s story, the novel represents a chapter of history that is sometimes overlooked in WWII fiction. It is an essential read.
Many thanks to North Star Editions and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. This is my honest opinion of the book. Review available on Goodreads now, and retailer sites after publication date.
My grandfather spent two years in a POW camp in South-East Asia, so when I noticed that this novel – based on the author’s own family history – was set in the 1940s in what is now Indonesia, I knew I absolutely had to read it. And I was not disappointed: I cried, I felt in turn hopeless and hopeful, and I learnt about strength and resilience.
The topics the novel covers are very complex: they include colonisation and decolonisation, as well as war-time invasion and imprisonment, but the author really manages to capture with honesty and sensitivity the sometimes contradicting emotions of all the people involved. The characters learn, grow and evolve, and a glimmer of hope is always present. Language is also a key part of the story: by telling us which languages the characters speak (or do not speak), we delve yet again in the complex relationships of all those present.
I cannot recommend this book enough! Beyong the young protagonist’s story, the novel represents a chapter of history that is sometimes overlooked in WWII fiction. It is an essential read.
Many thanks to North Star Editions and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. This is my honest opinion of the book. Review available on Goodreads now, and retailer sites after publication date.
August 14, 2024
kereeenn sih mnrtku ini. jaman penjajahan oleh jepang di indonesia tapi dari sudut pandang orang2 belanda. nanti bakal diulas dikit deh di ig aku, lagi nyari wktu. pas 17an kyknya pas deh timingnya
January 26, 2024
The first thing that got my attention was the title because it had the rambutan word in it. For any of you who don't know what rambutan is, I tell you. Rambutan is a type of fruit that only exists in the tropics country and I believe it comes from Indonesia. As an Indonesian, of course, it'd take my interest. I thought the story must be set in Indonesia, and I was right! This book is set in Batavia, (known as Jakarta in this modern era which is the capital city of Indonesia) in 1942, which is 3 years before the independent day. So technically, this book is talking about the war that happened before Indonesians claimed their right.
Now, what this book is about? It's about Emmy, an eleven-year-old Dutch girl who lives in Batavia with her parents, Ibu Lia—her maid, and Bakti—Ibu Lia's son. Emmy lives happily with all that she has until that day when Japan invades. Everything has changed. She's sent by the Japanese soldiers to a camp refugee where all children and women are being put in. A lot of things happened in that camp and the worst thing is they separated her from her father. Determined to escape and to find where her father and all that she loves could be, Emmy has done many things that a little girl is impossible to do.
I LOVE this book! After studying the history of my country during wartime, I know how bad it was and I think this book describes it well but with more subtle reminding this book is aimed at middle graders. Definitely recommend this book to every reader, especially those who want to learn about Indonesian history in a "fun" way.
Now, what this book is about? It's about Emmy, an eleven-year-old Dutch girl who lives in Batavia with her parents, Ibu Lia—her maid, and Bakti—Ibu Lia's son. Emmy lives happily with all that she has until that day when Japan invades. Everything has changed. She's sent by the Japanese soldiers to a camp refugee where all children and women are being put in. A lot of things happened in that camp and the worst thing is they separated her from her father. Determined to escape and to find where her father and all that she loves could be, Emmy has done many things that a little girl is impossible to do.
I LOVE this book! After studying the history of my country during wartime, I know how bad it was and I think this book describes it well but with more subtle reminding this book is aimed at middle graders. Definitely recommend this book to every reader, especially those who want to learn about Indonesian history in a "fun" way.
August 22, 2025
I loved the way this story mixed history, family, and emotion—it just felt so rich. The relationships especially stood out to me, and there were so many moments that tugged at my heart.
January 23, 2024
I loved this well written, well researched and engaging middle grade historical fiction book set in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II. The author's connection to the subject matter - her grandmother was a prisoner of war in the camp the story is set in - made it all the more interesting.
Main character Emmy, who is 11 when the book begins and 14 by its end, is a spirited and courageous character. I especially enjoyed her friendship arcs with Violet and Bakti. With short chapters that really held my attention, this is an excellent debut and one of my favourite reads of recent months.
Highly recommended for confident readers aged 10+ who can handle some serious themes. Would be a great fit for fans of Katrina Nannestad, Pamela Rushby, Emma Carroll and Lucy Strange.
Main character Emmy, who is 11 when the book begins and 14 by its end, is a spirited and courageous character. I especially enjoyed her friendship arcs with Violet and Bakti. With short chapters that really held my attention, this is an excellent debut and one of my favourite reads of recent months.
Highly recommended for confident readers aged 10+ who can handle some serious themes. Would be a great fit for fans of Katrina Nannestad, Pamela Rushby, Emma Carroll and Lucy Strange.
Read
January 16, 2024I will leave the rating blank for now as I am really conflicted on how I feel about the book. It was a good story, but clearly written from an European pov (and for European readers, I guess) with some soft propaganda.
Story-wise, it was moving and poignant. Our main character Emmy was brave and determined, despite the horrors of her situation and stuck in many unfavorable interactions, she persevered. She definitely still maintained the childhood innocence/naivete of the world and experience growth throughout the story. I also think this is a great way to introduce children on the topic of colonization, while also realizing that different countries experience different form of colonization. What happened in one country may be different from the others, but this book serves as a good starting point. The writing is also very vivid and engaging, I never got bored while reading. The fact that this story is based on personal experience of the author's grandmother who lived in Indonesia and the Tjideng camp also added to the emotional weight while reading.
Now here's where things got tricky: this book is very clearly written from an European point of view. Yes, Emmy realized the injustices and the wrongness of it all, and I do appreciate and understand how many Dutch only know Batavia/DEI as their homes and had to be suddenly uprooted. But there's some context/more information added at the end of the story that really shown how the European regards Dutch occupation in Indonesia. For example, the acknowledgement talked about the author grandmother's experience and the story, but it barely mentioned the colonization or how/where the non-European characters fared, or whether they are fictional or not. Emmy survived, and there's that. There are descriptions on how horrible the Japan was at the prisoners camp, but as for the Dutch's colonialist treatment to Indonesians? We only had Violet childish bullying and Emmy's family "nice" treatment of Bakti and Ibu Lia, no others when in truth, we know the Dutch have working/internment/prisoner camp too for Indonesians.
Then the historical information, there are sentences like "thriving Dutch community", "the Dutch East Indies had vast amount of crude oil", and how Japan needed it "because Japan was an imperial power", which made it feel like an Allies propaganda and doesn't sit right with me, especially with the current geopolitical climate. It's not a "thriving Dutch community", call it as it is: colonialist. It's not DEI that had crude oil, it was Indonesia and always have been Indonesia. And not defending Japan, but Japan didn't invade solely because of crude oil but also due to manpower and the country's strategic position as a base. And even if they did, they didn't need crude oil because they were imperialist- even the Allies need oil to power their war and bombing ships.
If rating solely by the fiction part and the writing, it will be 4 stars. If rating for the themes/historical context, it will be 1 because of the bias.
Story-wise, it was moving and poignant. Our main character Emmy was brave and determined, despite the horrors of her situation and stuck in many unfavorable interactions, she persevered. She definitely still maintained the childhood innocence/naivete of the world and experience growth throughout the story. I also think this is a great way to introduce children on the topic of colonization, while also realizing that different countries experience different form of colonization. What happened in one country may be different from the others, but this book serves as a good starting point. The writing is also very vivid and engaging, I never got bored while reading. The fact that this story is based on personal experience of the author's grandmother who lived in Indonesia and the Tjideng camp also added to the emotional weight while reading.
Now here's where things got tricky: this book is very clearly written from an European point of view. Yes, Emmy realized the injustices and the wrongness of it all, and I do appreciate and understand how many Dutch only know Batavia/DEI as their homes and had to be suddenly uprooted. But there's some context/more information added at the end of the story that really shown how the European regards Dutch occupation in Indonesia. For example, the acknowledgement talked about the author grandmother's experience and the story, but it barely mentioned the colonization or how/where the non-European characters fared, or whether they are fictional or not. Emmy survived, and there's that. There are descriptions on how horrible the Japan was at the prisoners camp, but as for the Dutch's colonialist treatment to Indonesians? We only had Violet childish bullying and Emmy's family "nice" treatment of Bakti and Ibu Lia, no others when in truth, we know the Dutch have working/internment/prisoner camp too for Indonesians.
Then the historical information, there are sentences like "thriving Dutch community", "the Dutch East Indies had vast amount of crude oil", and how Japan needed it "because Japan was an imperial power", which made it feel like an Allies propaganda and doesn't sit right with me, especially with the current geopolitical climate. It's not a "thriving Dutch community", call it as it is: colonialist. It's not DEI that had crude oil, it was Indonesia and always have been Indonesia. And not defending Japan, but Japan didn't invade solely because of crude oil but also due to manpower and the country's strategic position as a base. And even if they did, they didn't need crude oil because they were imperialist- even the Allies need oil to power their war and bombing ships.
If rating solely by the fiction part and the writing, it will be 4 stars. If rating for the themes/historical context, it will be 1 because of the bias.
March 1, 2024
The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by @lucilleabendanon_author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t give 5 stars lightly, but this book was worth it. It’s a juvenile/middle grade historical fiction based on the author’s grandma and her experience in the Dutch East Indies during WW2 when the Japanese Army invaded their country. It is a beautifully written and emotionally compelling story. She obviously took some creative liberties while writing, but I also loved reading (at the end) when she explains what she kept the same versus what she changed. This was a side of WW2 I hadn’t read about yet and that (along with the beautiful cover) is what drew me into wanting to read this book. This will definitely become a must read for my kids.
It just came out a little over a week ago, so if you want to read it you should be able to find it available in most places.
Thank you @netgalley & @northstareditions for an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley #debutauthor #goodreads #thesongbirdandtherambutantree #literarypearlsof24 #bookstagram
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t give 5 stars lightly, but this book was worth it. It’s a juvenile/middle grade historical fiction based on the author’s grandma and her experience in the Dutch East Indies during WW2 when the Japanese Army invaded their country. It is a beautifully written and emotionally compelling story. She obviously took some creative liberties while writing, but I also loved reading (at the end) when she explains what she kept the same versus what she changed. This was a side of WW2 I hadn’t read about yet and that (along with the beautiful cover) is what drew me into wanting to read this book. This will definitely become a must read for my kids.
It just came out a little over a week ago, so if you want to read it you should be able to find it available in most places.
Thank you @netgalley & @northstareditions for an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley #debutauthor #goodreads #thesongbirdandtherambutantree #literarypearlsof24 #bookstagram
December 3, 2023
The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon is a truly amazing middle grade historical novel set in Indonesia during WW2. It’s such a unique take on this time period, I think I’ve only ever read World War stories that were set in Europe. Being Australian, the war in the Pacific was so much closer to home and it was great to read a book that highlighted the struggles people had in this region.
Emmy was a wonderful character, strong but vulnerable after losing her mother. The theme of singing is woven through the story and is a beautiful conveyance for Emmy’s arc.
Yes there are hard truths in here about women and children’s treatment in POW camps but nothing a middle grade reader couldn’t handle and we really need books like this to understand not only what should never happen again but that caring for others and standing together is one of humanities greatest strengths.
This book was inspired by the stories told to the author by her grandmother and I’m sure this enhanced the heart of the story. The language was beautiful and I loved the touches of local words sprinkled generously throughout.
If I could’ve given this more than five stars, I would’ve. It deserves a sky full.
Highly recommend for readers 9+
Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Emmy was a wonderful character, strong but vulnerable after losing her mother. The theme of singing is woven through the story and is a beautiful conveyance for Emmy’s arc.
Yes there are hard truths in here about women and children’s treatment in POW camps but nothing a middle grade reader couldn’t handle and we really need books like this to understand not only what should never happen again but that caring for others and standing together is one of humanities greatest strengths.
This book was inspired by the stories told to the author by her grandmother and I’m sure this enhanced the heart of the story. The language was beautiful and I loved the touches of local words sprinkled generously throughout.
If I could’ve given this more than five stars, I would’ve. It deserves a sky full.
Highly recommend for readers 9+
Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2024
This WW2 novel focuses on the occupation of Indonesia by the Japanese, an aspect of the war I was unfamiliar with. In a sea of WW2 novels, I appreciated the new focus. That being said I found the characters inconsistent in their perspectives and motivations. The novel also primarily focuses on the European perspective which counteracts one of the main points of the book and leads to a large amount of history being ignored.
Literary Merit: 1/5 The characters are not clearly developed. I did not understand the MCs choices and motivations and growth wasn't really shown. The plot was fairly slowly with a large time skip in the middle. The setting of WW2 is a familiar one, but not so much the focus on the Pacific Theater. Overall, I felt like a lack of information. The themes are focused on hope, trauma, and understanding other's perspectives. All of these themes were addressed in a surface level way that seems best for a very young audience which conflicts with the older material.
Originality: 4/5 WW2 with an uncommon focus
Accuracy: 3/5 While a major theme of the book was the MC recognizing the perspective of the natives, the native perspective of the Japanese occupation is largely left out. There is no mention of the labor camps, forced removal for Japanese war projects, or the mass raping and trafficking of the native women. In addition, by the end the camps conditions had deteriorated far worse than the author describes.
Clarity: 4/5 The time skip felt abrupt and left me confused about why one was needed when a child was living in an internment camp.
Total: 12/20
Age Range: PW 10-15 age, KR 10-14 age, BL grades 5-8, SLJ grade 5+
Literary Merit: 1/5 The characters are not clearly developed. I did not understand the MCs choices and motivations and growth wasn't really shown. The plot was fairly slowly with a large time skip in the middle. The setting of WW2 is a familiar one, but not so much the focus on the Pacific Theater. Overall, I felt like a lack of information. The themes are focused on hope, trauma, and understanding other's perspectives. All of these themes were addressed in a surface level way that seems best for a very young audience which conflicts with the older material.
Originality: 4/5 WW2 with an uncommon focus
Accuracy: 3/5 While a major theme of the book was the MC recognizing the perspective of the natives, the native perspective of the Japanese occupation is largely left out. There is no mention of the labor camps, forced removal for Japanese war projects, or the mass raping and trafficking of the native women. In addition, by the end the camps conditions had deteriorated far worse than the author describes.
Clarity: 4/5 The time skip felt abrupt and left me confused about why one was needed when a child was living in an internment camp.
Total: 12/20
Age Range: PW 10-15 age, KR 10-14 age, BL grades 5-8, SLJ grade 5+
November 30, 2024
This book was so good, even if I forgot until partway through that the blurb mentioned that its set in a Japanese PoW camp in Indonesia, so it caught me off-guard even if it shouldn't have. It was very intense and sad and beautiful all at the same time.
While yes it is technically a middle grade book, its middle grade in the same way The Book Thief is YA. I think its a wonderful read for all ages, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it to young kids, probably 12 and up, because while I think learning about history and wars are important, it did have quite violent scenes (for a kids book) and scenes of very harsh punishment.
The themes however are very relevant for kids today. It discusses racism, colonisation, imperialism, the brutality and unfairness of war, grief, along with the expected kids themes of friendship, family, and identity.
The characters were all great and complex, especially Emmy, Violet, and Bakti (although even the minor characters were nuanced) and the relationships between all the characters felt very real.
It reminded me quite a lot of Eva Ibbotson's books, with its themes of friendship intertwined with darker themes of war and xenophobia.
Very, very good book and I will definitely be recommending it.
Thank you NetGalley for sending me the eArc
While yes it is technically a middle grade book, its middle grade in the same way The Book Thief is YA. I think its a wonderful read for all ages, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it to young kids, probably 12 and up, because while I think learning about history and wars are important, it did have quite violent scenes (for a kids book) and scenes of very harsh punishment.
The themes however are very relevant for kids today. It discusses racism, colonisation, imperialism, the brutality and unfairness of war, grief, along with the expected kids themes of friendship, family, and identity.
The characters were all great and complex, especially Emmy, Violet, and Bakti (although even the minor characters were nuanced) and the relationships between all the characters felt very real.
It reminded me quite a lot of Eva Ibbotson's books, with its themes of friendship intertwined with darker themes of war and xenophobia.
Very, very good book and I will definitely be recommending it.
Thank you NetGalley for sending me the eArc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2023
A powerful debut book! I didn't expect that I would love this book so much!
This book brought us back to the 1940s when Batavia (now Jakarta) experienced a long colonial history under Dutch rule to the Japanese occupation during World War II. I could tell that the author had done her research meticulously also let's not forget that this story was also inspired by her grandmother's story in Batavia.
Since the setting was in Indonesia, you might expect that this book would tell about Indonesian. Surprise. This book would be told in Dutch POV. And that what made it very refreshing. If I didn't read this book, I would probably wouldn't know about the Dutch's situation during the WWII especially when they were in Tjideng. There were actually no winners in wars, both Indonesian and Dutch, even the Japanese suffered gravely, the scene where people with those nationalities helped each other was really heartwarming, full of life and hope.
A fellow reviewer recommended me this book and I couldn't thank her enough for that. And now it's my turn to recommend this book to other readers!
Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions, Jolly Fish Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
This book brought us back to the 1940s when Batavia (now Jakarta) experienced a long colonial history under Dutch rule to the Japanese occupation during World War II. I could tell that the author had done her research meticulously also let's not forget that this story was also inspired by her grandmother's story in Batavia.
Since the setting was in Indonesia, you might expect that this book would tell about Indonesian. Surprise. This book would be told in Dutch POV. And that what made it very refreshing. If I didn't read this book, I would probably wouldn't know about the Dutch's situation during the WWII especially when they were in Tjideng. There were actually no winners in wars, both Indonesian and Dutch, even the Japanese suffered gravely, the scene where people with those nationalities helped each other was really heartwarming, full of life and hope.
A fellow reviewer recommended me this book and I couldn't thank her enough for that. And now it's my turn to recommend this book to other readers!
Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions, Jolly Fish Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
August 27, 2023
Inspired by an unbelievable real person, THE SONGBIRD AND THE RAMBUTAN TREE is a stunning and compelling story of hope in the midst of despair. Abendanon’s rich descriptions will have kids pulling out maps to learn more about the world, and the action-packed sequences and powerful emotions will keep their attention as they follow Emmy’s brave journey through an internment camp of WW2. THE SONGBIRD AND THE RAMBUTAN TREE introduces young readers to the darkness of war, the promise of light, and the spirit of a girl who won’t quit. I was so moved by Emmy's story, and I'm excited it will be accessible to young readers.
I received an advanced copy on NetGalley
I received an advanced copy on NetGalley
September 12, 2023
What a gorgeous shock it was to find this book - it’s astonishing that there isn’t more buzz about The Songbird and the Rambutan. It’s one of the best MG books I have read in the last few years, and I hope Lucille Abendanon gets the recognition she deserves. I slipped into the story so completely that time passed and responsibilities went unfulfilled the way they did when I was nine and read oblivious to everything.
The story takes place in Batavia, on the island of Java, just before the invasion by the Japanese driving the Second World War. Emmy Abendanon has lost her singing voice after the death of her mother, just as she’s been accepted to go to England to attend a music school. Her father wants her to be safe from the impending invasion, but she doesn’t want to leave her home.
Through Emmy’s narration, we see Batavia during a scary and sad time where everything is changing, and Abendanon does a fantastic job of making us see and feel what Emmy does through this lovely, long story.
The writing is fresh, and Abendanon gives Emmy a quirky, relatable voice. Her descriptions not just of places but of people and how she’s feeling are vivid and true: she’s passionate and brave and aware. There isn’t anything I’ve read recently that I can compare The Songbird and the Rambutan to, but the immediacy of Emmy’s story, the strangeness and the weather of the novel, reminds me of Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. But it’s so much more than that - Emmy’s best friend, Bakhti, is the son of a servant and is excited at the idea of the Japanese invading: he sees it as ripe with the possibility of change for his people. Through the scene during the early part of the story that drives everything that happens thereafter, an invisible barrier that stands between Emmy and Bakhti, one she is just becoming aware of as she gets older, bursts into enormous and cruel visibility. Emmy is - in the space of an afternoon - forced to confront realities about her home and then to accept her place in the reality. Bakhti is searingly honest with her, and because of the stunning skill Abendanon displays writing in first person, the reader feels Emmy’s pain and confusion and heartbreak at the same time that we feel Bahkti’s fury and scorn. Abendanon teaches history and gives context without artifice or pedantry. Throughout the story, we get luminous moments in a part of the history of the Second World War that will be new to most readers. Those moments not only distill knowledge and insight without making it feel like a lesson, they prompt the curious reader to do their own digging for more information - I can’t remember the last time I read a novel for middle grade readers that had me going to a search engine so frequently as I read.
One of the things I ask on finishing any novel for Middle Grade readers is “was it complex and challenging?” And The Songbird and the Rambutan is both. We need more books like this - passionate, by turns ugly and beautiful, sometimes shocking - books that show what it means to grow.
This is Emmy’s story first and foremost, but it’s a TARDIS of a story, blooming in on itself with detail and description that make it a much bigger tale that takes on colonialism, wartime, freedom, and class.
It gets all the stars - it’s a shimmering work, the kind of book I will return to, by an author whose next work I eagerly await - unconditional recommendation to everyone.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in Batavia, on the island of Java, just before the invasion by the Japanese driving the Second World War. Emmy Abendanon has lost her singing voice after the death of her mother, just as she’s been accepted to go to England to attend a music school. Her father wants her to be safe from the impending invasion, but she doesn’t want to leave her home.
Through Emmy’s narration, we see Batavia during a scary and sad time where everything is changing, and Abendanon does a fantastic job of making us see and feel what Emmy does through this lovely, long story.
The writing is fresh, and Abendanon gives Emmy a quirky, relatable voice. Her descriptions not just of places but of people and how she’s feeling are vivid and true: she’s passionate and brave and aware. There isn’t anything I’ve read recently that I can compare The Songbird and the Rambutan to, but the immediacy of Emmy’s story, the strangeness and the weather of the novel, reminds me of Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. But it’s so much more than that - Emmy’s best friend, Bakhti, is the son of a servant and is excited at the idea of the Japanese invading: he sees it as ripe with the possibility of change for his people. Through the scene during the early part of the story that drives everything that happens thereafter, an invisible barrier that stands between Emmy and Bakhti, one she is just becoming aware of as she gets older, bursts into enormous and cruel visibility. Emmy is - in the space of an afternoon - forced to confront realities about her home and then to accept her place in the reality. Bakhti is searingly honest with her, and because of the stunning skill Abendanon displays writing in first person, the reader feels Emmy’s pain and confusion and heartbreak at the same time that we feel Bahkti’s fury and scorn. Abendanon teaches history and gives context without artifice or pedantry. Throughout the story, we get luminous moments in a part of the history of the Second World War that will be new to most readers. Those moments not only distill knowledge and insight without making it feel like a lesson, they prompt the curious reader to do their own digging for more information - I can’t remember the last time I read a novel for middle grade readers that had me going to a search engine so frequently as I read.
One of the things I ask on finishing any novel for Middle Grade readers is “was it complex and challenging?” And The Songbird and the Rambutan is both. We need more books like this - passionate, by turns ugly and beautiful, sometimes shocking - books that show what it means to grow.
This is Emmy’s story first and foremost, but it’s a TARDIS of a story, blooming in on itself with detail and description that make it a much bigger tale that takes on colonialism, wartime, freedom, and class.
It gets all the stars - it’s a shimmering work, the kind of book I will return to, by an author whose next work I eagerly await - unconditional recommendation to everyone.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2024
Intriguing story, for the setting, if not always for the execution. We're on Java in 1942, and the story starts with the news the Japanese army and navy are just in Singapore – the last conquer they needed before the oil fields of Batavia are theirs. Emmy is in the title, ironically, as a songbird, though seeing as her mother has died and killed a lot of her passion with her, she really cannot put two notes together any longer. This comes as an acceptance at a singing school in the UK is received, and just as she really ought to be fleeing the imminent invasion to get there, or to safety elsewhere, she decides she cannot part with her mother's grave, and dare not sacrifice her life there for the more mundane one in Europe.
Alternatively, this is a story where two ideologies battle. It's a story of wokeness versus baseness, as Emmy finds bigotry against Japanese unimaginable, where she rides third class alongside the house boy she's befriended because colonialism is bad, and is nowhere near as snooty towards the locals. And all this at least shows the naivety of the character, ignorant of how privileged she is with her businessman father, and someone who is not a Javan by dint of heritage, colour, experience of travel, ability to flee, ability to get a government-funded air-raid shelter, and so much more. I think you can see what a heck of a lot of the intentions here already are...
Well, once you get forced the lesson that being woke is dangerous, worth fighting for and potentially fatally isolating, what happens is a big switcheroo – the Japanese do invade (to "liberate" the locals from European presence), and Emmy is dumped in an internment camp. And here the merits of all this really shine, for beyond all the strong levels of readability so far, this is even more engaging – the fact we're reading about camps in a corner of the world we never consider much, the way we see the war from a standpoint and in a locale so many many books choose to ignore or neglect. Once we've had it confirmed this is a debut book – it seldom seems like it – we also see it is a novelised version of what happened to our own author's grandmother (spoiler alert – the fact she still uses the same surname as her character suggests some kind of happy ending).
This isn't allowed – or rather real life didn't allow – the story to be a misery memoir of life as a PoW, however, for some audacious twists open things up and keep the whole thing dramatic to the end. So while swathes of the earlier chunks seemed intent on portraying a liberal, modern bent on things where empires, race issues etc etc were concerned, this is still without question a distinctive title. How much is completely true here (considering the character is ten years younger than that in reality) is for conjecture only; the bulk of this is for a pleasurable read, and it delivers.
Alternatively, this is a story where two ideologies battle. It's a story of wokeness versus baseness, as Emmy finds bigotry against Japanese unimaginable, where she rides third class alongside the house boy she's befriended because colonialism is bad, and is nowhere near as snooty towards the locals. And all this at least shows the naivety of the character, ignorant of how privileged she is with her businessman father, and someone who is not a Javan by dint of heritage, colour, experience of travel, ability to flee, ability to get a government-funded air-raid shelter, and so much more. I think you can see what a heck of a lot of the intentions here already are...
Well, once you get forced the lesson that being woke is dangerous, worth fighting for and potentially fatally isolating, what happens is a big switcheroo – the Japanese do invade (to "liberate" the locals from European presence), and Emmy is dumped in an internment camp. And here the merits of all this really shine, for beyond all the strong levels of readability so far, this is even more engaging – the fact we're reading about camps in a corner of the world we never consider much, the way we see the war from a standpoint and in a locale so many many books choose to ignore or neglect. Once we've had it confirmed this is a debut book – it seldom seems like it – we also see it is a novelised version of what happened to our own author's grandmother (spoiler alert – the fact she still uses the same surname as her character suggests some kind of happy ending).
This isn't allowed – or rather real life didn't allow – the story to be a misery memoir of life as a PoW, however, for some audacious twists open things up and keep the whole thing dramatic to the end. So while swathes of the earlier chunks seemed intent on portraying a liberal, modern bent on things where empires, race issues etc etc were concerned, this is still without question a distinctive title. How much is completely true here (considering the character is ten years younger than that in reality) is for conjecture only; the bulk of this is for a pleasurable read, and it delivers.
January 11, 2024
The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon is a fictional tale that is based on the very real events her grandmother, Emmeline Abedanon faced during the Japanese invasion of the then Dutch East Indies now Indonesia, during 1942 to 1945.
This is a book for young adults and does feature mentions of violence, starvation, and other war related horrors to please take this on board before continuing to read this book. There are moments that will make the reader emotional or nauseous, but even if it's fictional, the events of this invasion need to be acknowledged.
Set in Batavia (now Jakarta) in 1942, Emmy is 12 and trying to recover from the aftermath of a family tragedy that leaves her through psychological means unable to sing anymore. She, along with her father, is planning to leave the Dutch East Indies as the aftermath of Pearl Harbour has Japan looking towards the country. Emmy and her father are looking to flee to England, but everything goes wrong as Emmy's stubbornness and refusal to leave the place she calls home? Means that the two never escape..
From then on, everything the young girl has ever known is turned upside-down as World War II comes to their shores. The young girl is taken away by Japanese soldiers to the infamous Tjideng internment camp alongside children she'd gone to school with and their mothers.
Tjideng is a place of horrors, and the author has brought this prison camp, and that occurred there to life from the stories her grandmother, Emmeline Abedanon, recounted. This, of course, is where I have to remind you of my words of caution. The Japanese soldiers were determined to break their prisoners by any means, and the author describes this is in a gentle bur honest manner with many starving or receiving food that was rotten, the fact illnesses such as malaria spread swiftly through the emaciated women and children etcetera. But these brave people of Tjideng stayed strong, and such things as a choir kept them united, and the camaraderie is displayed beautifully as the women worked together as an almost family until 1945 when the Americans came.
Emmy's fictional story made me cry. It was hard to know so many went through this due for no other reasons than their birth and in the specific case of the Dutch East Indies, because the Emperor was determined to expand the Empire and lied to many, convincing the Indonesian residents that they would restore the country to them.
I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this, I'd suggest this book to anyone wishing to learn more about WW2, and it'd be good as a companion book in schools when the subject matter is taught.
Emmeline Abedanon is an incredible woman if this glimpse of her childhood is anything to go by, as was anyone who endured such atrocities as she did. Thank you to Lucille for telling her story.
This is a book for young adults and does feature mentions of violence, starvation, and other war related horrors to please take this on board before continuing to read this book. There are moments that will make the reader emotional or nauseous, but even if it's fictional, the events of this invasion need to be acknowledged.
Set in Batavia (now Jakarta) in 1942, Emmy is 12 and trying to recover from the aftermath of a family tragedy that leaves her through psychological means unable to sing anymore. She, along with her father, is planning to leave the Dutch East Indies as the aftermath of Pearl Harbour has Japan looking towards the country. Emmy and her father are looking to flee to England, but everything goes wrong as Emmy's stubbornness and refusal to leave the place she calls home? Means that the two never escape..
From then on, everything the young girl has ever known is turned upside-down as World War II comes to their shores. The young girl is taken away by Japanese soldiers to the infamous Tjideng internment camp alongside children she'd gone to school with and their mothers.
Tjideng is a place of horrors, and the author has brought this prison camp, and that occurred there to life from the stories her grandmother, Emmeline Abedanon, recounted. This, of course, is where I have to remind you of my words of caution. The Japanese soldiers were determined to break their prisoners by any means, and the author describes this is in a gentle bur honest manner with many starving or receiving food that was rotten, the fact illnesses such as malaria spread swiftly through the emaciated women and children etcetera. But these brave people of Tjideng stayed strong, and such things as a choir kept them united, and the camaraderie is displayed beautifully as the women worked together as an almost family until 1945 when the Americans came.
Emmy's fictional story made me cry. It was hard to know so many went through this due for no other reasons than their birth and in the specific case of the Dutch East Indies, because the Emperor was determined to expand the Empire and lied to many, convincing the Indonesian residents that they would restore the country to them.
I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this, I'd suggest this book to anyone wishing to learn more about WW2, and it'd be good as a companion book in schools when the subject matter is taught.
Emmeline Abedanon is an incredible woman if this glimpse of her childhood is anything to go by, as was anyone who endured such atrocities as she did. Thank you to Lucille for telling her story.
September 12, 2024
Emmy had been dreaming of going to a special music boarding school in England to build her vocal skills, but then her Mom, her duet partner, died and so did Emmy's voice. When the acceptance letter from the school arrives, Emmy wants to hide it, but her father thinks it would be the perfect thing as the Japanese draw closer to the Dutch East Indies. Emmy can't imagine leaving her home in Batavia or her best friend, Bakti. Eventually, the decision is made for her when the Japanese invade. But they do not bring the welcome freedom from the Dutch Bakti dreams of, nor do they come peacefully like Emmy had been hoping. They tear her away from her home and put her in Tjideng with only her frenemy Violet for companionship among the host of strange women. Can she survive in Tjideng, and will this war ever end?
This story is based on the author's grandmother's experiences during WWII. Batavia was the Dutch name for Jakarta. The book does a good job of exploring the complexities of third culture kids in figuring out where home is and how they often feel like they don't 100% belong anywhere. It also does a good job of showing the Indonesian perspective of the Dutch colonial period, their hopes for the Japanese, and the reasons behind war that followed WWII for their independence. Having Emmy be friends with a Japanese store owner long before the war helps humanize the Japanese and show that not all of them were monstrous or violent people. There are a host of WWII books out there, and many based on real people, but this is the first I've read about someone in Indonesia during that time and what they experienced. I really liked it for that reason.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: The camp leader and the guards sometimes beat prisoners, and make them go through grueling daily routines of standing and bowing for crazy long periods. Emmy witnesses some people who have survived bombings, some blood is described.
Ethnic diversity: Emmy is Dutch/French/British, Emmy's best friend and loving housekeeper are Javanese, her frenemy is Dutch, a family friend is Japanese, guards are Javanese and Japanese.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Starvation, poor living conditions, diseases that result from poor living conditions/diet, are all talked about. Some people die from disease. 2 captured animals are let free. Social injustices faced by the colonized are talked about. One person dies from a snake bite. Children are forcibly separated from their parents by the Japanese and put in different prison camps. More than one child is grieving the death of a parent.
This story is based on the author's grandmother's experiences during WWII. Batavia was the Dutch name for Jakarta. The book does a good job of exploring the complexities of third culture kids in figuring out where home is and how they often feel like they don't 100% belong anywhere. It also does a good job of showing the Indonesian perspective of the Dutch colonial period, their hopes for the Japanese, and the reasons behind war that followed WWII for their independence. Having Emmy be friends with a Japanese store owner long before the war helps humanize the Japanese and show that not all of them were monstrous or violent people. There are a host of WWII books out there, and many based on real people, but this is the first I've read about someone in Indonesia during that time and what they experienced. I really liked it for that reason.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: The camp leader and the guards sometimes beat prisoners, and make them go through grueling daily routines of standing and bowing for crazy long periods. Emmy witnesses some people who have survived bombings, some blood is described.
Ethnic diversity: Emmy is Dutch/French/British, Emmy's best friend and loving housekeeper are Javanese, her frenemy is Dutch, a family friend is Japanese, guards are Javanese and Japanese.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Starvation, poor living conditions, diseases that result from poor living conditions/diet, are all talked about. Some people die from disease. 2 captured animals are let free. Social injustices faced by the colonized are talked about. One person dies from a snake bite. Children are forcibly separated from their parents by the Japanese and put in different prison camps. More than one child is grieving the death of a parent.
November 9, 2023
Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
As war rages around the world, rumours swirl that the Japanese will invade Batavia, for her safety Emmy’s dad wants to send her to a singing boarding school in England, but Emmy isn’t interested and does all she can to per-longing it, causing them to miss the last boat off the island and taken to an internment camp.
A deep, powerful and thought provoking story about the second world war, I haven’t ever read a story set in a location like this nor what was going on for the people living their lives not overly expecting the war to reach them. It was really fascinating having it be set in the Dutch East Indies, it really helped to frame the story as instantly you are getting a story you’ve never had before about the war. It was a world war and usual most WW2 stories are in the same locations.
Emmy our protagonist did annoy me a little at first, I’m not going to lie about that I personally found her behaviour and attitude annoying, she was really rude and selfish to everyone, which made it hard to like her. However as the story progresses and she is in the internment camp she starts to grow up, with everything going on around her, with the scary situation, with the people she was with, the friends there for her to be close with and help, she manages to become a smart, resourceful, caring young girl.
This is a hard hitting and emotional story, you get an incredible glimpse into what was going on, being in the camp with Emmy, the harrowing struggles, the darkness, the fears. It takes you into a scary world that we haven’t really read before, in a location we hadn’t known about for this era. I liked that the author included her Grandma’s story and used that for writing this story you could see the heart and care that was put into the writing of this book.
If you enjoy history or WW2 then this is the book for you, it’s got everything you like reading about a WW2 story but in a refreshing tone, with so much heart, plenty of details and in a location that hasn’t had its story told before. It’s written beautifully, you’ll be swept up into this era, with these characters, you’re heart will actually be tugged at during the camp and you’ll get a whole new perspective of happenings at war time.
As war rages around the world, rumours swirl that the Japanese will invade Batavia, for her safety Emmy’s dad wants to send her to a singing boarding school in England, but Emmy isn’t interested and does all she can to per-longing it, causing them to miss the last boat off the island and taken to an internment camp.
A deep, powerful and thought provoking story about the second world war, I haven’t ever read a story set in a location like this nor what was going on for the people living their lives not overly expecting the war to reach them. It was really fascinating having it be set in the Dutch East Indies, it really helped to frame the story as instantly you are getting a story you’ve never had before about the war. It was a world war and usual most WW2 stories are in the same locations.
Emmy our protagonist did annoy me a little at first, I’m not going to lie about that I personally found her behaviour and attitude annoying, she was really rude and selfish to everyone, which made it hard to like her. However as the story progresses and she is in the internment camp she starts to grow up, with everything going on around her, with the scary situation, with the people she was with, the friends there for her to be close with and help, she manages to become a smart, resourceful, caring young girl.
This is a hard hitting and emotional story, you get an incredible glimpse into what was going on, being in the camp with Emmy, the harrowing struggles, the darkness, the fears. It takes you into a scary world that we haven’t really read before, in a location we hadn’t known about for this era. I liked that the author included her Grandma’s story and used that for writing this story you could see the heart and care that was put into the writing of this book.
If you enjoy history or WW2 then this is the book for you, it’s got everything you like reading about a WW2 story but in a refreshing tone, with so much heart, plenty of details and in a location that hasn’t had its story told before. It’s written beautifully, you’ll be swept up into this era, with these characters, you’re heart will actually be tugged at during the camp and you’ll get a whole new perspective of happenings at war time.
March 10, 2024
Wonderful History Fiction; World War II in Indonesia.
Sumpah ga sabar untuk review buku ini!! Aku suka bangetbanget buku ini; terlebih karena sebelumnya aku selalu menyukai buku tentang history fiction (dan) World War (II).
Aku kira awalnya buku ini adalah children fiction karena judul dan covernya yang terlihat fun. Little did I know it was all about World War II condition in Indonesia. Ga nyangka karena biasanya buku World War II history fiction pakai latar tempat di Eropa/Jepang/Amerika, sedangkan buku ini berlatar di Indonesia dengan POV anak kebangsaan Belanda.
Di mata kita, Belanda adalah yang mengkolonialisasi Indonesia, melakukan bisnis jual beli rempah di negara kita, ga jarang banyak stigma buruk tentang kehadiran mereka di Indonesia pada era tahun 1900an awal. Hal yang baru adalah ketika Jepang datang ke Indonesia pada 1942, apa sih yang terjadi pada penduduk Belanda yang berada di Indonesia?
Ya, jawabannya ada di buku ini. Kalau kamu bosen, ga paham, susah mengerti sejarah dari buku pelajaran, novel ini bisa jadi pengingat dan sarana pembelajaranmu apa yang terjadi pada penduduk Belanda di Hindia Belanda pada saat kedatangan Jepang di masa World War II.
Ketika baca buku ini aku banuak emosional, sesekali mataku berkaca-kaca, hatiku rasanya ikut patah membaca saat Emmy menjadi tahanan Tjideng. Cara dia survive, menggunakan kepintaran dan tenaga serta keberaniannya, kayanya aku ga akan bisa kalo jadi dia.
Emmy punya "teman" pribumi bernama Bakti, yang sebenarnya adalah pekerja di rumahnya. Bakti adalah anak Ibu Lia yang juga menjadi pembantu di rumahnya. Sosok Ibu Lia yang lembut dan penuh kasih sayang ke Emmy bisa menenangkan hati Emmy di saat Mama sudah meninggal. Kedatangan Jepang ke Hindia Belanda makin dekat, Papa berencana membawa Emmy untuk pergi ke England demi keselamatan, namun semua sudah terlambat karena Jepang akhirnya datang dan Emmy terpisah dengan Papa.
Beragam tokoh dan peristiwa hebat Emmy temui serta lalui.
Buku ini ga sepenuhnya fiksi karena sosok Emmy betulan ada, yang menginspirasi cucunya untuk menuliskan kisah hebatnya sebagai novel. Beberapa kondisi dan tokoh memanglah fiksi, namun tempat yang ada itu adalah tempat yang nyata; Batavia, Tjideng, Pakan Baru, you name it.
Happy banget nemu buku ini. Ga sabar explore genre buku sejenis ini!
Sumpah ga sabar untuk review buku ini!! Aku suka bangetbanget buku ini; terlebih karena sebelumnya aku selalu menyukai buku tentang history fiction (dan) World War (II).
Aku kira awalnya buku ini adalah children fiction karena judul dan covernya yang terlihat fun. Little did I know it was all about World War II condition in Indonesia. Ga nyangka karena biasanya buku World War II history fiction pakai latar tempat di Eropa/Jepang/Amerika, sedangkan buku ini berlatar di Indonesia dengan POV anak kebangsaan Belanda.
Di mata kita, Belanda adalah yang mengkolonialisasi Indonesia, melakukan bisnis jual beli rempah di negara kita, ga jarang banyak stigma buruk tentang kehadiran mereka di Indonesia pada era tahun 1900an awal. Hal yang baru adalah ketika Jepang datang ke Indonesia pada 1942, apa sih yang terjadi pada penduduk Belanda yang berada di Indonesia?
Ya, jawabannya ada di buku ini. Kalau kamu bosen, ga paham, susah mengerti sejarah dari buku pelajaran, novel ini bisa jadi pengingat dan sarana pembelajaranmu apa yang terjadi pada penduduk Belanda di Hindia Belanda pada saat kedatangan Jepang di masa World War II.
Ketika baca buku ini aku banuak emosional, sesekali mataku berkaca-kaca, hatiku rasanya ikut patah membaca saat Emmy menjadi tahanan Tjideng. Cara dia survive, menggunakan kepintaran dan tenaga serta keberaniannya, kayanya aku ga akan bisa kalo jadi dia.
Emmy punya "teman" pribumi bernama Bakti, yang sebenarnya adalah pekerja di rumahnya. Bakti adalah anak Ibu Lia yang juga menjadi pembantu di rumahnya. Sosok Ibu Lia yang lembut dan penuh kasih sayang ke Emmy bisa menenangkan hati Emmy di saat Mama sudah meninggal. Kedatangan Jepang ke Hindia Belanda makin dekat, Papa berencana membawa Emmy untuk pergi ke England demi keselamatan, namun semua sudah terlambat karena Jepang akhirnya datang dan Emmy terpisah dengan Papa.
Beragam tokoh dan peristiwa hebat Emmy temui serta lalui.
Buku ini ga sepenuhnya fiksi karena sosok Emmy betulan ada, yang menginspirasi cucunya untuk menuliskan kisah hebatnya sebagai novel. Beberapa kondisi dan tokoh memanglah fiksi, namun tempat yang ada itu adalah tempat yang nyata; Batavia, Tjideng, Pakan Baru, you name it.
Happy banget nemu buku ini. Ga sabar explore genre buku sejenis ini!
October 13, 2023
"The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree" by Lucille Abendanon is a gripping upcoming novel that beautifully unfolds amidst the tumultuous World War II in Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies—present-day Jakarta, Indonesia. The story follows Emmy, a resilient and talented young girl with a gift for singing, as she navigates the complexities of war and Japanese occupation alongside her father and devoted friend Bakti, one of their household's loyal servants.
Emmy's journey throughout the war showcases her remarkable strength and unwavering dedication to protecting those she holds dear, even at the risk of her own life. The narrative is inspired by the author's own grandmother, adding a rich layer of authenticity and personal connection to the tale.
The novel beautifully captures the historical and cultural essence of the Dutch East Indies during this challenging period, immersing readers in the harrowing experiences faced by its inhabitants. Abendanon's prose is evocative and engaging, seamlessly guiding readers through Emmy's story while painting a vivid picture of a world turned upside down.
One aspect worth noting is that Emmy's story, while profoundly inspiring, may be emotionally intense for younger readers. However, I think this raw depiction of the wartime realities is essential for understanding the resilience demonstrated by individuals during such difficult times.
In conclusion, "The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree" is a powerful debut novel that speaks to the human spirit's triumph in the face of adversity. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages and eagerly anticipate Lucille Abendanon's promising future as a writer. The book is set to release on January 22, 2024, and is sure to become a timeless classic.
Emmy's journey throughout the war showcases her remarkable strength and unwavering dedication to protecting those she holds dear, even at the risk of her own life. The narrative is inspired by the author's own grandmother, adding a rich layer of authenticity and personal connection to the tale.
The novel beautifully captures the historical and cultural essence of the Dutch East Indies during this challenging period, immersing readers in the harrowing experiences faced by its inhabitants. Abendanon's prose is evocative and engaging, seamlessly guiding readers through Emmy's story while painting a vivid picture of a world turned upside down.
One aspect worth noting is that Emmy's story, while profoundly inspiring, may be emotionally intense for younger readers. However, I think this raw depiction of the wartime realities is essential for understanding the resilience demonstrated by individuals during such difficult times.
In conclusion, "The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree" is a powerful debut novel that speaks to the human spirit's triumph in the face of adversity. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages and eagerly anticipate Lucille Abendanon's promising future as a writer. The book is set to release on January 22, 2024, and is sure to become a timeless classic.
February 12, 2024
At one point, all 11-year-old Emmy dreamed of was studying singing at the Marlborough school in England. But when her acceptance letter arrives, she is desperate to hide it from her father -- she doesn't want to leave her home in Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. Since her mother died, Emmy wants to cling to the familiar -- to her home with Papa and her friendship with Bakti, the son of her Javanese housekeeper. But it's 1942 and change is coming one way or another. With the Japanese invasion of Batavia imminent, Papa secures passage for himself and Emmy back to their native Europe, but Emmy sabotages the evacuation because she's sure there's no danger in Batavia. But the Dutch army surrenders to Japan, and the Japanese army invades. Emmy and Papa are separated and Emmy is sent to Tjideng, a prison camp run by a cruel military leader. In Tjideng, the living conditions are harsh and Emmy dreams of escape, but must first find strength to survive.
Inspired by experiences from the author's grandmother, this historical fiction novel is a vivid and engaging read. From beginning to end, readers will be captivated by Emmy and the other characters in her world. Bakti's character introduces complex issues about colonialism and racism when he tells Emmy that the Japanese troops are not coming to invade a Dutch colony, they are coming to liberate the Javanese people. This perspective is interesting and will hopefully lead young readers to consider the impact of colonialism on indigenous people globally. The characters, pacing, plot, and high-stakes writing will be enough to pull readers in on its own, but the Batavian setting, now called Jakarta, Indonesia, makes for an interesting backdrop. An unusual and vivid historical fiction novel for young readers.
Inspired by experiences from the author's grandmother, this historical fiction novel is a vivid and engaging read. From beginning to end, readers will be captivated by Emmy and the other characters in her world. Bakti's character introduces complex issues about colonialism and racism when he tells Emmy that the Japanese troops are not coming to invade a Dutch colony, they are coming to liberate the Javanese people. This perspective is interesting and will hopefully lead young readers to consider the impact of colonialism on indigenous people globally. The characters, pacing, plot, and high-stakes writing will be enough to pull readers in on its own, but the Batavian setting, now called Jakarta, Indonesia, makes for an interesting backdrop. An unusual and vivid historical fiction novel for young readers.
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