The Lavender House

by Joceline F Jana

Setelah bekerja di rumah sakit selama lebih dari lima belas tahun, Dokter Amanda memutuskan untuk meninggalkan Melbourne. Hingga sampailah ia di timur laut Vietnam, di sebuah desa tempat ia bisa sepuasnya menikmati hamparan indah bunga lavender dan rumah-rumah berwarna ungu.

Kebahagiaan barunya terhentikan dengan kabar kepergian Stacey yang begitu mendadak dan tragis di kota London. Stacey—sosok sahabat yang selama ini menutupi kehadiran Ben—putra kandungnya. Amanda tahu, tanpa diminta pun, ia dengan senang hati akan merawat Ben. Membesarkan Ben dengan setulus hati adalah jalan bagi Amanda untuk mulai menemukan cinta..

“Orang-orang sekarang mengetahui Rumah Lavender sebagai rumah untuk menemukan kedamaian, cinta, dan harapan. Terkadang nasib dan takdir mempunyai rencananya masing-masing dan memberikan kejutan-kejutan yang tidak terduga.”

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Juliattae · Rating 1 out of 5]

Banyak typo dan harusnya editor harus lebih teliti lagi. dan isinya menurut aku soso dan gaada hal yg bikin 'kaget'. Mungkin karena ga terbiasa baca buku karangan author Indonesia selain Andrea Hirata, jadi susah suka dengan gaya penulisan dan jalan ceritanya.

[Ananda Apriliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Eldysa Aulia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so the first time I saw this book, I loved the cover and the title very much. The Lavender House, with lavender flower on the cover with white background. I read the synopsis and it's about Doctor Amanda who moved out to somewhere in Vietnam and she had to take care of her best friend's only Son, Ben. So I thought, wow, what an interesting book, and decided to buy it.

And now I feel disappointed by reading this book.

First, remember the synopsis? It's SUPPOSED to be how Doctor Amanda moved to Vietnam and took care of Ben then she would find happiness, the warmth of family, etc.. etc... But what is this? The story about Amanda and Ben is told ONLY in the last 3 chapters while from the beginning to chapter 17 is about Amanda growing up, going to uni, her distance friendship with Stacey, the death of Maggie.. I mean, COME ON! Which one do you want to be your focus? Amanda growing up until she met Ben OR her living in Vietnam with Ben? Put the straight synopsis on the backside of the book!

Second, there are so many incoherent sentences within the paragraphs. I dunno if it's the editor's fault who doesn't careful enough to correct them or it's just the author who messes up with her paragraphs. If you want to talk about other things in the paragraph that's different from the rest and has no connection with all of the sentences, why don't you put it on the next paragraph?

Third, I don't see strong relationship between Amanda and Stacey. They're SUPPOSED to be best friend, right? So why don't put many conversations between Amanda and Stacey or describe what Amanda think about Stacey? Why don't show how much Amanda cares about Stacey along the chapters from the beginning until the end of story? The only ones who I see that have strong relationship with Stacey is Maggie and Ben. Maggie, because she took care of Stacey since she was little, and Ben, because he was really close with Stacey and Stacey's son.

But anyway, I give the book 2 stars because of the lack of the story and character development (and the incoherent synopsis with the whole story of the book). Also 2 Stars because I know the story is good enough and the author could expand the story more into a really good one. The story has so much potential to be developed more, so it's a shame that the author didn't do that (dunno why, maybe because she had no enough time or such).

So, that's it.