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La notte dei mille inferi
C’era una volta la casa di una nonna, su un lembo dell’isola di Sumatra. Tre nipoti – Mutiara, Maya e Annisa – la esplorano come un luogo traboccante di misteri, pentoloni anneriti, vecchie fotografie e un pozzo proibito. Certe notti si può udire il lamento della kuntilanak, la morta vestita di bianco che non riesce a trovare pace. La nonna Victoria, la donna tigre, consegnerà alle ragazze il loro destino, sotto forma di una profezia: la prima diventerà la custode, la seconda viaggerà e la terza sarà una bellissima sposa. Diventate grandi, le tre sorelle saranno riunite da una tragedia. Da lì, il sipario si apre su una galleria di fantasmi, soprattutto interiori, di incantesimi da infrangere e rivoluzioni da innescare. Come un angelo della vendetta, una sorellastra torna dal passato per scuotere le ultime certezze rimaste.
Nelle atmosfere gotiche di questo romanzo si riverberano gli echi del passato coloniale e la coscienza di una femminilità sfaccettata: tra la provincia di Lampung, Jakarta e New York, si muovono donne che non vestono i panni di Cenerentola, ma provocano scompiglio, cambiamento o morte.
Nelle atmosfere gotiche di questo romanzo si riverberano gli echi del passato coloniale e la coscienza di una femminilità sfaccettata: tra la provincia di Lampung, Jakarta e New York, si muovono donne che non vestono i panni di Cenerentola, ma provocano scompiglio, cambiamento o morte.
448 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2023
About the author
Intan Paramaditha
20 books233 followersIntan Paramaditha menulis buku Sihir Perempuan, kumpulan cerita pendek yang masuk lima besar Khatulistiwa Literary Award pada tahun 2005; Kumpulan Budak Setan (2010), sebuah tribut untuk penulis horor Abdullah Harahap yang ditulis bersama Eka Kurniawan dan Ugoran Prasad; naskah drama Goyang Penasaran (Intan Paramaditha & Naomi Srikandi, ed, KPG 2013), diadaptasi dari cerpennya dan dipentaskan oleh Teater Garasi di Yogyakarta dan Teater Salihara, Jakarta. Ia mendapat penghargaan sebagai cerpenis terbaik Kompas 2013 lewat cerpen "Klub Solidaritas Suami Hilang." Pada tahun 2017 ia menerbitkan Gentayangan: Pilih Sendiri Petualangan Sepatu Merahmu, novel dengan alur beragam yang terpilih sebagai karya sastra bidang prosa terbaik pilihan Tempo 2017. Karyanya telah diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Inggris dan diterbitkan Harvill Secker (Penguin Random House UK) dengan judul Apple and Knife dan The Wandering.
Intan Paramaditha juga seorang akademisi, banyak menulis tentang gender dan seksualitas serta kajian budaya, khususnya film. Ia mendapat gelar doktor dalam bidang Kajian Sinema dari New York University setelah sebelumnya mendalami sastra Inggris di Universitas Indonesia dan University of California San Diego. Saat ini ia tinggal di Sydney dan mengajar Kajian Media dan Film di Macquarie University.
Intan Paramaditha juga seorang akademisi, banyak menulis tentang gender dan seksualitas serta kajian budaya, khususnya film. Ia mendapat gelar doktor dalam bidang Kajian Sinema dari New York University setelah sebelumnya mendalami sastra Inggris di Universitas Indonesia dan University of California San Diego. Saat ini ia tinggal di Sydney dan mengajar Kajian Media dan Film di Macquarie University.
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June 25, 2023
"Revolusi selalu dimulai oleh saudara tiri buruk rupa"
Kalimat itu nyangkut di kepalaku sejak mbak Intan membacakannya pada acara perilisan ulang Sihir Perempuan sampul baru di Gramedia Central Park 6 bulan silam.
Begitu excitednya sampai aku sengaja tidak membaca nawalanya. Agar bisa menikmati novelnya tanpa ekspektasi yang gimana-gimana.
Malam Seribu Jahanam "tampil" dalam balutan kisah religius agama Islam dengan kearifan lokal. Mbak Intan mengatakan sendiri bahwa kali ini ia berkesperimen dengan genre (kalau bisa disebut demikian) Gothic Islami.
Alkisah ada tiga dara. Mutiara, Maya, dan Anisa. Ketiganya diramal oleh Nenek Victoria bakal menjadi Penjaga, Pengelana, Pengantin. Bagi Muti yang paling sulung, ramalan itu aneh. Bagi Maya, bisa saja itu kutukan. Sedangkan bagi Anisa, siapa yang tak ingin menjadi Pengantin?
Namun, manusia berubah. Tiga dara tidak lagi lekat. Punya kehidupan sendiri-sendiri. Hingga suatu saat sebuah kejadiaan naas menyadarkan mereka semua. Muti harus menjadi Penjaga dan Maya masih saja menjadi Pengelana.
Sebagai seorang sulung dari tiga dara, aku punya kemiripan dengan Muti: perfeksionis dan maunya semua beres dalam satu kalimat pendek. Kesal kalau adik-adikku tidak mau nurut. Aku merasa, apa yang Muti tumpahkan dalam bab-bab di novel bisa kupahami. Emosinya bisa kurasakan.
Wajar jika ketika semua berantakan, Muti murka. Menyalahkan sang Pengelana. Tapi bisakah Maya memberikan penjelasan terhadap absennya dia?
Gothic Islami bukanlah sekadar tema. Bagiku, ini adalah napasnya. Mulai dari judul novel, nama kucing, cerita Nabi Yusuf, hingga surat yang ditulis oleh Anisa.
Mbak Intan seakan paham kebingunganku menerjemahkan "Islam" yang muncul pada peristiwa naas itu.
"Kalau betul Islam adalah agama penuh cinta kasih, mengapa mereka tega melakukan hal sekeji itu dan menggaungkan nama Tuhan?"
Secara keseluruhan, aku puas dengan Malam Seribu Jahanam. Isu yang diangkat, konflik yang dimunculkan, serta tokoh-tokoh yang tidak hanya cishet saja. Sebuah paket komplit ❤️
Kalimat itu nyangkut di kepalaku sejak mbak Intan membacakannya pada acara perilisan ulang Sihir Perempuan sampul baru di Gramedia Central Park 6 bulan silam.
Begitu excitednya sampai aku sengaja tidak membaca nawalanya. Agar bisa menikmati novelnya tanpa ekspektasi yang gimana-gimana.
Malam Seribu Jahanam "tampil" dalam balutan kisah religius agama Islam dengan kearifan lokal. Mbak Intan mengatakan sendiri bahwa kali ini ia berkesperimen dengan genre (kalau bisa disebut demikian) Gothic Islami.
Alkisah ada tiga dara. Mutiara, Maya, dan Anisa. Ketiganya diramal oleh Nenek Victoria bakal menjadi Penjaga, Pengelana, Pengantin. Bagi Muti yang paling sulung, ramalan itu aneh. Bagi Maya, bisa saja itu kutukan. Sedangkan bagi Anisa, siapa yang tak ingin menjadi Pengantin?
Namun, manusia berubah. Tiga dara tidak lagi lekat. Punya kehidupan sendiri-sendiri. Hingga suatu saat sebuah kejadiaan naas menyadarkan mereka semua. Muti harus menjadi Penjaga dan Maya masih saja menjadi Pengelana.
Sebagai seorang sulung dari tiga dara, aku punya kemiripan dengan Muti: perfeksionis dan maunya semua beres dalam satu kalimat pendek. Kesal kalau adik-adikku tidak mau nurut. Aku merasa, apa yang Muti tumpahkan dalam bab-bab di novel bisa kupahami. Emosinya bisa kurasakan.
Wajar jika ketika semua berantakan, Muti murka. Menyalahkan sang Pengelana. Tapi bisakah Maya memberikan penjelasan terhadap absennya dia?
Gothic Islami bukanlah sekadar tema. Bagiku, ini adalah napasnya. Mulai dari judul novel, nama kucing, cerita Nabi Yusuf, hingga surat yang ditulis oleh Anisa.
Mbak Intan seakan paham kebingunganku menerjemahkan "Islam" yang muncul pada peristiwa naas itu.
"Kalau betul Islam adalah agama penuh cinta kasih, mengapa mereka tega melakukan hal sekeji itu dan menggaungkan nama Tuhan?"
Secara keseluruhan, aku puas dengan Malam Seribu Jahanam. Isu yang diangkat, konflik yang dimunculkan, serta tokoh-tokoh yang tidak hanya cishet saja. Sebuah paket komplit ❤️
October 22, 2023
Apakah kamu dan aku, perempuan, saling mengoyak? Dalam novel “Malam Seribu Jahanam”, tiga bersaudari: Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa, diramalkan akan memiliki peran yang berbeda-beda: Penjaga, Pengelana, dan Pengantin. Namun, tak pernah ada yang menyangka: adik bungsu kesayangan yang cantik akan menjadi pelaku bom bunuh diri. Kedua kakak kebingungan, apa yang sebenarnya mereka lewatkan? Apa yang harus dilakukan Mutiara untuk mengamankan keluarga? Apa yang perlu ditelusuri Maya untuk menemukan teka-teki yang tersembunyi? Apa yang terselubung dari Si Manis Annisa?
Buatku, novel ini padat. Meski alur dibuka dengan kegemparan bom bunuh diri beserta segala situasi yang dapat melingkupinya baik dari segi korban maupun pelaku, tapi pembaca dapat mengutak-atik sudut pandang untuk menemukan isi yang berbeda. Semakin kita mengenal tiga bersaudari, justru tersibak lapis demi lapis isu yang termuat di dalam buku ini. Apa yang paling ingin kita cari? Di sini, kita dapat melihat kebingungan dalam praktek beragama alias bagaimana kita terkesan pilah-pilih dan tak konsisten, pola pengasuhan yang tak sehat, bahkan sejarah dan budaya yang teralami di Indonesia. Mungkin, pembaca berbeda akan menemukan ragam bahasan lainnya. Aku mengagumi bagaimana penulis bisa meleburkan semua itu secara rapi. Dengan pilihan isu yang ingin kita dalami, ada bahan yang tersedia tanpa membingungkan cerita.
Untukku sendiri, aku lebih tertarik dengan hubungan tiga bersaudari. Pada awal buku, meski pada masa kecil mereka memiliki hubungan naik-turun dengan kecemburuan sebagai bumbu, rasanya itu masih bagian yang wajar. Namun, semua berubah ketika mereka mulai memisahkan diri satu sama lain. Hal ini bisa kita menikmatinya sebagai alur apa adanya atau secara simbolis. Anggaplah tiga bersaudari ini adalah perwakilan dari sosok perempuan. Ramalan terhadap mereka menunjukkan bagaimana perempuan disematkan peran. Masalahnya, bagaimana peran tersebut bisa dianggap terpisah? Apakah satu individu hanya berhak memiliki satu?
Perempuan dapat terdiri atas Mutiara, Penjaga yang senantiasa bertanggung jawab, pekerja keras, pelindung, terstruktur, dan serupa lainnya. Ada Maya, Pengelana yang ingin berjiwa bebas tanpa terkekang dan terus berupaya mengaktualisasi diri. Di sisi lain, bisa juga Annisa, Pengantin yang ingin memiliki cinta yang tulus dan hidup dengan baik. Upaya agar ketiganya memiliki peran terpisah menunjukkan sosok perempuan tengah dikotak-kotakan. Buku ini menunjukkan bagaimana pengotak-ngotakan yang tak hanya dilakukan oleh pihak eksternal, tapi justru sesama perempuan (yang sebagiannya bisa jadi merasa berkedudukan lebih tinggi dan berharap dipatuhi).
Kemudian, menarik sekali ketika berhadapan dengan tingkatan hubungan yang mereka miliki: kakak-beradik. Seberapa sering kita menemui stereotip anak pertama harus menjadi pemimpin, pedoman, hingga pengayom. Lalu, anak kedua menjadi yang kreatif dan mandiri. Kemudian, anak bungsu sebagai sosok yang penurut dan manis. Penyederhanaan peran tersebut berkaitan dengan posisi anak. Si Sulung sesuai dengan harapan dianggap cocok sebagai penjaga. Lalu, Si Tengah dianggap sesuai dengan sifatnya pas sebagai pengelana. Terakhir, Si Bungsu harus mengikuti kriteria, yaitu Pengantin.
Di sisi lain, aku juga menemukan bagaimana selain penyederhanaan, kita pun bisa tanpa sadar memberikan permusuhan pada “Si Cantik” karena rasa iri. Entah mewujudkannya sebagai peran antagonis atau menganggapnya bentuk ketiakadilan (di mana “Si Cantik” dianggap selalu termudahkan). Bagaimana rengganggnya hubungan tiga saudari, terutama kedua kakak terhadap Annisa, buatku menunjukkan betapa sebenarnya kita jarang benar-benar memerhatikan “Si Cantik”. Padahal, jangankan perempuan, siapapun orangnya tentu memiliki kerumitan dan gejolaknya masing-masing. “Ledakan” yang diakibatkan Annisa buatku seperti keterkejutan yang bisa dibawa “Si Cantik” yang tak kita sangka-sangka sebelumnya karena kita tak cukup menghargainya sebagai seseorang yang utuh.
Tambahan: jika dilihat lebih saksama dengan mengatur pantulan cahaya, kita akan menemui sebuah mata di ilustrasi cover. Tidak menonjol, tapi terasa ganjil. Pertanyaannya, kemana kepala kita bereaksi? Apa pendapat kita terhadap gambar “tersembunyi” itu? Gemasnya, aku merasakan ini sebagai pancingan. Jika kita penuh kecurigaan, mungkin sudah terpikir kemana-mana~ atau mungkin terlihat seperti horor? misterius? pengawasan? tergantung apa yang kita pikirkan.
Buatku, novel ini padat. Meski alur dibuka dengan kegemparan bom bunuh diri beserta segala situasi yang dapat melingkupinya baik dari segi korban maupun pelaku, tapi pembaca dapat mengutak-atik sudut pandang untuk menemukan isi yang berbeda. Semakin kita mengenal tiga bersaudari, justru tersibak lapis demi lapis isu yang termuat di dalam buku ini. Apa yang paling ingin kita cari? Di sini, kita dapat melihat kebingungan dalam praktek beragama alias bagaimana kita terkesan pilah-pilih dan tak konsisten, pola pengasuhan yang tak sehat, bahkan sejarah dan budaya yang teralami di Indonesia. Mungkin, pembaca berbeda akan menemukan ragam bahasan lainnya. Aku mengagumi bagaimana penulis bisa meleburkan semua itu secara rapi. Dengan pilihan isu yang ingin kita dalami, ada bahan yang tersedia tanpa membingungkan cerita.
Untukku sendiri, aku lebih tertarik dengan hubungan tiga bersaudari. Pada awal buku, meski pada masa kecil mereka memiliki hubungan naik-turun dengan kecemburuan sebagai bumbu, rasanya itu masih bagian yang wajar. Namun, semua berubah ketika mereka mulai memisahkan diri satu sama lain. Hal ini bisa kita menikmatinya sebagai alur apa adanya atau secara simbolis. Anggaplah tiga bersaudari ini adalah perwakilan dari sosok perempuan. Ramalan terhadap mereka menunjukkan bagaimana perempuan disematkan peran. Masalahnya, bagaimana peran tersebut bisa dianggap terpisah? Apakah satu individu hanya berhak memiliki satu?
Perempuan dapat terdiri atas Mutiara, Penjaga yang senantiasa bertanggung jawab, pekerja keras, pelindung, terstruktur, dan serupa lainnya. Ada Maya, Pengelana yang ingin berjiwa bebas tanpa terkekang dan terus berupaya mengaktualisasi diri. Di sisi lain, bisa juga Annisa, Pengantin yang ingin memiliki cinta yang tulus dan hidup dengan baik. Upaya agar ketiganya memiliki peran terpisah menunjukkan sosok perempuan tengah dikotak-kotakan. Buku ini menunjukkan bagaimana pengotak-ngotakan yang tak hanya dilakukan oleh pihak eksternal, tapi justru sesama perempuan (yang sebagiannya bisa jadi merasa berkedudukan lebih tinggi dan berharap dipatuhi).
Kemudian, menarik sekali ketika berhadapan dengan tingkatan hubungan yang mereka miliki: kakak-beradik. Seberapa sering kita menemui stereotip anak pertama harus menjadi pemimpin, pedoman, hingga pengayom. Lalu, anak kedua menjadi yang kreatif dan mandiri. Kemudian, anak bungsu sebagai sosok yang penurut dan manis. Penyederhanaan peran tersebut berkaitan dengan posisi anak. Si Sulung sesuai dengan harapan dianggap cocok sebagai penjaga. Lalu, Si Tengah dianggap sesuai dengan sifatnya pas sebagai pengelana. Terakhir, Si Bungsu harus mengikuti kriteria, yaitu Pengantin.
Di sisi lain, aku juga menemukan bagaimana selain penyederhanaan, kita pun bisa tanpa sadar memberikan permusuhan pada “Si Cantik” karena rasa iri. Entah mewujudkannya sebagai peran antagonis atau menganggapnya bentuk ketiakadilan (di mana “Si Cantik” dianggap selalu termudahkan). Bagaimana rengganggnya hubungan tiga saudari, terutama kedua kakak terhadap Annisa, buatku menunjukkan betapa sebenarnya kita jarang benar-benar memerhatikan “Si Cantik”. Padahal, jangankan perempuan, siapapun orangnya tentu memiliki kerumitan dan gejolaknya masing-masing. “Ledakan” yang diakibatkan Annisa buatku seperti keterkejutan yang bisa dibawa “Si Cantik” yang tak kita sangka-sangka sebelumnya karena kita tak cukup menghargainya sebagai seseorang yang utuh.
Tambahan: jika dilihat lebih saksama dengan mengatur pantulan cahaya, kita akan menemui sebuah mata di ilustrasi cover. Tidak menonjol, tapi terasa ganjil. Pertanyaannya, kemana kepala kita bereaksi? Apa pendapat kita terhadap gambar “tersembunyi” itu? Gemasnya, aku merasakan ini sebagai pancingan. Jika kita penuh kecurigaan, mungkin sudah terpikir kemana-mana~ atau mungkin terlihat seperti horor? misterius? pengawasan? tergantung apa yang kita pikirkan.
August 11, 2023
“Maka aku menulis. Aku tidak tahu apakah aku menulis untuk bertahan atau menunda mati.”
April 24, 2024
Gak ngerti, tapi keren😭
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
On the 2026 Longlist for the National Book Award for Translated Literature. Finalists revealed 6 October 2026.
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: A genre-defying feminist gothic novel blending Indonesian folklore, Islamic mysticism, horror, and political reckoning
International literary sensation Intan Paramaditha returns with her most ambitious and haunting work to date. The novel opens with a devastating the youngest of three sisters becomes a suicide bomber. In the aftermath, her surviving siblings are forced to confront the violent, buried truths of their family history. Their search leads them to long-concealed secrets, and to the prophecies of their grandmother, whose shadowy wisdom has shaped their fates.
Set across Indonesia, the United States, and Australia, the novel explores class divides, sisterhood, migration, shame, abandonment, and the politics of care—all through a ghostly, atmospheric lens that draws on Asian folktales and occult traditions.
With its blend of political urgency, mythic resonance, and psychological depth, Night of a Thousand Hells is a singular contribution to global feminist literature.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: After knocking around the publishing industry for a while, and after spending many decades thinking about stories and how they get made and sold, I've come to respond with knee-jerk skepticism to certain phrases. A particularly powerful example is "genre-defying." I read it, I hear the marketing department and the sales manager hollering "what the actual fuck IS this thing? what do we tell the Dubuque bus station kiosk owner to shelve it as?" with some poor editorial assistant saying back "it's beautiful writing!" because he has no idea what genre boxes are for yet.
It is indeed beautiful writing, Taylor or whatever, and you should be proud of your role in bringing it to market. Luckily the author and translators have track records of success because if this was a debut novel it would be on a *serious* uphill trajectory. Islam's long history in Indonesia, its region-specific folklore, and the US culture's present hostility to the mere mention of the religion is working against the country's readers finding a reason to read a book about a family's reactions to a young woman's suicide bombing done with her husband and one of her children...honestly, who would not find that a hard, hard topic to grapple with? Then we have the Indonesian cultural milieu separate from Islam, in the story they intersect of course, but the specific-to-Indonesia and its wide cultural diversity elements are not fully mappable onto religious strictures and shibboleths.
So there are a lot of issues to negotiate. Not gonna lie or frost your donut. The reason you should want to read the story anyway is the reason to read any story: It's as much fun as the effort you need to put into it. We're hearing from multiple people, most importantly the dead woman's sisters and their grandmother. We're given, at different times, words from the family's servant from days gone by; sober, factual news reports (as one might expect); phrases from the Qur’an, again expected given what's occurred; and sensational tabloid screaming, again expectedly. Maya, the sister who now lives across the globe in New York, is writing a novel, bits of which are included at emotionally relevant times. Mutiara the solid one, the one who does the maintenance on the family, and grandmother Victoria appear as very distictive voices. Annisa, the family's golden child who inexplicably did this awful thing, is met posthumously through diary entries.
It is here the fifth star sets under the horizon. As fascinating as the story is, Annisa appears to me the least-developed, thus least interesting to me, character. It was as though the author needed to tell us things to explain Annisa to us so we don't simply have a cipher dragging the story into ugly, sensationalist tabloid territory. I agree; I would've liked these diary entries to have emotional impact beyond purporting to be from a suicide bomber, and I did not get that. I got generic-feeling pronoucements and bland uninflected propaganda points.
This disappointment was clearly not fatal to my pleasure in the read as my rating should amply demonstrate. I found the cultural elucidation to be defy, not drawn out into sociology-text realms. I wasn't as immersed in the cultural exchange as a result, though it was a facet of the story it was never THE story. I might've liked that story as well, but it wasn't what I was told to expect so I didn't.
Patriarchy, religious as well as social, and its dark, evil use of secrecy to divide and conquer those it wishes to exploit and dominate comes in for a thorough drubbing. The way women in ordinary Indonesian Muslim families are indoctrinated in patriarchy's expectations, implying they are the immutable commands of God, is rotten. The isolation of these women from the outside world, and even from each other, is the tool used to psychologically warp and destroy them. Accustoming people to the horrific abusive realities of religious social control allows the religious leaders enormous leeway to foment violence as well as to commit it. No further text.
Part of the deeply unfamiliar cultural detail in this story comes from the QUILTBAG community's presence, never overstated, in these pages. It was fascinating and an enrichment of my delighted awareness of just how true "we're here, we're queer, we're not staying in your closet" needs to remain through action against high-control systems with delusions of global supremacy.
A story I'm going to think about, mull over, analyze for some time to come; and do all those things in an engaged, interested, involved way.
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: A genre-defying feminist gothic novel blending Indonesian folklore, Islamic mysticism, horror, and political reckoning
International literary sensation Intan Paramaditha returns with her most ambitious and haunting work to date. The novel opens with a devastating the youngest of three sisters becomes a suicide bomber. In the aftermath, her surviving siblings are forced to confront the violent, buried truths of their family history. Their search leads them to long-concealed secrets, and to the prophecies of their grandmother, whose shadowy wisdom has shaped their fates.
Set across Indonesia, the United States, and Australia, the novel explores class divides, sisterhood, migration, shame, abandonment, and the politics of care—all through a ghostly, atmospheric lens that draws on Asian folktales and occult traditions.
With its blend of political urgency, mythic resonance, and psychological depth, Night of a Thousand Hells is a singular contribution to global feminist literature.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: After knocking around the publishing industry for a while, and after spending many decades thinking about stories and how they get made and sold, I've come to respond with knee-jerk skepticism to certain phrases. A particularly powerful example is "genre-defying." I read it, I hear the marketing department and the sales manager hollering "what the actual fuck IS this thing? what do we tell the Dubuque bus station kiosk owner to shelve it as?" with some poor editorial assistant saying back "it's beautiful writing!" because he has no idea what genre boxes are for yet.
It is indeed beautiful writing, Taylor or whatever, and you should be proud of your role in bringing it to market. Luckily the author and translators have track records of success because if this was a debut novel it would be on a *serious* uphill trajectory. Islam's long history in Indonesia, its region-specific folklore, and the US culture's present hostility to the mere mention of the religion is working against the country's readers finding a reason to read a book about a family's reactions to a young woman's suicide bombing done with her husband and one of her children...honestly, who would not find that a hard, hard topic to grapple with? Then we have the Indonesian cultural milieu separate from Islam, in the story they intersect of course, but the specific-to-Indonesia and its wide cultural diversity elements are not fully mappable onto religious strictures and shibboleths.
So there are a lot of issues to negotiate. Not gonna lie or frost your donut. The reason you should want to read the story anyway is the reason to read any story: It's as much fun as the effort you need to put into it. We're hearing from multiple people, most importantly the dead woman's sisters and their grandmother. We're given, at different times, words from the family's servant from days gone by; sober, factual news reports (as one might expect); phrases from the Qur’an, again expected given what's occurred; and sensational tabloid screaming, again expectedly. Maya, the sister who now lives across the globe in New York, is writing a novel, bits of which are included at emotionally relevant times. Mutiara the solid one, the one who does the maintenance on the family, and grandmother Victoria appear as very distictive voices. Annisa, the family's golden child who inexplicably did this awful thing, is met posthumously through diary entries.
It is here the fifth star sets under the horizon. As fascinating as the story is, Annisa appears to me the least-developed, thus least interesting to me, character. It was as though the author needed to tell us things to explain Annisa to us so we don't simply have a cipher dragging the story into ugly, sensationalist tabloid territory. I agree; I would've liked these diary entries to have emotional impact beyond purporting to be from a suicide bomber, and I did not get that. I got generic-feeling pronoucements and bland uninflected propaganda points.
This disappointment was clearly not fatal to my pleasure in the read as my rating should amply demonstrate. I found the cultural elucidation to be defy, not drawn out into sociology-text realms. I wasn't as immersed in the cultural exchange as a result, though it was a facet of the story it was never THE story. I might've liked that story as well, but it wasn't what I was told to expect so I didn't.
Patriarchy, religious as well as social, and its dark, evil use of secrecy to divide and conquer those it wishes to exploit and dominate comes in for a thorough drubbing. The way women in ordinary Indonesian Muslim families are indoctrinated in patriarchy's expectations, implying they are the immutable commands of God, is rotten. The isolation of these women from the outside world, and even from each other, is the tool used to psychologically warp and destroy them. Accustoming people to the horrific abusive realities of religious social control allows the religious leaders enormous leeway to foment violence as well as to commit it. No further text.
Part of the deeply unfamiliar cultural detail in this story comes from the QUILTBAG community's presence, never overstated, in these pages. It was fascinating and an enrichment of my delighted awareness of just how true "we're here, we're queer, we're not staying in your closet" needs to remain through action against high-control systems with delusions of global supremacy.
A story I'm going to think about, mull over, analyze for some time to come; and do all those things in an engaged, interested, involved way.
August 9, 2026
This book was very, very for me but I do think it may face disappointed reviews depending on how it’s marketed. Despite reads to the contrary, I didn’t find anything gothic, atmospheric, or scary. Rather, Night of a Thousand Hells is a scattered family drama that branches out from one main event: the younger sister’s suicide bombing.
This is a deeply cultural book thats translation still expects a lot from the reader. I have strong background knowledge in Islam, but had to consult the internet on the Indonesian folklore and culture. It’s also an incredibly non-linear work with various points of view, scattered timelines, and epistolary chapters.
If you read those two paragraphs and are still in, then prepare to be rewarded. Every character is so complex with the unfurling narrative giving more & more empathetic insight. The relationships uncover smart commentary on religion, class, gender, sex and expectations in Indonesian society. Paramaditha’s writing makes you feel like a silent observer within the family and that level of intimacy in fiction is a testament to her talent.
Hoping for additional works of hers to be translated.
This is a deeply cultural book thats translation still expects a lot from the reader. I have strong background knowledge in Islam, but had to consult the internet on the Indonesian folklore and culture. It’s also an incredibly non-linear work with various points of view, scattered timelines, and epistolary chapters.
If you read those two paragraphs and are still in, then prepare to be rewarded. Every character is so complex with the unfurling narrative giving more & more empathetic insight. The relationships uncover smart commentary on religion, class, gender, sex and expectations in Indonesian society. Paramaditha’s writing makes you feel like a silent observer within the family and that level of intimacy in fiction is a testament to her talent.
Hoping for additional works of hers to be translated.
November 4, 2023
Di tahun 1991, Hajjah Victoria binti Haji Tjek Sun meramal ketiga cucunya: satu cucu berkelana, satu menjaga, dan satu lagi menjadi pengantin.
Novel kedua Intan Paramaditha, Malam Seribu Jahanam, sedikit berbeda secara format dari novel pertamanya, Gentayangan: Pilih Sendiri Petualangan Sepatu Merahmu, yang mengangkat konsep “pilih sendiri petualangan sepatu merahmu”. Meskipun demikian, novel ini pun masih kental dengan nuansa gothic.
Dalam Malam Seribu Jahanam, Intan mencoba meramu cerita menggunakan lebih dari satu sudut pandang. Sudut pandang orang kedua, “kau”, tak lagi digunakan, namun digantikan dengan sudut pandang “aku” yang datang dari masing-masing tokoh yang terlibat dalam kisah ini. Setiap kali berganti bagian, cerita akan diawali dengan gelar masing-masing tokoh, Pengelana, Penjaga, dan Pengantin, yang menjadi penanda sudut pandang siapa yang tengah diceritakan.
Malam Seribu Jahanam mengangkat tema yang begitu aktual, yaitu perspektif aksi terorisme dari sisi keluarga pelaku. Tema ini digambarkan melalui tokoh Mutiara (Sang Penjaga) dan Maya (Sang Pengelana), yang merupakan kakak dari pelaku aksi terorisme. Mutiara dan Maya kehilangan kata-kata dan mempertanyakan diri mereka masing-masing saat mendengar kabar Annisa, adik mereka yang juga Sang Pengantin dalam cerita ini, meledakkan diri bersama suami dan anaknya di majelis pengajian transpuan dan gereja di Kotawijaya, sebuah kota fiksi. Aksi tersebut menimbulkan korban jiwa di kedua tempat tersebut.
Mutiara Sang Penjaga yang tinggal di Jakarta, terbang ke Kotawijaya demi mengidentifikasi jenazah adiknya dan mengurus pemakamannya, sambil dibayang-bayangi kerumunan wartawan yang mencari berita sensasional dan kutukan keluarga korban. Maya Sang Pengelana yang tinggal di New York, akhirnya memutuskan pulang ke Indonesia demi mencari tahu pesan yang ditinggalkan Annisa lewat aksinya.
Perspektif ini menarik untuk ditelusuri, karena aksi terorisme tidak hanya berdampak pada keluarga korban, tetapi juga keluarga pelaku. Keluarga pelaku harus menghadapi dampak psikologis dan tuntutan sosial, yang terkadang diperparah oleh pemberitaan media massa yang tidak sensitif, hanya sekadar meliput berita tanpa mempertimbangkan dampaknya bagi keluarga pelaku.
Intan juga menyoroti keretakan konsep keluarga di era modern, yang digambarkan melalui tokoh Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa. Ketiga saudari tersebut memiliki hubungan yang kompleks dan tidak selalu harmonis. Keluarga yang jadi topik sentral di cerita ini disatukan oleh seorang matriark, Hajjah Victoria binti Haji Tjek Sun, yang diceritakan memiliki rumah di Tanjung Karang tempatnya biasa menghabiskan kesehariannya melakukan banyak hal. Ia tinggal bersama pembantunya Mak Romlah, dan anak Mak yang namanya Rohadi.
Rohadi kerap dianggap cucu sendiri oleh Victoria, yang sempat berpikir mewariskannya ilmu berubah menjadi harimau jantan. Namun kemudian, Rohadi memiliki caranya sendiri untuk berubah wujud, menjadi Rosalinda yang dengan kepercayaan dirinya menjadi Pendongeng, yang kemudian mengisahkan sisi tersembunyi yang luput dari sudut pandang Tiga Dara – Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa. Perspektif Rosalinda sebagai seorang transpuan juga menjadi sorotan penting lain dalam kisah ini.
Seperti di novel Intan yang sebelumnya, konsep “rumah” menjadi hal yang sentral dalam cerita ini. Masing-masing tokoh berusaha mencari definisi “rumah” mereka sendiri, baik itu dengan berkelana atau berusaha menjaga apa yang ada di depan mata. Penggusuran rumah Victoria di Tanjung Karang yang terjadi usai wafatnya Victoria menjadi suatu topik tragis yang kian kali diulang oleh para tokoh, suatu kehilangan yang kemudian memotivasi para tokoh dalam menginterpretasikan konsep “rumah” dengan jalan dan jawaban yang berbeda-beda.
Novel kedua Intan Paramaditha, Malam Seribu Jahanam, sedikit berbeda secara format dari novel pertamanya, Gentayangan: Pilih Sendiri Petualangan Sepatu Merahmu, yang mengangkat konsep “pilih sendiri petualangan sepatu merahmu”. Meskipun demikian, novel ini pun masih kental dengan nuansa gothic.
Dalam Malam Seribu Jahanam, Intan mencoba meramu cerita menggunakan lebih dari satu sudut pandang. Sudut pandang orang kedua, “kau”, tak lagi digunakan, namun digantikan dengan sudut pandang “aku” yang datang dari masing-masing tokoh yang terlibat dalam kisah ini. Setiap kali berganti bagian, cerita akan diawali dengan gelar masing-masing tokoh, Pengelana, Penjaga, dan Pengantin, yang menjadi penanda sudut pandang siapa yang tengah diceritakan.
Malam Seribu Jahanam mengangkat tema yang begitu aktual, yaitu perspektif aksi terorisme dari sisi keluarga pelaku. Tema ini digambarkan melalui tokoh Mutiara (Sang Penjaga) dan Maya (Sang Pengelana), yang merupakan kakak dari pelaku aksi terorisme. Mutiara dan Maya kehilangan kata-kata dan mempertanyakan diri mereka masing-masing saat mendengar kabar Annisa, adik mereka yang juga Sang Pengantin dalam cerita ini, meledakkan diri bersama suami dan anaknya di majelis pengajian transpuan dan gereja di Kotawijaya, sebuah kota fiksi. Aksi tersebut menimbulkan korban jiwa di kedua tempat tersebut.
Mutiara Sang Penjaga yang tinggal di Jakarta, terbang ke Kotawijaya demi mengidentifikasi jenazah adiknya dan mengurus pemakamannya, sambil dibayang-bayangi kerumunan wartawan yang mencari berita sensasional dan kutukan keluarga korban. Maya Sang Pengelana yang tinggal di New York, akhirnya memutuskan pulang ke Indonesia demi mencari tahu pesan yang ditinggalkan Annisa lewat aksinya.
Perspektif ini menarik untuk ditelusuri, karena aksi terorisme tidak hanya berdampak pada keluarga korban, tetapi juga keluarga pelaku. Keluarga pelaku harus menghadapi dampak psikologis dan tuntutan sosial, yang terkadang diperparah oleh pemberitaan media massa yang tidak sensitif, hanya sekadar meliput berita tanpa mempertimbangkan dampaknya bagi keluarga pelaku.
Intan juga menyoroti keretakan konsep keluarga di era modern, yang digambarkan melalui tokoh Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa. Ketiga saudari tersebut memiliki hubungan yang kompleks dan tidak selalu harmonis. Keluarga yang jadi topik sentral di cerita ini disatukan oleh seorang matriark, Hajjah Victoria binti Haji Tjek Sun, yang diceritakan memiliki rumah di Tanjung Karang tempatnya biasa menghabiskan kesehariannya melakukan banyak hal. Ia tinggal bersama pembantunya Mak Romlah, dan anak Mak yang namanya Rohadi.
Rohadi kerap dianggap cucu sendiri oleh Victoria, yang sempat berpikir mewariskannya ilmu berubah menjadi harimau jantan. Namun kemudian, Rohadi memiliki caranya sendiri untuk berubah wujud, menjadi Rosalinda yang dengan kepercayaan dirinya menjadi Pendongeng, yang kemudian mengisahkan sisi tersembunyi yang luput dari sudut pandang Tiga Dara – Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa. Perspektif Rosalinda sebagai seorang transpuan juga menjadi sorotan penting lain dalam kisah ini.
Seperti di novel Intan yang sebelumnya, konsep “rumah” menjadi hal yang sentral dalam cerita ini. Masing-masing tokoh berusaha mencari definisi “rumah” mereka sendiri, baik itu dengan berkelana atau berusaha menjaga apa yang ada di depan mata. Penggusuran rumah Victoria di Tanjung Karang yang terjadi usai wafatnya Victoria menjadi suatu topik tragis yang kian kali diulang oleh para tokoh, suatu kehilangan yang kemudian memotivasi para tokoh dalam menginterpretasikan konsep “rumah” dengan jalan dan jawaban yang berbeda-beda.
March 22, 2026
4.5⭐️ I think this was very well-written, filled with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tiny details and signifiers, elaborate and nuanced, but some aspects were dragged on for too long.
April 23, 2024
best read 2024.
ketika pertama kali kenal Mutiara, aku membaca sembari tersenyum miring.
'kamu kan, Mutiara juga?'
begitu mengenal Maya, satu kalimat kembali datang.
'tapi kayaknya, kamu juga Maya, bukan?'
i read this book without knowing anything. sewaktu itu, membeli karena beberapa orang sempat bilang kalau buku ini bagus sekali. tetapi, aku gak pernah mencari tahu juga, bagus kenapa dan bagaimana opini lengkap orang lain terhadap Malam Seribu Jahanam.
membacanya pelan-pelan, tidak ingin cepat selesai. aku suka dengan dinamika keluarga serta tiga dara yang diceritakan di sini. hubungan keluarga yang rumit. terlihat baik-baik saja, terlihat seperti keluarga rukun, tetapi ya... tidak juga. semua menderita dengan versinya masing-masing. aku suka premise ini.
enggak, aku CINTA premise dari cerita ini.
terlebih, yang paling buat aku merasa berkali-kali dihantam palu besar ketika membaca buku ini adalah, gaya penulisan yang sungguh realistis menyayat, such a raw book. tidak mendayu. banyak kalimat yang ditulis dengan menusuk tanpa ampun.
ketika membaca kalau Mutiara menulis, "Mungkin suatu saat nanti aku akan memaafkan diriku sendiri."
air mata ku tumpah. ternyata memang aku adalah Mutiara. mutlak.
Mba Intan, i cannot thank you enough for writing this book. terima kasih karena sudah menulis tentang bagaimana berdamai dengan duka pada situasi yang sulit dan tidak nyaman.
ketika pertama kali kenal Mutiara, aku membaca sembari tersenyum miring.
'kamu kan, Mutiara juga?'
begitu mengenal Maya, satu kalimat kembali datang.
'tapi kayaknya, kamu juga Maya, bukan?'
i read this book without knowing anything. sewaktu itu, membeli karena beberapa orang sempat bilang kalau buku ini bagus sekali. tetapi, aku gak pernah mencari tahu juga, bagus kenapa dan bagaimana opini lengkap orang lain terhadap Malam Seribu Jahanam.
membacanya pelan-pelan, tidak ingin cepat selesai. aku suka dengan dinamika keluarga serta tiga dara yang diceritakan di sini. hubungan keluarga yang rumit. terlihat baik-baik saja, terlihat seperti keluarga rukun, tetapi ya... tidak juga. semua menderita dengan versinya masing-masing. aku suka premise ini.
enggak, aku CINTA premise dari cerita ini.
terlebih, yang paling buat aku merasa berkali-kali dihantam palu besar ketika membaca buku ini adalah, gaya penulisan yang sungguh realistis menyayat, such a raw book. tidak mendayu. banyak kalimat yang ditulis dengan menusuk tanpa ampun.
ketika membaca kalau Mutiara menulis, "Mungkin suatu saat nanti aku akan memaafkan diriku sendiri."
air mata ku tumpah. ternyata memang aku adalah Mutiara. mutlak.
Mba Intan, i cannot thank you enough for writing this book. terima kasih karena sudah menulis tentang bagaimana berdamai dengan duka pada situasi yang sulit dan tidak nyaman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2026
Night of a Thousand Hells was such a tangle of a story, blending together sisterhood, politics, prophecies … and the things we do to survive the aftermath of tragedies where we might feel a bit complicit.
Mutiara, the caretaker.
Maya, the traveler.
Annisa, the bride.
These three sisters are given prophecies as kids from their mythically-perceptive grandmother, and each one grows into her title. That is, until Anissa, the pretty one, the littlest one, becomes a suicide bomber alongside her husband and two young children.
After the detonation, Mutiara and Maya have to face themselves and their family history. They travel to childhood haunts, interrogate diaries and their own memories, and also face a perspective they’ve never quite acknowledged.
“‘What if she kills an entire village?’
‘Then why did you let it happen?’”
Are we our sisters’ keepers? How much responsibility do we hold for our family members? The two elder sisters can’t combine the two truths of Annisa: the annoyingly charming (albeit always fiery) littlest sister and the murderer, the suicide bomber. And even by the end of the book, there’s no clear resolution and no clear answer to their question of why. There are clues, but even so, her final decision is beyond their grasp.
Both Mutiara and Maya use stories as a way to better understand their lives: fairytales, religious lessons, Shakespeare references, and mythological creatures. But as we move along, you start to see that these childhood prophecies are sort of traps. They all embody their role and feel like that’s what they were meant to do, but never quite interrogate their own desires or happiness. And Nana - giver of the prophecies and perhaps a weretiger - might have been trapped in her own box, too.
And then suddenly, the rug is pulled out from under us as a new perspective steps into the spotlight: Rosalinda, their sister who was never quite folded into the sisterhood. Her mother was the maid, and therefore she had one foot in and one foot out, sometimes feeling like she was part of the family, sometimes used as an easy scapegoat, and sometimes simply forgotten and ignored. Rosalinda is trans, and brings us along with her to the joys and struggles and moments of freedom and losses that comes with being part of the trans community.
Mutiara, Maya, and Rosalinda all felt properly fleshed-out, but Annisa is a little bit of a shadowy moment. We get plenty of stories and also diary entries, but she’s tough. I never quite felt like she was a fully-dimensional character, and was never certain about my feelings towards her. I definitely think we’re meant to feel conflicted, but I also think we never quite got enough of their love for her to balance out their distress. Do we feel responsible for her? Do we love her? Do we hate her? Do we still feel as though she’s our sister? Do we want nothing to do with her memory?
I also think the way Islam is portrayed - so multi-faceted, freeing and grounding for some and less so for others - was well-done. Mutiara, Maya, and Annisa all have very different interactions with religion, beliefs, and religious communities (even shifting back and forth over the course of their lives), and all these complicated truths were offered up to us. There’s also a lot of cultural commentary on religion.
This writing was exquisite. It catches you off-guard, and twirls and weaves throughout perspectives (with a sprinkling of mixed media) and timelines. It feels folkloric and not completely tethered to the ground, and I loved that.
I would personally call this a story of family dynamics rather than a piece of gothic horror. I just think that would prep readers better, though there are definitely elements of Indonesian mythology (weretiger Nana), hauntings (a kuntilanak, perhaps?), and deeply disturbing elements (the suicide bombing, of course). How fragile our perspectives can be, and how complicated our family dynamics are.
Families can be toxic, manipulative, and tuck their true violence away. Women are shaped by the violence of the home AND the violence of the system, and then punished for turning to monstrosity. Can we ever truly understand our families? What a journey this book was, and it left me with so much to ponder.
CW: murder, death, suicide, religious bigotry, transphobia, hate crime, homophobia, misogyny, classism, chronic illness, mental illness, sexual violence, body horror
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Mutiara, the caretaker.
Maya, the traveler.
Annisa, the bride.
These three sisters are given prophecies as kids from their mythically-perceptive grandmother, and each one grows into her title. That is, until Anissa, the pretty one, the littlest one, becomes a suicide bomber alongside her husband and two young children.
After the detonation, Mutiara and Maya have to face themselves and their family history. They travel to childhood haunts, interrogate diaries and their own memories, and also face a perspective they’ve never quite acknowledged.
“‘What if she kills an entire village?’
‘Then why did you let it happen?’”
Are we our sisters’ keepers? How much responsibility do we hold for our family members? The two elder sisters can’t combine the two truths of Annisa: the annoyingly charming (albeit always fiery) littlest sister and the murderer, the suicide bomber. And even by the end of the book, there’s no clear resolution and no clear answer to their question of why. There are clues, but even so, her final decision is beyond their grasp.
Both Mutiara and Maya use stories as a way to better understand their lives: fairytales, religious lessons, Shakespeare references, and mythological creatures. But as we move along, you start to see that these childhood prophecies are sort of traps. They all embody their role and feel like that’s what they were meant to do, but never quite interrogate their own desires or happiness. And Nana - giver of the prophecies and perhaps a weretiger - might have been trapped in her own box, too.
And then suddenly, the rug is pulled out from under us as a new perspective steps into the spotlight: Rosalinda, their sister who was never quite folded into the sisterhood. Her mother was the maid, and therefore she had one foot in and one foot out, sometimes feeling like she was part of the family, sometimes used as an easy scapegoat, and sometimes simply forgotten and ignored. Rosalinda is trans, and brings us along with her to the joys and struggles and moments of freedom and losses that comes with being part of the trans community.
Mutiara, Maya, and Rosalinda all felt properly fleshed-out, but Annisa is a little bit of a shadowy moment. We get plenty of stories and also diary entries, but she’s tough. I never quite felt like she was a fully-dimensional character, and was never certain about my feelings towards her. I definitely think we’re meant to feel conflicted, but I also think we never quite got enough of their love for her to balance out their distress. Do we feel responsible for her? Do we love her? Do we hate her? Do we still feel as though she’s our sister? Do we want nothing to do with her memory?
I also think the way Islam is portrayed - so multi-faceted, freeing and grounding for some and less so for others - was well-done. Mutiara, Maya, and Annisa all have very different interactions with religion, beliefs, and religious communities (even shifting back and forth over the course of their lives), and all these complicated truths were offered up to us. There’s also a lot of cultural commentary on religion.
This writing was exquisite. It catches you off-guard, and twirls and weaves throughout perspectives (with a sprinkling of mixed media) and timelines. It feels folkloric and not completely tethered to the ground, and I loved that.
I would personally call this a story of family dynamics rather than a piece of gothic horror. I just think that would prep readers better, though there are definitely elements of Indonesian mythology (weretiger Nana), hauntings (a kuntilanak, perhaps?), and deeply disturbing elements (the suicide bombing, of course). How fragile our perspectives can be, and how complicated our family dynamics are.
Families can be toxic, manipulative, and tuck their true violence away. Women are shaped by the violence of the home AND the violence of the system, and then punished for turning to monstrosity. Can we ever truly understand our families? What a journey this book was, and it left me with so much to ponder.
CW: murder, death, suicide, religious bigotry, transphobia, hate crime, homophobia, misogyny, classism, chronic illness, mental illness, sexual violence, body horror
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow. This was something special. I’m still sitting with what I just read. Night of a Thousand Hells is such a unique blend of literary fiction, feminist horror, mythology, and social commentary. There is so much happening beneath the surface, and I found myself continually fascinated by the characters, the storytelling, and the ideas woven throughout the narrative.
The characters are rich, complicated, and incredibly well drawn, and I loved how much depth there was to their individual stories. This book took me through an absolute rollercoaster of emotions: horror, anger, sadness, curiosity, and moments of genuine wonder.
And this is exactly why I love translated fiction. A great translated novel doesn’t simply tell you a story; it can transport you somewhere completely outside your own cultural frame of reference. This book did that beautifully. I felt immersed in a world that was unfamiliar to me, and I came away feeling like I had learned something while also being thoroughly entertained.
There is so much here to unpack, appreciate, and be intrigued by. The horror is unsettling, but the larger ideas are what really stayed with me.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Europa Editions, and Intan Paramaditha for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The characters are rich, complicated, and incredibly well drawn, and I loved how much depth there was to their individual stories. This book took me through an absolute rollercoaster of emotions: horror, anger, sadness, curiosity, and moments of genuine wonder.
And this is exactly why I love translated fiction. A great translated novel doesn’t simply tell you a story; it can transport you somewhere completely outside your own cultural frame of reference. This book did that beautifully. I felt immersed in a world that was unfamiliar to me, and I came away feeling like I had learned something while also being thoroughly entertained.
There is so much here to unpack, appreciate, and be intrigued by. The horror is unsettling, but the larger ideas are what really stayed with me.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Europa Editions, and Intan Paramaditha for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 4, 2026
Malam Seribu Jahanam oleh Intan Paramaditha.
Ini kali pertama saya membaca karya penulis ini. Sejujurnya, saya ambil masa hampir seminggu untuk merenung kisah dan penceritaan buku ini. Ulasan pun tertangguh lama sebab tak tahu nak mula dari mana, tapi dalam masa yang sama tetap rasa nak berkongsi dan ajak semua orang baca 😅🤭
Ia mengisahkan perjalanan hidup tiga adik-beradik perempuan iaitu Mutiara (sulung), Maya (tengah) dan Annisa (si bongsu kesayangan papa dan semua) bersama keluarga mereka. Nenek mereka iaitu Hajjah Victoria, yg juga seorang yg berpengaruh, telah meramalkan bahawa si sulung akan jadi penjaga, si tengah akan jadi pengembara dan si bongsu akan menjadi pengantin. Ya, ramalan si nenek memang tepat, tapi apa yang berlaku di samping ramalan itu memang sangat sukar untuk diulas dan diperkatakan 😅
Bayangkan, permulaan cerita; "Revolusi selalu dimulai oleh saudara tiri buruk rupa. Entah apa yang mengendap di kepala adik kita, yang tak buruk rupa maupun revolusioner, saat ia melilitkan bom di pinggang dan meledakkan tubuhnya..."
Dan petikan-petikan lainnya :
"Demi Jannah, ia ciptakan jahanam",
"Aku tak tau Islam macam apa yang kau anut, Annisa",
"Revolusi hanya ada dalam pikiran orang-orang yang tertindas sebab mana ada orang kaya rupawan menginginkan perubahan?",
"Aku tak akan menyusulmu ke Jannah Annisa, sebab kau tak ada di sana. Aku mesti kembali ke belakang dan mencari di mana kau tercecer..."
Dialog‑dialog ini membuat saya berhenti sejenak, berfikir, dan terasa berat di hati. Kisah tentang "aftereffects" keluarga pengebom berani mati; topik yang pedih, menyayat hati, dan penuh renungan. Intan juga mengangkat isu‑isu sensitif tentang agama, pilihan hidup, dan pegangan, menjadikan cerita lebih tajam dan membuat kita rasa nak muhasabah diri.
Saya suka gaya penulisannya: setiap bab berselang‑seli antara masa kini dan masa lalu, membantu kita memahami kenapa sesuatu terjadi pada setiap karakter.
Secara keseluruhan, saya berpuashati dengan jalan cerita buku ini, menjadikan ia antara bacaan 5-Bintang untuk saya pada tahun ini.
Ini kali pertama saya membaca karya penulis ini. Sejujurnya, saya ambil masa hampir seminggu untuk merenung kisah dan penceritaan buku ini. Ulasan pun tertangguh lama sebab tak tahu nak mula dari mana, tapi dalam masa yang sama tetap rasa nak berkongsi dan ajak semua orang baca 😅🤭
Ia mengisahkan perjalanan hidup tiga adik-beradik perempuan iaitu Mutiara (sulung), Maya (tengah) dan Annisa (si bongsu kesayangan papa dan semua) bersama keluarga mereka. Nenek mereka iaitu Hajjah Victoria, yg juga seorang yg berpengaruh, telah meramalkan bahawa si sulung akan jadi penjaga, si tengah akan jadi pengembara dan si bongsu akan menjadi pengantin. Ya, ramalan si nenek memang tepat, tapi apa yang berlaku di samping ramalan itu memang sangat sukar untuk diulas dan diperkatakan 😅
Bayangkan, permulaan cerita; "Revolusi selalu dimulai oleh saudara tiri buruk rupa. Entah apa yang mengendap di kepala adik kita, yang tak buruk rupa maupun revolusioner, saat ia melilitkan bom di pinggang dan meledakkan tubuhnya..."
Dan petikan-petikan lainnya :
"Demi Jannah, ia ciptakan jahanam",
"Aku tak tau Islam macam apa yang kau anut, Annisa",
"Revolusi hanya ada dalam pikiran orang-orang yang tertindas sebab mana ada orang kaya rupawan menginginkan perubahan?",
"Aku tak akan menyusulmu ke Jannah Annisa, sebab kau tak ada di sana. Aku mesti kembali ke belakang dan mencari di mana kau tercecer..."
Dialog‑dialog ini membuat saya berhenti sejenak, berfikir, dan terasa berat di hati. Kisah tentang "aftereffects" keluarga pengebom berani mati; topik yang pedih, menyayat hati, dan penuh renungan. Intan juga mengangkat isu‑isu sensitif tentang agama, pilihan hidup, dan pegangan, menjadikan cerita lebih tajam dan membuat kita rasa nak muhasabah diri.
Saya suka gaya penulisannya: setiap bab berselang‑seli antara masa kini dan masa lalu, membantu kita memahami kenapa sesuatu terjadi pada setiap karakter.
Secara keseluruhan, saya berpuashati dengan jalan cerita buku ini, menjadikan ia antara bacaan 5-Bintang untuk saya pada tahun ini.
May 21, 2024
AKU SUKA BANGET.
Ini novel Intan pertama yang aku baca, walaupun karya-karyanya sering berkeliaran di sekitarku. Aku sempat juga datang konser Melancholic Bitch sekaligus pembacaan karya Malam Seribu Jahanam. Dan oh Tuhan, aku suka banget buku ini!
Cara Intan membangun ketegangan di buku, pelan-pelan tapi tajam. Rasanya membaca ini seperti ada orang yang mengawasiku, membuatku was-was sekaligus ketagihan tidak bisa berhenti. Menyenangkan sekali membacanya walau aku harus berhenti tiap detak jantungku kelewat kencang. Aku suka cara Intan menuliskan narasi, perasaan, dan keadaan sekitar. Gamblang sampai seolah-olah aku berada di sana, membuat imajinasiku terasa nyata. Aku juga suka bagaimana Intan membiarkan sebagian masih misteri, pesan-pesan yang ditinggalkan oleh Annisa sebagai pelaku bom bunuh diri sangat tersirat serta kejadian-kejadian di masa lalu yang buram tapi ada. Memang hidup kadang demikian, ada banyak yang tidak terlihat jelas meski benar-benar di depan mata.
Tapi catatanku, penulisan dari perspektif Maya dan Mutiara terasa sangat mirip. Karena gaya penulisan yang mirip itu, seolah-olah mereka berpikir dengan cara yang sama meski justru sangat berbeda 180 derajat. Kesamaan ini mungkin karena sulit membedakan gaya tulis dibanding dengan bahasa lisan. Aku sangat membayangkan cara bicara Maya dan Mutiara berbeda, pola pikir berbeda, dan segalanya berbeda.
Perbedaan ini justru terlihat dalam perspektif Rosalinda yang menurutku, gaya tulisannya, merepresentasikan Rosalinda itu sendiri. Tidak hanya penggunaan kata-kata "Cyin, metong semetong-metongnya" dan kata sreupa, tapi vibes yang ditampilkan seolah-olah itu memang dongeng Cek Rosalinda. Mungkin justru terlihat sangat berbeda karena Rosalinda adalah pendongeng ya, entahlah.
Terima kasih, Intan Paramadhita. Menulis buku horor yang sangat bisa dinikmati. Akan kujelajahi karyamu yang lain!
Ini novel Intan pertama yang aku baca, walaupun karya-karyanya sering berkeliaran di sekitarku. Aku sempat juga datang konser Melancholic Bitch sekaligus pembacaan karya Malam Seribu Jahanam. Dan oh Tuhan, aku suka banget buku ini!
Cara Intan membangun ketegangan di buku, pelan-pelan tapi tajam. Rasanya membaca ini seperti ada orang yang mengawasiku, membuatku was-was sekaligus ketagihan tidak bisa berhenti. Menyenangkan sekali membacanya walau aku harus berhenti tiap detak jantungku kelewat kencang. Aku suka cara Intan menuliskan narasi, perasaan, dan keadaan sekitar. Gamblang sampai seolah-olah aku berada di sana, membuat imajinasiku terasa nyata. Aku juga suka bagaimana Intan membiarkan sebagian masih misteri, pesan-pesan yang ditinggalkan oleh Annisa sebagai pelaku bom bunuh diri sangat tersirat serta kejadian-kejadian di masa lalu yang buram tapi ada. Memang hidup kadang demikian, ada banyak yang tidak terlihat jelas meski benar-benar di depan mata.
Tapi catatanku, penulisan dari perspektif Maya dan Mutiara terasa sangat mirip. Karena gaya penulisan yang mirip itu, seolah-olah mereka berpikir dengan cara yang sama meski justru sangat berbeda 180 derajat. Kesamaan ini mungkin karena sulit membedakan gaya tulis dibanding dengan bahasa lisan. Aku sangat membayangkan cara bicara Maya dan Mutiara berbeda, pola pikir berbeda, dan segalanya berbeda.
Perbedaan ini justru terlihat dalam perspektif Rosalinda yang menurutku, gaya tulisannya, merepresentasikan Rosalinda itu sendiri. Tidak hanya penggunaan kata-kata "Cyin, metong semetong-metongnya" dan kata sreupa, tapi vibes yang ditampilkan seolah-olah itu memang dongeng Cek Rosalinda. Mungkin justru terlihat sangat berbeda karena Rosalinda adalah pendongeng ya, entahlah.
Terima kasih, Intan Paramadhita. Menulis buku horor yang sangat bisa dinikmati. Akan kujelajahi karyamu yang lain!
January 10, 2024
Seru dan menegangkan. Sepertinya buku ini berdasar dari insiden pengeboman tiga gereja di Surabaya pada 2018. Tapi di buku ini Surabaya disebut sebagai Kotawijaya. Astrid Maharani si Walikota Kotawijaya juga sepertinya terinspirasi dari Tri Rismaharini, mantan Walikota Surabaya.
Bab-bab yang dimiliki buku ini singkat, sehingga cerita gampang diikuti. Selain itu, tiap bab biasanya berdasar dari sudut pandang tokoh-tokoh yang berbeda sehingga satu peristiwa yang sama dapat terbagi menjadi beberapa bab. Alur menjadi sangat padat dan bisa mengosongi kekosongan satu sama lain.
Sayang menurut saya banyak hal yang tidak terselesaikan di buku ini, atau mungkin itu memang tujuannya?
Bab-bab yang dimiliki buku ini singkat, sehingga cerita gampang diikuti. Selain itu, tiap bab biasanya berdasar dari sudut pandang tokoh-tokoh yang berbeda sehingga satu peristiwa yang sama dapat terbagi menjadi beberapa bab. Alur menjadi sangat padat dan bisa mengosongi kekosongan satu sama lain.
Sayang menurut saya banyak hal yang tidak terselesaikan di buku ini, atau mungkin itu memang tujuannya?
October 15, 2026
Night of Thousands Hell is not simply horror story, its a harrowing tale of the sisters, of the nightmares shrouded the family with their dark secrets and the beginning of the fateful ending. Intan Paramaditha's spun a tale as old as time of the 3 sisters and their ugly stepsister. The grandmother Nana is a weretiger or a witch or Kuntilanak and she was the most fascinatingly alluring character. The 3 sisters, Mutiara fated to be the caretaker, Maya the traveller and Annisa the bride as Nana said of her foretelling which proven to be true years later. The novel doesn't shy away from speaking on the harshest reality of the society with much focus on the Indonesian culture and tradition with blend of Islamic mysticism.
The storytelling was brilliant with the mixed of perspectives from each of the sisters and Rohadi or Rosalinda's dramatic storytelling of these sort of fairytale-esque/folklore stories rooted in the sister's life. A bloody tragedy that happened when Annisa, the youngest committed the most atrocious act of suicide bombing herself with her husband and young daughter that killed many others. The incident happened at various places from the church to the community of transgenders quarters studying Quran. The aftermaths of the event has led both of the remain living sisters to understand their youngest sister's desires and goals, of the reason for such heinous massacre. If she is involved with an extremist group of Muslim or is she searching for something deep within? There are so much to talk about the story yet I don't think I can fully capture the beautiful writing and how it gut wrenched me with the exposition of their fragile thoughts, each sisters including Rosalinda carrying a heavy baggage by themselves. An emotional scars, a haunting childhood trauma to the revolution they seek for in their life whether through religion, faiths, travelling away from home or to the desperation of finding their place with their loved ones.
Thank you Times reads for the review copy
The storytelling was brilliant with the mixed of perspectives from each of the sisters and Rohadi or Rosalinda's dramatic storytelling of these sort of fairytale-esque/folklore stories rooted in the sister's life. A bloody tragedy that happened when Annisa, the youngest committed the most atrocious act of suicide bombing herself with her husband and young daughter that killed many others. The incident happened at various places from the church to the community of transgenders quarters studying Quran. The aftermaths of the event has led both of the remain living sisters to understand their youngest sister's desires and goals, of the reason for such heinous massacre. If she is involved with an extremist group of Muslim or is she searching for something deep within? There are so much to talk about the story yet I don't think I can fully capture the beautiful writing and how it gut wrenched me with the exposition of their fragile thoughts, each sisters including Rosalinda carrying a heavy baggage by themselves. An emotional scars, a haunting childhood trauma to the revolution they seek for in their life whether through religion, faiths, travelling away from home or to the desperation of finding their place with their loved ones.
Thank you Times reads for the review copy
August 9, 2026
buku sastra indonesia yang menurut aku sastra banget tapi masuk bagi aku yang kurang menjelajahi sastra.
Bercerita tentang Tiga saudara (Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa) diramakkan oleh neneknya (victoria) akan menjadi penjaga, pengelana, dan pengantin. Namun sang pengantin malah memilih jalan sesat dengan meledakkan diri bersama suami dan anaknya. Mutiara dan maya saling mencari tahu bagaimana adiknya bisa menjadi seperti itu.
Untuk alurnya menggunakan maju mundur ya
Bercerita tentang Tiga saudara (Mutiara, Maya, dan Annisa) diramakkan oleh neneknya (victoria) akan menjadi penjaga, pengelana, dan pengantin. Namun sang pengantin malah memilih jalan sesat dengan meledakkan diri bersama suami dan anaknya. Mutiara dan maya saling mencari tahu bagaimana adiknya bisa menjadi seperti itu.
Untuk alurnya menggunakan maju mundur ya
October 16, 2026
Another difficult book to get through, both emotionally and intellectually.
Honestly, reading this book was not easy at all. It comes with a considerable number of trigger warnings, and I would strongly recommend that readers familiarise themselves with them before picking it up. However, I think Intan Paramaditha’s distinctive writing style, with its unusual word choices, poetic prose, and thought-provoking anecdotes, makes this book all the more challenging and fascinating to read. The issues explored are incredibly extensive, multifaceted, and deeply rooted in society, constantly challenging the reader to reflect on things that are often overlooked, normalised, or simply left undiscussed. It demands your attention, patience, and willingness to sit with uncomfortable truths.
The book had actually been sitting on my TBR since last year, but I only managed to get around to reading it recently. To be completely honest, I had almost forgotten that I even owned this book, as several other titles on my TBR had managed to steal my attention. That was until it was announced as one of the winners of the 2026 National Book Award in the Translated Literature category. Needless to say, the announcement immediately reminded me that I had been meaning to read this book for quite some time.
When I began reading the opening chapters, I was immediately reminded of the Surabaya church bombings that took place in May 2018, shortly before Ramadan. The story is also set in 2018, and one of its central characters, Annisa, is portrayed as a suicide bomber, referred to in the narrative as a "bride". This immediately establishes the disturbing and unsettling atmosphere of the book, setting the stage for a story that explores the complicated intersections between religion, ideology, family, social expectations, and violence.
What I find particularly compelling about this book is how it attempts to challenge and criticise the various forms of Islamism that have become entangled with certain aspects of Indonesian society. Paramaditha does not shy away from portraying the contradictions, hypocrisies, and complexities that can emerge when religious beliefs are practised alongside cultural traditions that may contradict the very principles people claim to uphold.
One example that particularly caught my attention is how several characters are portrayed as deeply religious and outwardly devout, yet they also place their faith in superstitions and traditional healers, or dukun, when seeking cures for illnesses and other problems. For me, this reflects a contradiction that can be observed in parts of Indonesian society: people may publicly identify as religious and present themselves as devoted believers, whilst simultaneously placing their trust in superstitions and practices that they might otherwise consider incompatible with their religious convictions.
Of course, I do not think this contradiction necessarily represents every Indonesian Muslim, nor should it be taken as a generalisation about the entire community. Rather, what I appreciate is how the book invites readers to question the ways in which religion, cultural traditions, and deeply ingrained social beliefs can become intertwined. It encourages us to consider whether people genuinely understand the values they claim to uphold, or whether religion sometimes becomes a convenient justification for maintaining harmful practices and beliefs
And this is only one of the many issues explored throughout the book.
Another subject that particularly stood out to me was parenting, especially the consequences of unequal treatment between siblings. Paramaditha highlights how unhealthy parenting patterns, emotional neglect, and favouritism can create resentment and tension within a family, sometimes leading to serious conflicts between siblings
This is something I found particularly relatable in the context of Indonesian family dynamics. There is a familiar expectation that the eldest child should shoulder the greatest responsibilities, often being expected to act as a second parent to their younger siblings, whilst the youngest child is sometimes perceived as the family's darling and receives more affection, leniency, or protection. These expectations might be dismissed as ordinary family dynamics, but the book demonstrates how damaging they can become when parents fail to recognise the emotional needs of each child
The book also tackles the discrimination, harassment, and violence experienced by LGBTQ+ people in Indonesian society. It examines how deeply ingrained social prejudices can lead people to regard LGBTQ+ individuals as sinful, immoral, or undeserving of acceptance and even of the right to live freely. This was another aspect of the narrative that I found particularly difficult to read, precisely because these attitudes are not merely fictional problems. They reflect real prejudices and forms of discrimination that people continue to experience
I appreciate that Paramaditha does not treat these issues as isolated incidents. Instead, she situates them within a broader social landscape in which prejudice, religious interpretations, cultural expectations, and established norms can reinforce one another. The result is a narrative that challenges readers to question the assumptions they may have inherited from their families, communities, and society at large
The story unfolds through the perspectives of four central characters: Mutiara, Annisa, Maya, and Rosalinda. I found this narrative structure particularly interesting because it allows the reader to encounter different experiences, emotional struggles, and interpretations of different characters. Each character contributes another layer to the story, gradually revealing the many contradictions and uncomfortable realities that Paramaditha wants us to confront.
Beyond these subjects, the book explores numerous other social problems and harmful behaviours that have become normalised within Indonesian society. Rather than simply presenting these issues through direct commentary, Paramaditha weaves them into the characters' experiences, conversations, conflicts, and interactions. This approach makes the criticism feel much more personal, as readers encounter these problems through the lives of people who are struggling to navigate them
I would be lying if I said that reading this book was not emotionally exhausting. It was. In fact, I found it to be quite emotionally draining, not only because of the heavy subject matter but also because of the way the author communicates the characters' experiences through her distinctive prose, unusual diction, and sometimes unconventional anecdotes
There were moments when I had to pause and take a breath because the situations described felt painfully familiar. I could imagine how some of these experiences might resonate with Indonesian readers, particularly those who have encountered similar expectations, prejudices, family conflicts, or social pressures in their own lives. Some of the situations might be fictional, but the emotions and underlying social realities felt disturbingly recognisable. For that reason, I genuinely believe that readers should prepare themselves emotionally before picking up this book. It is not simply a matter of being comfortable with dark or disturbing subject matter. It is also about being prepared to confront issues that might hit a little too close to home. Some of the book's most challenging moments come from recognising that the attitudes and behaviours being criticised are not necessarily distant or unfamiliar. They may exist within our own communities, families, or even within the beliefs we have grown accustomed to accepting without question
Now, I think I understand why this book has received such significant recognition, including its reported recognition by the 2026 National Book Awards in the Translated Literature category. What stands out to me is Paramaditha's willingness to explore and criticise aspects of Indonesian society that are often uncomfortable to discuss openly. She brings together questions of religion, cultural identity, family relationships, gender, sexuality, and social prejudice in a way that feels deeply rooted in the realities of the society she portrays
I particularly appreciate how the book combines dark, unsettling elements with its exploration of religious ideology and social conventions. Rather than treating these subjects as straightforward or presenting the reader with easy answers, Paramaditha exposes the contradictions that emerge when religious devotion, cultural expectations, and social power intersect. The result is a story that encourages readers to question what they have been taught to consider normal, acceptable, or morally correct
I also think it is important to recognise how much of the book's impact comes from its specifically Indonesian context. The family dynamics, social expectations, religious tensions, and prejudices explored in the narrative are shaped by a particular cultural environment. Although some of these themes may resonate with readers elsewhere, the way they intersect within Indonesian society gives the story its own distinct character. For me, this is one of the book's greatest strengths: it offers a perspective on Indonesia that feels far more complicated than the simplified images of the country that readers might encounter elsewhere
I would not necessarily claim that these issues are unique to Indonesia or that they never occur in Western societies. Rather, I think Paramaditha presents them through a distinctly Indonesian lens, exposing social contradictions that deserve greater attention and scrutiny. She is unafraid to examine the darker sides of a society that can be reluctant to acknowledge its own shortcomings, particularly when those shortcomings are tied to religion, family, or long-established cultural traditions.
Ultimately, this is a book that challenges its readers on multiple levels. It is emotionally demanding because of its subject matter, intellectually stimulating because of the questions it raises, and stylistically challenging because of the author's distinctive approach to language and storytelling. It is certainly not an easy or particularly relaxing read, but I believe that its willingness to confront uncomfortable realities is precisely what makes it worth reading.
My rating will be 4 out of 5 stars.
The main reason I am not giving this book a full five stars is that I frequently had to reread certain passages, particularly those involving the author's poetic prose, unusual diction, and unconventional anecdotes, to fully understand the narrative and the emotions she wanted to convey. I recognise that literary interpretation is subjective, and different readers may take different meanings from the same passage, even when the broader social criticism is relatively clear.
There are so many layers to this book, and I am sure I have not managed to capture every detail or social issue that Paramaditha explores. The more I think about it, the more I realise just how many ingrained prejudices, cultural expectations, and uncomfortable social realities she manages to weave into the narrative.
This is definitely not a book for everyone, and I would encourage prospective readers to check the trigger warnings beforehand. But if you are willing to engage with a challenging narrative that pushes you to question society, religion, family, and the assumptions we often take for granted, I would strongly recommend giving it a chance.
It may not be an easy book to read, but it is certainly one that gives you plenty to think about long after you have turned the final page.
Honestly, reading this book was not easy at all. It comes with a considerable number of trigger warnings, and I would strongly recommend that readers familiarise themselves with them before picking it up. However, I think Intan Paramaditha’s distinctive writing style, with its unusual word choices, poetic prose, and thought-provoking anecdotes, makes this book all the more challenging and fascinating to read. The issues explored are incredibly extensive, multifaceted, and deeply rooted in society, constantly challenging the reader to reflect on things that are often overlooked, normalised, or simply left undiscussed. It demands your attention, patience, and willingness to sit with uncomfortable truths.
The book had actually been sitting on my TBR since last year, but I only managed to get around to reading it recently. To be completely honest, I had almost forgotten that I even owned this book, as several other titles on my TBR had managed to steal my attention. That was until it was announced as one of the winners of the 2026 National Book Award in the Translated Literature category. Needless to say, the announcement immediately reminded me that I had been meaning to read this book for quite some time.
When I began reading the opening chapters, I was immediately reminded of the Surabaya church bombings that took place in May 2018, shortly before Ramadan. The story is also set in 2018, and one of its central characters, Annisa, is portrayed as a suicide bomber, referred to in the narrative as a "bride". This immediately establishes the disturbing and unsettling atmosphere of the book, setting the stage for a story that explores the complicated intersections between religion, ideology, family, social expectations, and violence.
What I find particularly compelling about this book is how it attempts to challenge and criticise the various forms of Islamism that have become entangled with certain aspects of Indonesian society. Paramaditha does not shy away from portraying the contradictions, hypocrisies, and complexities that can emerge when religious beliefs are practised alongside cultural traditions that may contradict the very principles people claim to uphold.
One example that particularly caught my attention is how several characters are portrayed as deeply religious and outwardly devout, yet they also place their faith in superstitions and traditional healers, or dukun, when seeking cures for illnesses and other problems. For me, this reflects a contradiction that can be observed in parts of Indonesian society: people may publicly identify as religious and present themselves as devoted believers, whilst simultaneously placing their trust in superstitions and practices that they might otherwise consider incompatible with their religious convictions.
Of course, I do not think this contradiction necessarily represents every Indonesian Muslim, nor should it be taken as a generalisation about the entire community. Rather, what I appreciate is how the book invites readers to question the ways in which religion, cultural traditions, and deeply ingrained social beliefs can become intertwined. It encourages us to consider whether people genuinely understand the values they claim to uphold, or whether religion sometimes becomes a convenient justification for maintaining harmful practices and beliefs
And this is only one of the many issues explored throughout the book.
Another subject that particularly stood out to me was parenting, especially the consequences of unequal treatment between siblings. Paramaditha highlights how unhealthy parenting patterns, emotional neglect, and favouritism can create resentment and tension within a family, sometimes leading to serious conflicts between siblings
This is something I found particularly relatable in the context of Indonesian family dynamics. There is a familiar expectation that the eldest child should shoulder the greatest responsibilities, often being expected to act as a second parent to their younger siblings, whilst the youngest child is sometimes perceived as the family's darling and receives more affection, leniency, or protection. These expectations might be dismissed as ordinary family dynamics, but the book demonstrates how damaging they can become when parents fail to recognise the emotional needs of each child
The book also tackles the discrimination, harassment, and violence experienced by LGBTQ+ people in Indonesian society. It examines how deeply ingrained social prejudices can lead people to regard LGBTQ+ individuals as sinful, immoral, or undeserving of acceptance and even of the right to live freely. This was another aspect of the narrative that I found particularly difficult to read, precisely because these attitudes are not merely fictional problems. They reflect real prejudices and forms of discrimination that people continue to experience
I appreciate that Paramaditha does not treat these issues as isolated incidents. Instead, she situates them within a broader social landscape in which prejudice, religious interpretations, cultural expectations, and established norms can reinforce one another. The result is a narrative that challenges readers to question the assumptions they may have inherited from their families, communities, and society at large
The story unfolds through the perspectives of four central characters: Mutiara, Annisa, Maya, and Rosalinda. I found this narrative structure particularly interesting because it allows the reader to encounter different experiences, emotional struggles, and interpretations of different characters. Each character contributes another layer to the story, gradually revealing the many contradictions and uncomfortable realities that Paramaditha wants us to confront.
Beyond these subjects, the book explores numerous other social problems and harmful behaviours that have become normalised within Indonesian society. Rather than simply presenting these issues through direct commentary, Paramaditha weaves them into the characters' experiences, conversations, conflicts, and interactions. This approach makes the criticism feel much more personal, as readers encounter these problems through the lives of people who are struggling to navigate them
I would be lying if I said that reading this book was not emotionally exhausting. It was. In fact, I found it to be quite emotionally draining, not only because of the heavy subject matter but also because of the way the author communicates the characters' experiences through her distinctive prose, unusual diction, and sometimes unconventional anecdotes
There were moments when I had to pause and take a breath because the situations described felt painfully familiar. I could imagine how some of these experiences might resonate with Indonesian readers, particularly those who have encountered similar expectations, prejudices, family conflicts, or social pressures in their own lives. Some of the situations might be fictional, but the emotions and underlying social realities felt disturbingly recognisable. For that reason, I genuinely believe that readers should prepare themselves emotionally before picking up this book. It is not simply a matter of being comfortable with dark or disturbing subject matter. It is also about being prepared to confront issues that might hit a little too close to home. Some of the book's most challenging moments come from recognising that the attitudes and behaviours being criticised are not necessarily distant or unfamiliar. They may exist within our own communities, families, or even within the beliefs we have grown accustomed to accepting without question
Now, I think I understand why this book has received such significant recognition, including its reported recognition by the 2026 National Book Awards in the Translated Literature category. What stands out to me is Paramaditha's willingness to explore and criticise aspects of Indonesian society that are often uncomfortable to discuss openly. She brings together questions of religion, cultural identity, family relationships, gender, sexuality, and social prejudice in a way that feels deeply rooted in the realities of the society she portrays
I particularly appreciate how the book combines dark, unsettling elements with its exploration of religious ideology and social conventions. Rather than treating these subjects as straightforward or presenting the reader with easy answers, Paramaditha exposes the contradictions that emerge when religious devotion, cultural expectations, and social power intersect. The result is a story that encourages readers to question what they have been taught to consider normal, acceptable, or morally correct
I also think it is important to recognise how much of the book's impact comes from its specifically Indonesian context. The family dynamics, social expectations, religious tensions, and prejudices explored in the narrative are shaped by a particular cultural environment. Although some of these themes may resonate with readers elsewhere, the way they intersect within Indonesian society gives the story its own distinct character. For me, this is one of the book's greatest strengths: it offers a perspective on Indonesia that feels far more complicated than the simplified images of the country that readers might encounter elsewhere
I would not necessarily claim that these issues are unique to Indonesia or that they never occur in Western societies. Rather, I think Paramaditha presents them through a distinctly Indonesian lens, exposing social contradictions that deserve greater attention and scrutiny. She is unafraid to examine the darker sides of a society that can be reluctant to acknowledge its own shortcomings, particularly when those shortcomings are tied to religion, family, or long-established cultural traditions.
Ultimately, this is a book that challenges its readers on multiple levels. It is emotionally demanding because of its subject matter, intellectually stimulating because of the questions it raises, and stylistically challenging because of the author's distinctive approach to language and storytelling. It is certainly not an easy or particularly relaxing read, but I believe that its willingness to confront uncomfortable realities is precisely what makes it worth reading.
My rating will be 4 out of 5 stars.
The main reason I am not giving this book a full five stars is that I frequently had to reread certain passages, particularly those involving the author's poetic prose, unusual diction, and unconventional anecdotes, to fully understand the narrative and the emotions she wanted to convey. I recognise that literary interpretation is subjective, and different readers may take different meanings from the same passage, even when the broader social criticism is relatively clear.
There are so many layers to this book, and I am sure I have not managed to capture every detail or social issue that Paramaditha explores. The more I think about it, the more I realise just how many ingrained prejudices, cultural expectations, and uncomfortable social realities she manages to weave into the narrative.
This is definitely not a book for everyone, and I would encourage prospective readers to check the trigger warnings beforehand. But if you are willing to engage with a challenging narrative that pushes you to question society, religion, family, and the assumptions we often take for granted, I would strongly recommend giving it a chance.
It may not be an easy book to read, but it is certainly one that gives you plenty to think about long after you have turned the final page.
Read
June 28, 2025vividly captures the experience of being raised in an average indonesian muslim family: the upbringing that give you skewed perception of what it means to be a "moderate muslim" through the normalization of fundamentalist point of views. as you grow up and gain a little bit of vantage point though, you will realize how far off all of the teachings could have been. will have been. if you dont actively fight to unlearn them. everything around you is shrouded in secrecy. hushed answers to your questions, closed doors in front of you, whispers of ghostly stories to invoke fears. nanti kalau udah gede juga ngerti but i am grown now and i still don't understand. just like maya.
i especially love the book portrayal of unhappy mothers trapped under the heavy weight of impossible patriarchal expectations. when they predictably fail to hold it together, they will disappear slowly, get sent to various "teachers" as a way "to get cured". of course the teachers are often men, the very patriarchal figure that impose similar rules to their wives, if not worse. and when they come back, they will lose all lights in their eyes, rightfully so. but you will watch as your mother realize there is little use in fighting against it and just give in. and she will not be the mother you know anymore. can you blame her? the book takes you through these experiences carefully, slowly but very surely.
this is just a small part of the book, it feels unfair to focus solely on this because its so much more than just that. the book weaves together cultural commentary about the default ignorance of the indonesian muslim middle class: of the daily tragedies that they miss easily even as it happens in front of them because their perceived normality allows them to ignore it, which allows the continuation of the violence, which of course at some points makes them implicit on it. the book is littered so eloquently with these points even from the beginning. so when one of the character finally pointed it out and said it out loud, it feels deeply cathartic. there are many twists and turns but even so the narrative remains consistent and the story concluded so nicely that i am just perfectly content with how it all ended.
just love it so much. gonna beg all the religiously traumatized homies turned gay turned atheists to read this now!
i especially love the book portrayal of unhappy mothers trapped under the heavy weight of impossible patriarchal expectations. when they predictably fail to hold it together, they will disappear slowly, get sent to various "teachers" as a way "to get cured". of course the teachers are often men, the very patriarchal figure that impose similar rules to their wives, if not worse. and when they come back, they will lose all lights in their eyes, rightfully so. but you will watch as your mother realize there is little use in fighting against it and just give in. and she will not be the mother you know anymore. can you blame her? the book takes you through these experiences carefully, slowly but very surely.
this is just a small part of the book, it feels unfair to focus solely on this because its so much more than just that. the book weaves together cultural commentary about the default ignorance of the indonesian muslim middle class: of the daily tragedies that they miss easily even as it happens in front of them because their perceived normality allows them to ignore it, which allows the continuation of the violence, which of course at some points makes them implicit on it. the book is littered so eloquently with these points even from the beginning. so when one of the character finally pointed it out and said it out loud, it feels deeply cathartic. there are many twists and turns but even so the narrative remains consistent and the story concluded so nicely that i am just perfectly content with how it all ended.
just love it so much. gonna beg all the religiously traumatized homies turned gay turned atheists to read this now!
July 7, 2023
anak terakhir yg jadi kesayangan tetiba jadi pelaku bom bunuh diri?
seorang nenek meramal nasib ketiga cucunya: anak pertama si paling kuat jadi penjaga, anak tengah jadi pengelana ke negeri2 asing dan anak terakhir jadi pengantik yang cantik, lalu ada juga anak pembantu yg jadi transpuan
gak disangka ternyata si anak terakhir— Annisa, membawa bom dan meledakkan dirinya serta membunuh banyak orang
apa ya alasan annisa melakukan aksinya? di masa lalu bagian mana ya ia berkelok dan masih banyak omongan neneknya yg seolah jadi teka teki!! baca novel ini tuh vibes nya kyk film nktchi dgn suasana yg mencekam bgt dgn rumah neneknya yg menyimpan banyak rahasia
masalah keluarganya sih bener bener disoroti👀 sedikit banyak pasti kalian relate dan gmn semua tokoh saling terikat seperti kawat jadi bersiap bakal banyak ledakan lain yg kalian temukan
seorang nenek meramal nasib ketiga cucunya: anak pertama si paling kuat jadi penjaga, anak tengah jadi pengelana ke negeri2 asing dan anak terakhir jadi pengantik yang cantik, lalu ada juga anak pembantu yg jadi transpuan
gak disangka ternyata si anak terakhir— Annisa, membawa bom dan meledakkan dirinya serta membunuh banyak orang
apa ya alasan annisa melakukan aksinya? di masa lalu bagian mana ya ia berkelok dan masih banyak omongan neneknya yg seolah jadi teka teki!! baca novel ini tuh vibes nya kyk film nktchi dgn suasana yg mencekam bgt dgn rumah neneknya yg menyimpan banyak rahasia
masalah keluarganya sih bener bener disoroti👀 sedikit banyak pasti kalian relate dan gmn semua tokoh saling terikat seperti kawat jadi bersiap bakal banyak ledakan lain yg kalian temukan
April 23, 2024
Setidaknya nyaris di paruh pertama Malam Seribu Jahanam terasa agak melelahkan untuk disimak. Terasa berbelit-belit untuk sesuatu yang sebenarnya bisa saja lugas. Dan mungkin faktor usia, tapi rasanya saya semakin tidak sabar membaca prosa dengan gaya bahasa yang sastrawi lol
Untunglah setelahnya buku mulai jelas mau bercerita tentang apa, sehingga lebih renyah untuk disimak. Atau bisa jadi saya mulai terbiasa saja dengan gaya penulisan Intan.
Apapun itu, Malam Seribu Jahanam tetap buku yang menarik. Ceritanya mungkin tidak luar biasa, tapi memiliki nuansa yang kaya dan penuh tekstur. Bukan melulu tentang plot, tapi tentang perjalanan dan pengalaman para karakternya yang ternyata mampu membetot atensi kita sebagai pembaca.
Untunglah setelahnya buku mulai jelas mau bercerita tentang apa, sehingga lebih renyah untuk disimak. Atau bisa jadi saya mulai terbiasa saja dengan gaya penulisan Intan.
Apapun itu, Malam Seribu Jahanam tetap buku yang menarik. Ceritanya mungkin tidak luar biasa, tapi memiliki nuansa yang kaya dan penuh tekstur. Bukan melulu tentang plot, tapi tentang perjalanan dan pengalaman para karakternya yang ternyata mampu membetot atensi kita sebagai pembaca.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Their grandmother labels three little girls the Caretaker, the Traveler, and the Bride, and years later the Bride straps a bomb to her chest. I would also be revisiting every childhood prophecy with a highlighter and several concerns.
Annisa’s bombing destroys whatever fragile version of normal this family still had, and her sisters are left with the worst possible question: how did we not know her? Mutiara, the Caretaker, immediately starts doing what she has apparently been doing since birth and handles everything. Maya, the Traveler, comes back from the life she built elsewhere and starts pulling at every loose thread she can find. Both are grieving. Both are furious. Both are ashamed of things they don’t know how to say out loud. And both are very ready to make the other sister responsible for at least some of it.
Mutiara and Maya have the kind of sibling relationship where they know exactly where the emotional trapdoors are. Mutiara looks at Maya and sees someone who left. Maya looks at Mutiara and sees someone who stayed and turned caretaking into control. They are not calmly comparing notes. They are dragging childhood grievances into a family catastrophe and occasionally acting shocked when that makes everything worse. Very sisterly. Very healthy. No concerns.
Then Grandmother Victoria keeps reaching into the story from the past with her prophecies, folklore, warnings, and the entire emotional architecture she built around these girls. The roles she gave them start feeling less like cute family mythology and more like boxes everyone got shoved into before they were old enough to argue. Caretaker. Traveler. Bride. At a certain point I wanted to ask whether anyone in this family had ever been allowed to just be a person.
And the book itself refuses to sit still, which honestly fits these people. Time jumps. Perspectives shift. Memories interrupt other memories. Letters show up. Somebody tells you a version of events and then someone else walks in later like, actually, that is not what happened. I spent part of this book mentally carrying around a corkboard and red string because nobody in this family can simply reveal information in chronological order like a considerate person.
Then Rosalinda shows up and suddenly the whole thing tilts. That was the moment I really started staring at everybody differently because she brings in a perspective the sisters have not been seeing clearly at all. Mutiara and Maya are so busy trying to understand Annisa that they don’t always notice how much of the answer lives in the people their family overlooked, misunderstood, or quietly pushed to the edges. Rosalinda basically arrives carrying several receipts and the patience level of someone who has been waiting a very long time to speak.
What got me is that understanding Annisa does not save anybody. There is no answer that makes what she did less horrific. There is no memory sweet enough to erase the violence. There is no version of grief where Mutiara and Maya get to choose one feeling and stay there. They loved her. They are horrified by her. They miss her. They blame her. All of that gets to exist at once, which is miserable and true.
And this is where the horror really worked on me. Not because something jumps out from behind a door. Because these women grew up in the same family and still managed to become partially unknowable to one another. Because love does not guarantee understanding. Because sometimes the person you think you know best has whole rooms inside them you never entered. That is the kind of thing that follows you into bed.
Night of a Thousand Hells lands at 4 stars for me. It occasionally made me work for my supper, and there were moments where I had to stop and reorient myself around who was speaking and when we were, but once I accepted that this family was going to tell its story like everyone was fighting over the microphone, I was in. These sisters are absolutely going to keep arguing in my head for a while.
Huge thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the ARC and for introducing me to a family where Grandma assigned everyone prophetic archetypes, nobody communicated properly for years, and the consequences eventually became everybody’s full-time problem.
Annisa’s bombing destroys whatever fragile version of normal this family still had, and her sisters are left with the worst possible question: how did we not know her? Mutiara, the Caretaker, immediately starts doing what she has apparently been doing since birth and handles everything. Maya, the Traveler, comes back from the life she built elsewhere and starts pulling at every loose thread she can find. Both are grieving. Both are furious. Both are ashamed of things they don’t know how to say out loud. And both are very ready to make the other sister responsible for at least some of it.
Mutiara and Maya have the kind of sibling relationship where they know exactly where the emotional trapdoors are. Mutiara looks at Maya and sees someone who left. Maya looks at Mutiara and sees someone who stayed and turned caretaking into control. They are not calmly comparing notes. They are dragging childhood grievances into a family catastrophe and occasionally acting shocked when that makes everything worse. Very sisterly. Very healthy. No concerns.
Then Grandmother Victoria keeps reaching into the story from the past with her prophecies, folklore, warnings, and the entire emotional architecture she built around these girls. The roles she gave them start feeling less like cute family mythology and more like boxes everyone got shoved into before they were old enough to argue. Caretaker. Traveler. Bride. At a certain point I wanted to ask whether anyone in this family had ever been allowed to just be a person.
And the book itself refuses to sit still, which honestly fits these people. Time jumps. Perspectives shift. Memories interrupt other memories. Letters show up. Somebody tells you a version of events and then someone else walks in later like, actually, that is not what happened. I spent part of this book mentally carrying around a corkboard and red string because nobody in this family can simply reveal information in chronological order like a considerate person.
Then Rosalinda shows up and suddenly the whole thing tilts. That was the moment I really started staring at everybody differently because she brings in a perspective the sisters have not been seeing clearly at all. Mutiara and Maya are so busy trying to understand Annisa that they don’t always notice how much of the answer lives in the people their family overlooked, misunderstood, or quietly pushed to the edges. Rosalinda basically arrives carrying several receipts and the patience level of someone who has been waiting a very long time to speak.
What got me is that understanding Annisa does not save anybody. There is no answer that makes what she did less horrific. There is no memory sweet enough to erase the violence. There is no version of grief where Mutiara and Maya get to choose one feeling and stay there. They loved her. They are horrified by her. They miss her. They blame her. All of that gets to exist at once, which is miserable and true.
And this is where the horror really worked on me. Not because something jumps out from behind a door. Because these women grew up in the same family and still managed to become partially unknowable to one another. Because love does not guarantee understanding. Because sometimes the person you think you know best has whole rooms inside them you never entered. That is the kind of thing that follows you into bed.
Night of a Thousand Hells lands at 4 stars for me. It occasionally made me work for my supper, and there were moments where I had to stop and reorient myself around who was speaking and when we were, but once I accepted that this family was going to tell its story like everyone was fighting over the microphone, I was in. These sisters are absolutely going to keep arguing in my head for a while.
Huge thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for the ARC and for introducing me to a family where Grandma assigned everyone prophetic archetypes, nobody communicated properly for years, and the consequences eventually became everybody’s full-time problem.
December 3, 2025
Karya Intan Paramaditha pertama yang aku baca! Saking bagusnya sampai bingung harus bahas dari bagian mana dulu!!!
Covernya cakep banget, detail ilustrasinya sangat menggambarkan isi ceritanya, termasuk bayangan mata yang ada di bagian kanan. Bookmark-nya pun lucu dan gemass!! Kalau dilihat dari cover, orang-orang mengira bertema horror atau thriller. Pada kenyataannya, tidak ada kisah setan tapi ketika baca berhasil ketakutan dan muncul rasa tidak nyaman, rasa pengap, dan cape karena beragam konflik yang terjadi.
Sudut pandang keluarga pelaku menjadi daya tarik tersendiri karena kebanyakan hanya mengambil dari sudut pandang korban saja. Buku-buku ini juga menggunakan kutipan ayat-ayat Al-Quran dan menafsirkannya, sehingga bisa bantu mengetahui beberapa kisah yang ada di dalamnya.
Buku ini mengangkat kisah tiga dara: Mutiara, Maya, Annisa. Ketika baca buku ini, kita dibawa untuk mengenal semua tokoh dan latar belakang mereka, bagaimana masa lalu mereka hingga mereka bisa menjadi seperti sekarang. Semua tokoh di buku ini memiliki peran penting dan hubungan dengan kehidupan tiga dara. Buku ini didominasi dengan tokoh perempuan, sehingga banyak sekali pengalaman-pengalaman perempuan Indonesia. Misalnya seperti panik dan rasa bersalah yang muncul ketika mengalami haid pertama, serta tuntutan menikah, cap perawan tua dan berbagai stigma buruk lainnya untuk perempuan yang belum atau memilih tidak menikah.
Peristiwa-peristiwa yang terjadi di buku ini sangat dekat dengan kehidupan kita. Misalnya seperti om tante cerewet yang selalu ingin mengatur kehidupan orang lain; dan wartawan-wartawan menyebalkan yang tidak melihat situasi dan kondisi, sampai berani menerobos peraturan rumah sakit.
Buku ini menggunakan empat sudut pandang, Mutiara, Maya, Annisa, dan Rosalinda. Meski sering berubah sudut pandang, tapi pembaca tetap bisa membaca dengan nyaman dan tidak bingung. Bahkan setiap sudut pandang memiliki gaya bercerita atau penulisan yang khas, keren!!!
Setiap dara memiliki tugas yang sudah diramalkan oleh Victoria, nenek mereka, Penjaga (Mutiara), Pengelana (Maya), dan Pengantin (Annisa). Aku salut banget dengan Mutiara, dia berhasil sebagai penjaga dan terbiasa untuk mengatur semuanya. Sebagai anak pertama, tentu aku bisa paham banget capeknya. Tapi karena buku ini sering berubah sudut pandang, aku jadi paham semenyebalkan dan sekeras kepala apa Mutiara, hehehe maaf ya adik-adik.
Kisah Rosalinda semakin memperkuat pendapat yang mengatakan bahwa fiksi dapat membuat pembacanya lebih berempati. Dari kisahnya, aku baru menyadari kalau kata-kata atau janji yang kita ucapkan saat kecil bisa sangat berarti bagi teman kita. Kita terlalu fokus terhadap hidup kita sendiri sampai lupa dengan nasib orang-orang disekeliling kita. Ketidakadilan yang dialami oleh Rosalinda sering kali dianggap sebagai hal lumrah, padahal mereka juga berhak mendapatkan keadilan.
Beberapa hal di buku ini sepertinya memang sengaja dibuat gantung, sehingga pembaca dipersilakan untuk menebak-nebaknya sendiri. Masih banyak yang ingin aku ketahui ceritanya, tapi sayang sekali tidak dibahas secara detail. Misalnya seperti asal usul kuntilanak berambut merah, penyakit mama, kehidupan Gibran, dan masih banyak lagi. Membaca buku ini rasanya seperti kebingungan, sama seperti angkot yang berputar-putar tidak menemukan Rumah Victoria.
Pada intinya buku ini stress keren bangett!!!
Covernya cakep banget, detail ilustrasinya sangat menggambarkan isi ceritanya, termasuk bayangan mata yang ada di bagian kanan. Bookmark-nya pun lucu dan gemass!! Kalau dilihat dari cover, orang-orang mengira bertema horror atau thriller. Pada kenyataannya, tidak ada kisah setan tapi ketika baca berhasil ketakutan dan muncul rasa tidak nyaman, rasa pengap, dan cape karena beragam konflik yang terjadi.
Sudut pandang keluarga pelaku menjadi daya tarik tersendiri karena kebanyakan hanya mengambil dari sudut pandang korban saja. Buku-buku ini juga menggunakan kutipan ayat-ayat Al-Quran dan menafsirkannya, sehingga bisa bantu mengetahui beberapa kisah yang ada di dalamnya.
Buku ini mengangkat kisah tiga dara: Mutiara, Maya, Annisa. Ketika baca buku ini, kita dibawa untuk mengenal semua tokoh dan latar belakang mereka, bagaimana masa lalu mereka hingga mereka bisa menjadi seperti sekarang. Semua tokoh di buku ini memiliki peran penting dan hubungan dengan kehidupan tiga dara. Buku ini didominasi dengan tokoh perempuan, sehingga banyak sekali pengalaman-pengalaman perempuan Indonesia. Misalnya seperti panik dan rasa bersalah yang muncul ketika mengalami haid pertama, serta tuntutan menikah, cap perawan tua dan berbagai stigma buruk lainnya untuk perempuan yang belum atau memilih tidak menikah.
Peristiwa-peristiwa yang terjadi di buku ini sangat dekat dengan kehidupan kita. Misalnya seperti om tante cerewet yang selalu ingin mengatur kehidupan orang lain; dan wartawan-wartawan menyebalkan yang tidak melihat situasi dan kondisi, sampai berani menerobos peraturan rumah sakit.
Buku ini menggunakan empat sudut pandang, Mutiara, Maya, Annisa, dan Rosalinda. Meski sering berubah sudut pandang, tapi pembaca tetap bisa membaca dengan nyaman dan tidak bingung. Bahkan setiap sudut pandang memiliki gaya bercerita atau penulisan yang khas, keren!!!
Setiap dara memiliki tugas yang sudah diramalkan oleh Victoria, nenek mereka, Penjaga (Mutiara), Pengelana (Maya), dan Pengantin (Annisa). Aku salut banget dengan Mutiara, dia berhasil sebagai penjaga dan terbiasa untuk mengatur semuanya. Sebagai anak pertama, tentu aku bisa paham banget capeknya. Tapi karena buku ini sering berubah sudut pandang, aku jadi paham semenyebalkan dan sekeras kepala apa Mutiara, hehehe maaf ya adik-adik.
kau tahu, ia ketakutan bila kurang pekerjaan, sebab ia tak tahu bagaimana berhadapan dengan dirinya sendiri.
Kisah Rosalinda semakin memperkuat pendapat yang mengatakan bahwa fiksi dapat membuat pembacanya lebih berempati. Dari kisahnya, aku baru menyadari kalau kata-kata atau janji yang kita ucapkan saat kecil bisa sangat berarti bagi teman kita. Kita terlalu fokus terhadap hidup kita sendiri sampai lupa dengan nasib orang-orang disekeliling kita. Ketidakadilan yang dialami oleh Rosalinda sering kali dianggap sebagai hal lumrah, padahal mereka juga berhak mendapatkan keadilan.
Beberapa hal di buku ini sepertinya memang sengaja dibuat gantung, sehingga pembaca dipersilakan untuk menebak-nebaknya sendiri. Masih banyak yang ingin aku ketahui ceritanya, tapi sayang sekali tidak dibahas secara detail. Misalnya seperti asal usul kuntilanak berambut merah, penyakit mama, kehidupan Gibran, dan masih banyak lagi. Membaca buku ini rasanya seperti kebingungan, sama seperti angkot yang berputar-putar tidak menemukan Rumah Victoria.
Pada intinya buku ini stress keren bangett!!!
April 23, 2025
Did I finish the book or the book finished me?
Abis namatin ini buku prasaan gw lngsng hampa. Ini buku emg udh tamat, tp critanya msh blm selesai. Tp gbisa disebut open ending jg sih. Emg udh beres critanya smpe disitu aja, tp sesuatu dlm diri gw mrasa msh ada yg blm beres (paham gasi😭)
Overall, buku ini sungguh sgt impressive sekalii. Dan somehow yaa pilihan kata, diksi, quotes, dan narasi hasil tulisan kak Intan tuh menggetarkan hati in different way
Tapi kayanya Intan Paramaditha's obsession with red must be studied dehh
Abis namatin ini buku prasaan gw lngsng hampa. Ini buku emg udh tamat, tp critanya msh blm selesai. Tp gbisa disebut open ending jg sih. Emg udh beres critanya smpe disitu aja, tp sesuatu dlm diri gw mrasa msh ada yg blm beres (paham gasi😭)
Overall, buku ini sungguh sgt impressive sekalii. Dan somehow yaa pilihan kata, diksi, quotes, dan narasi hasil tulisan kak Intan tuh menggetarkan hati in different way
Tapi kayanya Intan Paramaditha's obsession with red must be studied dehh
October 22, 2026
My first of Intan Paramaditha and I fell harder with her writing in every flip. Night Of A Thousand Hells told a tale of 3 sisters following the aftermath of a tragedy when the youngest most favourable Annisa and her family decided to blow themselves up in a mass bombing attack. The premise traversed in times through the multi-POVs and sprawling settings; from the eldest caretaker, Mutiara and the traveler second sister, Maya in their struggles to confront the grief, resentment and guilt while reminiscing the past and uncovering the long buried secrets revolving their family and the unsettling prophecies destined by their grandmother.
Loved how the writing felt raw and emotionally evocative, unflinching on its womanhood and familial drama with enthralling blend of folkloric eeriness and Islamic mysticism. The prophecies get me intrigued on way it was observed with an insight to one’s role, responsibilities and how each to get harrowingly stuck in the fated identity with own perceptions and expectations towards each other. Its layered phases of grief full with heartaches, in between finding the reason to Annisa’s devastating act of violence to realise and understand what the family has missed and forgotten.
It was intricately psychological and I found myself immersed in the latter part of the tale when Rosalinda entered the scene bringing her perspective and making everything felt more emotionally charged. The frustrations, anger and regrets added so much depth to the premise. No mystery was solved but fairly satisfying to see how it goes both bittersweet and quietly hopeful at the end. 4.5/5*
“You don't seem very heavy. I crane forward, wondering how it must feel to lie in that narrow hole, shedding all you have ever accomplished, every flame extinguished, all your work reduced to dust. What regrets do you have? If only I knew.”
(Thank you Times Reads and Europa Editions for the gifted ARC!)
Loved how the writing felt raw and emotionally evocative, unflinching on its womanhood and familial drama with enthralling blend of folkloric eeriness and Islamic mysticism. The prophecies get me intrigued on way it was observed with an insight to one’s role, responsibilities and how each to get harrowingly stuck in the fated identity with own perceptions and expectations towards each other. Its layered phases of grief full with heartaches, in between finding the reason to Annisa’s devastating act of violence to realise and understand what the family has missed and forgotten.
It was intricately psychological and I found myself immersed in the latter part of the tale when Rosalinda entered the scene bringing her perspective and making everything felt more emotionally charged. The frustrations, anger and regrets added so much depth to the premise. No mystery was solved but fairly satisfying to see how it goes both bittersweet and quietly hopeful at the end. 4.5/5*
“You don't seem very heavy. I crane forward, wondering how it must feel to lie in that narrow hole, shedding all you have ever accomplished, every flame extinguished, all your work reduced to dust. What regrets do you have? If only I knew.”
(Thank you Times Reads and Europa Editions for the gifted ARC!)
December 13, 2023
Aku tak percaya agama tapi malam ini aku berlindung kepada Tuhan dari godaan setan yang terkutuk, termasuk suara manusia harimau di kepalaku
Ada beberapa hal yang rasanya masih belum dijelaskan, rahasia-rahasia yang belum terkuak atau mungkin sengaja di interpretasi sendiri oleh pembaca.
Ada beberapa hal yang rasanya masih belum dijelaskan, rahasia-rahasia yang belum terkuak atau mungkin sengaja di interpretasi sendiri oleh pembaca.
Read
February 9, 2025Awalnya mikir, "mau ke arah mana beliau ngebawa cerita bom bunuh diri?"
Tapi ternyata itu cuma jadi pivot, karena keluarga yang datang berkumpul akhirnya mulai menyelesaikan urusan mereka masing-masing.
Sayangnya, cerita cuma jadi cerita, soalnya ga tuntas.
Tapi ternyata itu cuma jadi pivot, karena keluarga yang datang berkumpul akhirnya mulai menyelesaikan urusan mereka masing-masing.
Sayangnya, cerita cuma jadi cerita, soalnya ga tuntas.
Want to Read
May 27, 2026WHOA! I'm sooo excited for this to come to the US! feminist indonesian gothic folk horror?? gimmeeee!!
September 29, 2026
4.5/5 Thank you to the publisher for the gifted eARC
HELL follows the aftermath of a suicide bombing carried out by the youngest sister. Moving between the narratives of the different surviving sisters, interspersed with diary entries, a novel, and news articles, HELL paints a vivid and multilayered picture of the class struggles & division in Indonesia.
I love how unique each sister’s voices are. Paramaditha expertly weaves in Indonesian history, myth, and politics to explore how even something as fundamental as religion can be so differently interpreted & practiced by people of all walks of life.
What I’m most impressed about is how Paramaditha investigates institutional oppression — the system that oppresses are exactly the system that enables religious extremism. And through the intricate tales of the sisters, the author explores the hypocrisy of upper (middle) class who are often the perpetrators of violence — whether they actively participate in brutality or turn a blind eye.
But among the disheartening events of violence and inequality, Paramaditha also explores themes of found family via a moving tale of sisterhood that’s not just bound in blood.
Due to a lot of different moving parts, I feel there are some plots that didn’t fully develop — particularly the “novel”, I would’ve loved to read more about that.
Regardless, HELL is a powerful tale that doesn’t offer straight answers. Instead, it encourages the readers to examine our own privilege and hypocrisy in the face of systemic oppression, and asks us: what are we willing to do for a revolution?
HELL follows the aftermath of a suicide bombing carried out by the youngest sister. Moving between the narratives of the different surviving sisters, interspersed with diary entries, a novel, and news articles, HELL paints a vivid and multilayered picture of the class struggles & division in Indonesia.
I love how unique each sister’s voices are. Paramaditha expertly weaves in Indonesian history, myth, and politics to explore how even something as fundamental as religion can be so differently interpreted & practiced by people of all walks of life.
What I’m most impressed about is how Paramaditha investigates institutional oppression — the system that oppresses are exactly the system that enables religious extremism. And through the intricate tales of the sisters, the author explores the hypocrisy of upper (middle) class who are often the perpetrators of violence — whether they actively participate in brutality or turn a blind eye.
But among the disheartening events of violence and inequality, Paramaditha also explores themes of found family via a moving tale of sisterhood that’s not just bound in blood.
Due to a lot of different moving parts, I feel there are some plots that didn’t fully develop — particularly the “novel”, I would’ve loved to read more about that.
Regardless, HELL is a powerful tale that doesn’t offer straight answers. Instead, it encourages the readers to examine our own privilege and hypocrisy in the face of systemic oppression, and asks us: what are we willing to do for a revolution?
October 22, 2026
Night of a Thousand Hells is a psychologically charged gothic horror steeped in Indonesian folklore.
📖 We follow three sisters. This story starts when the youngest sister carries out a suicide bombing alongside her husband and children, killing multiple people. The two older sisters now have to deal with the aftermath and try to understand why.
✨Review✨
This was such a hard-hitting read that managed to peel back generations of trauma and secrets, and the psychological weight of the obligations placed on women.
We have these flashbacks to childhood where their grandmother assigned them each a role. Caretaker, Traveler and Bride, almost binding them into these inescapable expectations. It highlights how hard it can be to break free from these roles.
The prose can feel very direct, unflinching and raw. The way the Indonesian folklore and traditions are woven in creates a very atmospheric and sharp reading experience.
This book took me through so many different emotions, and it's such a layered and complex read. I definitely want to read this again.
I finished this a few days ago and still don't really have my thoughts in order, but I loved this
📖 We follow three sisters. This story starts when the youngest sister carries out a suicide bombing alongside her husband and children, killing multiple people. The two older sisters now have to deal with the aftermath and try to understand why.
✨Review✨
This was such a hard-hitting read that managed to peel back generations of trauma and secrets, and the psychological weight of the obligations placed on women.
We have these flashbacks to childhood where their grandmother assigned them each a role. Caretaker, Traveler and Bride, almost binding them into these inescapable expectations. It highlights how hard it can be to break free from these roles.
The prose can feel very direct, unflinching and raw. The way the Indonesian folklore and traditions are woven in creates a very atmospheric and sharp reading experience.
This book took me through so many different emotions, and it's such a layered and complex read. I definitely want to read this again.
I finished this a few days ago and still don't really have my thoughts in order, but I loved this
August 21, 2023
Menggabungkan isu radikalisme, keluarga, LGBT, dan klenik dalam satu rangkaian kisah adalah rangkaian yang unik.
Saya selalu suka pilihan kata Mbak Intan, majas-majasnya, rajutan kalimatnya, namun saya merasa rajutan ceritanya dibiarkan belum selesai. Seperti berharap dapat sweater, tapi ternyata ini rajutan selendang. Atau memang dibiarkan tidak selesai? Revolusi saudara tirinya sebelah mana? Kunci tadi buat apa? Kuali raksasa ini, seperti halnya Rohadi, kalau dihapus dari segenap novel, akan berdampak apa?
Yang cukup mengganggu bagi saya adalah beberapa inkonsistensi. Minor, namun karena bolong-bolong inkonsistensi ini sering, jadi bikin lebih hati-hati alih-alih menikmati.
Misal, Annisa disebutkan tinggal di Kotawijaya, tetapi pada bab Guci Penjaga hal. 97.. "Saat terakhir kali ke Surabaya aku tidak sempat bertemu Annisa..." Lho, eh? Hehehehe...
Jadi Annisa meledakkan diri di Gereja Hati Kudus, atau di pengajian waria Mami Cindy? Nggak mungkin meledak dua kali donk?
Meski demikian, saya senang menggarisbawahi banyak narasi kritik nakal nan akurat lagi relevan. Yang paling saya suka:
Oom, Tante, dan sepupu-sepupu nyinyir pun tak akan tahu sebab mereka tak baca novel; mereka cuma baca potongan ayat-ayat Al Quran dari ustadz-ustadz yang jualan lewat media sosial, berita kesehatan, ekonomi, dan politik sensasional (konspirasi Yahudi! Tipu daya Cina!), serta hoaks seputar kandidat pemilu maupun kelompok LGBT.
Meski sedikit kecewa, saya justru penasaran dengan karya Mbak Intan lainnya. Jangan-jangan saya saja yang berharap terlalu tinggi.
Saya selalu suka pilihan kata Mbak Intan, majas-majasnya, rajutan kalimatnya, namun saya merasa rajutan ceritanya dibiarkan belum selesai. Seperti berharap dapat sweater, tapi ternyata ini rajutan selendang. Atau memang dibiarkan tidak selesai? Revolusi saudara tirinya sebelah mana? Kunci tadi buat apa? Kuali raksasa ini, seperti halnya Rohadi, kalau dihapus dari segenap novel, akan berdampak apa?
Yang cukup mengganggu bagi saya adalah beberapa inkonsistensi. Minor, namun karena bolong-bolong inkonsistensi ini sering, jadi bikin lebih hati-hati alih-alih menikmati.
Misal, Annisa disebutkan tinggal di Kotawijaya, tetapi pada bab Guci Penjaga hal. 97.. "Saat terakhir kali ke Surabaya aku tidak sempat bertemu Annisa..." Lho, eh? Hehehehe...
Jadi Annisa meledakkan diri di Gereja Hati Kudus, atau di pengajian waria Mami Cindy? Nggak mungkin meledak dua kali donk?
Meski demikian, saya senang menggarisbawahi banyak narasi kritik nakal nan akurat lagi relevan. Yang paling saya suka:
Oom, Tante, dan sepupu-sepupu nyinyir pun tak akan tahu sebab mereka tak baca novel; mereka cuma baca potongan ayat-ayat Al Quran dari ustadz-ustadz yang jualan lewat media sosial, berita kesehatan, ekonomi, dan politik sensasional (konspirasi Yahudi! Tipu daya Cina!), serta hoaks seputar kandidat pemilu maupun kelompok LGBT.
Meski sedikit kecewa, saya justru penasaran dengan karya Mbak Intan lainnya. Jangan-jangan saya saja yang berharap terlalu tinggi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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