She Smells of Turmeric

by Natasha Sondakh

Throughout her life, Cecilia Poetry has listened to her father rave about his home country, Indonesia. After his death, Cecilia decides to move to Jakarta and explore the beautiful life that her father had envisioned for her.

When Cecilia moves in with her wealthy grandparents, they try their best to shape her into the ideal Indonesian granddaughter. She learns of her grandparents’ distaste for her American lifestyle and a grudge against her beloved parents, which pushes her away from them. Entangled in frustrating family dynamics, Cecilia escapes to her rich, beautiful, and successful friends who feel way too perfect for her.

The more Cecilia immerses herself in this captivating new world, the more infatuated she becomes by the glamour and intrigue of Jakarta. As her friends’ lives unfold to reveal tragic pasts and toxic secrets hidden behind plastic smiles, Cecilia finally begins to feel a real connection to her father’s hometown. But as Cecilia’s reality starts to catch up with her, it becomes clear that nothing in the city is as it seems.

She Smells of Turmeric is an intimate tale of estrangement and reconciliation and speaks to anyone who has felt alone in their community.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction

418 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2021

About the author

Natasha Sondakh is an award-winning Indonesian writer and author of the contemporary fiction novel “She Smells of Turmeric.” Her works have been published in literary magazines, as well as recognized by the University of Iowa, Columbia University, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

Natasha has served on editorial boards of various publications, in addition to being featured on TEDxJIS and Nine Lives Podcast for her work in translating Indonesian short fiction. When she isn’t writing, you can find Natasha exploring local shops and restaurants with her friends. Otherwise, she will likely be on her couch, surfing shows on Netflix with her dogs.

Reviews

[Sintia Astarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3,5 stars

"I was broke and whole, all at once. And that was okay."

Reading She Smells of Turmeric has reminded me of the love and hate relationship with Jakarta. This city has so many things to offer, including its traffic jam which gonna make you dizzy.

Jakarta also presents its own story in Cecilia Poetry's heart. After her father's death, Cecilia decides to move to Jakarta to find out more about her true identity.

The first time reading this novel, I thought I will be immersed in the topic of family and self-discovery. Surprisingly, Natasha Sondakh surprised me with various stories related to the toxic workplace (especially at startups, oh I feel you), friendship, glamorous lifestyle, culture and perspective, women, and privilege.

Interestingly, the characters and conflicts described in this novel are authentic, very human. Cecilia is stubborn, but her heart softens with tenderness. Oma and Opa are kinda annoying, yet very caring. Ray sounds so cool, but he is totally a jerk (trust me). Kai is a sweet figure, the one who successfully stole my heart. Hahaha.

Anyway, I love the way Natasha describes every scene in each chapter. What she writes is indeed very detailed that it makes the plot is slow, but I feel like the author wants her readers to understand very well and be a part of the story.

Natasha develops and uses her five senses. She understands the principle of "show don't tell", very well. Her vocabulary is extensive too. Although written in English, it is not that difficult to absorb. No wonder that she is an award-winning writer.

Moreover, Natasha offers series of conflicts (most of which are inner struggles with herself). Oh, btw, issues with Ray is my fav one. Page 294 got me crying, tho.

Lessons learned:
1. Having a support system that’s got your back through thick and thin is pretty crucial.
2. We need to stand up for what is right.
3. In this cruel world, when no one is by your side, at least you can believe in yourself.

I would recommend She Smells of Turmeric to anyone who is yearning for Jakarta. Don’t blame me if your love and hate relationship will make the bond stronger.

[Kursi Seimbang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in two days for #DiversiteaWomen. Honestly, I didn't think too much when I pick this book as my TBR. The synopsis, the book cover, and obviously: the title are just too interesting to ignore. So, that's why when I get a free Scribd subscription, I read it. I must. I did. And I'm not regretting my decision.

I laughed, I smiled, and I cried (particularly over the 25th chapter. Don't ask why, read the book hehe) along with Cecilia. Her struggles, her anxiousness, all of her feelings are being narrated gorgeously painful and also painfully gorgeous. No something in between. Cece's journey, her opa and oma's journey, her father's journey, her mother's journey, her friends' journey, everything compliments each other here in this book and I'm loving it. I love it for real.

To add everything up, I love how Karina mentioned about kintsugi at the end. That was marvelous!

[Bagas Linanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Chinese-Indonesian student living in Canada and I find Cecilia’s revelation about her family, friends, and Jakarta very relatable. Natasha's writing reflects many of the thoughts and feelings I've had over the years. If you're unfamiliar with Indonesian culture, this book is a great introduction to the life of a small but interconnected society. Ultimately anyone who picks up this book will enjoy it!

[Airin Efferin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this contemporary Indonesian fiction by Natasha Sondakh. For a debut novel, it shows how talented the writer is and I can't wait for more of her works!

Full review here: https://airinefferin.com/2022/01/15/b...

[Tik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing reading with this book!

Baca buku ini tuh merasa dekat sekaligus jauh. Dekat karena dengan latarnya yang ada di Indonesia, tepatnya di Jakarta dan bukannya tidak mungkin beberapa tempat yang disebutin itu familiar banget jadi semakin dekat dengan tokoh dan cerita yang dibawa. Jauh karena kehidupan yang dibawa itu upper class, yang aku yakin gak yakin apakah benar terjadi. Setidaknya kalo emang benar terjadi aku jadi tau seperti apa sih pertemanan, koneksi dan kehidupan itu.

Kagum sama CeCe yang berani untuk speak up, berani untuk melawan traumanya dan berdiri untuk yang benar. Baca ini juga ngalir banget sih, engga bisa berhenti setelah mulai! Penggunaan bahasa inggrisnya termasuk mudah untuk dicerna dan enak untuk diterusin.

Konflik yang diangkat sebenarnya tidak terlalu spesial tapi justru bikin buku ini makin nyata. Filosofi dibalik judulnya juga bagus banget, banyak pesan bagus dari buku ini yang aku dapatin.

[The Eod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Menceritakan tentang Cecilia Poetry Wongso, perempuan Indonesia yang sedari kecil tinggal di LA. Dia penasaran akan Indonesia dari cerita-cerita yang dilontarkan mendiang Papanya sehingga memutuskan untuk pindah ke Jakarta dan tinggal di rumah Kakek Neneknya. Sejak itu dia menghadapi hal hitam dan putih selama tinggal di Jakarta.

Bangga banget Indonesia kembali dipakai dalam buku-buku novel berbahasa Inggris. Di tuturkan pakai full POV 1 dari Cecilia, langsung ngerasain bagian sakit hati dan senangnya. Tidak lupa juga penulis menarasikan latar tempat dan waktu yang bener-bener ciamik. Terus dilengkapi puisi setiap 4 bab, menggambarkan apa yang Cecilia rasakan.

Toxic Work environment, teman yang suka merendahkan orang lain, Kakek neneknya yang terlalu ngatur ini itu sampek Cecilia hampir kehilangan jati dirinya, sampai sexual assault. Yet, Cecilia bisa speak up semua perasaannya secara gamblang. Tenang aja, Cecilia juga punya teman-teman yang baik di situ hihi. Bagian favoritku waktu dia ke warung soto sih hehe. Porsi romancenya dikit, tapi berkesan. Semua karakter di sini penting dan berkembang, memang bener bahwa masalah tuh bisa nunjukkin sifat asli seseorang.

Satu lagi, kusuka di akhir halaman tuh ditunjukkin gambar-gambar kota Jakarta hehe.

Bagian yang kurang adalah kalau kalian nyari dominan romance di sini nggak bakal dapat wkwk. Sama ini nih, kadang aku ga relate sama kehidupan old money hihihi.

Sudah ah itu aja hehe, overall ini bacaan yang bagus buat kalian yang masih berusia 20an dan lagi cari jati diri.

[ikram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much to think about..

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUKA SAMA BUKUNYAAA! Aku suka karena lewat buku ini, penulis seperti membawaku jalan-jalan di Jakarta dan melihat bagaimana (kemungkinan) kehidupan orang-orang kaya yang luarnya terlihat "keras", tapi sesungguhnya mempunyai arti lebih dari itu.
Suka karena tidak terlalu banyak romantisasi, lebih ke arah kehidupan dan keluarga.

[π · Rating 4 out of 5]

9th read for reading curcol: #iniannivmrc

sooo, buku ini nyeritain tentang cecillia yang terpaksa harus pindah ke Indonesia pas dia baru lulus kuliah, padahal doi udh set up kehidupan mau cari kerja di LA aja. tapi, akhirnya cece pindah juga dan gara2 pindah itu dia nemuin "sesuatu" yg bikin dia jadi sadar kalo she's still an Indonesian.

aku baru pertama kali baca buku dari sudut pandang orang2 elite Jakarta dan ini dideskripsiin cukup seru sih. terus juga gimana mereka mandang orang yg status sosialnya lebih rendah, dan bilang kalo mereka gak setara itu sakit bgt sih. nyatanya, sampe skrg masih banyak org2 kaya yg tone deaf sm kemiskinan struktural.

selain itu, dibahas juga masalah pelecehan seksual yg dialami sama cece & mbak ani. sedih banget denger cerita mbak ani yg pd akhirnya nyalahin diri sendiri atas kejadian yg hrsnya ga dia terima. dan yaa... itu semua krn gaada org yg support dia selama ini :"(

penulis juga mendeskripsikan jakarta dengan cukup baik, apalagi di akhir dikasih foto2nyaaa. jadi makin kangen jalan2 keliling jakarta kaaan :(. anyway ada bbrp bagian yg kurang ngena di aku dan terkesan terburu2. meskipun begitu, gaya kepenulisannya tasha tetep enak buat diikutin & dibaca kok.

[Arvia Maharhani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aku suka buku ini karena menceritakan tentang keluarga dan kehidupan.
Menurutku cara penulis menyajikan Indonesia (khususnya Jakarta) di buku ini sangat bagus. Cara penulis mendeskripsikan sesuatu juga cukup detil. Dan ketika membaca buku ini muncul rasa rindu berjalan-jalan di Jakarta. Poin plus lagi, di akhir buku penulis memberikan beberapa foto tempat yang sudah disebutkan di cerita! Jadi untuk siapapun yang membaca ini dan belum pernah singgah ke Jakarta, pasti cukup terbantu.

Meskipun aku sudah tahu kalau buku ini akan banyak membahas tentang keluarga, tapi aku nangis juga pas baca bagian konflik CeCe dengan Opa Oma. Aku benar-benar lemah kalau sudah membahas tentang keluarga, karena sedikit banyak aku merasakan apa yang CeCe rasakan.

Aku merekomendasikan buku ini untuk kalian yang suka dengan cerita yang mirip-mirip Crazy Rich Asian, atau merindukan jalan-jalan di Indonesia, khususnya Jakarta. Dan untuk siapapun yang menyukai cerita tentang keluarga, plis baca buku ini!

[Krisandryka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book!

As an Indonesian who's lived in Indonesia all my life, it's weird (in a good way) to read about so much Indonesian places and cultures in English. This book reminds me of the stark difference between eastern and western culture, and both of them have their own plus and minus.

I plan to make a video review on my YT channel, and will put the link here after I did!

[Pauline]

DNF 54%

[annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely liked this better than I thought. I’m starting to diversify my reads now, this is the first book I’ve read that’s set on Indonesia and this was a great choice really. It’s a great introduction although it focuses more on the elites of Indonesia.
I liked how we get to be with Cecelia as she discovers new things of her homeland. I really liked how it all turned out in the end and even on how things were handled along the way. The way the author handled Cecelia’s battles as she’s trying to fit in. As an asian, the way families are in this was really true and relatable too and on how much they can be manipulative as they’re genuinely trying to care and love you haha. It’s great how privilege was handled here and what Cecelia could do with it instead of denying it.
It was really great to be introduced to Indonesia’s language and culture. Their food and society. Reading asian literature just have a totally different feels to me as an asian, a Filipino. Reading about how our cultures and traditions, family customs, languages, are all similar at some point, is really great to read especially because my own language is also rooted to austronesian language.
I’ll definitely read more asian literature, especially southeast asian literature. I’ll also try to read more Indonesian literature that’s more focused on the poor population and on other issues faced by the country and it’s people.

[Phoibe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise seemed super interesting as the story took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, where I was born and raised. I wanted to read about Jakarta so bad! It's also written by an Indonesian author which made me want to read this book even more.

For some reason, I found myself not liking the writing style very much (it's just a personal preference). I love the takeaway message that the author's trying to convey (dealing with loss, self-discovery, the struggles of adapting, pushing your boundaries, etc), however the plot was just okay for me. I think it was a let down for me because I was expecting the storyline to be more complex.

I think the author did a great job in describing Jakarta though! I could taste the food and feel the atmosphere while reading this book. It successfully delivered the character's feelings as well. Moreover, it truly portrayed the dynamic of life in Jakarta. And if you're someone from Jakarta who is studying overseas / working abroad, reading this will definitely make you yearn for Jakarta 😌 Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more from this author ☺️

[Millie Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this, Jakarta is definitely on my list of places to visit! The author describes the city and the people in this book so vividly, plus there’s even pictures of the places mentioned at the end of the book which was such a lovely touch😍 Cecelia is such a wonderful character, you really root for her, and she is so inspiring and hopeful, even after her struggles and it makes for a truly beautiful story. This book will make you laugh, cry, scream at how unfair people can be and the world that we live in, and yet also show the good in people and how positive an impact it can have on your life. Now this is by no means a light contemporary, whilst it definitely had its feel good and heartwarming moments, it deals with some tough subjects and so please check out the trigger warnings for this book.

[Viancqa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of emotions, very well-written!

As an Indonesian myself, reading this presented me with bursts of emotions. I love the simple writing style Natasha has, the simple plot and appreciation for little things in the not so simple and not so little world she has created in this novel. I cried so much towards the end, highly unmissable & would really recommend this book!

[Fitra Rahmamuliani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: this book has some rude words in the Indonesian language and also has a sexual assault.

What do you feel when you lost your dad and you need to move on to another country that you are not familiar with?
That’s how Cecelia Poetry or Cece feels on “She smells of Turmeric”’s book by Natasha Sondakh. Cece, a fresh graduate from LA, lost her father on Christmas Eve, asked by her grandparents to move to Indonesia. Her grandparents are an upper-class family and they asked her to behave like them. She also got a job in Jakarta and met other super-rich friends. She needs to learn how hard to live like an Indonesian. You will find a lot about Jakarta, family conflicts, and Cece's strength and resilience.

From here, I want to highlight the part that I like and some of my comments on how I feel 👇🏻



In LA, Cece has a friend named Macy and she said this before Cece went to Jakarta. I really like how she talks like this to her own friend.

"But what I'm trying to say is don't be pressured to do what everyone else is doing. Life moves at different speeds for every person. And you have the luxury to do life how you want to, babe"

By reading this book, I found out that it's quite hilarious when the side characters put in several Indonesian words in the sentence, such as "Is you the cucu of Bapak Robby, yes?"

When I read the part that Cece explains about Jakarta's sky for the first time, I finally found how to explain our sky to a foreigner. I wish I could do the same when I talked to my Japanese friend before. No wonder, Natasha Sondakh is really good at choosing diction and put it into sentences.
"A soft blue coated the sky, but it wasn't a blue that I knew. It was a lazy blue, a color that had tried its best to be blue but had simply fallen short of it, resorting to a soft hue layered with shades of ash."

The point that hits me the most when reading this book is how Cece's grandparents feel like Cece is "good", wasn't "good enough". This is also happening to me and my family. How raising your voice means you are rude to someone older. Where you couldn't speak out your opinion because they want "you" to be "what they want to be". Maybe that's also a reason why I wanted to go away from here. And I feel so relate with Cece's family situation, but not the upper-class, but how they want Cece to be.

This is a hard fact, but inequity is showed everywhere including in this book. I feel this book is really being honest about several situations here.
"They're not like us because life didn't hand them the same cards that it did us. They're not like us because of brutal global inequity. But just because they're different, other people don't get a pass to treat them like they are less.
But, a lot of people treated someone else that is less from you with different treatment. It's hurting, but it's already their mindset to treat people differently.

"Adding fluff and formalities to emails here would yield a higher response rate; going straight to the point was going to land your email in the trash."
Well, not only in Indonesia, I think most Asian companies need to give a lot of fluff and formalities...

Sometimes Cece also explaining some Indonesian words for some people that need to be translated, but I really like how well she could translate them. For example, "tukang parkir, which, from mere phonetics, probably referred to an advanced parking assistant in human form."

"I hadn't expected my grandparents to be so controlling. I had been a legal adult for two years now. Shouldn't that have earned me some measure of freedom?"
Sorry, Cece, that doesn't work for some families. Me, even I am already 25 years old, my parents still controlling and demanding. They said that I can be free after marriage, but I'm not sure is true or not.

Another way to explain "Masuk angin": " which referred to some sort of illness caused by the wind that might give me flu-like symptoms."

Cece's Opa (grandfather) is so wise... I envy... "I work because I'm in the position to help other people, Nonik. It's so selfish of me to not give, to not provide, if I have the means to, right?"

OMG I'm really happy that Cece is finally with Kai!!! I already support their relationship from the beginning, and it shows up they go out!

"Perhaps I was too closed-off by my privileged biases to see the bigger picture." Yes girl, from you go to Jakarta you are having too much privilege lol

[Fanny Fristhika Nila · Rating 4 out of 5]

She smells of turmeric, buku bahasa Inggris pertama yang aku baca di 2022. Judulnya cukup eyecatching, unik, menggunakan kata turmeric atau kunyit. Minda langsung membayangkan cerita ini berhubungan dengan seorang chef yang menggunakan bahan baku kunyit dalam kulinernya, tapi ternyata, bertolak belakang samasekali 😅.

Cece / Cecilia Putri Wongso, keturunan Tionghoa Indonesia yang selama hidup tinggal di Amerika. Ayahnya, James Wongso memutuskan meninggalkan tanah air dan melepas marga Wongso, setelah Shan dan Robert Wongso orangtuanya, tidak merestui istri pilihan anaknya, hanya karena perbedaan status sosial yang tidak selevel. Sejak itu, James berjuang dari bawah, membesarkan keluarga kecilnya di Amerika.
.
Menjadi dewasa tanpa banyak mengenal keluarga dari pihak ayah, Cece hanya tahu cerita-cerita tentang keindahan alam Indonesia, yang selalu dibicarakan dengan mata berbinar oleh James. Meski penasaran, belum terlintas sedikitpun di pikirannya untuk datang dan melihat negara tempat orangtuanya dulu menghabiskan masa kecil.
.
Kanker otak menyerang James, merenggut kebahagiaan mereka. Setelah pemakaman ayahnya, di saat itulah, Oma Shaan menelpon dari Jakarta dan meminta Cece untuk datang ke sana. Mereka ingin Cece mengenal akar keluarga dari pihak sang ayah. Biar bagaimanapun, dalam darahnya dia tetap seorang Wongso. Cecilia ragu menerima tawaran tersebut. Di lain pihak dia ingin melihat tempat-tempat yang dulu pernah diceritakan James, tapi juga kuatir karena tahu hubungan ayahnya dengan keluarga Wongso sudah rusak bertahun-tahun lalu, sejak James memutuskan memilih Katrina sebagai istri, daripada orangtuanya.
.
Singkat cerita, Cecilia tetap berangkat ke Jakarta, merasakan kehidupan mewah yang selama ini menjadi milik keluarga Wongso. Keangkuhan, hidup yang selalu diatur tanpa ada hak untuk memutuskan apa yang terbaik buat diri sendiri, perselingkuhan antar keluarga dianggab biasa, nepotisme dan koneksi bahkan tidak pernah lekang dari segala bentuk pertemanan. Puncak dari semuanya, saat dia mengalami sexual assault dari atasannya sendiri yang dia percaya selama ini.
.
Cece tahu, ini bukan dunia glamour yang dia mau. Didikan orangtuanya untuk selalu mandiri, berani speak up saat dilecehkan, dan tidak pernah memandang status seseorang, terlalu berlawanan dengan apa yang dia dapat dan rasakan di Jakarta.
.
Mungkin hidup mereka tidak bergelimang harta di Amerika, tapi kehangatan, cinta kasih, ketulusan dalam berteman, selalu Cece rasakan. Dalam persimpangan, dia harus memilih, kembali ke Amerika, atau berusaha melembutkan hati kakek nenek untuk bisa berkompromi dengan gaya hidup yang dia pilih.

Suka dengan alur cerita buku ini! Semakin terlihat nyata karena di akhir novel disisipkan beberapa spot foto saat Cecilia kumpul bersama teman-teman dan keluarga. Ceritanya sendiri fiksi, tapi tempat-tempat yang ditulis memang benar adanya. Sehingga pembaca jadi punya bayangan ketika membaca kisah ini.

[Neysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this book from one of my friend who suggested it to me. I really intricated to read it because the cover gave "historical-fiction" vibes from the cover but turns out, it was far from historical fiction. I already finished this book since more than a week ago yet I just have a time to read it now. The book told us about a girl named Cecilia (CeCe) who is originally Indonesia but she was born and raised in US. She was forced to leave US since her grandparents (from her father side) demand her to live and work in Jakarta after her graduation and her father (sudden) death. In this book, we will learn on how will CeCe survived and try to adapt with her surrounding who is actually her native land but "unknown" for her. At first this book, quite boring but after 250 pages of it, you will find it more interesting and the storyline quite unpredictable since "an accident" happened to the main character (CeCe). You will not think that the story will go to the way you expected. Reading this book remind me the vibes while reading "The Loneliest Girl in The Universe by Lauren James but with different genre, since it will make you bored at first but as the time goes by to the finish line, you couldnt stop to read it! Also this book gave several hidden messages of moral compass and (truth) insights of (Indonesian) society we lived in inside the storyline. Several of lines that quite strikes me in this book such as:
1. There's beauty in the broken, Cecilia.
2. The woman who smelled of turmeric gave me so much when she had so little, whereas Christie and Ray only stole me when they had so much. Perhaps I was too closed off by my privileged biases to see the bigger picture. Perhaps I was too judgmental of a society that was hesitant to accept me
but did anyway. Not many people were as lucky.
3. Do something about what you have. You dont have to give away all your material possessions to the poor. But you should love. Love other people. Give them a piece of you. Give them wisdom, kindness, compassion. Give them your life, and they will give you something to live for.
4. It's all about perception in Jakarta. People dont care about the truth. They dont check the facts. They gobble up whatever shit they want to believe in even it's not true.
5. They're not like us because life didnt hand them the same cards that it did us. They're not like us because of brutal global inequity. But just because they're different, other people dont get a pass to treat them like they are less.

I will give this book 4.4 for all over review, another under-rated books that you should read at once to see a bigger picture the way of society we lived in right now and how does it affects our perspective towards life in broader view.

[(≧∇≦) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning : sexual assault

I love it!!

Sejak baca forewordnya aku udah prediksi akan suka sama buku ini. Tahu bahwa cerita ini ga jauh dari pengalaman penulis membuat pengalaman membacaku terasa lebih nyata. Tanpa fakta itupun penulis sangat pandai menggambarkan suasana Jakarta dengan rapi. Aku bisa ikut merasakan bisingnya jakarta atau indahnya suasana malam hari hari.

She Smells of Turmeric menceritakan Cecilia atau Cece yang pindah ke Jakarta setelah tumbuh besar di LA. Perbedaan budaya serta didikan yang dialami Cece selama di LA dan di Jakarta membuatnya menghadapi culture shock. Semakin lama Cece menemukan banyak fakta tentang Jakarta beserta sisinya yang tidak sesuai dengan prinsip yang dijalaninya selama ini. Hal inilah yang kemudian menuntun pada konflik cerita.

Kehidupan masyarakat kalangan atas, ketimpangan sosial dan bahayanya tinggal di Jakarta banyak disorot dalam buku ini. Dan penulis sekali lagi berhasil menyampaikannya dengan baik. Perihal pelecehan sexual yang juga diangkat kembali mengingatkanku bagaimana perempuan dilingkupi perasaan takut pada kenyataan yang sebenenernya bukan salah mereka. Miris.

Buku ini membuatku tersadar bahwa di luar sana banyak orang-orang seperti Christie dan Rey yang hidupnya mungkin masih tenang saja padahal banyak orang yang dirugikan. Dinamika hubungan antara Cece dan neneknya juga berhasik mengacak-acak emosiku. Unsur keluarga dalam buku ini secara personal membuatku makin terbawa ke dalam cerita. Aku bisa mengerti ketidaknyamanan Cece dan keras kepala neneknya. Penyelesaian masalah diantara keduanya pun sangat menyentuh buatku pribadi.

Aku juga suka bagaimana penulis menjadikan "She Smells of Turmeric" yang kan kamu temukan artinya di penghujung cerita.

Terkahir, aku sangat merekomendasikan buku ini yang akan membawamu merasakan kehidupan di Jakarta.

[Lalamurdiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna write how the story goes. Cecilia is dealing with grief after losing her dad. She decided to moved from LA to Indonesia—her dad's homeland—to find out more about him. Cecilia raised as the Asian-American middle class, and little did she knows that her grandparents in Indonesia are rich and powerful people. So, when she comes to Indonesia she shocked by the way her grandparents life—they live in elite community, have a big house, hired a lots of help, had a driver, and more. As a famous and powerful family, her grandparents have lots of rules just to make sure their name still good in the society. That's lifestyle just didn't fit Cecilia, she started questioning her self worth and her identity as an Indonesian.

I found this book is super addicting, when I reached a half of this book I couldn't put it down. I laugh a lot seeing how Cecilia deals with her culture shock and cried when I reach chapter 25. I read this book as an Indonesian and the story feels so real. People be friends with the one who could give benefits to them, people with power could do anything they want to. Jakarta became a portrait of the unequal society, it was the center of the economic growth, nonetheless lots of people here lack of healthy food, unable to find a good job, hard to reach a good education, so on and so forth. This work is good, I love it.

On the other side, I thought this book clearly tell me what the victims of a sexual assault feels. When one of Cecilia's friend assault her, she tried to deny it because she thinks that her friend is a good guy, nonetheless he assault her. The struggle is real.

[Arel Triyono · Rating 3 out of 5]

tw: spoilers

I really appreciated Natasha Sondakh's vision. I was excited to explore life in Jakarta through Cece's eyes especially with the whole "third-culture kid finding out about their roots" trope, which is something I can relate to in a few aspects. I understand that Cece's story was centred around her new life with her rich grandparents and friends, but I would've loved to see more of Cece's experience away from the glamour of her corporate life. I wish Sondakh expanded more on Cece's discovery and exploration of the "non-flashy" side of Jakarta and Indonesia. Those experiences felt like mere vignettes, confined to several pages dotted throughout the book. Although, saying that, I really liked the chapter of her interaction with Bu Cumi trying the soto ayam because that interaction was what I hoped to get more of when I first picked up the book. But other than that, the only glimpse we got of her discovering the "real" Indonesia was when Cece and Kai drove through north Jakarta for their date.

Sondakh touched on many different themes and motifs throughout the book (toxic workplace environments, privilege, friendship, familial relationships, etc), but since Sondakh focused on themes surrounding socio-economic difference between Cece's old and new life, then I feel like expanding on her exposure to the non-flashy side of Jakarta would've been appropriate.

[swords & sweets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grieving her dad’s death the previous year, newly graduated Cecilia accepts her estranged grandparent’s offer to live with them in Jakarta. She leaves her mom and home of LA to reconnect with her dad’s family and his country of birth as she figures out life post-uni.

I said it after a sneak peak of this lovely story and I’ll say it again now that I’ve finished: this is an evocative and delightful exploration of heritage, family, and finding one’s place in the world. Sondakh vividly portrays Jakarta and the struggles of fitting in. Cecilia is a character you’ll root for!

Identity, belonging, and a variety of relationships are covered in this book. My favorite part of this story is the loving descriptions of Jakarta in all its messy glory and interesting experiences of moving overseas. I’m not surprised that Natasha captured these experiences or the cross-cultural complexities, because she lived part of it and interviewed others to represent more perspectives.

This book made me laugh, the FOREWORD brought tears to my eyes, and I definitely recommend this debut for contemporary fans, global citizens, anyone who feels like they don’t fit in when they should belong.

*4.5 stars*

CW: sexual assault, grief, dad’s death from cancer, racism

[tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

trigger warning : sexual assault

(Review is written in Bahasa Indonesia)

bercerita soal Cece Poetry, yang menelusuri siapa jati dirinya. merasa kehilangan jati dirinya, mencari di negerinya Indonesia, perjalanannya memikat saya. cerita yang dibawakan begitu luwes dengan pengalaman-pengalaman yang dituangkan di dalamnya.

yang sangat saya nikmati ketika membaca buku ini adalah bagaimana cara penulis menuliskan tiap detail kota Jakarta sampai ke detail yang bahkan kadang membuat saya (yang besar di Jakarta juga) terkikik geli karena seolah baru 'ngeh' dengan detail tersebut. mulai dari pembukaan buku ini, saya sudah yakin menyukai buku ini.

alurnya enak sekali diikuti. saya terbawa dan sangat menikmati ceritanya. setiap pengalaman bersifat personal dan valid. bagi saya, pengalaman Cece, si tokoh utama dalam mencari jati dirinya sebagai orang Indonesia yang tadinya belum mengenal negerinya sendiri, menjadi kisah yang enak untuk diikuti dan penuh makna. meski di beberapa bagian saya tidak begitu menikmatinya, karena tidak relate dengan saya, overall menyukainya.

[Carina Herlina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a medicine for me, and I am grateful that I read it at the right time. When I read the book, I was struggling with problems related to my family back in Indonesia. The struggle made me question my identity and sense of belonging as some of my values are not aligned to the values that my family hold onto anymore. Because of that, Cecilia's story is very relatable in many ways that it makes me feel less lonely. The book also helped me to reflect on the flaws and the beauty of my Chinese-Indonesian culture, and I am really grateful for it as it taught me about how precious my community is despite of the flaws that it has. Lastly, this book also managed to make me teared up and really close to crying - there is no book that can get me close to crying before. To summarize, this book is definitely one of the most impactful and memorable books I have ever read. From the nostalgia, the heartbreaking struggles the character went through, and the beautiful lessons I learned, I really enjoyed every single page of this book that I know it will be one of my all-time favorites.

[Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having spent a lot of time in Jakarta, I enjoyed this novel, even though I'm clearly not its intended audience. (I think young adults would get a lot out of the book and would find it a very entertaining read.) It centers on CeCe, born and raised in LA, but staying with her grandparents in Jakarta after the death of her father and her own graduation from college. She is surprised to learn that they are fabulously wealthy, something that she tries to hide from new friends and colleagues at the start-up company where she finds work. In the course of the book she learns a lot about Indonesia, about her family, and her own strength and resilience.

[Kaytalist · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story somehow make me feel nostalgic. The early premis when Cece travelled back to Jakarta, met her rich grand parents somehow remind me of princess diary. But this story is a way heavier, filled with topics like family feud, misscomunication, sexual assault, self esteem, previledge discussion and so on. Despite heavy topic, Natasha's writting with a simple diction that flow lightly, make me the book easy to digest. I adore Cece's character development so much. Another perk come from the place setting. Natasha used several real places in this novel, make the story feel more real.

Ps : the black and white pics of various place in the end of novel such delightful views to the eyes

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and quick read! This book is a true “page-turner” with a great payoff. I found myself questioning and analyzing the characters motives and decisions more frequently than with a typical book. The narrative structure gives you the space to do so, with flurries of dramatic interpersonal scenes, followed by the main character (Cecilia) reflecting on the repercussions.

Cecilia embodies the impulses and innocence of those in their young 20’s trying to find their place in the world. I’d recommend this book to anyone “coming into one’s own” or enjoys reflecting on their young & flourishing years.

[Clarissa Boediarto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm from Jakarta so this book took me back to memory lane

What a great book! It was an easy ride and very entertaining. Natasha truly captured the essence of Jakarta high-society living and was able to bring up a lot of emotions for me. I feel represented in this book, and I want to see more Indonesian authors making books like this! I couldn't put this book down and would totally recommend it.

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book with amazing main! I got hooked from the first page and enjoyed every single chapter. The development is very smooth and I learned a lot from the Cecilia who blosommed throughout the book, her arc is amazing. The best part of this book is how much lesson it gives to the readers and the ending made me wish that there will be a sequel! Definitely recommending this 100/10!