By Foo Le Xuan Shanice (25S03A)
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
When I first picked this book up, I was skeptical about the title. I assumed it would be another one of those cliche coming-of-age books where the main character goes back to her home country, falls in love, and finds herself. Nonetheless, being a sucker for books like these, I decided this would be another one worth spending an afternoon tucked under my sheets for.
The plot
After Sharlot Citra’s mother catches her in a compromising position, she finds herself whisked away from LA to her mother’s native country: Indonesia.
When George Clooney Tanuwijaya’s father (who is obsessed with American celebrities) fears he no longer understands how to get through to his son, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
To ensure that their children find the right kind of romantic partner, Sharlot’s mother and George’s father do what any “good” parent would do: they strike up a conversation online, pretending to be their children.
When the two find out about their parents’ actions, they’re horrified. Then, they are unexpectedly paired up and forced to go on a trip together. Not even a trip to one of the most romantic places on earth could possibly make Sharlot and George fall for each other.
But as the layers peel back and the person they thought they knew from online is revealed, the truth becomes more complicated. As unlikely as it may seem, did their parents manage to find their true match after all?
What I didn’t like
Having lived in LA for her entire life, Sharlot is very disconnected from her Indonesian roots and harbours many prejudices towards it. For the first few chapters of the book, her monologue mainly consisted of how much of a slum she thought Indonesia was and how her expectations were proven wrong. I suppose this was meant to make her more relatable to us readers, but instead it threw me off completely and I was unable to get through the first few chapters of the book without resisting the urge to roll my eyes. It was pretty hard to connect with her at the start, as she was portrayed as an ignorant and shallow character for the first 10 chapters or so.
“What even is there in Indonesia?”
“When I think of Indonesia, I think of, um, National Geographic style huts”
What I liked
However, the book slowly grew on me as the banter between the 2 characters as well as the beautifully described aspects of Indonesia began to pull me in. Fake dating and forced proximity trope fans would love this as the tension in some of these scenes made it an easy read that was both enjoyable and exciting. The theme of family was also a constant throughout the book as we got to witness the characters navigate their way through strained relationships with their parents.
“The truth is, Mama isn’t just my mom, she’s a whole person in her own right. How did it take me so long to see that? I’ve always just seen her as my mother, the person whose life revolves around mine.”
As a whole, the plot line was very straightforward and well-directed. I liked that the characters’ responses were logical and flowed naturally, not just for the sake of adhering to the storyline.
Contrary to its title, the storyline was mostly predictable save for a plot twist in the middle. Despite that, I found a sense of comfort in the predictability (I did not have to flip to the end of the book to see if my favourite characters were still alive) and I was able to fully immerse myself into the main characters’ worlds with peace of mind.
The author also managed to weave in a more serious undertone to the story, as many societal issues in Indonesia were addressed. For example, the heavy patriarchal expectations towards women, toxic masculinity as well as the lack of LGBTQIA+ rights.
“I’m torn between pride and shame. Pride that I am connected by blood to this rich, complex culture that has so passionately fought for the rights of its people. Shame because I’d been so ignorant.”
Concluding thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel as it was equal parts entertaining and heartwarming to see the characters interact and grow throughout the book. I also got to learn more about Indonesian culture. Many of the issues the author brought up can also be found in traces of our everyday lives here in Singapore as well, and gave valuable insights for reflection.
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a casual read that will leave your heart full at the end of it.
