Book: Asrama 2 By Muhammad Fatrim

It was in February this year that I managed to get my hand on ASRAMA:2 by Muhammad Fatrim as for my commission by FIXI.

Like I said in previous review and thought on the first one, for this second book too, I read whole of the book to work on the commission - for what the visual will be for the cover.

Again. I would like to thank you to FIXI and the author, Muhammad Fatrim for the opportunity given. And I hope I did my best...

Note, this is my solid thought on this book as an visual artist, blogger, and a reader only. Sorry for my broken English as I'm trying here..

So for the cover. The old one is on the left, and to be honest I feel scary a bit looking at it when I started to read it, and else it was does make me wonder what with the birthday cake? While the new one by me, I choose to go with different theme and it's originally in purple but the author wants it to be in blue - which I'm okay with, as long no changes in my illustration. And thanks to that, it does looks more darker - which I like it.

When I'm about to read this, my eyes caught on the "Bestseller FIXI" and wonder, "what about it that makes you a bestseller..(?)". 

True is, surprised me. The beginning already give me the suspense feeling and in feeling of "I need to spread onto the next page". ASRAMA 2 is a sequel to the first one. With twists in the last of the first one, this sequel is more on emotional compared to the first - much more to me. With new characters and about, the characters from the first one condition and situation give me the feeling of "sayu" to begin with, until the end.. Little bit of feeling that managed to put me feeling kind of lost - like wandering around a dark, spacious place... Which, make me feel scared in some way I can't describe here..

Different from the first one, ASRAMA 2 contains few illustrations. When I'm reading it, I don't know why.. But I have this scared feelings to look at all the illustrations, and in the style of the illustrator did? I had a hard time to spread to the next page every time. I was worried. Worried with mixed feelings - as the results of details of thriller in describing the details, and the illustrations? Yes, it got to me.. I was scared in the way I can put it as phycological. It does make me uneasy, specially since I read it at midnight - yes, after 12am! Again, the author managed to bring the feelings and moments in me it's absolute creatives for the author, the artist, and the publisher.

To me, this one is different compared to the first. In this it's highlights the trauma afterwards and in point of view as victim. Which very psychological - which the first one more to mystical, more on spiritually. Yes, it still for ASRAMA 2 but this one more to psychological. I can take where there's part which the details described caused me to feel hard to read - I feel kind of pain, while reading the details of what a character in this one go through, can say the main character too. And the struggle the character deal with... It's hard that there was time, I have to stop for a minutes, before continue.

ASRAMA 2 not too slow and not too fast. I found it so well in delivery - the plot, the about, the vibe.

As well as the author maintained the Sabah's culture too, can be found in this.

To me, ASRAMA 2 and the first one, if this can be portray in live actions, I think I definitely gonna watch it. In fact, the author himself mentioned how the illustrations does gives him some kind of creepy feelings? I think this one, is a good job.

8.5/10, my solid rate.