I got myself all 4 book - novels, by author Ariff Adly on 1st July last month for a reason. All his 4 is bestselling by the way.
FIXI's call for illustrator for the author's new covers got my attention, in early morning and I was in my bed, I just woke up and a bit sleepy... I was in so-so thinking and situation where I was feeling like "should I?", "try je?", and sorts. I was in between and ended up emailed my portfolio. And then I started feeling it was a wrong move, like I just put myself in a rush situation and feel like I want to unsend it but of course, too late. Because of this, I feel the need to get all of Ariff Adly's books. Which, become most that I can put side by side with movies - yep, me, I'm a fans of movies - that I know and some just in a top of my list I could say.
Tadaaaa yesss.. Since all 4 in my hand that day, I was just, "which one that I should start with?". Since it all Bestseller FIXI, it does give me this moment where I find it hard to choose and at the same time, feeling curious wanted to know "what's up what's going on" in each of his books. And before that... I hope to meet the author and have a conversation like that.. Uh hm did met but apparently I was started to feel tired at PBAKL as the results I started to feel awkward kind of to start a conversation.. My bad..
But now let's break into it, start with as usual - I'm a visual artist-illustrator, a blogger, crafter and someone who just read.
So... Title GELAP, in English "dark". And it's delivereddd in many ways that I can describe, which I'll try my best in here. For the start, the cover, which actually I think it's ok, and when I look at it, it gives me the wonder why kind of vibe. I do know the artist but just know the IG name. And true is, I really thought it's about horror-ghost things until I read it..
At the beginning, it's exciting and opening makes me want to know the story. Since it's bestseller and that gives me more than ever I want to know specially the parts that will get the adrenaline of me push to keep on spreading to the next page and next and next, but, I feel the beginning just a bit slow - to me. And the introduction to the characters, I found it kind of fun and funny - to me - at the same time as I did back and forth, and counting each one of them by my fingers, with their names (haha) to make sure I get them all with the story and plot along in my progress reading this one. As visual artist, this is the first that I read from Ariff Adly - and I found this one gives me "pain", in a some crucial ways it's tough. But not physically of course.
Tough when I started to read, say in general now, I think in this genre where as a spatial thinker, details of a scene in a book does effect me physically, mentally and emotionally. And that's when I realised, throughout reading Ariff Adly's books so far - I mean this, is when I aware of this, that I have a hard time to read past this pain-inflicted scene, and the reason why the whole thing happened.
GELAP started slow, but as it's progressing, when the story starts to drop the scene, this one part where it gets to me - I was reading it at my studio corner, past midnight - which I started to feel uneasy. Like, seriously, no bullshit. Since there's big windows in front of me without curtains, my parents already slept in their room, TV was off, and the scene gives me chills and I started to look around. Slowly I whispered to myself "O my Goddd" - and I started to feel the need to get into my room, quick.
When the plot started to show what's actually going on, I have this one thought pop up in my mind and I can't let it off from it. That I think, I said, and I can agree that GELAP remind me of a movie that I used to watch, many times, not only my siblings but parents too, "Urban Legend" - YES. This is the vibe and energy. And still I keep on feeling this book and story so close to this movie. And I was surprised.
My most take for GELAP that it's not only the vibe and energy. Author managed to click me as reader to feel pain that characters go through - be it in mind trick, the pain inflicted on them all, and for most psychologically, adding too the emotional one. To say this, author put on reason why the plot as it is in flashback and the details that got me - it was 'heavy' for me.. It cause me to close the book for a while, and this because it's the part that I've been waiting and curious to wonder, but, the bully that includes worst things was in this.... And, it's tough for me.. I think, it's the biggest pinpoint in GELAP. That bully is a dark issue, it's dark for victim, for their mind, and life too. And it's effect their loved one's life and self too..
Author did well putting on what's come up along with bully might cause or create - such as, suicidal and grudge. Else, I like how from the beginning author likes to put like a "note" on matter of life such as our faith we hold, relationship with religion and God, and our actions and consequences and what it causes to other around us. It's like a reminder, time to time as I'm reading it. To me it's beautiful in light-up kind of way.. Not harsh one. More like "selamba", chill kind of.
The twist? Actually I'm not expecting it at all. It's like so sudden a bit..? But, I think the author wants to say that, grudge can be putting down and off (?). Like, comes the time where things we hold, that becomes so painful to oneself, to us, there will be time it will be off too.. I guess? Or, mercy in us as human.. (?). Else, some part does feel eerie, but this one is suspend and the thrill is there. It's delivered.
My rate, 8.9/10.
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