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Beauty Is a Wound

By Eka Kurniawan
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Beauty Is a Wound by Eka Kurniawan is a sweeping tale set in Indonesia, blending magic realism with historical fiction. It revolves around Dewi Ayu, a beautiful prostitute who rises from her grave after being dead for two decades, and her family's tumultuous history spanning war, colonisation, and personal glory. The narrative weaves tales of love, corruption, and revenge, capturing the complexity of human nature against the backdrop of Indonesia's turbulent history.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel may appeal to you if you enjoy epic tales weaving together history, mythology, and magical realism, all set against the backdrop of Indonesia's tumultuous 20th century. With a rich tapestry of complex characters and many-layered narratives, the story offers a profound exploration of love, beauty, and the scars of a nation's past.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The English-language debut of Indonesia's rising literary star. Compulsively readable, Beauty Is a Wound combines history, satire, family tragedy, legend, humour, and romance in an astonishing epic novel, in which the beautiful Indo prostitute Dewi Ayu and her four daughters are beset by every monstrosity.

Kurniawan's gleefully grotesque hyperbole is a scathing critique of his young nation's troubled pastβ€”the rapacious offhand greed of colonialism; the chaotic struggle for independence; the 1965 mass murders, followed by three decades of Suharto's despotic rule.

Drawing on local sourcesβ€”folk tales and the all-night shadow puppet plays, with their bawdy witβ€”and inspired by Melville and Gogol, Beauty Is a Wound is passionate and ironic, exuberant and confronting.

Hailed as 'the next Pramoedya', Eka Kurniawan is an exciting new voice in contemporary literature.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Beauty Is a Wound by Eka Kurniawan is often praised for its originality, imagination, and ambitious narrative style. Reviewed as both comic and emotionally potent, the novel weaves elements of history, myth, and magical realism, drawing comparisons to the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Critics have highlighted it as a sprawling, epic tale that portrays the complexities of Indonesian life and spirit, delivered through Kurniawan's unique narrative voice and profound storytelling.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925240238

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 August 2015

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Contributors:

  • Translated by Annie Tucker

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 384

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