Book Review<\/p>\n
The Green Iguana
\n By Rob Goodfellow, illustrated
\n by Weldon Neville
\n Kang Djoko books, 1999<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): This is a delightfully illustrated book, with
\nthe cover depicting an iguana on a leash perched on a bus seat.
\nIt has 21 short tales, or chapters, the first one being about a
\nKuta watch seller with an attitude. The second chapter touches on
\nsuperstition in Central Java and gives some insight into how
\nsuperstition plays a big part in Indonesia's village life.<\/p>\n
There are chapters on gambling; road courtesy, or lack of;
\nsurrealism, which starts off well and gives hope to the reader
\nthat the book is going to finally have some depth. But
\nunfortunately it falls flat.<\/p>\n
One endearing character is an 85-year-old, bespectacled,
\nhumpbacked, toothless, retired massage woman; every kampong has
\none and she is one character who is totally imaginable.<\/p>\n
There are tales aplenty to be told by those who moved here as
\nyoung adults and have remained for a decade or so, tales that
\nmake for interesting conversation at dinner out with friends. But
\nthey rarely make for stimulating reading to anyone who does not
\nknow the author.<\/p>\n
For those who pick up the book out of sheer curiosity, at the
\nend it appears to read as nothing more than sheer fluff.<\/p>\n
The quaint illustrations scattered throughout the book give it
\na reader friendly appearance, but in all, the chapter titled Let
\nthe Buyer Beware is a fitting description for the book itself.
\n(Linda Hollands)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/book-review-1447899208",
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