Oeroeg

A world classic novel written by Hella S. Haasse in 1948, but PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama just translated and published it on October 2009.

A thin novel, only 131 pages, but the content is so rich. This novel is obviously a special one.

It’s a story about a man who returns back to his hometown in Indonesia to recollect his past. This journey brings the old memory back. He visits his home, a place where he was born and raised, the plantation, the lake, places where he grew up and the most important part was meeting his childhood friend, Oeroeg. But, time changes people, especially during war. Oeroeg is no longer his best friend, they now stand in different position.

Reading this novel reminds me of John Boyne’s The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, since this novel also tells about children as the victims of the war. A sad story but really impressive. I am really carried away. According to the author, some parts of the novel are based on author’s true story.