Love Inside Glass

Love Inside Glass is the second book in Field of Moon series. Once again, I’m writing my review of this series in 2 languages, English and Indonesian.

Compare to Field of Moon, I like this one much better. Field of Moon talks more about Ikal’s struggle for love, although I like the language but I am not too keen with love story and its struggle. Love Inside Glass talks more about Maryamah’s struggle to beat his ex-husband in a chess match and how Ikal learned human psychology through glasses of coffee. I enjoy reading every page of this book, the struggle and the humor are mixed in a very good way.

Ikal who had graduated from Sorbonne University decided to work in a coffee shop owned by his uncle. Belitong’s coffee shop is more like traditional café, people came to the shop, drank glasses of coffee, talked with everyone in the shop and when their hearts were content, they went home. Here in Indonesia, most people drink coffee in a glass not a cup. Ikal found love inside those glasses, the kind of love that was not the same as lover’s love, it’s a more general kind of love.

By observing people’s way of drinking coffee, Ikal learned about human behaviour based on their coffee. His description was very funny, I couldn’t stop laughing even though everyone around me started looking at me (as usual, I was reading this book on the bus). Here’s a teaser from his coffee theory:

They who ordered both tea and coffee – had just received their salary
They who ordered coffee but reluctant to touch the glass – only had 1500 Rupiah (Indonesian currency) in their pocket
They who didn’t touch the glass but touch the waitress’ hand – Organ Tunggal Musician (Organ Tunggal is sort of like wedding singer tho they are not only sing on wedding)
….so on.

Apart from observing people, Ikal also helped Maryamah learning to play chess. Maryamah had never touched chess in her whole life. Suddenly, she asked Ikal to teach her because he wanted to defeat the man who had hurt her heart. Ikal asked his friend, a chess grandmaster from Georgia, Ninochka Stronovsky, to help him teach Maryamah. A conspiracy of 4 people began to form in order to make Maryamah able to defeat her ex-husband. Ikal as the teacher (with his friend’s help), a wannabe detective and a thug from the market as the investigator, and an elementary boy as the trainer.

I really like the poem that Hirata wrote to describe Maryamah’s war of dignity

In any time and space
It has been provided to you
A field to fight your war
Are you brave enough to draw your sword?

Andrea writes the best chess match I have ever read. I’m not talking about the techniques, I’m talking about the way he describe the match. He personifies the matches as if they are in real battle.

The life of that rook who was deceived by the tears showed by the knight has become gratis for it has left the queen mechanism.
That knight was like a glass of poison!
The king’s knees were shaking.

As usual, Andrea managed to write a story full of good values delivered in a funny way. We could learn about the power of determination and the strength of friendship with a smile painted on our face.

My rating is

I’m looking forward for his next book. I hope it won’t be too long.

Advertisement