Book Review: Aroma Karsa (2018)

Synopsis: 

Raras Prayagung determined to find Puspa Karsa. When she found Jati Wesi, she had faith that this time Puspa Karsa will be hers.

Review:

This is the latest book of my favorite author from my hometown country, Dee Lestari. This book is written in Indonesian, but I reviewed this in English with hope that this book will be translated to English speaking countries and anyone that's reading this will have opportunity to read this book as I have my own copy now.

This is not the first book I read from Dee Lestari, previously I read her Supernova series, though I am not reading all the series but I liked her since I read Supernova and now this book's done its magic again in better version.

Jati Wesi is someone who's had special abilities with his nose, his olfactory organs is able to smell something very detail and from afar. He later meet Suma, Raras Prayagung' step daughter. Suma has same ability as Jati Wesi. Suma need to take epilepsy medicine to control her smell ability. Jati was picked by Nurdin Suroso and lived in Bantar Gebang where all the garbages from city' going there.
Jati is getting used to smell everything from the garbages. He worked as perfumer at Attarwalla shop, gardener at Graha Royal Bekasi complex, fertilizer factory staff and as Nurdin' staff at his decorative plants shop. Yet all his money never be his, he needs to give all his money to his step dad, Nurdin Suroso.

Oneday, Jati was arrested because Khalil his boss at Attarwala shop was arrested by police because the copyright of perfume of Puspa Ananta by Kemara Company. Police arrested both Khalil and Jati Wesi. Raras Prayagung as Kemara' owner promised to release Jati and Khalil as long Jati wants to work under her. Jati agreed. Later Raras bring Jati to live in her own house and introduce Jati to Suma. Since the first time, Jati arrived at their house, Suma already hate Jati and she keeps complain about Jati to her boyfriend, Arya and her mother Raras. Suma thought Jati was her competitor to get Raras' heart.

Raras still determined to find Puspa Karsa, so she makes the team for it. She collected the members, captain Jindra as security, Lambang the archeologist, Iwan as plant verificator and Jati to find Puspa Karsa with his special olfactory system. Yet, Jati rejected Raras' request. So Raras asked Suma instead. Jati Helped Suma to free from her epilepsy mediciation, she still not really confident enough, so she asked Jati to accompany her during the Puspa Karsa expedition. When arrived at Lawu mountain, Jati suddenly find special small purple fruit which known as manisrejo fruit, he feel the forest around him changed and he suddenly saw the humans who can climb very fast like monkey. Jati learned that they are Banaspati, human with special abilities. He met Empu Smarakandi who tell him that Anung is not his biological father. Jati always believed that Anung who is in jail is his biological father and keep visiting him for about 15 years. His fail admission didn't make him to upset, he come to that forest by himself.

During this visit, Jati learnt that he is banaspati and twenty six years ago, when Raras Prayagung came to the Dwarapala, Anung was captured by her. Anung brought his wife, Ambrik and her own daughter, Suma. Because at that time, its better to let Anung' family gone to protect the whole Dwarapala' community, Empu Smarakandi said that one banaspati had to be released and that banapati is Jati Wesi. Anung, Ambrik and the two babies (Suma and Jati) were running because they can't go back to Dwarapala. Later Anung did the Girah Rudira. Empu Smarakandi once said to them that Sanghyang Batari Karsa already aim Ambrik to incarnate and if they didn't do the Gurah Rudira, Sanghyang Batari Karsa will inherit to their daughter, Suma. So, Anung did the Girah Rudira to her wife, Ambrik. Anung went to jail because of this and Raras Prayagung took Suma with her, with hope that Suma will find Puspa Karsa for her.

Puspa karsa itself is dangerous plant who had special smell to attract peoples to get whatever they wants. Last history said Mahesa Guning who is king at Majapahit era, married his wife who is Puspa Karsa' incarnation. Mahesa Guning attracted strongly to her wife' smell as Puspa Karsa. Mahesa Guning believed that that Puspa Karsa' smell will bring him to be no. 1 king. Later Mahesa is not the the king anymore, he looks like a beggar and he killed his wife as Empu Smarakandi' instruction. The Puspa Karsa' spirit itself is locked in a plant until the next incarnation who is Ambrik and Suma as Ambrik' only daughter. Jati'd fallen in love with Suma and Suma loved him too. He determined to secure Suma from Puspa Karsa.

There are few things I still hope to see in this book, when Empu Smarakandi gave dewandaru pills to Jati for him to pass it to Anung to help his amnesia. I hope to see how far Anung can remember again. One more thing that I wonder how Puspa Karsa' incanation to be succesful after Jati' hard effort to save Suma and hit the Puspa Karsa' center with Kiongkong' poisons.

I really recommend this book, this book just beautifully written by Dee Lestari. I think this is the best book I ever read by Dee Lestari so far.

Rating: 4.5/5


Kind regards,


Selene.