*2 The Reformation refers to a period of democratization in Indonesia after the resignation of authoritarian president Suharto on. That phase changed me as a writer and person.

As a student, I studied for six years in Yogyakarta, and at least two years of my life were messed up because of the protests.

I wrote that novel in 2000 and published it in 2002, only four years after the Reformation *2. Indonesia in the womb, its birth, and its difficult childhood. He ended his story before we became a nation, so I wanted to pick up where he left off. My thesis was about Pramoedya, so subconsciously I wanted to 'beat' him. Imprisoned during the New Order regime for his left-leaning thoughts, his most famous work, The Buru Quartet, was composed during his stint in exile. *1 Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1925-2006) was one of Indonesia's most celebrated authors. I set my story right after-in the tail end of the occupation to the dying days of the New Order. When he wrote the Buru Quartet, Pramoedya chose The National Awakening and a few years before the Japanese Occupation as his timeline. There was a deliberate attempt to pay tribute and move beyond him at the same time. I was also heavily influenced by the writings of Pramoedya Ananta Toer *1 at the time. Interview & Text (Indonesian and English) : Raka Ibrahim The original text in Indonesian is available in PDF format. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. The pair were reunited at 'Reading Indonesia Through Translated Novels,' a discussion held on in August 2021 as part of the Asian Literature Project 'YOMU.' They spoke with Raka Ibrahim, a writer and translator, about their travails translating literature, how to gaze at history with insolence, and new perspectives in Indonesian literature.

Since then, he has transformed from an overzealous young writer into one of the country's most renowned authors. In 2006, his debut novel Cantik itu Luka (Beauty is a Wound) was translated into Japanese by OTA Ribeka-the first time Eka's works were introduced to an audience beyond his country. His globetrotting adventures began in Japan. And he's not stopping: his novel, Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus Dibayar Tuntas (Vengeance is Mine, All Other Pay Cash), was recently adapted into a feature film that just won the Golden Leopard Prize at the Locarno Film Festival. Two years later, he received the Prince Claus Award. In 2016, he became Indonesia's first writer to be nominated for the prestigious Man Booker International Prize. As a novelist, Eka Kurniawan's star has never shone brighter.

Eka kurniawan cantik itu luka