The Racketeer

[rack-e-teer] is one who obtains money illegally, as by fraud, extortion, etc. From the beginning I’ve been curious, who the racketeer is. The story is told from two point-of-views; the first is from Malcolm Bannister’s—an African-American lawyer who has involved in a case which turned out to be a crime, and got imprisoned under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act. The second is from third point of view, the narrator. Malcolm must serve ten years in prison for a crime he was not guilty of; losing his career, his family, his future—in short, he is ruined. When five years has elapsed, a Federal judge is murdered, and Malcolm proposes to FBI to swap his knowledge of the murderer, with his freedom and immunity.

As the FBI doesn’t have any clue about the murder, they give Malcolm freedom and immunity after he gives them the name of the murderer: Quinn Rucker, his ex-friend in jail. Malcolm changes his appearance and gets new name and new life, as well as the money prize as the informant; while Quinn is imprisoned after his under-pressured confession. However, FBI still could not find any solid evidence to indict Quinn; while Max—the new Malcolm—manages to slip away from their surveillance, and begins to busy himself with some strange things. The FBI is now restless, and we—the readers—start asking these questions: Is Malcolm the poor victim or the ruthless villain? If Quinn is not the murderer, who is?

One thing that I love mostly from Grisham, is the variation of his styles. One time he would make a struggling lawyer heroically fighting a huge law firm; another time he would highlight a victim of corrupted judicial system. But once or twice he might make the villain triumphantly outdo the law. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate the protagonist from the antagonist. But whichever way Grisham takes you, you wouldn’t be able to resist his masterful style of narrating his stories.

This book looks promising on the earlier few chapters, but it gets rather slow after Malcolm is easily freed from jail, and we already got the murderer. Well….in cases like this, we know that the story isn’t over, and things might get twisted to a surprising ending. And so I go on reading, and yes, it gets more and more thrilling, and I was so excited to know the outcome…and the real killer! I thought first that this is about corrupted system, which was punishing an innocent victim, but of course, I was wrong—at least half wrong… :)

Four stars for The Racketeer, another unusual law thriller from Grisham. Love it!

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I read Dell Mass Market Export edition

Buku ini adalah hadiah dari Secret Santa #BBI 2013 -- thanks Santa!

Siapa Secret Santaku? Aku buka kedoknya di sini… :D

Membuka Kedok Secret Santa!

Tibalah hari untuk membuka kedok Secret Santa—sebuah event yang diadakan #BBI (Blogger Buku Indonesia) setiap akhir tahun, di mana kita sebagai Santa memberi hadiah sambil menyembunyikan identitas kita (ya iyalah..namanya juga Secret :D) kepada si X (penerima hadiah). Nah bedanya, di event ini kita memberikan riddle atau petunjuk tentang jatidiri kita, lalu di akhir event si X harus menebak siapa Santanya.

Dan beginilah kronologi kisah penemuan jatidiri Santaku yang baik hati….. :)

Begitu menerima paket dari kurir J*E yang tak bernama pengirim, aku langsung tahu pasti bahwa ini adalah kado Santaku. Yang pertama-tama kuamati adalah resinya. Dan meski tak ada nama, tapi langsung ketahuan bahwa paket itu dikirim dari Surabaya (dari ongkirnya, hihihi…). Naah…itu menjadikan ruang bidik ‘tertuduh’ Santaku jadi jauh lebih sempit. Sambil membuka paket, otakku langsung berputar pada teman-teman BBI-ers Surabaya yang tahun ini ikut Secret Santa.

Lalu petunjuk berikut ada di riddle-nya yang sudah pernah ku-post di sini.

Yang paling menarik perhatian adalah nama lengkap yang terdiri dari 3 kata itu, karena BBI-ers Surabaya jarang yang namanya 3 kata. Tapi yang paling unik adalah clue “putri Kaisar Rusia” itu. Untunglah aku tahu nama itu. Buat yang belum tahu…putri Kaisar Rusia namanya Anastasia :) Dan lalu….samar-samar aku jadi teringat ada seseorang yang bernama asli Anastasia, tapi nama itu gak beken di dunia maya. Maka akupun segera ubek-ubek data anggota BBI (No. Member BBI), cari para BBI-ers Surabaya yang namanya 3 kata. Awalnya hampir curiga sama Winda, eh tapi Anggraiena kan bukan nama Rusia yah…

Aku scroll down terus listnya….dan ketemulah Sang Putri Anastasia di no. urut 53….ini diaaa…

Lalu untuk meyakinkan, aku cocokkan 2 clue lainnya: nama yang berkaitan dengan bulan: Yoeliana = Juli, lalu yang banyak ditemui di hiasan pohon Natal adalah angel = Angelina. Tak cukup dengan itu, sang Santa, atau yang sekarang sudah boleh kusebut namanya ya, Inge….membubuhkan clue lagi di tanda tangannya, yang bikin jawaban riddlenya makin tak terbantahkan:

Btw, salam dari 2 malaikatku – ZZ

Makasih yaa…Ziandra dan Zianka, buat salam ZZ-nya! ^^

Maka demikianlah proses deduksi memecahkan kode Santa, yang ternyata gampang banget. Makasih Inge…..udah dikasih buku incaran, syal cantik, riddle yang gampang lagi. *peluk-peluk Inge* *sekalian sama Zianka & Ziandra* ;)

P.S. Review buku hadiah Santa Inge: The Racketeer

Wishful Wednesday (24)

Awal tahun yang seharusnya sedikit ‘diet’ karena akhir tahun udah belanja buku gila-gilaan, ternyata sama saja…. Dalam arti, godaan pun tetap saja datang dari mana-mana. Kemarin pagi saat ngecek TL Twitter, tiba-tiba pandanganku tertumbuk pada tweet-nya Riffle Books yang mengabarkan seputar buku-buku klasik yang baru terbit awal tahun ini. Penasaran, link ku-klik, daaan….godaan pun bertebaran! T__T

Dari antara beberapa godaan (ehm ehm…) ada satu yang paling bikin mupeng, dan inilah dia Wishful Wednesday-ku yang pertama tahun ini:

Dickens & the Workhouse

By Ruth Richardson

[Synopsis] 

Yang bikin buku sejarah ini jadi makin menarik adalah keterangan ini: “This book offers a colorful portrait of London in Dickens' time, looking at life in the streets and in the workhouse itself. Illustrated with maps, documents, photos, and illustrations...” Aaaak….bikin mupeng kaaan? @_@

Berhubung ini udah deket ultahku, adakah yang mau berbaik hati menghadiahkan buku ini buatku? *nyengir lebar sambil ngarep*

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Tentang Wishful Wednesday:

• Silakan follow blog Books To Share – atau tambahkan di blogroll/link blogmu =)
• Buat posting mengenai buku-buku (boleh lebih dari 1) yang jadi inceran kalian minggu ini, mulai dari yang bakal segera dibeli, sampai yang paling mustahil dan hanya sebatas mimpi. Oya, sertakan juga alasan kenapa buku itu masuk dalam wishlist kalian ya!
• Tinggalkan link postingan Wishful Wednesday kalian di Mr. Linky (klik saja tombol Mr. Linky di bagian bawah post). Kalau mau, silakan tambahkan button Wishful Wednesday di posting kalian.
• Mari saling berkunjung ke sesama blogger yang sudah ikut share wishlistnya di hari Rabu =)

A Monstrous Regiment of Women: Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes Series # 2

In one week Mary Russell would be 21 years, when she would inherit property and a lot of money. She is preparing an essay for her study in Oxford, and in boring mood she goes to London in search of her intimate friend, partner and mentor: Sherlock Holmes. On top of a hansom cab—one of Holmes’ disguises—Holmes tells her that he knows why she has searched for him; it is because she wants him to marry her. Mary is offended by this, and she runs away. In her confusion, she meets her friend from Oxford, Lady Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Beaconsfield, whom introduces her to The New Temple of God and its charismatic preacher Margery Childe.

Margery turns out to be a feminist, who in her preaches criticizes male preachers for impeding women to study and discuss religion; she believes that God created men and women equal. Russell is interested in Margery, and agrees to teach her about her research in theology, that God was also referred in feminine (not only masculine) in original bible manuscript. Then some events take place; from a mysterious murder of a rich woman from the inner circle of The New Temple of God, to Ronnie’s accident. Is Margery involved in all that? What she is after if it’s true? Or is it something else?

The second installment of Mary Russell series saw Mary Russell growing up to be a woman. Out of the criminal mystery, it is about how Russell became a woman in particularly the 1920s era. The sparks of attraction between Russell and Holmes, which has started in Beekeeper’s Apprentice, now reaches its momentum. I can feel how restless Russell is when she is separated from Holmes, but it gets even more intense whenever she is with Holmes. And I see the same thing in Holmes, he seems to lose his coolness more than before everytime Russell is in danger.

Apart from the mystery—which I don’t find very special—and the romance, this book is still interesting because of the religious and historical feminism aspect in 1920s. Many men had died during World War 1 and left their wives widows, but they who survived came home as different men. They became more savage after witnessing the cruelness at war, and many of them could not get jobs. These problems increased women’s involvement in the society. There were many social organizations focusing in women education, health care, and shelter, just like what Margery Childe in this story does.

King framed the feminism issue with theological discussion on women involvement on the bible. This is revealed in Margery and Russell’s discussion based on Russell’s major in Theology she studied at Oxford, about how God has actually been referred in Old Testament.

While speaking of feminism, I could not but thinking about Russell-Holmes’ partnership, which I believe a good example of what women should practice. There is equality in it, in terms of making decision and job description; and I like how Russell emphasizes this to Holmes on many occasions, and Holmes—despite being reluctant or just isn’t yet familiar with the idea—fully respects Russell’s initiatives. However, in some circumstances, where Russell is helpless and in danger, she puts trust in Holmes to save her. I disagree with a feminism-essay writer who was disappointed with the ending because Russell needs Holmes to help her. I believe the focus of feminism should be to get the same rights as men, not to be superior. God has created us equal, men and women, to become partners, because they have their uniqueness and thus could fill what lack in the partner. From the first series it has been clear that Russell and Holmes are made for partners, because only with both qualities, they could beat their enemies.

This second book is less entertaining, but more intriguing, so I think three and a half stars would be fair enough.

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*I read the translation edition from Qanita (part of Mizan Publishing group)*

*I read this for:*

Laurie R. King Readalong – January 2014