Love Currypuffs

I'm not used to writing book reviews.

This is an exception because, well, since I bought the last copy of this particular book at the book fair, and the author good-naturedly humored my request to include the word 'amoi' in his autograph, I figured I have nothing to lose by writing a review for this rom-com (romantic comedy) novel.

Warning: This review contain spoilers...

The good

"Ibu, kenapa ibu gelak sorang-sorang?" - Huzaifah, upon noticing me laughing out loud as I read the novel.

This book can make you wet your pants laughing.

Or at least it can make others wonder "what is so funny?"  by looking at you grinning in amusement as you read it.

It's filled with remarks that may sound normal when they appear in conversations in kopitiam or Facebook, but really funny when they appear in a novel. Daily stuff that makes one go, "oh, that is SO true!".

Like the commentary on traffic jams and drivers in KL - the rude ones, the obedient one and the over-the-top obedient ones that annoy others behind them.

Or the commentary on Hindi film plot.

Or on how Malay dramas are filled with 'coincidences'.

This is easy reading stuff - the words easy to read, the plot easy to understand, the characters easy to connect and identify with. Even the cover itself is easy on the eyes. Very creative indeed!

Ali, a photographer at a political newspaper/horror magazine publication company, fell for Sarah, an editor in a more establihed publishing company where Ali's housemate is working. Sarah graduated from Al-Azhar University but chose not to become an ustazah as she believes that dakwah could be conveyed through other mediums, including comics. 

Ali in his bid to woo Sarah and Sarah's dad approval, lied that he too graduated from Al-Azhar.

As the story progresses, 'lying' becomes the central theme to this novel - how it leads to conflicts and how Ali tries to redeem himself by trying to 'correct' stuff.  

I like how despite Ali's several attempts to be a hero, it is Sarah who kicks a**es in the story. Go Girl Power! Woo hoo!

Not only is she good in silat, she is also an activist, willing to go the extra mile to promote Malaysian comics with an Islamic breath to the public who are more familiar with Japanese manga.

I like the fact that Ali is willing to go the extra mile to learn making "karipap paling sedap di Mesir dan di Malaysia" from Pak Shakir to win back Sarah.

The heroin kicks a**es, and the hero cooks. Cool!

I also like the fact that the writer inserts Islamic messages here and there without sounding too much like a preacher. Simple words that go straight to the heart, like,

"Nah, kalaulah putus cinta itu buat orang berduka, mengapa acap kali kita memutuskan cinta tuhan pada kita? Kenapa kita membiarkan tuhan duka, kerana kita tidak mencintainya lagi?" 

The not-so-good 

Several spelling/editorial errors here and there. 

Datuk Razali Bunari became Datuk Ghazali Bunari on page 28.

Datuk Mukhzanuddin was once written as Datuk Razali Mokhzanuddin on page 16. 

Ali met Sarah in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa but was described as coming back from Taman Tasik Perdana on page 60. 

Elementary stuff, I know, but I expect only the best from PTS books.

Although still 'bearable', there are many 'inside' jokes (among the Sindiket Sol-jah & co) and sometimes, satires that the readers could not understand. Maybe the writer could improve on this in later publication.
And the writer 'misuses' the usage of the phrase "masya Allah", another elementary mistake that would not be made by a "novel Islami" writer.

"Masya Allah" means "as Allah may wish".

In Malaysia, many 'misuse' this phrase, saying it when they are angry, upset or surprised in not-so-good way. Whereas we are supposed to say "Masya Allah" when we see something nice or something we like or when we praise someone, giving recognition that all good things come from Allah. maybe you could try asking friends who study in the Middle East for further explanation

All in all

I like.
Not something I would recommend to my Mak, but I would gladly loan it to those who long for easy reading stuff.

Fluff, but not chaff.