A review by ddnreads
Tutur Dedes: Doa dan Kutukan by Amalia Yunus

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

Set in 1200's century in of one Indonesia's old Kingdom, Kerajaan Tumapel (later known as Singasari), Tutur Dedes is a light, detailed, and atmospheric historical fiction biography book.

Ken Dedes was an intriguing figure who sparked controversy in my history coursebook back then. How she was forcibly taken to be a concubine, helped the assasination of her husband, and later married the assassinator. Wow, sis was bold.

However, like so many other women figure in history, she was never given a chance in our history book to tell her piece. Not much of her story and role was recorded. She was known for her otherwordly beauty and her womb to birth kings. I appreciated how the author managed to provide that. To provide that Ken Dedes was a worthy queen, cunning, considerate, literate, and her life journey was no less important than those kings she birthed.

Tutur Dedes was more than an appropriate book to get to know her. It started with her childhood, her adventure with the archer, Anjani, the kindaping by Tunggul Ametung, her meetings and later deception with Ken Angrok who became her husband, followed by her life in Temapel kingdom. Her roles during the wartime, to the point where she has to pay for the price of her choices, and her death in the end.

✨️What I like from the story:

•  The character development of everyone involved is top notch. The revenge, or deserving punishment was all there. The deceptions and how the table turned 👌👌👌👌 the war!!! CURSES!!! BERTRAYAL!!!

• The plot. It flew effortlessly through her memory pieces even with no straight timeline.

• The language. A bit flowery in a way that captivate you.

• The setting was detailed and very descriptive. The FOOD omg. It takes no effort to imagine ourselves living in those days.

• The legends and myths. Even if it was more historical than fantasy, these two aspects were quite inevitable considering the time setting of this story.

Some minor notes from me personally would be:

• I'd love to have more Dedes motherly figure. How the children were described along with their personalities. Their traits, distinctions, etc. Bcs later in the book, they were the ones who would take the throne, and looking at how bloody thay could be, some backgrounds might make a nice touch.

• The ending. It felt a bit rushy to me. I got this feeling that this book could be longer. A better explanation or plot or deception may be needed.

Overall, it captured Ken Dedes spirit well. How her character strived and how enjoyable it was for the readers to follow her journey.

ALL AND ALL, if you're looking for Asian historical fiction with cunning female lead and KINGDOMS LACED WITH DECEPTIONS , BETRAYAL AND CURSES, go read TUTUR DEDES🤌🤌🤌🤌