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Bones of the Dark Moon
During construction of a villa on an idyllic Bali seashore, workers uncover long-buried skeletons, their shattered skulls evidence of brutal mass murder. The discovery sets the village of Batu Gede astir. The life of Made "Nol" Ziro, a stalwart member of the community with a little gambling problem, is turned upside down. Could one of those skeletons be that of his schoolteacher father, who disappeared during the political upheaval and massacres of 1965?
As Nol sets out to find the truth of what happened, his path crosses that of American anthropologist Tina Briddle, who has secrets of her own, and who is determined to give a voice to the unknown bones. She suspects that the key to their mystery lies with Reed Davis, an enigmatic retiree dwelling among the Ubud expat community and rumored to have been a CIA spy.
Drawing them together is the mysterious Luhde Srikandi, who fifty years ago whispered her enchantments from deep in the shadows of conspiracy, and who begins to whisper again. Who is she? For what happened on that sleepy beach all those decades ago isn't dusty memory. Secrets are revealed, vengeance is unleashed, and a forbidden love flares to life.
Arguably the most traumatic cataclysm of Bali's rich and fascinating history, the massacres of 1965 remain mostly unknown to the island's visitors. Interweaving historical drama with contemporary Bali life, Bones of the New Moon is compulsively readable, a page-turner with unexpected twists leavened with dashes of humor, laying bare the love and hatred, the tragedy and irony, and the joy and despair of our common human predicament.
As Nol sets out to find the truth of what happened, his path crosses that of American anthropologist Tina Briddle, who has secrets of her own, and who is determined to give a voice to the unknown bones. She suspects that the key to their mystery lies with Reed Davis, an enigmatic retiree dwelling among the Ubud expat community and rumored to have been a CIA spy.
Drawing them together is the mysterious Luhde Srikandi, who fifty years ago whispered her enchantments from deep in the shadows of conspiracy, and who begins to whisper again. Who is she? For what happened on that sleepy beach all those decades ago isn't dusty memory. Secrets are revealed, vengeance is unleashed, and a forbidden love flares to life.
Arguably the most traumatic cataclysm of Bali's rich and fascinating history, the massacres of 1965 remain mostly unknown to the island's visitors. Interweaving historical drama with contemporary Bali life, Bones of the New Moon is compulsively readable, a page-turner with unexpected twists leavened with dashes of humor, laying bare the love and hatred, the tragedy and irony, and the joy and despair of our common human predicament.
332 pages, ebook
First published July 17, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 15, 2024
I thought this might turn out to be yet another cringeworthy "Been to Bali Too" book, but boy was I wrong. It's absolutely ridiculous of me to have overlooked the author's name, identity, and unassailable credentials to speak on the subjects he takes on with this book, on the subject of Bali itself and the peculiar ambivalences and ambiguities that stem from it's recent history and still shape Balinese-Bali's self-regard, it's trajectory and its future. I give it four stars, instead of five, only because I am a tough customer who adamantly opposes "ratings inflation".
January 23, 2020
An excellent novel about the “troubled times” in Indonesia. This novel, based in Bali is an excellent read for anyone whether or not you’re a fan of Bali. Not only does the author, who lived through this torrid time in Bali, give the reader an insight to the Communist attempts to take over Indonesia but keeps the reader enthralled to the end.
June 22, 2020
Wow. The book really picked up the pace and suspense in the second half. It's some kind of espionage thriller but also mixed with the antics and daily life of common folks. It's an interesting book, fun to read.
January 13, 2018
Great book. I think this one will stick in my head for a while ...
April 16, 2024
An absolute belter of a book. Mystery and history meet in beautiful Bali.
September 7, 2013
A captivating historical novel that highlights some dark but fascinating history in Bali during the cold war. It also offers an interesting and educational glimpse into the culture and relationships of this part of the world. It accomplishes all of this while providing a suspenseful mystery.
May 28, 2015
A little bored at the beginning, thrilled until the end.. and surprisingly have a happy ending... at least almost to every character..
October 28, 2017
Spannend erzählte indonesische Geschichte
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November 18, 2017loved this true story about the bali massacre set 50 years apart
November 18, 2017
Loved this book, really great read about Bali. Even though it's a novel, the 1965 communist cleansing in Indonesia was very real and the author writes about that. I met the author at BC and he was born in Bali to American missionary parents.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews