Departures: Novel

As a flight attendant for the new Indonesian Airlines, Elisa is determined to establish her independence and find a place where she really belongs. With a troubled family background and almost no knowledge of her ancestors, Elisa is searching for her true identity. The search for her true father proves to be heartbreaking and Elisa grows to hope that her marriage to a handsome Javanese man she fell deeply in love with will give her a sense of belonging and stability. In this novel, Elisa learns what it means to be a young woman finding her way in the troubled early years of Indonesia’s independence.

• Nh. Dini, Author

  Nh. Dini is one of Indonesia’s most prolific authors. She has written many novels, autobiographies, and anthologies. In 2003 she was awarded the S.E.A. Write Award. Her novels, all narrated by a female protagonist, deal with culture and its conventions, notably gender relations and female sexuality. For many years she also runs a non-profit agency to promote children’s literacy.

• Toni Pollard, Translator