Kick

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There are many elements in this book, therefore, that show that message and relate to Budi's story in the meantime. However, towards the end of the book, it really does become so much more than that. I won't be spoiling anything but it does get very intense and very deeply emotional (some very nasty stuff happens!) and then it becomes more a story of morals and making the right decisions in life as oppose to the easy decisions. Those themes, again, I thought were handled really well and just in general, it was a really strong novel. I understand why the publishers have done it because they want the book to appeal to the audience which the book is written for. The writing style in this is, most of the time, quite plain: it is very compatible with children between the ages of 12-15 maybe and there is something in the writing style which reminded me a lot of how YA books are written, in general. That cover would very easily appeal to teenagers, especially boys! Meski begitu, Budi tidak serta merta kehabisan akal, dengan kepolosannya dia mulai melancarkan aksinya.

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Also Budi is a budding (excuse the pun) footballer and plays football whenever he can, commentating on his play in his head. “One day I’m going to be a world-famous footballer like Kieran Wakefield” – Wakefield, the Real Madrid player who cost the highest ever transfer fee, being his hero. The author has incorporated some Indonesian words and food. I am from Singapore, one of Indonesia's neighbours. Growing up in this multi-cultural society, I know a few Malay words and am familiar with some foods. I've only been to Indonesia a couple of times and cannot vouch if those words are truly used in Indonesia but some of the words are not what we use in Singapore. Nevertheless, they give a flavour of the place. Ketika membaca kisah Budi, aku sama sekali tidak merasa buku ini digarap penulis luar (baca : Mitch Johnson). Mengingat terjemahannya begitu mengalir, walaupun ada beberapa yang terkesan masih dipaksakan, terutama dalam dialog Budi dan teman-temannya. Di luar itu, it's really good! The real cover will be different to my proof cover (the proof is just yellow!) but it is the real cover I have a problem with. It's not a bad cover but it makes it look like a children's book. Apart from the quote, there are barely any hints there to do with the themes it discusses in terms of Indonesian poverty and the ridiculous justice system there (this book goes into really great detail on those points!), nor does the cover indicate the genuinely deep emotional story that this book has.

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Life is hard for him and his family, Mum, Dad and Grandma, and isn’t made any easier by the Dragon, “the most dangerous man in Jakarta”, who can do what he likes as his brother is chief of police and under his control. The Dragon forces Budi to help him in some evilness otherwise his family will suffer.

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Keputusan tepat MJ— lebih nyaman memanggilnya begitu HEHE— mengeksekusi konfliknya secara perlahan dan menyenangkan, tak ada kesan terburu-buru di bagian manapun, hanya saja karena di puluhan halaman pembuka seperti yang kupaparkan di review sebelumnya— tepatnya penghantar konfliknya bisa kubilang sangat membosankan, karena itu 3.7/5⭐dariku untuk karya terbaik MJ ini. Meski begitu, tetap kerja bagus brother! This book would make an excellent discussion topic for classes, looking at children in other cultures, poverty, exploitation, and even natural disasters. The link to football as a way out of poverty, both literally and in helping someone to dream themselves to a better place, is well-used in Budi, who knows how hard life can be. Overall, this was an enjoyable book with merit and once again, thank you to my wonderful librarian for sending me this book. If Mitch Johnson was to publish an adult novel in future, I would buy it! I am 100% sure he has the talent to channel all his great ideas into a more sophisticated genre. But the bottom line is: good, solid book and all the best to the debut novelist! It's a positive read, and while it may not be a 'happy ever after' ending, it does end with hope and the prospect of better tomorrows. For that reason, part of me does understand why the cover has been done that way. However, forgetting about the target audience and doing my job as a book reviewer, I would certainly say that the merits of this book are so much higher than that cover.

For example, at one point in the book, we see Budi's favourite football player in quite a difficult situation in terms of scoring a penalty in unfortunate circumstances. There is a lot of focus on the situation seeming near to impossible at first sight and the people in the audience thinking he won't manage it, yet we still see the football player just concentrating so intently despite all the difficulties and he does eventually score the penalty. So the lesson to always spur on with your dreams translates really well into football in that example. There is a story about Budi's family - his uncle, grandma and father that shows the underbelly of crime that takes root in any society - but for me the scenes I remember will be those in the factory as Budi sweats over his work, with a supervisor watching his every stitch, the boy knowing he could never afford to buy and wear a pair of the very things he is making for westerners. Mitch Johnson has skilfully used football as a vehicle to present many deeper issues. By doing so, the theme of football will grab the attention of many readers and gives a tangible way into the more complex strands of narrative.

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If you like soccer, then this is is the book for you. Budi lives in a poor part of Jakarta and dreams of being a star soccer player like his idol Kieran Wakefield. He and his friends work in a shoe factory where they are beaten if they fail to fill their daily quota. He accepts this, as his parents need money to eat and live. In fact, Budi knows that on Fridays he won't get anything to eat for dinner, until his father is paid next. Budi lives with his parents and his grandmother, who tells him stories of past events in her life and his. He makes sense of his life from these stories and creates his own reality from them. All is going well for him until he angers the Dragon, the most dangerous man in the area. Then, Budi is forced to make some difficult decisions that change him irrevocably. Budi is 11 and trains with his friends to be a professional football player like his hero Kieran Wakefield who plays for Real Madrid. Well, that is he trains when he isn't working in the factory making uppers for the shoes Kieran Wakefield wears. Another problem I had was actually a specific plot point. I'll try not to give anything away but, in effect: there is something that happens towards the end of the book which COULD potentially have changed the course of a character's life and the way things turned out really annoyed me! (It will be at the bottom hidden behind a spoiler warning so you can read it if you want to!)I’m conflicted as a reader. I rooted for Budi through the entire story, hoping that he would get his big break into the footballing world but the reality is that only a tiny percentage of dreamers get that opportunity. I was pleased with how Mitch Johnson reached a conclusion to the story. Awalnya aku mengira garapan Mitch Johnson ini akan lebih kurang dengan garapan penulis luar lainnya. Hanya menyisipkan sedikit isu keluguan Budi yang asli Indonesia. Tapi ternyata salah besar, aku mengakui kelihaian penulis memunculkan konflik-konflik baru dan menyelesaikannya satu persatu. Walaupun di puluhan halaman pembuka aku merasa bosan dan mulai memupuskan ekspaktasi besarku pada novel ini, tapi akhirnya terjawab dengan munculnya bagian kisah baru dari kehidupan Budi ini. It is an essential read for any boy or girl who dreams of playing football. A necessary lesson for everyone about the realities of football kit manufacturing and the discrepancy between the heroes that make the products and the heroes that get to wear them on the biggest stages around the globe.