I found it deeply upsetting to read about the underprivileged children and their deep desire and desperation for such simple things as access to books that we take so readily for granted in the western world. RELATED: Six of the best: books for cooksįor me the book was heartbreaking and hopeful, and a beautiful yet brutal read. And yet, despite the many and varied barriers both the children and teachers face, the heart and soul of the people that stand within the school’s rickety four walls together drive a powerful change for good. The school the Rainbow Troops attended was a threadbare hut, with gaps so big in the roof that when it rained the children would sit under umbrellas, and due to its lacking of the most basic of equipment required by the government, constantly faces the risk of closure. The story is told in first person from the point of view of Ikal, a young Indonesian boy with an intrinsic desire to go to school, and it was a humbling and heartbreaking read to discover the many trials and tribulations that those less fortunate than us go through to attain the most basic of educations. While technically a work of fiction, The Rainbow Troops is a closely autobiographic piece of writing based on the author’s childhood growing up in Indonesia, and it tells the story of the ten students – nicknamed The Rainbow Troops – and their two beloved teachers at the poverty stricken Muhammadiyah Elementary School on Belitung Island. And almost as soon as I started it, suffice it to say I could see why. Originally written in Bahasa – the official language of Indonesia – The Rainbow Troops was first published in 2005 and went on to sell over five million copies in Indonesia making it the country’s bestselling book of all time. And, ever the anti-social bookworm, I took myself away from my fellow press trippers to a quiet spot in the museum to start reading my new purchase, and barely put it down over the next twenty-four hours.Īn affecting, poignant and powerful read, it’s been a long long time since I was as invested in the characters of a book as I was with those in The Rainbow Troops. Despite having just that morning started The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, as someone who loves collecting books as souvenirs on my travels, it seemed rather apt to get a copy of Andrea Hirata’s bestselling book while wandering around the many and endless rooms of this literary treasure trove. I bought a copy of The Rainbow Troops when we visited the Museum Kata Andrea Hirata – founded by writer Andrea Hirata on Belitung Island.

The troop novel