A Shadow Falls is an anthropological study of a village in eastern Java in the early to mid 1990s. It is something of an historical analysis already as the period of study was under the dictator Suharto. The book is in two parts as Andrew Beatty had two separate visits to the village though the majority of his tale is the first part and it is an excellent introduction to village life in Java. The subtitle of the book is In the heart of Java which is somewhat misleading as that gives a sense of this being a central place but it isn't. It is a study of life in a fairly remote position in a part of Java to which Islam only came much later.

Islam is the shadow falling. Beatty describes the people he meets fairly but this work is clearly written with the plight of the Javanist mystics and ancient culture in mind. Accusations of anti-Islam are unfair but reading the book the adherents to what has become the orthodox Muslim way of life are far less likeable than those who Beatty describes embracing the rich and much deeper culture of Java.

The Javanese culture is given full exposure. The shadow plays, the puppet dance, the blending of genders, the roles of men and women living ordinary lives in their ordinary way but doing so with a particularly Javanese approach are fascinating to read about. The intrigue of village life with different factions living in different parts of the village could be anywhere but the way the locals deal with situations is definitively Javanese.

Beatty also goes to great length to describe the living conditions. This is clearly a poor place and Beatty describes the environment fairly vividly though it would be a surprise in Java if it were not much messier than the impression is given.

Beatty's narrative and flow is excellent. This work is easily readable and engaging. The people are really the stars though it is easy to get them a bit mixed up at times. Beatty's affection for them shines through the pages even if he himself is clearly concerned about the effect of Javanese upbringing on his first child. During the book Beatty drops in to places like the local school to give a description of the way classes are taught. He visits the prayer houses including the mosque. The rice field and its back-breaking labour as well as the local administrator's office all feature.

Mysticism features quite heavily. Beatty delves into the spiritual practices that make up traditional Javanese belief. There is of course no codified version of those beliefs so this is a local interpretation but it is insightful nonetheless. The way in which those beliefs have moulded a consensus-minded social structure and administration are interesting points to ponder during the narrative.

The other religious belief covered is of course Islam. This features in village life throughout the work but the growing assertiveness of orthodox Islam and its ability to swamp existing beliefs is clearly a concern for Beatty. The fascinating heterodox Islam that can be adapted for life in Java struggles against the hardline version that insists on screeching through a megaphone at deafening decibels. The growing power of the hardliners in the village leads to a showdown that Beatty is a part of. The anthropologist should not become the story so in truth Beatty errs regardless of how a reader may view one side or the other.

Indeed, the entire second section of the book is less engaging than the first. It is much more interesting to read about the rituals and lifestyles in the first section. Beatty departs at the end of the second section with no real indication that a shadow has truly fallen, merely that it is being cast. It is still the threat of orthodox Islam to the vibrancy of the Javanese culture that Beatty sees in the mid 90s. Given the work was published in 2009 it would have been more interesting for the second section to have been a study of life a decade or two into democracy to see whether traditional beliefs were still in effect.

This is a really fascinating book to read. It is rare to have such a detailed study of village life in Java. A Shadow Falls is good snapshot of life in eastern Java during the late years under Suharto even if the dictator himself and his regime are almost non-existent in the writing. It would make for a fascinating study to compare life then and now and to see whether Javanism has been robust enough to stand up to Arabism in this remote part of the world. ( )

The modernisation of Java

This book gives a description of a Javanese village near Banyuwangi in the 1990's, when fanatical Islam made in-roads in a much older and much more tolerant culture.

The old and new cultures are well analysed. Lots of attention is given to how people interact with family, neighbours and others in the village. However, to blame the rise of Islam mostly on the policies of president Soeharto seems a simplification to me.

So the conclusion is not really convincing, but the description is good enough to still give it four stars.

If you have spent any time in the countryside of Java or in cities like Yogyakarta, you will enjoy this book. ( )