The Weaverbirds, a landmark novel when first published, is a tale of both physical and spiritual struggle, spanning the formative days of Indonesian independence and the Indonesian oil crisis in the mid 1970s. Larasati, the precious daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Antana, and Setadewa, the army-brat son of Captain and Mrs Brajabasuki, are childhood playmates, but as adults, they find themselves on the opposite sides of the political spectrum. Although these two are very different individuals, their personal relationship offers guidance to survival in a chaotic world.