**spoiler alert** this is one of the best ones i've read this year. it's nice to end my reading year with this one. for the most part of this year, i **spoiler alert** this is one of the best ones i've read this year. it's nice to end my reading year with this one. for the most part of this year, i was mostly fascinated by romance - how it feels, and how it is crafted, after realizing that it's not that simple to make people feel. i've tried some books that turned out to be too simplistic for my taste, none of that soul connection epic romances ought to be. and then this one came along - it used such uncomplicated vocabulary in poetic ways that get under your skin, before you know it, you are wholly invested in the characters, you are rooting for them. all this, while providing a strong commentary on the arts, and artists in general, and faith. it's a love story without it being overtly a love story, in that romance is not only in the plot, but the characters, matt and grace, and tati and ash became personifications of romance. you keep on rooting for the leads because the story inspires faith in you, faith in love. now, i understand the critique of this story - i do not know if it was rushed, or i just wanted the story to last longer, especially in the fourth movement, i just wanted more...in the tail end of their college years, and the beginning of the present, it got properly messy. i would describe it as a filipino teleserye, a soap opera, with twists, turns, and classic villains. (if you are a filipino teleserye fan, you would understand me. someone asked if it was like raf, and tin's story...we don't know their story yet, but it's a story missed connections. a of love, that's lost and found that endures in between). i think it's better than a soap opera, i just don't know how to explain why it is. i've always wanted a story i could get lost in, a story that would just make me feel (which is hard, i know, i tend to be in my head a lot. this one gave me that). if i could write half as good as this written, in that readers get swept away, i'll be fine with that. hey that's actually a new criteria for me: if find myself wanting to write the way a book i am reading is written, then it must be good.
it's not perfect, but it's still one of the best.
(and i don't usually write reviews, i am not usually compelled to do so, but here i am. i have a mouthful. it is that good. any more books like this please?)
*buntong-hininga* di ako pala-sulat ng mga review para sa libro, di ako pala-sulat sa space na to. self-explanatory kasi ang mga libro, di naman masyad*buntong-hininga* di ako pala-sulat ng mga review para sa libro, di ako pala-sulat sa space na to. self-explanatory kasi ang mga libro, di naman masyadong mahalaga kung ano man ang feelings ko. pero dahil personal to, susubukan ko.
first time ko makabasa ng storyang ganito, yung ganito yung tema, na tagalog. nabasa ko yung 'call me by your name.' ganito yung feeling ng storyang to - love story na based on abstract ideas, kesa plot driven. hindi naman sa masama ang mga storyang plot driven, na parang listahan ng mga ganap mula meet-cute hanggang conflict, hanggang happily ever after pero iba to, mas naka-sentro sa ideas. dahil iba ang content, iba rin ang format - minsan verse, minsan prose, minsan enumeration, minsan colloquial, minsan poetic. kakaiba din na may mga chapter na nagsisimula kung saan nagtapos yung huli, o natatapos kung saan mag-uumpisa din yung kasunod, pero sa ibang pov, kaya hindi umuulit, hindi redundant.
sinusubukan kong isulat to ng purong tagalog. hindi ko kaya. sa akin kasi iba ang panitikan sa conversational tagalog. malaking bahagi ng ganda nito ay yung ganda ng pag gamit sa tagalog. naniniwala akong tagalog in the right hands is one of the most beautiful languages ever. ang librong ito ay proof.
love story to, pero hindi rin. mas higit pa sa love, sabi nga life story, human story, kasi higit sa love may socio-political na commentary, may theology pa. bilang katolikong ang nanay eh devout at nag-LST, naiyak ako sa part na yon, at dun nga sa paring taga-sta. cruz. madalas yung mga storyang ganito, may pinaglalaban, kaya nga may hiwalay na shelf para sa mga to. pero ito, puro pagtanggap lang at pag-unawa, kaya lumalaban, kaya gugustuhgin mo ring lumaban.
i don't know if that makes sense. i guess what i am trying to say is, it's not intimidating at all. i got this book just to support, i honestly did not know if i could get through it. i thought it was something i would (gladly) have to get through just to say i did. it turned out to be kind of a joy, a source of comfort, a reminder. a reminder the are so many different ways to write about love, that form isn't necessarily formula. it is also a reminder of how beautiful the tagalog language is. i've got so much to learn before writing in tagalog becomes instinctive pero nagalak yung pagka-purong tagalog ko. kinilig at nabigyang pag-asa ang puso kong naniniwala sa pagmamahal at sa pag-asa..
perfectly imperfect shakesperean heroine and heroes with a sturdy spine. feisty and cute. really a quick read if life wasn't so hectic.perfectly imperfect shakesperean heroine and heroes with a sturdy spine. feisty and cute. really a quick read if life wasn't so hectic....more
a history lesson made personal, hearing trevor noah's voice and sensing his wit made this one an interesting and entertaining quick read...a history lesson made personal, hearing trevor noah's voice and sensing his wit made this one an interesting and entertaining quick read......more
this one took longer to read than expected. it was info overload at times, like a lot longer winding cheesy soap opera that has been running for yearsthis one took longer to read than expected. it was info overload at times, like a lot longer winding cheesy soap opera that has been running for years and years. I must admit, I was in it for some characters more than others - mostly Charlie and Astrid. I am so excited for the movie please?! and then there's the exciting saga of Rachel's family. it was all highly entertaining to me, until the twists towards the end of the story. it was an 'oh my gosh moment,' after 'oh my gosh moment,' after 'oh my gosh moment' which made the information overload, and the family trees, and social charts inside my head not only forgivable, but oh so worth it!...more
one of the best books i've read so far. this was everything - sweeping, entertaining, intense, kilig, all at once. i loved the movie, and this book maone of the best books i've read so far. this was everything - sweeping, entertaining, intense, kilig, all at once. i loved the movie, and this book made the movie better so much better. this allowed me to focus on the entire world and characters other rachel and nick. consider me sold on astrid and charlie. ...more
I cried. I need to read this again. I cried. there is a calm, and quiet to this book that makes you wonder if anything is happening at all, or if anytI cried. I need to read this again. I cried. there is a calm, and quiet to this book that makes you wonder if anything is happening at all, or if anything will happen. the prose is poetic, and vivid that it makes what is such a dark and heavy subject almost airy charming. that is until the climax. that climax. i did not realize tragedies can be that magical. and the redemption that comes after, miraculous.
comes with a trigger warning of course, of depression, self harm and suicide, but if you're strong enough for those, you should be fine. this is a beautiful one.
(I don't write reviews a lot, and I had to write this. that says a lot)....more
finally done! I had to put this down a couple of times. It was a heavy, necessary read, a beautiful tragedy and a tale of redemption and hope. triggerfinally done! I had to put this down a couple of times. It was a heavy, necessary read, a beautiful tragedy and a tale of redemption and hope. trigger warnings necessary. written in that classic magic realism style that's very leslye walton.it's a story of family dysfunction, and family history and how those two makes us, defines us, or breaks us. that is if we don't break the chains first....more
this was bound to be a high four star read, until maybe chapter 24 onwards. chapter 24 and chapter 28, specifically. chapter 28 had me reeling - goosethis was bound to be a high four star read, until maybe chapter 24 onwards. chapter 24 and chapter 28, specifically. chapter 28 had me reeling - goosebumps, shivers, tears and everything in between. this is definitely a five star read. this has everything: love and tragedy, faith and science, ruin and redemption....more
isa sa mga unang tagalog na librong nabasa ko na hindi pang-skwela. mas madali kasing magsalita ng filipino na may punto pa kesa magbasa. ang vivid ngisa sa mga unang tagalog na librong nabasa ko na hindi pang-skwela. mas madali kasing magsalita ng filipino na may punto pa kesa magbasa. ang vivid ng kuwento, ang sarap sa puso nung pagka-describe ng buhay probinsiya, bigla akong nauwing laguna, pati pagbabasa ng linyahan eh naririnig ko sarili kong nagkakapunto. di ko genre ang ang pantasiya, nung nakasnayan ko na, ginulat na lang ako ng ginulat ng kuwento. ang lawak ng mundo ng kuwento, simple, grounded, pero may tamang hiwaga. maiksi yung libro pero siksik at nung pahuli na eh nganga ako sa shock sa bilis ng turn of events. tatapusin ko ang dalawa pang libro, sigurado. dahan-dahan lang. mahalaga naumpisahan ko na, may appreciation na ko for contemporary filipino authors. :)...more
wow. gosh. this book is just everything! funny, silly, thought provoking, profound, poetic, makes you appreciate all the absurdity and magic of being wow. gosh. this book is just everything! funny, silly, thought provoking, profound, poetic, makes you appreciate all the absurdity and magic of being human. found my new favorite writer....more
had to stop for five days, it was becoming an addictive read. if I hadn't put it down, I wouldn't have gotten anything done. resuming tomorrow.had to stop for five days, it was becoming an addictive read. if I hadn't put it down, I wouldn't have gotten anything done. resuming tomorrow....more
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