jayal's reviews
188 reviews

Then, Beast: Poems by Shane Carreon

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

2.75

My favorites are: Never fall in love with an insomniac, The Daughter, and Funeral at the Blessed Sacrament

Tablay by Katrina F. Olan

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

"The Philippines will be saved not by the Bakunawa, nor by the Philippine Mech Force. The Philippines will be saved by the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, by the person in the next room, by the street sweepers and vendors, by the doctors and nurses, lawyers, teachers, scientists, and the schoolchildren. The Philippines will be saved by ordinary people and their extraordinary work."

A post-apocalyptic dystopian Philippines wherein the concept of mythical creatures and social commentary are incorporated in mecha. 

I haven't been into science fiction lately, so this novel brought me back and made me want to read more. 

Every action-packed scene, especially in Phase 1, left me breathless and with goosebumps that I couldn't stop reading. However, by Phase 2 onwards, I couldn't help but notice how the story suddenly picked up an unnatural pace. The development of the plot felt a little rushed. It didn't have the 'nakaw-hininga' magic that the ending of Phase 1 had. Some scenes utilized cliche tropes that felt a little forced and awkward. The redemption of the villain, in my opinion, wasn't fair and enough. For a middle-aged man with a conservative stance, I think he changed his mind a little too fast and unrealistically easy. The main character is also idealized, has too strong of a plot armor, lacks realistic flaws, with little to zero significant consequence caused by poor decisions. 

I heard a graphic novel version of this novel is coming out soon, I hope this addresses the shortcomings of the novel, as it is an opportunity to improve plot holes and its overall plot execution. 

Overall, I find this novel one of its kind with its exceptional world-building proving that the author had an outstanding imagination and really did an intensive research. The concept of piloting mechs felt realistic as if it truly exists in the real world, that this word is somewhere out there. I personally liked the lack of patriarchy and misogyny in this book, despite having a dystopian setting. I also applaud the incorporation of Philippine folklore, tradition, culture, and humor into the story, making it truly Filipino.

I am looking forward to reading more of Katrina Olan's work in the future. Thank you for your contribution in enriching our Philippine literature! <3

Song of the Mango and Other New Myths by Vida Cruz

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Reading "Song of the Mango and Other New Myths" has been an enjoyable and memorable journey for me. This book has fifteen different stories, all set in different worlds, with some even interlinked. My favorites in the collection are: "In the Shadow of the Typhoon Humans and Mahiwaga Cooperate for Survival," "How the Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian," and "A Mask for the Queen of Shards."

The author's writing voice in this whole collection reminds me of its titular, a mango— warm, sweet, and savory. And since mango is my favorite fruit, it's not a surprise that this book has become my favorite collection of fantasy and speculative stories. I am most definitely looking forward to reading more of her works in the future.

1. Song of the Mango

"Years before, Maragat said that the sun was a humungous, glowing fruit hanging from the sky-tree. As I lifted the dagger to study the flawless golden fruit, I could not help thinking that I had at last tasted the sun."

🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑

2. To Megan, with Half My Heart 

Half her heart, literally.

"And even though I can't feel the missing part of my heart, I love you with all of both halves. If anybody could have saved me, it would've been you."

🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑

3. First Play For and By Tikbalang

A short story using the structure of a long-form article, its subject a play centering the story of a Tikbalang and other mythical creatures.

In a world where Philippine mythical creatures coexist with humans, the drama features an ensemble of mostly mythical creatures as casts of the play, such as a real Tikbalang, Tiyanak, etc. 

Various groups of protesters are rallying outside the theatre, vocally against the casting of mythical creatures to play characters who are, in fact, mythical creatures as well.

These 'activists' believe that such a line of work should only be for humans and humans only, the production. Accepting them is 'ruining' the purpose of art and culture.

This story reminds me of whitewashing and racism. Although, I see it more as mythological creatures representing minorities who are trying to take up their space in the real world.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

4. The Museum of Incomplete Statues

"Is Anna mourning the man or is she mourning his love?"

A person made incomplete by loss and heartbreak turns into an incomplete statue in the museum herself.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

5. Chosen Mother

This story felt like a parody/satire about a significant Bible female character combined with Greek mythology and Pirates of the Caribbean. 

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

6. Voices in the Air

Continuation of Song of the Mango.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

7. In the Shadow of the Typhoon Humans and Mahiwaga Cooperate for Survival

Okay, this is my favorite story in the collection thus far!! It's written in such a way that I'm completely convinced Mahiwagas really coexist with us humans in the modern world.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

8. Blushing Blue

🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

9. Ink: A Love Story 

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

10. Call of the Rimefolk

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

11. A Mask for the Queen of Shards

This short story reminds me so much of William Goldman's The Princess Bride gender bent with a little more twists. I love it.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

12. Child of Two Worlds

Very adventurous and filled with elements from a lot of Philippine myths and folklore.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

13. How the Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian

A star-crossed romance, challenging the norms of gender roles in a pre-colonial and fantastical setting.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

14. Have Your #Hugot Harvested at This Diwata-Owned Café

"Do you know why she (im*ld* m*rc*s) dolls herself up like a big-haired clown? It's because, whenever she looks in the mirror, she sees a bruja of exceeding ugliness. Everything she does, everything she buys, is in pursuit of a beauty she will never find."

What a timely piece. Given that this particular story was published back in 2020, I'm suddenly curious about how the author might have reacted to the results of the 2022 elections. I wonder what curses would Mariang Makiling inflict on our leaders of today. 🤔

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

15. Odd and Ugly

A love story about a kapre and a diwata during the Spanish colonization. This story reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, but better. 

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

The Post Mistress by Sarah Blake

Call Me Ella by Bel Watson

4.0

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo, Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

"Stop punishing yourself for being someone with a heart. You cannot protect yourself from suffering. To live is to grieve. You are not protecting yourself by shutting yourself from the world." - Sankt Juris

I believe Nikolai's kindness stems from his compulsive tendecy of people pleasing. If he wasn't such a people pleaser, given his origin story, he'd be a villain. 

In addition, I declare that Nikolai is by far my top favorite male character written by a woman. I'm so used to reading about brooding and mysterious male characters that Nikolai is sooooo refresing to read. He's unabashedly vain and charming with a strong sense of style. Not a hint of misogyny or him feeling emasculated whilst being around strong female characters. If Brooklyn Nine-Nine has Jake Peralta, then Grishaverse has Nikolai Lantsov.

Also, the Nikolai and Nina RIZZ is effortlessly amazing. I sure hope these two would get to meet each other again soon. I need to see more interactions between these two!!! I believe they'd make a great duo. 

I liked Zoya's background story, it gave her character much more depth and justifies her behavior towards Alina and other people in the original trilogy. I liked how the author showed Jarl Brum's human side. I liked Sankt Grigori and Sankt Juris. And I soooo loved the the twists and turns in Isaak's story. 

However, if not for the revival of a character that should've never returned, this easily would've been an easy 5-star for me. This twist felt lazy to me. His death and Alina's deed by the end of the previous trilogy was suddenly for naught. This character already had a good ending, in my opinion, in the previous books, it doesn't feel necessary to bring him back again. Why don't we get a new villain instead? Come on, I really thought we were about to have a queen bee for a villain. That would've been cool. 

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

Play for Time: Poems by Paula Mendoza

mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

"to say I love you and believe it is the same I, the same love, the same you—is sentimental"

"Ash is only that which can't unburn."

I loved this. 

I may brush up on my poetry after this. I am suddenly inspired to write again. 

I also may have to re-read this at some point for better understanding and arrive at new interpretations. 

My favorites are the following: All This Paper, Autopoiesis, On The Topography of Tears

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

A Field Guide to the Roads of Manila and Other Stories by Andrew Drilon, Dean Francis Alfar

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

📖: A Field Guide to the Roads of Manila and Other Stories (2015)
🖋️: Dean Francis Alfar

1. A Field Guide to the Roads of Manila 

Loved the lore behind the famous streets of Metro Manila and how each became a sentient being with their personality derived from the culture of its inhabitants. The ending was a little bit too fast for me, though. 

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

2. Ohkti

Arabic for 'sister'. It is a touching story about two orphaned sisters. One who found love and deceit, the other who feared love because of what happened to her sister.

"This is a love story, but it has nothing to do with a man. You had no father because a father means someone who stays to be a father, and the man who helped to make you was anything but that."

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

3. The New Daughter

A woodworker who built his children out of wood. All the boys he built had grown and left him, and now all he wants is a daughter. The ending reveals that he, in fact, is neither ready nor fit to father a little girl.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

4. Things

A self-aware woman is being hunted and punished by her lover's dead wife. My only question is, why is the woman the only one being punished? 

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

5. Godfathers

A speculative epistolary about two men claiming to be the godfathers of a girl, promising to provide protection to their goddaughter after the death of her parents. The girl's silence brings about the true intentions of her 'godfathers.' 

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

6. Noted On An Ascent

Confusing read. 

🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑

7. The Girl With The Gun

Is this free verse poetry? If it was a poem, then I'm not a fan of how the narrative poem was executed. It's not poetic and engaging enough for me. The story would've come out better if it was written normally, though. 

🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

8. Float

The imagery reminds me of Disney Pixar's 'Soul.'

🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑

9. Brother & Sister

It has the vibes of Hansel and Gretel, but the children are zombified. The story almost became my favorite in the whole collection until I read the last two paragraphs. I feel like there should've been more to that ending. 

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

10. Steps

A Cinderella-inspired story, written from the perspective of the STEPmother. First, you find it sweet and warm, then wholesome, then fulfilling, then speculative, then anticipative, then disturbing, and then utterly shocking. It's still a story about love; no one died.

"Are you here to be my mother?" She asked.

This question took you by surprise, and so did your quick reply.

"Of course not. She is dead. I can never be her."

AND OOOOOH boy, she, indeed, was not THERE to be Cinderella's mother.

This is, by far, the CRAZIEST Cinderella story adaptation I have ever read.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

11. City Cross

I was waiting for something extraordinary to happen. Reading this piece feels like it's nonfiction, a memoir to be specific. I enjoyed reading through the imagery of Metro Manila. The pacing is natural and very engaging to read.

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

12. Dai vidas du'l grandu investigadores: El Caso du'l Toro Perduto (From The Lives of the Great Detectives: The Case of the Missing Bull)

When the bull speaks, does it spit BULLshit or facts?

Also, what an incredibly long title for such a short story. And yes, the translation is even included in the title.

🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

13. Glove & Goggles

A steampunk-style short story. It reminds me of Alita: The Battle Angel.

The world-building was appealing, and its flow was reasonable.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

14. Jianghu

Not my cup of tea.

🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

15. This Is The Story

It's another one of those stories that reads like a memoir. If this story is dear and personal to the author, I have nothing to say.

However, if this is entirely a work of fiction and is not personally associated with the author, then I must say that the mother was right for never forgiving her husband. The mother sacrificed too much of her life, her womanhood, and her dignity but still never put an ounce of blame and remorse on their child. 

The husband is a complete hopeless romantic who never cared about his wife's wellbeing, not a single hint of remorse on the text, he's just a sad sad boy who's abandoned his family because his wife never loved him.

Sex, even inside marriage, without the other party's consent, is rape. Being forced against your will will never be romantic. 

The boy you raised with your blood and tears just so he doesn't become like his father, then grows up to be the exact replica of his father, is an absolute nightmare of a reality. It's as if the mother died without ever experiencing the fulfillment of life. A life ruined by men, no redemption for anyone whatsoever. Just a sham of a happy ending for the son that, in reality, wouldn't probably last.

It's a well-written story, I must confess. However, I am not rating this story out of respect whether this is based on reality or not.

------------------------
My Review:

It was a dark and rainy day when I passed by an NBS and decided, hmm, maybe I should check out some books for fun. It wasn't my plan to buy anything that day until my eyes landed on two books, a Nick Joaquin one and this book, a collection of speculative fiction short stories. After reading both books, I must say it was well worth my money. 

I am glad to have found this book. I used to read similar pieces as our assigned readings during our CW class. Now, I was able to explore the genre of speculative fiction more. I will most definitely read more of Dean Alfar's works in the future!

I'm going to take a Speculative Fiction course next year, I am absolutely looking forward to studying more about this genre of wide variety. Hey, maybe I could try out writing a speculative piece, too!

Overall Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

The Traveling Companion by Hans Christian Andersen

4.0

Goosebumps! It's a solid 4.5 for me. This is now one of my favorites Andersen has ever written. John really is a good kid.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

3.0

ACOTAR series has been sitting and cooking for quite a while in my bookshelves now. I finally have the time to take this off my reading list.

First of all, astounding world-building as always. Although, in comparison to the world of the ToG series, the map of Erilea is far more detailed compared to Prythian.

Second, I understand that the name Jurian could be a fantasy name for Julian, but Clythia? Please tell me I've been pronouncing this name wrong.

Third, I'm not a fan of the faerie wine bits with Rhysand at all. I see it romanticizing/normalizing getting drugged. I don't think it even helped with the plot. It's unnecessary. Alis' warning about it just for THAT to exactly happen doesn't sit right with me at all.

Fourth, I almost enjoyed the plot twist. If only the revelation wasn't dragged too long.

Fifth, Feyre's plot armor's obvious and a little too strong. She makes these crazy impulsive choices but rarely ever faces their consequences (well, upon reading the synopsis of ACOMAF, she might be doing just that). She's basically Belle from Beauty and the Beast, who loves painting instead of reading.

WAIT— It's actually the plot of Beauty and the Beast! Who could've thought __LOVE__ would always come and save the day??????????!