What do you think?
Rate this book
Playing It Safe
Is there life after high school? Find out in this first novel by G.T. Los Banos as he weaves a lyrical tale about three college "jocks," Jon, Sheila and Maya, as they learn the subtleties and the subtle ties involved in studies and sports on campus. There's wrestling and running, weight training and the triathlon. There's also poetry and the life-changing implications of a simple softball game. Finally, there's the quiet beauty of a university campus that watches, like a silent character in the novel, as young people struggle to find the limits of their physical talent and to discover the depths of their hearts.
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 3, 2011
It is hard to think that one of the books that I achingly wanted to read can be found in the most hidden compartments of our local bookstores, and it is a slim volume blending in with slimmer locally made children's books. The book is too unassuming, simple, and the cover screams boredom, amateurish and lacking creativity (it felt like one of those self-published books commissioned to Central Publishing House) but other than that, this book I think is one of the better examples of what local young adult literature should be like (or at least emulate.) That's why I immediately bought another copy and read the book all over again for the sake of writing this review.
In a heated softball match between two rival mixed-gender teams, Jonathan Garcia, or Jon for short, assumes batting duties for their team, desperately trying to score a homer against the pitcher Sheila Prado, who had just stroke out most of his other teammates. What follows next is a wildly comical series of events- Jon cracks the bat out and the ball flies at Sheila's forehead, and what could've been a grueling fight to the finish between two teams downturned into an easy game in favor of Jon's team. Jon, who was deeply sorry for his misdeed, tries to ask for Sheila's forgiveness, and from that comedy of errors, there ushered in a deepening, unspeakable friendship that smacks of first love and the dynamics of it.
Though, not straying away from the title of the storyline.
Truth be told, the novel hits home to me because the character was a big guy with muscles (I on the contrary am a big tub of lard) and it puts in the probinsyano element fairly perfectly. Being raised in the province, I could relate how the book moved and worked its wonders and ways, and frankly, it does so effortlessly and beautifully. It doesn't slap you with big words, nor does it try to move you with quotes, sweeping lines of text that wax poetic, and "trying hard to be clever" kind of narrative. It flows well, the words chosen very apt, and the element of sports and bodybuilding was a wholly original, if not a wonderful idea never before tackled in some local or international books I've read. Los Banos expertly inserts specks of knowledge about these things, though there were some points wherein the book nearly borders didactism, which can be easily detected due to the space constraints and the space devoted to providing believable information about the subject.
Familiar elements occur in the book, especially about university life like scrimping for allowances to get brand name shoes, being asked to join a frat, or using photocopies to study books when your professor speaks about copyright infringement. The book strongly dwells at home yet at times it gives off an unfamiliar ground that marks it for interesting reading.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it didn't have that much spark in it. It's nowhere near boring, but you can almost tell from the pages that something's bound to happen yet it's not being offered yet. The book's title plays with the concept of "Playing it Safe" and the writer faithfully adheres to it through the entirety of the book, from the games Jon plays, to his approaches to Sheila, and how it all breaks in during wrestling match and Sheila speaking about their relationship. The book ends with a sliver of hope yet you wonder what about those other peripheral characters yiou met along the way? Was there anything to hope between Maya and Jon, since their friendship could've been an interesting subplot or she would've occupied the spot on "the other side of the triangle?" Too bad the book didn't have those answers. You may challenge me that the book isn't about that but about "Playing it Safe" and the consequences of it but readers like me would want to have that extra tingle or spark upon reading this book. And of course, some will think that the tone of the story had this textbook-like finish in it- you want to get smitten with it but at the same time is sanitized by not going further. Again, it is still "Playing it Safe."
Fortunately, the book stands out as an underdog of some sorts to "above 15" local young adult reads. Unlike the other local young adult reads I commonly pick up in bookstores (and, for some of you who might be familiar with it upon reading my reviews collection) it is a shining example of a well-thought, well-crafted book that would've been better had there been an allotment of space for this author and creative license (without being licentious) put to it. Unfortunately, I cannot find any other book written by the author in local bookshelves though I remain hopeful that Cacho would commission a sequel for it. If not we might at least see a version in Kindle for it.
So, the moral of this review is- Don't Play Safe All the Time. Don't judge a book by its cover.
In a heated softball match between two rival mixed-gender teams, Jonathan Garcia, or Jon for short, assumes batting duties for their team, desperately trying to score a homer against the pitcher Sheila Prado, who had just stroke out most of his other teammates. What follows next is a wildly comical series of events- Jon cracks the bat out and the ball flies at Sheila's forehead, and what could've been a grueling fight to the finish between two teams downturned into an easy game in favor of Jon's team. Jon, who was deeply sorry for his misdeed, tries to ask for Sheila's forgiveness, and from that comedy of errors, there ushered in a deepening, unspeakable friendship that smacks of first love and the dynamics of it.
Though, not straying away from the title of the storyline.
Truth be told, the novel hits home to me because the character was a big guy with muscles (I on the contrary am a big tub of lard) and it puts in the probinsyano element fairly perfectly. Being raised in the province, I could relate how the book moved and worked its wonders and ways, and frankly, it does so effortlessly and beautifully. It doesn't slap you with big words, nor does it try to move you with quotes, sweeping lines of text that wax poetic, and "trying hard to be clever" kind of narrative. It flows well, the words chosen very apt, and the element of sports and bodybuilding was a wholly original, if not a wonderful idea never before tackled in some local or international books I've read. Los Banos expertly inserts specks of knowledge about these things, though there were some points wherein the book nearly borders didactism, which can be easily detected due to the space constraints and the space devoted to providing believable information about the subject.
Familiar elements occur in the book, especially about university life like scrimping for allowances to get brand name shoes, being asked to join a frat, or using photocopies to study books when your professor speaks about copyright infringement. The book strongly dwells at home yet at times it gives off an unfamiliar ground that marks it for interesting reading.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it didn't have that much spark in it. It's nowhere near boring, but you can almost tell from the pages that something's bound to happen yet it's not being offered yet. The book's title plays with the concept of "Playing it Safe" and the writer faithfully adheres to it through the entirety of the book, from the games Jon plays, to his approaches to Sheila, and how it all breaks in during wrestling match and Sheila speaking about their relationship. The book ends with a sliver of hope yet you wonder what about those other peripheral characters yiou met along the way? Was there anything to hope between Maya and Jon, since their friendship could've been an interesting subplot or she would've occupied the spot on "the other side of the triangle?" Too bad the book didn't have those answers. You may challenge me that the book isn't about that but about "Playing it Safe" and the consequences of it but readers like me would want to have that extra tingle or spark upon reading this book. And of course, some will think that the tone of the story had this textbook-like finish in it- you want to get smitten with it but at the same time is sanitized by not going further. Again, it is still "Playing it Safe."
Fortunately, the book stands out as an underdog of some sorts to "above 15" local young adult reads. Unlike the other local young adult reads I commonly pick up in bookstores (and, for some of you who might be familiar with it upon reading my reviews collection) it is a shining example of a well-thought, well-crafted book that would've been better had there been an allotment of space for this author and creative license (without being licentious) put to it. Unfortunately, I cannot find any other book written by the author in local bookshelves though I remain hopeful that Cacho would commission a sequel for it. If not we might at least see a version in Kindle for it.
So, the moral of this review is- Don't Play Safe All the Time. Don't judge a book by its cover.
Displaying 1 of 1 review