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Michael's Shades of Blue Anthology; Volume Two: Stories of Lust, Scars and Fate
Mula sa mga manunulat na naghatid sa inyo ng Michael's Shades of Blue Anthology: 13 Stories of Love, Hunger And Paranoia, sila ay muling nagtipon upang likhain ang isa na namang kapanapanabik na koleksyon ng mga kuwento na mayroong malihaing konsepto. Mga istoryang tumatalakay sa mga isyu o suliranin g kinakaharap ng kahit ng bawat isa sa atin. Mga bagay na ating nararanasan sa araw-araw ngunit nananatiling mga 'di-matuldukang isyu dulot na rin ng pagkakaiba ng pananaw ng bawat isa. Naglalayon ang mga manunulat ng antolohiyang ito na magbigay ng karagdagang perspektibo ukol sa buhay, na kahit gaano man ito kakumplikado, ay mananatiling maganda sa kabila ng lahat ng pagkakaiba.
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 30, 2015
This may not be as political as Reinaldo Arenas' Before Night Falls (4 stars) or angry yet artsy as Jean Genet's Our Lady of the Flowers (4 stars) but definitely a must-read for all local gay lit lovers. I read gay books because I read any written materials that I thought would either entertain or educate me. This book, the second volume to the first Michael's Shades of Blue Anthology: 13 Stories of Love, Hunger and Paranoia (3 stars) taught me both. The six wonderful stories included in this collection are entertaining as much as the other many books that I've read with heterosexual characters. Also, again, the same as the first volume and Michael Juha's Santuwaryo: Tatlong Kuwento Ng Pag-ibig (4 stars), the book proudly stands as a testament that there are gay writers who are not afraid to put their thoughts and dreams in writing. Writers who want to express how they feel and show the world their God-given talents. Writers who speak for the silent gay readers who are still, even at this time and age, are afraid to come out.
That's why I read gay books. Amidst the tons of other choices in many bookstores, I consider them the bravest of the genres. Especially for men, being caught reading gay books, can give people the "wrong" impression and with the still many homophobic people around, a straight man would not want to be seen even browsing this kind of book.
Much as been eloquently said about this book here on Goodreads. Emonne Sapo and Rael Bustamante both articulated what I felt about the stories in this book. Like them, those stories with less or even absent gay sex scenes are the best. And this makes Rovi Yuno's Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida with the image of the boy and his butterfly staying in your mind even weeks after reading it, a real standout among the six stories. It is an excellent gay story that I have listed in my quite discriminating list of favorite Pinoy short stories.
Patrice Marco's attempt to write the gay version of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale (4 stars) and George Orwell's 1984 (4 stars) is commendable. It is not only imaginative but if you have read Marco's previous works (I have because I am his fan), you would know that he most likely exerted much effort in coming up with this speculative fiction story, The Queer Execution. He created a completely new universe with all those fictional places and events and intriguing characters. Gay speculative fiction is unthinkable and Patrice Marco has probably just opened a new treat to young gay readers in the country. Or a new market for gay writers.
Overall, I really liked this book (4 stars). Thank you Michael Juha and Patrice Marco for alarming me when this book came out in the market. Next time, you don't need to do that. I will definitely pick and read the third volume of this book even if you don't tell me to do so.
That's why I read gay books. Amidst the tons of other choices in many bookstores, I consider them the bravest of the genres. Especially for men, being caught reading gay books, can give people the "wrong" impression and with the still many homophobic people around, a straight man would not want to be seen even browsing this kind of book.
Much as been eloquently said about this book here on Goodreads. Emonne Sapo and Rael Bustamante both articulated what I felt about the stories in this book. Like them, those stories with less or even absent gay sex scenes are the best. And this makes Rovi Yuno's Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida with the image of the boy and his butterfly staying in your mind even weeks after reading it, a real standout among the six stories. It is an excellent gay story that I have listed in my quite discriminating list of favorite Pinoy short stories.
Patrice Marco's attempt to write the gay version of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale (4 stars) and George Orwell's 1984 (4 stars) is commendable. It is not only imaginative but if you have read Marco's previous works (I have because I am his fan), you would know that he most likely exerted much effort in coming up with this speculative fiction story, The Queer Execution. He created a completely new universe with all those fictional places and events and intriguing characters. Gay speculative fiction is unthinkable and Patrice Marco has probably just opened a new treat to young gay readers in the country. Or a new market for gay writers.
Overall, I really liked this book (4 stars). Thank you Michael Juha and Patrice Marco for alarming me when this book came out in the market. Next time, you don't need to do that. I will definitely pick and read the third volume of this book even if you don't tell me to do so.
August 7, 2014
About the book – The book, at first sight, was a piece of art perfectly presented to its distinctive audience. It can probably compete with several local books and as well as other foreign books. Although there are certain flaws in the book, it really stood out knowing that it is a really budget-friendly book! The font used for the contents of the book would’ve been better if it wasn’t Times New Roman – the font is really outdated - although classic - it doesn’t complement with the book’s contents. I suggest that this will be considered for future works.
Toy Soldier - Kuya Mike has again touched my heart by his moral lessons and principles. Although his plot for the story is simple and predictable and was somehow inspired by his previous works, there has a lot in store in terms of learning and nurturing of how we perceive love.
Toy Soldier tackled issues regarding bullying, love for parents, and acceptance. The plot was done with utmost care though there are several lapses. Kuya Mike applied every bits and pieces of his life into this story making it one of his signature stories. He also applied his well-known spot – “the seawall”, where I want to be when I’m at my down-est. His way of telling stories never fails to enthuse me whenever I feel sad. He ended the story with the protagonist be given a choice by his lover – whether it be for the better or for happiness. He gave me that “kind” of satisfaction with his kind of ending – when I realized that the protagonist has something better to look forward to.
Incorrigible – Indeed, Mama D (that’s what I call her) has really done a different kind of story. Though it made me feel different for her to have done this, she never failed to catch my attention. It made me feel somehow mystified, guessing, investigating, curious and, well, aroused.
Incorrigible is one of Mama D’s unique masterpieces – having tried a different plot for a story. It is mainly symbolic – for the reader’s sake. I might have been confused at first, but she made me realize the main point of the story. Like the first story (Toy Soldier), she too did incorporate moral lessons, but what she tackled primarily were the controversial topics faced by us LGBT citizens (i.e. Gender confusion, Gender labeling, Gender Hypocrisy, Gay-for-pays and etc.). Mama D used a character that is, rather incorrigible because he cannot be changed especially when it came in terms of money and pleasure. I like the fact that it symbolized the Lust part of the anthology and the character signified each and every sexual positions a gay man – be it on top or bottom, has fellated one or be fellated by. I don’t know if I would be the one left guessing, but Mama D made her story like her character is on a kind of maze. All in all, this story was a great start for something different for Mama D.
Rewind – This story broke my heart. BX did this story with justice! If you’re a fan of time-bending love stories and movies, you will probably predict the ending of this story. My emotions were mixed upon reading his story. My main reaction was to spank the protagonist’s butt because of what he did!
Rewind is mainly a story of jealousy, regret and – Fate. The protagonist is what I describe as a perfectionist partner who wants his boyfriend to be cleaned of his slate – his firsts. Because he wants their relationship to be perfect, he wants to be his first in “everything”. So when Time tested him to change his boyfriend’s past, he did it with much gusto – because of jealousy. He never realized that what he will do will change what they had and their future. Sure, his boyfriend was erased of his past, but he also erased what they had. I wanted to be there to spank the protagonist because of what he lost. He ended up moping around and just flown away to another place when he learned that his former boyfriend was married to another. Well, the moral of story is simple, just be contented of what you have. A perfect relationship is just written on books and is done only on movies. Anything that’s perfect is boring - really. A little flaw is what keeps you moving and succeeding to be better.
Miracle of a Day – Honestly, Arjay Javier is a new writer to me. The story he done is a very light, but heart-warming story for the anthology. I can really say that it is a perfect description for the Fate part of the book. I loved how he incorporated the afterlife in his work.
Miracle of a Day, for me, is something to look forward to. I’ve seen and read scenes portraying of the person seeing his own funeral and was accompanied by his guide. But, this one was different from those. He did not use the stereotypical guide - an angel or a child. He simply used a girl – who has chosen to be in the “terminal” for spirits and be his “tour guide”. I love how Arjay didn’t accompany violence in terms of the character’s death which is a contributing factor to the easy-breezy aura of the story. “Unfinished Business” – this is the term you always hear when you learn of spirits roaming around and has heard of it in stories and movies. Arjay emphasized the importance of life and the application of the phrase “Carpe Diem” which means “seize the day” in Latin. I love how he gave the character a chance to finish all his unfinished “tasks” though that chance means he will be staying there for all eternity. I was happy that when he came back, everything seems normal, except the fact that he was not there for them. The “coming home” scenes were heart-warming – being with his parents, bonding with his bestfriend (barubalan lines with bestfriend!) and especially romantic times with his lover. I liked the realistic ending of the story had I wished the story took an unexpected turn like him returning to the Earth for good or his boyfriend will marry him right there, but I know it is far from what should happen in the story (haha). Carpe Diem was really much emphasized on the latter part of the story and I’m thankful for this story as it taught me how to seize every moment of my life.
The Queer Execution – A story that reminded me of images from The Hunger Games, Divergent Series and The Host. At the beginning, Patrice pointed out the topic dystopia where people are treated how the government wants to treat them. Patrice tackled all about the unending fight of the LGBT community against discrimination and desexualization and eugenics of homosexuals. This story was set on the futuristic lands of The Philippines 81 years ago.
The Queer Execution was a quirky kind of story done by Patrice Marco. I liked the fact that he did some unique effort to change the qualities of the present world to the future world of his. When I first read it I thought of the titles I cited above, but the scenes which I’m expecting to be there is not present on the story. It was mainly focused on the character’s past rather than of gladiatorial scenes. The character was only finding his lost memories brought about the brainwashing of the government of the homosexuals. The story is all about the futuristic government of the Philippines implementing an operation that will eradicate the uncontrollable growth of the homosexual population. Though there I was confused on the first part of the story, I eventually understood what he tried to expound on his story by pointing out what the situation of the world is on the future - in the point of view of the main character (who has a funny name). I appreciated Patrice Marco’s ambitious take on the dystopian Philippine future world. If you’re a fan of futuristic settings and a unique story, this one will definitely entice you. Overall the story is a good one; it just needs a major tweaking of some details that confuses the reader.
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida – Rovi Yuno knows how to capture the emotional extent of his readers. He has again captured my heart by incorporating his vulnerable characters that makes a tear fall from your eyes or make your heart pound in his story.
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida, at first, sounds like an indie film title or an inspirational-adventure type of story. But it was far different from those preconceived notions. The story tackles pedophilia, begging syndicates and poverty. Compared to other stories, the only gay thing about the story is the part where the stepfather abused his stepson. I love how Rovi Yuno incorporated supernatural tone in the story where the other character has roaming guards or according to the author, are metaphors of the main character. This story associated the unending battle of the government with begging syndicates wherein they recruit homeless children and submit to forced labor by making them beg for alms. Many of us encounter them, yet it’s hard to give some knowing they only give it to ruthless people. Rovi created another character who acted as the main character’s guardian angel. Rovi made me think of one word – “forgiveness”, which for the main character is the hardest thing to do since he has gone through a lot with his stepfather. I appreciated his out-of-the-box concept for this story because, unlike the other stories, this has no romantic inclinations within character except for the main character’s love for his mother and his newly-adopted brother and he left the reader’s guessing whatever happened to the other character which has a tone of mystery. I cried when the main character learned that his stepfather was just trying to help the child by providing something the child needs; when the main character dropped painful words to his stepfather which he later regretted when he died and also when the child was gone. The moral lesson of the story is “Forgiveness is unlocking the door to get someone free and realizing you were the prisoner.”
Toy Soldier - Kuya Mike has again touched my heart by his moral lessons and principles. Although his plot for the story is simple and predictable and was somehow inspired by his previous works, there has a lot in store in terms of learning and nurturing of how we perceive love.
Toy Soldier tackled issues regarding bullying, love for parents, and acceptance. The plot was done with utmost care though there are several lapses. Kuya Mike applied every bits and pieces of his life into this story making it one of his signature stories. He also applied his well-known spot – “the seawall”, where I want to be when I’m at my down-est. His way of telling stories never fails to enthuse me whenever I feel sad. He ended the story with the protagonist be given a choice by his lover – whether it be for the better or for happiness. He gave me that “kind” of satisfaction with his kind of ending – when I realized that the protagonist has something better to look forward to.
Incorrigible – Indeed, Mama D (that’s what I call her) has really done a different kind of story. Though it made me feel different for her to have done this, she never failed to catch my attention. It made me feel somehow mystified, guessing, investigating, curious and, well, aroused.
Incorrigible is one of Mama D’s unique masterpieces – having tried a different plot for a story. It is mainly symbolic – for the reader’s sake. I might have been confused at first, but she made me realize the main point of the story. Like the first story (Toy Soldier), she too did incorporate moral lessons, but what she tackled primarily were the controversial topics faced by us LGBT citizens (i.e. Gender confusion, Gender labeling, Gender Hypocrisy, Gay-for-pays and etc.). Mama D used a character that is, rather incorrigible because he cannot be changed especially when it came in terms of money and pleasure. I like the fact that it symbolized the Lust part of the anthology and the character signified each and every sexual positions a gay man – be it on top or bottom, has fellated one or be fellated by. I don’t know if I would be the one left guessing, but Mama D made her story like her character is on a kind of maze. All in all, this story was a great start for something different for Mama D.
Rewind – This story broke my heart. BX did this story with justice! If you’re a fan of time-bending love stories and movies, you will probably predict the ending of this story. My emotions were mixed upon reading his story. My main reaction was to spank the protagonist’s butt because of what he did!
Rewind is mainly a story of jealousy, regret and – Fate. The protagonist is what I describe as a perfectionist partner who wants his boyfriend to be cleaned of his slate – his firsts. Because he wants their relationship to be perfect, he wants to be his first in “everything”. So when Time tested him to change his boyfriend’s past, he did it with much gusto – because of jealousy. He never realized that what he will do will change what they had and their future. Sure, his boyfriend was erased of his past, but he also erased what they had. I wanted to be there to spank the protagonist because of what he lost. He ended up moping around and just flown away to another place when he learned that his former boyfriend was married to another. Well, the moral of story is simple, just be contented of what you have. A perfect relationship is just written on books and is done only on movies. Anything that’s perfect is boring - really. A little flaw is what keeps you moving and succeeding to be better.
Miracle of a Day – Honestly, Arjay Javier is a new writer to me. The story he done is a very light, but heart-warming story for the anthology. I can really say that it is a perfect description for the Fate part of the book. I loved how he incorporated the afterlife in his work.
Miracle of a Day, for me, is something to look forward to. I’ve seen and read scenes portraying of the person seeing his own funeral and was accompanied by his guide. But, this one was different from those. He did not use the stereotypical guide - an angel or a child. He simply used a girl – who has chosen to be in the “terminal” for spirits and be his “tour guide”. I love how Arjay didn’t accompany violence in terms of the character’s death which is a contributing factor to the easy-breezy aura of the story. “Unfinished Business” – this is the term you always hear when you learn of spirits roaming around and has heard of it in stories and movies. Arjay emphasized the importance of life and the application of the phrase “Carpe Diem” which means “seize the day” in Latin. I love how he gave the character a chance to finish all his unfinished “tasks” though that chance means he will be staying there for all eternity. I was happy that when he came back, everything seems normal, except the fact that he was not there for them. The “coming home” scenes were heart-warming – being with his parents, bonding with his bestfriend (barubalan lines with bestfriend!) and especially romantic times with his lover. I liked the realistic ending of the story had I wished the story took an unexpected turn like him returning to the Earth for good or his boyfriend will marry him right there, but I know it is far from what should happen in the story (haha). Carpe Diem was really much emphasized on the latter part of the story and I’m thankful for this story as it taught me how to seize every moment of my life.
The Queer Execution – A story that reminded me of images from The Hunger Games, Divergent Series and The Host. At the beginning, Patrice pointed out the topic dystopia where people are treated how the government wants to treat them. Patrice tackled all about the unending fight of the LGBT community against discrimination and desexualization and eugenics of homosexuals. This story was set on the futuristic lands of The Philippines 81 years ago.
The Queer Execution was a quirky kind of story done by Patrice Marco. I liked the fact that he did some unique effort to change the qualities of the present world to the future world of his. When I first read it I thought of the titles I cited above, but the scenes which I’m expecting to be there is not present on the story. It was mainly focused on the character’s past rather than of gladiatorial scenes. The character was only finding his lost memories brought about the brainwashing of the government of the homosexuals. The story is all about the futuristic government of the Philippines implementing an operation that will eradicate the uncontrollable growth of the homosexual population. Though there I was confused on the first part of the story, I eventually understood what he tried to expound on his story by pointing out what the situation of the world is on the future - in the point of view of the main character (who has a funny name). I appreciated Patrice Marco’s ambitious take on the dystopian Philippine future world. If you’re a fan of futuristic settings and a unique story, this one will definitely entice you. Overall the story is a good one; it just needs a major tweaking of some details that confuses the reader.
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida – Rovi Yuno knows how to capture the emotional extent of his readers. He has again captured my heart by incorporating his vulnerable characters that makes a tear fall from your eyes or make your heart pound in his story.
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida, at first, sounds like an indie film title or an inspirational-adventure type of story. But it was far different from those preconceived notions. The story tackles pedophilia, begging syndicates and poverty. Compared to other stories, the only gay thing about the story is the part where the stepfather abused his stepson. I love how Rovi Yuno incorporated supernatural tone in the story where the other character has roaming guards or according to the author, are metaphors of the main character. This story associated the unending battle of the government with begging syndicates wherein they recruit homeless children and submit to forced labor by making them beg for alms. Many of us encounter them, yet it’s hard to give some knowing they only give it to ruthless people. Rovi created another character who acted as the main character’s guardian angel. Rovi made me think of one word – “forgiveness”, which for the main character is the hardest thing to do since he has gone through a lot with his stepfather. I appreciated his out-of-the-box concept for this story because, unlike the other stories, this has no romantic inclinations within character except for the main character’s love for his mother and his newly-adopted brother and he left the reader’s guessing whatever happened to the other character which has a tone of mystery. I cried when the main character learned that his stepfather was just trying to help the child by providing something the child needs; when the main character dropped painful words to his stepfather which he later regretted when he died and also when the child was gone. The moral lesson of the story is “Forgiveness is unlocking the door to get someone free and realizing you were the prisoner.”
August 14, 2014
Michael's Shades of Blue Anthology
Volume Two: Stories of Lust, Scars and Fate
I love the theme. It circulates around people and their experiences. It encompasses the raw essence of how life developed through the three words "Lust", "Scars" and "Fate" and how it could mold one's being. As you will look at the book physically, it's simple yet gives an adequate feel to get one to notice it and be curious about it.
The book gave me this feeling that I should read it immediately. Upon arriving home, I removed it from its plastic and began to read. First up is:
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida - The story gave me a lighter feel than what Rovi Yuno's @40. It simply tackles the struggle of a man in search for forgiveness, in search of the key to free himself from the prisoner he's in -- himself. The story involve different timely topics that we, people of the Philippines, are witnessing namely Child Abuse, Syndicate and Poverty. What made me took interest in here is that I too once a victim of child abuse and it made me realized that keeping yourself from forgiveness can cause a greater damage to yourself. Overall, the story is well written and the characters are well developed. Though the story may be quite predictable, in the end it never failed to capture my heart as a reader.
A Miracle of a Day - "Carpe Diem". What will you do if you only have one day left? The concept made me think about the things I want to do before I die. It made me realize that I don't need anything, I just need to reassure that things are well settled before I leave this world. The story is very cheesy and romantic and sad at the same time. It gives me a light feeling. One important thing that captured my attention is how the story relate the "Carpe diem" as to how one must spend a day of his life. To Arjay Javier, kudos for writing a great story. I believe a person can easily relate himself in the story.
Rewind - Wow. This thing is heavy for me. I find myself as the character of the story. I have always been dominant when it comes to relationships. I want to know everything. I want to be the first of everything. Like the main protagonist in here did. I like how BX incorporated modern technology and traditional concept in the story. Having given a chance, will you rewrite your story? Will you change your fate? I will leave these questions to those who will read the reviews so it will tickle their imagination about what's in stored for them. BX made a great take on this one. Tying up the story together and developing one's character and how he took him down on a single blow made me admire BX more as a writer.
Toy Soldier - As one of the lucky few who have read the manuscript before it was published, I can say that the story is neatly done though there are lapses. It shows the strength of a person in the name of love. It also shows the love for one's mother and the consequences of life's choices. I find it amazing how Sir Mike gives that trademark feel of wanting for more of his stories. I believe it can be rooted from his passion as a writer. The story gave me the goosebumps, not because it's scary but, because I find myself watching the characters grow and developed themselves like they are real people. Ano ang mas pipiliin mo, ang makakabuti sa ibang tao o ang magpapasaya sa iyo? I believed that this question summarizes the story as a whole.
Incorrigible - Miss Dalisay's story is familiar to me since she told in her intro that the idea was based from a movie she watched. I watched that movie and I can say that it wasn't plagiarized but it was artistically remastered and recreated into a better and more beautiful masterpiece. It tackled the prostitution and the desire to bring one self up -- to know what purpose he has in his life. I admire Miss Dalisay's courage to make such masterpiece. For all we know, it can be a huge scandal. But, given that her take on that subject is well done, it became more appealing and opened my eye in a better perspective. With that, I salute you.
The Queer Execution - I admire Sir Patrice's take on Philippines' Dystopia. As we all know, LGBT is widely discriminated within the country's vicinity. People have not yet opened their eyes about their existence. I believed that Sir Patrice's take on empowerment of the LGBT community with his work and how it will be eradicated by the unjust power of the government is enough to slowly open the eyes of those who can read his work of how the LGBT community is treated. The story is very ambitious and amazing to the extent that I have to read it again cause I can't get enough.
To all the author: Kudos! You've made another fan satisfied!
Volume Two: Stories of Lust, Scars and Fate
I love the theme. It circulates around people and their experiences. It encompasses the raw essence of how life developed through the three words "Lust", "Scars" and "Fate" and how it could mold one's being. As you will look at the book physically, it's simple yet gives an adequate feel to get one to notice it and be curious about it.
The book gave me this feeling that I should read it immediately. Upon arriving home, I removed it from its plastic and began to read. First up is:
Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida - The story gave me a lighter feel than what Rovi Yuno's @40. It simply tackles the struggle of a man in search for forgiveness, in search of the key to free himself from the prisoner he's in -- himself. The story involve different timely topics that we, people of the Philippines, are witnessing namely Child Abuse, Syndicate and Poverty. What made me took interest in here is that I too once a victim of child abuse and it made me realized that keeping yourself from forgiveness can cause a greater damage to yourself. Overall, the story is well written and the characters are well developed. Though the story may be quite predictable, in the end it never failed to capture my heart as a reader.
A Miracle of a Day - "Carpe Diem". What will you do if you only have one day left? The concept made me think about the things I want to do before I die. It made me realize that I don't need anything, I just need to reassure that things are well settled before I leave this world. The story is very cheesy and romantic and sad at the same time. It gives me a light feeling. One important thing that captured my attention is how the story relate the "Carpe diem" as to how one must spend a day of his life. To Arjay Javier, kudos for writing a great story. I believe a person can easily relate himself in the story.
Rewind - Wow. This thing is heavy for me. I find myself as the character of the story. I have always been dominant when it comes to relationships. I want to know everything. I want to be the first of everything. Like the main protagonist in here did. I like how BX incorporated modern technology and traditional concept in the story. Having given a chance, will you rewrite your story? Will you change your fate? I will leave these questions to those who will read the reviews so it will tickle their imagination about what's in stored for them. BX made a great take on this one. Tying up the story together and developing one's character and how he took him down on a single blow made me admire BX more as a writer.
Toy Soldier - As one of the lucky few who have read the manuscript before it was published, I can say that the story is neatly done though there are lapses. It shows the strength of a person in the name of love. It also shows the love for one's mother and the consequences of life's choices. I find it amazing how Sir Mike gives that trademark feel of wanting for more of his stories. I believe it can be rooted from his passion as a writer. The story gave me the goosebumps, not because it's scary but, because I find myself watching the characters grow and developed themselves like they are real people. Ano ang mas pipiliin mo, ang makakabuti sa ibang tao o ang magpapasaya sa iyo? I believed that this question summarizes the story as a whole.
Incorrigible - Miss Dalisay's story is familiar to me since she told in her intro that the idea was based from a movie she watched. I watched that movie and I can say that it wasn't plagiarized but it was artistically remastered and recreated into a better and more beautiful masterpiece. It tackled the prostitution and the desire to bring one self up -- to know what purpose he has in his life. I admire Miss Dalisay's courage to make such masterpiece. For all we know, it can be a huge scandal. But, given that her take on that subject is well done, it became more appealing and opened my eye in a better perspective. With that, I salute you.
The Queer Execution - I admire Sir Patrice's take on Philippines' Dystopia. As we all know, LGBT is widely discriminated within the country's vicinity. People have not yet opened their eyes about their existence. I believed that Sir Patrice's take on empowerment of the LGBT community with his work and how it will be eradicated by the unjust power of the government is enough to slowly open the eyes of those who can read his work of how the LGBT community is treated. The story is very ambitious and amazing to the extent that I have to read it again cause I can't get enough.
To all the author: Kudos! You've made another fan satisfied!
January 25, 2015
Ang aking pakay sa taon na ito ay makapagbasa ng mga tagalog book kada buwan. Bukod pa riyan ay i-check ang quality ng book, mula exterior hanggang interior; Papel na ginamit, Cover, disensyo, lay-out, storya at iba pa.
Ang aking orihinal na plano naman kaya ako napabili ng MSOB Book 2 ay dahil na rin sa paanyaya ni G. Michael Juha sa kanyang facebook page na mayroon siyang mumunting serbisyo para sa paglilimbag ng libro, so ang pakay ko talaga muna ay icheck ang kalidad ng kanyang paperback nung time na binili ko ito sa Robinson Imus. Madali kong nahanap ito dahil nakalapag ito sa mesa katabi ng mga bagong libro. May dalawang kopya dun at ako ang nakabili ng isa. Yung " Ang Kuya Kong Crush ng Bayan" hindi ko binili, ito ang napili ko.
Book Cover and Interior
Yung design ng book, ang lakas maka-enganyo. Magaling ang nag-design ng book kumpara sa pabalat ng librong ladlad anthology. Simple pero may intrigang maiiwan sa isip yung pagkakasulat ng titulo sa pabalat. Yung spine cover ok siya,kasi basang basa yung titulo ng libro kaya madaling mahanap sa bookshelf. Ilang beses ko ring naisalansan ang book sa aking bag, matibay naman, hindi pa naman naghiwa-hiwalay ang papel sa pagkakatupi ko minsan habang nagbabasa. Hindi ako maalaga masyado sa libro lalo't kung tinututukan ko yung mga kwento, kaya ok sa akin yung quality ng pagkaka glue, compare sa mga book ng PSICOM ( jusko ko po, ang laking company ng PSICOM pero ang mga libro ayaw ayusin ang pagkaka-glue, sayang kaya pera ko. lol)
Stories
Uunahin kong bigyang rebyu yung Top Story para sa akin at ihuhuli ko naman yung hindi ko masyadong nagustuhan. Pero ok ang book, lahat ng story gusto ko. Walang pangit. Lahat may kwento at may kwenta.
Top 1: Miracle of a Day ( 4 stars ) - madali itong basahin at hindi pinasakit ang ulo ko, wala ring boring moments sa kwento, mabilis akong nakaalpas sa bawat pahina dahil magaan ang pagkakalahad at consistent ang author sa boses ng kanyang narrator. Ito rin yung kwentong less ang typo errors kaya hindi masakit sa mata. Tipikal yung kwento na isang kaluluwang binigyan ng pagkakataon na makapaglakbay pang muli sa buhay niya pero nabigyang bagong flavor ng awtor dahil sa paraan niya ng pag-dedescribe ng mga kaganapan. Tumatatak sa isip ang mga ilang aral sa kwento. Wala akong pangit na masasabi sa istorya maliban na lang sa ending na medyo bitin.
Top 2: Ang Bata Sa Kanto ng Avenida ( 3.5 )- tungkol ito sa isang batang minolestiya ng amain, medyo sensitibo yung topic no, pero ok naman yung pagkakalahad, hindi ganun kabigat kasi kahit drama walang malulutong na murahan. Mabilis ko din itong natapos basahin kasi walang boring parts, hindi ako inantok kahit alam ko ng predictable ang binabasa ko at alam ko na ang ganap nung bata sa buhay nung bida ayos lang sa akin dahil maaayos na nailahad ang mga kaganapan. May aral ang kwento na walang kamatayan; Pagpapatawad.
Top 3: Rewind ( 3 ) - paano kung bigyan ka ng pagkakataon na balikan ang nakaraan para maiayos ang kasalukuyan mo ayon sa gusto mo? Dito umiikot ang kwento, may pagka-fantasy at naaaliw ako kasi medyo ganito din yung plot ng isa kong book. Kaso dito medyo nakakaawa yung bida, paano kasi seloso kaya ayun ang nangyari, sa kagustuhan niyang wag mawalan o maagawan ng jowa ng kung sinong beki, ayun ang tadhana tuloy ang umagaw sa jowa niya, sarap kurutin sa singit. Enjoy din itong basahin kahit may mga ilang pages na medyo parang naghikab ata ako at nakatulugan ko.
Ito naman yung ibang stories na bibigyan ko ng 2 stars:
Incorrigible - tungkol ito sa call boy na kung sino-sino ang nakatalik. Medyo sumariwa sa akin ang karanasang ito , haha. may naaalala kasi akong kaibigan na nakakilala ng call boy na ayaw magpahalik, haha. Yung totoo. Cool yung story, maraming sex scenes na talagang nagaganap. Matagal na akong silahis kaya alam ko yang mga nagaganap na yan no, totoo yan lahat. Totoong totoo ang author sa kwentong ito. Hindi takot yung author na magdescribe ng mga pagtatalik ng mga lalaki sa lalaki. Ito ang tunay na erotika.
Kaya lang, yung paraan ng pagkakakwento, medyo hindi kasi ako fan ng taglish. Feeling ko kasi niloloko ako, yumbang may part na kahit tagalog na lang sana ang ginamit imbes na english ay pwede naman ( o vice versa ). Nakakahilo kasi basahin pag masyadong english ng english bago magtatagalog din naman pala. Ok lang sana, kung yung character ang nag-eenglish hindi na yung narrator para mas naiintindihan ko yung consistency ng paglalahad ng author. Madalas kong makita ang ganitong istilo sa mga pocketbook ng PHR, Summit at kung anu ano pang nagkalat ng wattpad stories sa Bookstore kaya never akong bumili ng mga ganung books dahil nga ayokong nagbabasa na nga lang ako, niloloko pa ako. Haha.
The Queer Execution - yung tema ng story ay may mensaheng nais ipahatid sa ating lipunan na mapang-api sa mga bakla; Huwag po kayong mapanghusga. Itigil ang Diskriminasyon. Nakakatakot ha, paano nga kaya kung mangyari itong mga naganap sa story na ito na ang mga Mabaluktot ( term sa story na ang nais patungkulan ay ang mga bakla ) ay pagpapatayin? Aliw factor din yung mga pangalan ng characters na kung saan saan pinagkukuha ng author at iniba ang mga spelling para magmukhang nasa ibang panahon ang mga bida tulad ni Drower Baul at Kabinette Uhlala. At dahil nga medyo nasa ibang dimensyon ang kwento, hindi maiwasan ng utak ko na mahirapan sa pag-iimagin, kung ano nga ba ang hitsura ng mga tao sa kwento, ng mga lugar at mga bagay. Hindi ko matandaan kung inexplain ba ng author kung ano bang uri ng gadget yung P-Talk, kung isa ba itong celfone, phablet, telephone o ano ba. May mga oras na nahihirapan akong intindihin at iimagin yung sitwasyon, hindi ko alam kung humina na ba ang utak ko sa pag-iimagin ng mga fantasy story o kung may pagkukulang yung awtor sa paglalahad. Information overload naman ako sa mga pag-eexplain ng awtor sa mga detalye ng kaganapan pero sadyang para lang siguro sa akin, nahirapan akong basahin ito. Pinulot ko na lang ang aral sa kwentong ito at babala na rin na sa mundong ito na kahit umabot pa tayo ng dekada o ilang century pa ay hinding- hindi na mawawala pa sa utak ng mga tao ang pagka-classify kung anong tao ka o kung sino ka sa mundong ito, ang mahalaga lang naman kahit ganun ka tignan ng lipunan ay naiintindihan mo ang iyong sarili, kung sino ka at kung anong kaya mong iambag sa mundo.
Toy Soldier - Itong story na ito simula pa lang nakakasindak na kasi may mga bullying na nagaganap at murahan. So exciting di ba, kasi parang may mga action ang kwento. Bully kasi sa umpisa yung bida hanggang sa lumambot ang puso niya sa dati niyang binubully at naging bespren sila. Ang pinaka-nagustuhan ko dito yung graduation scene, maganda yung speech nung bida, umakma sa edad niya yung pag-eenglish niya sa part na iyon, kaya't nakakaantig yung eksena at may mga revelation na nakapaloob dun. Gusto ko rin yung pagiging caring ng bida sa nanay niya kasi maka-nanay ako kaya dama ko siya. Nakaka-relate din ako sa bida dahil yung kinahinatnan ng love story niya ay nangyari din minsan sa buhay ko noon.
Actually, ito yung kwentong inaasahan kong pinaka-magugustuhan ko kasi yung author nito si Michael, ang siyang leader ng grupo ng mga authors sa likod ng librong ito. Kaso dahil siguro mataas ang naging expectation ko sa author at sa kwentong Toy Soldier ay para tuloy nakulangan ako. Hindi ko alam kung nakulangan ba o medyo bored ako sa ibang pages nitong story kasi may mga parts na dapat gumagalaw yung bida o nag-uusap o inaaksyon pero imbes na ganun ay kinukwento na lang niya yung mga nangyari kahapon, kanina, o mangyayari. Nakatulog ako at tinuloy ko na lang basahin kasi nasimulan ko na. At syempre no, gusto kong sulitin ang 310 pesos ko.
Marahil din kaya parang nakulangan ako ay dahil ang inspirasyon nito ay ang isa sa mga paborito kong thai movie na Love of Siam. Kaso medyo hindi siya talaga ganun ka-tear jerker tulad ng ending ng love of siam na grabe ang iniyak ko sa ending. Siguro yung kinopya lang sa love of siam ay yung mismong laruan na hawig dun sa movie na naging simbolo sa kwentong Toy Soldier at yung ending nito, pero maliban doon wala na. Ibang-iba yung kwento.
May mga oras din na parang pakiramdam ko nag-iiba yung edad ng first person POV, minsan parang matanda siya magsalita, minsan naman akma sa edad niya.
Maganda ang konsepto, ang story ng bully at ng hindi, siguro lang 'yung way ng storytelling ni Michael ang medyo parang kinatulugan ko sa pagbabasa.
Iba pang Komento.
Medyo masakit din sa mata pala magbasa ng kwento na halos every pages ang daming typos ( sa mga naunang story ng book na ito ). Pero sabi ko ok lang, expect ko na ito kasi self-published. Pero I think may editor ito, or wala ba? Comment ko rin sa pagkakaprint ng book, may feeling ako na xerox ang nakuha ko, kasi may mga malalabong letters at graphics. Bat ganun? pero anyway magandang konsepto ang libro at isa ako sa mapalad na nakabasa ng mga kwentong ganito kung saan nakakarelate ako hindi bilang isang author din ng ganitong mga akda kundi bilang isang mambabasa ng ganitong uri ng genre.
Ang aking orihinal na plano naman kaya ako napabili ng MSOB Book 2 ay dahil na rin sa paanyaya ni G. Michael Juha sa kanyang facebook page na mayroon siyang mumunting serbisyo para sa paglilimbag ng libro, so ang pakay ko talaga muna ay icheck ang kalidad ng kanyang paperback nung time na binili ko ito sa Robinson Imus. Madali kong nahanap ito dahil nakalapag ito sa mesa katabi ng mga bagong libro. May dalawang kopya dun at ako ang nakabili ng isa. Yung " Ang Kuya Kong Crush ng Bayan" hindi ko binili, ito ang napili ko.
Book Cover and Interior
Yung design ng book, ang lakas maka-enganyo. Magaling ang nag-design ng book kumpara sa pabalat ng librong ladlad anthology. Simple pero may intrigang maiiwan sa isip yung pagkakasulat ng titulo sa pabalat. Yung spine cover ok siya,kasi basang basa yung titulo ng libro kaya madaling mahanap sa bookshelf. Ilang beses ko ring naisalansan ang book sa aking bag, matibay naman, hindi pa naman naghiwa-hiwalay ang papel sa pagkakatupi ko minsan habang nagbabasa. Hindi ako maalaga masyado sa libro lalo't kung tinututukan ko yung mga kwento, kaya ok sa akin yung quality ng pagkaka glue, compare sa mga book ng PSICOM ( jusko ko po, ang laking company ng PSICOM pero ang mga libro ayaw ayusin ang pagkaka-glue, sayang kaya pera ko. lol)
Stories
Uunahin kong bigyang rebyu yung Top Story para sa akin at ihuhuli ko naman yung hindi ko masyadong nagustuhan. Pero ok ang book, lahat ng story gusto ko. Walang pangit. Lahat may kwento at may kwenta.
Top 1: Miracle of a Day ( 4 stars ) - madali itong basahin at hindi pinasakit ang ulo ko, wala ring boring moments sa kwento, mabilis akong nakaalpas sa bawat pahina dahil magaan ang pagkakalahad at consistent ang author sa boses ng kanyang narrator. Ito rin yung kwentong less ang typo errors kaya hindi masakit sa mata. Tipikal yung kwento na isang kaluluwang binigyan ng pagkakataon na makapaglakbay pang muli sa buhay niya pero nabigyang bagong flavor ng awtor dahil sa paraan niya ng pag-dedescribe ng mga kaganapan. Tumatatak sa isip ang mga ilang aral sa kwento. Wala akong pangit na masasabi sa istorya maliban na lang sa ending na medyo bitin.
Top 2: Ang Bata Sa Kanto ng Avenida ( 3.5 )- tungkol ito sa isang batang minolestiya ng amain, medyo sensitibo yung topic no, pero ok naman yung pagkakalahad, hindi ganun kabigat kasi kahit drama walang malulutong na murahan. Mabilis ko din itong natapos basahin kasi walang boring parts, hindi ako inantok kahit alam ko ng predictable ang binabasa ko at alam ko na ang ganap nung bata sa buhay nung bida ayos lang sa akin dahil maaayos na nailahad ang mga kaganapan. May aral ang kwento na walang kamatayan; Pagpapatawad.
Top 3: Rewind ( 3 ) - paano kung bigyan ka ng pagkakataon na balikan ang nakaraan para maiayos ang kasalukuyan mo ayon sa gusto mo? Dito umiikot ang kwento, may pagka-fantasy at naaaliw ako kasi medyo ganito din yung plot ng isa kong book. Kaso dito medyo nakakaawa yung bida, paano kasi seloso kaya ayun ang nangyari, sa kagustuhan niyang wag mawalan o maagawan ng jowa ng kung sinong beki, ayun ang tadhana tuloy ang umagaw sa jowa niya, sarap kurutin sa singit. Enjoy din itong basahin kahit may mga ilang pages na medyo parang naghikab ata ako at nakatulugan ko.
Ito naman yung ibang stories na bibigyan ko ng 2 stars:
Incorrigible - tungkol ito sa call boy na kung sino-sino ang nakatalik. Medyo sumariwa sa akin ang karanasang ito , haha. may naaalala kasi akong kaibigan na nakakilala ng call boy na ayaw magpahalik, haha. Yung totoo. Cool yung story, maraming sex scenes na talagang nagaganap. Matagal na akong silahis kaya alam ko yang mga nagaganap na yan no, totoo yan lahat. Totoong totoo ang author sa kwentong ito. Hindi takot yung author na magdescribe ng mga pagtatalik ng mga lalaki sa lalaki. Ito ang tunay na erotika.
Kaya lang, yung paraan ng pagkakakwento, medyo hindi kasi ako fan ng taglish. Feeling ko kasi niloloko ako, yumbang may part na kahit tagalog na lang sana ang ginamit imbes na english ay pwede naman ( o vice versa ). Nakakahilo kasi basahin pag masyadong english ng english bago magtatagalog din naman pala. Ok lang sana, kung yung character ang nag-eenglish hindi na yung narrator para mas naiintindihan ko yung consistency ng paglalahad ng author. Madalas kong makita ang ganitong istilo sa mga pocketbook ng PHR, Summit at kung anu ano pang nagkalat ng wattpad stories sa Bookstore kaya never akong bumili ng mga ganung books dahil nga ayokong nagbabasa na nga lang ako, niloloko pa ako. Haha.
The Queer Execution - yung tema ng story ay may mensaheng nais ipahatid sa ating lipunan na mapang-api sa mga bakla; Huwag po kayong mapanghusga. Itigil ang Diskriminasyon. Nakakatakot ha, paano nga kaya kung mangyari itong mga naganap sa story na ito na ang mga Mabaluktot ( term sa story na ang nais patungkulan ay ang mga bakla ) ay pagpapatayin? Aliw factor din yung mga pangalan ng characters na kung saan saan pinagkukuha ng author at iniba ang mga spelling para magmukhang nasa ibang panahon ang mga bida tulad ni Drower Baul at Kabinette Uhlala. At dahil nga medyo nasa ibang dimensyon ang kwento, hindi maiwasan ng utak ko na mahirapan sa pag-iimagin, kung ano nga ba ang hitsura ng mga tao sa kwento, ng mga lugar at mga bagay. Hindi ko matandaan kung inexplain ba ng author kung ano bang uri ng gadget yung P-Talk, kung isa ba itong celfone, phablet, telephone o ano ba. May mga oras na nahihirapan akong intindihin at iimagin yung sitwasyon, hindi ko alam kung humina na ba ang utak ko sa pag-iimagin ng mga fantasy story o kung may pagkukulang yung awtor sa paglalahad. Information overload naman ako sa mga pag-eexplain ng awtor sa mga detalye ng kaganapan pero sadyang para lang siguro sa akin, nahirapan akong basahin ito. Pinulot ko na lang ang aral sa kwentong ito at babala na rin na sa mundong ito na kahit umabot pa tayo ng dekada o ilang century pa ay hinding- hindi na mawawala pa sa utak ng mga tao ang pagka-classify kung anong tao ka o kung sino ka sa mundong ito, ang mahalaga lang naman kahit ganun ka tignan ng lipunan ay naiintindihan mo ang iyong sarili, kung sino ka at kung anong kaya mong iambag sa mundo.
Toy Soldier - Itong story na ito simula pa lang nakakasindak na kasi may mga bullying na nagaganap at murahan. So exciting di ba, kasi parang may mga action ang kwento. Bully kasi sa umpisa yung bida hanggang sa lumambot ang puso niya sa dati niyang binubully at naging bespren sila. Ang pinaka-nagustuhan ko dito yung graduation scene, maganda yung speech nung bida, umakma sa edad niya yung pag-eenglish niya sa part na iyon, kaya't nakakaantig yung eksena at may mga revelation na nakapaloob dun. Gusto ko rin yung pagiging caring ng bida sa nanay niya kasi maka-nanay ako kaya dama ko siya. Nakaka-relate din ako sa bida dahil yung kinahinatnan ng love story niya ay nangyari din minsan sa buhay ko noon.
Actually, ito yung kwentong inaasahan kong pinaka-magugustuhan ko kasi yung author nito si Michael, ang siyang leader ng grupo ng mga authors sa likod ng librong ito. Kaso dahil siguro mataas ang naging expectation ko sa author at sa kwentong Toy Soldier ay para tuloy nakulangan ako. Hindi ko alam kung nakulangan ba o medyo bored ako sa ibang pages nitong story kasi may mga parts na dapat gumagalaw yung bida o nag-uusap o inaaksyon pero imbes na ganun ay kinukwento na lang niya yung mga nangyari kahapon, kanina, o mangyayari. Nakatulog ako at tinuloy ko na lang basahin kasi nasimulan ko na. At syempre no, gusto kong sulitin ang 310 pesos ko.
Marahil din kaya parang nakulangan ako ay dahil ang inspirasyon nito ay ang isa sa mga paborito kong thai movie na Love of Siam. Kaso medyo hindi siya talaga ganun ka-tear jerker tulad ng ending ng love of siam na grabe ang iniyak ko sa ending. Siguro yung kinopya lang sa love of siam ay yung mismong laruan na hawig dun sa movie na naging simbolo sa kwentong Toy Soldier at yung ending nito, pero maliban doon wala na. Ibang-iba yung kwento.
May mga oras din na parang pakiramdam ko nag-iiba yung edad ng first person POV, minsan parang matanda siya magsalita, minsan naman akma sa edad niya.
Maganda ang konsepto, ang story ng bully at ng hindi, siguro lang 'yung way ng storytelling ni Michael ang medyo parang kinatulugan ko sa pagbabasa.
Iba pang Komento.
Medyo masakit din sa mata pala magbasa ng kwento na halos every pages ang daming typos ( sa mga naunang story ng book na ito ). Pero sabi ko ok lang, expect ko na ito kasi self-published. Pero I think may editor ito, or wala ba? Comment ko rin sa pagkakaprint ng book, may feeling ako na xerox ang nakuha ko, kasi may mga malalabong letters at graphics. Bat ganun? pero anyway magandang konsepto ang libro at isa ako sa mapalad na nakabasa ng mga kwentong ganito kung saan nakakarelate ako hindi bilang isang author din ng ganitong mga akda kundi bilang isang mambabasa ng ganitong uri ng genre.
February 6, 2016
I have to admit that I was a bit challenged when a bookclub-mate told me that this book wouldn't probably be in my genre.
So I got curious. Makukulit talaga tayong mga tao e. Hehe!
Anyway, this was surprisingly good. I was expecting "titillating" stories, or overly "New Adult" / Erotica, but it wasn't.
There are stories that I didn't like much, but there are more that I enjoyed reading... I think these writers have real potential to capture their audience (and future fans) with their stories, be it with gay characters or not.
"Or not" because I'm reminded of David Levithan who is gay, but doesn't necessarily write gay love stories, all the time.
I'll actually be looking forward to that, because even though I enjoyed reading the stories here, it's not really something I can read lagi, just because I can't relate to that romantic love that they have for the same sex. Hahaha!
---
My favorite was Miracle of a Day by Arjay Javier. I didn't expect to like this the most, because of its poignant theme. I think that I did liked it because it assured me that I know what my priorities are, and as to how I should live my life here on earth. I actually hoped that it had more pages to it.
For Toy Soldier by Michael Juha, I like the graduation speech most. It was very sweet, and doesn't seem forced. And I also think that the Christopher character represents those gay guys who have it all good. At least for me, because he does well at school, and has loving family and friends. It's a good story that tells a person not to be discouraged by one's "poor" state in life.
I like the metaphors behind the stories in Dalisay Diaz's Incorrigible. Even though the author says that there is really not that much "metaphors" in the story, I liked how the readers are thinking beyond the box, and that is only because they see and feel that there is more to the story. Ang daming speculations! Pinag-uusapan, kumbaga.
Rewind by BX is a bit predictable, with its initial scripts and all, but still it broke my heart how the story ended. It was short, but [bitter]sweet, and I really, really enjoyed reading it.
Patrice Marco's The Queer Execution got me winded. Haha! I was lost in the story several times. For one, maybe if the story was in full English, hindi ako masyadong mawawala sa flow ng story. With several characters sprouting at almost the same time, I found it hard as to which character the word "siya" was being referred to. Pero maganda yung concept ng dystopian a. I don't normally grab books that has a dystopian theme, only because it's hard for me to find hope in them. But almost always, when I read one, I see myself actually enjoying the story.
Lastly, for Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida by Rovi Yuno, I like that it didn't seem to need too many 'sexual' scenes for the story to be entertaining and effective in its delivery. I like the stories of kindness, positivity and forgiveness overruling the bad circumstances in life and the wounds in the past. It was definitely a delightful ending story to the anthology.
After finishing the book, I realized that the ever-famous quote, "Don't judge a book by its cover", is true. There are some books that you think would be good, and then after reading it, you ended up wanting to burn them. (Promise, it was that bad and disaapointing.) But there are some books that you didn't think you'd ever read in your life, and when you do, you learned that the time you gave to reading it is not actually wasted. This MSOB anthology fits into that latter group.
So I got curious. Makukulit talaga tayong mga tao e. Hehe!
Anyway, this was surprisingly good. I was expecting "titillating" stories, or overly "New Adult" / Erotica, but it wasn't.
There are stories that I didn't like much, but there are more that I enjoyed reading... I think these writers have real potential to capture their audience (and future fans) with their stories, be it with gay characters or not.
"Or not" because I'm reminded of David Levithan who is gay, but doesn't necessarily write gay love stories, all the time.
I'll actually be looking forward to that, because even though I enjoyed reading the stories here, it's not really something I can read lagi, just because I can't relate to that romantic love that they have for the same sex. Hahaha!
---
My favorite was Miracle of a Day by Arjay Javier. I didn't expect to like this the most, because of its poignant theme. I think that I did liked it because it assured me that I know what my priorities are, and as to how I should live my life here on earth. I actually hoped that it had more pages to it.
For Toy Soldier by Michael Juha, I like the graduation speech most. It was very sweet, and doesn't seem forced. And I also think that the Christopher character represents those gay guys who have it all good. At least for me, because he does well at school, and has loving family and friends. It's a good story that tells a person not to be discouraged by one's "poor" state in life.
I like the metaphors behind the stories in Dalisay Diaz's Incorrigible. Even though the author says that there is really not that much "metaphors" in the story, I liked how the readers are thinking beyond the box, and that is only because they see and feel that there is more to the story. Ang daming speculations! Pinag-uusapan, kumbaga.
Rewind by BX is a bit predictable, with its initial scripts and all, but still it broke my heart how the story ended. It was short, but [bitter]sweet, and I really, really enjoyed reading it.
Patrice Marco's The Queer Execution got me winded. Haha! I was lost in the story several times. For one, maybe if the story was in full English, hindi ako masyadong mawawala sa flow ng story. With several characters sprouting at almost the same time, I found it hard as to which character the word "siya" was being referred to. Pero maganda yung concept ng dystopian a. I don't normally grab books that has a dystopian theme, only because it's hard for me to find hope in them. But almost always, when I read one, I see myself actually enjoying the story.
Lastly, for Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida by Rovi Yuno, I like that it didn't seem to need too many 'sexual' scenes for the story to be entertaining and effective in its delivery. I like the stories of kindness, positivity and forgiveness overruling the bad circumstances in life and the wounds in the past. It was definitely a delightful ending story to the anthology.
After finishing the book, I realized that the ever-famous quote, "Don't judge a book by its cover", is true. There are some books that you think would be good, and then after reading it, you ended up wanting to burn them. (Promise, it was that bad and disaapointing.) But there are some books that you didn't think you'd ever read in your life, and when you do, you learned that the time you gave to reading it is not actually wasted. This MSOB anthology fits into that latter group.
January 26, 2016
Buhay sila, lumalakad, at humihinga, tapos eto na, nagsusulat.
Bilang ito ang unang binasa ko na ganitong uri ng literatura, nagsimula ako na parang nagbabasa ng ipinagbabawal na libro sa panahon ni Hitler. Tila hindi ko kayang buksan sa pampublikong lugar, mas marami to pa nga akong nakikitang nagbubuklat ng porn mag sa hookstore kesa sa mga aklat na tulad nito. Ngunit lumipas ang ilang pahina, at ilang chapters, makikita ko wala naman talagang kakaiba sa mga kuwentong ito. Mga tao rin naman ang sumulat, may pangalan, napapaisip tuloy ako kung bakit minsan ang pagbanggit pa lang na mga salitang tumutukoy sa kanila ay parang isa ng malaking pagkakamali. Siguro mali na gamitin ang mga salita para lang husgahan sila.
Sa huli, nakikita ko pa ang mas malaking paglago ng mga manunulat na ito, hindi lang ukol sa kung anong issue ang hinaharap nila, pero sa paglinang pa ng kanilang pagsulat, dahil kahit ano pa man sila ay manunulat din gaya ng ibang nagsusulat, mga tao.
Bilang ito ang unang binasa ko na ganitong uri ng literatura, nagsimula ako na parang nagbabasa ng ipinagbabawal na libro sa panahon ni Hitler. Tila hindi ko kayang buksan sa pampublikong lugar, mas marami to pa nga akong nakikitang nagbubuklat ng porn mag sa hookstore kesa sa mga aklat na tulad nito. Ngunit lumipas ang ilang pahina, at ilang chapters, makikita ko wala naman talagang kakaiba sa mga kuwentong ito. Mga tao rin naman ang sumulat, may pangalan, napapaisip tuloy ako kung bakit minsan ang pagbanggit pa lang na mga salitang tumutukoy sa kanila ay parang isa ng malaking pagkakamali. Siguro mali na gamitin ang mga salita para lang husgahan sila.
Sa huli, nakikita ko pa ang mas malaking paglago ng mga manunulat na ito, hindi lang ukol sa kung anong issue ang hinaharap nila, pero sa paglinang pa ng kanilang pagsulat, dahil kahit ano pa man sila ay manunulat din gaya ng ibang nagsusulat, mga tao.
April 22, 2016
The second anthology of Michael’s Shades of Blue, titled Stories of Lust, Scars and Fate, are diverse short stories from former authors like Michael Juha, Dalisay Diaz, the anonymous BX, Arjay Javier, Rovi Yuno, and poplit author Patrice Marco. Their stories delve into familial melodrama to catastrophic self-discovery, from dystopian future to cotemporary love story, whirling sluts to downtown beggars, and unconvinced ghost to discreet gays. Stories of Lust, Scars and Fate is a mixtape of gay ingenuity.
Toy Soldier and Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida are true reconnaissance of a primetime teleserye. These stories that squeeze your glands to tears. Stories that are too good to be true, yet stories that shine bright in the collection. Though cliché is the edifice of their plot device, these stories are clean and written carefully. There narrative is quaint and doesn’t show off, but characters that you want to see being bullied every time and in need for a good slap time to time for being ludicrous all throughout.
There are also stories with sweet what ifs. Stories that will give you kilig and tooth ache. People whose lives circulate (only) love and cannot live without. Rewind and Miracle of a Day are bittersweet stories. Stories that are best fillers to equalize the mood of the readers; a strategic plan to make the reading experience flawless. Love stories that were written years ago and yet they found a way to tell those stories uniquely. Their effectivity lies in their plot. Tell-tale what ifs that might really be happening; juxtapose to reality, though their stories lapse for being forgettable.
There are stories that won’t get away. Though they are the least favorite from the collection, they are mind blowing. Stories that will puzzle you and open a hole in your brain. There innovativeness and style are very distinct from the rest. Worst, these are the stories that are less executed properly.
Incorrigible starts fiercely like a ball of passion. Hiding nothing from the readers except his real name, the character is a free spirit who sells his body for those who are in need. The unidentified protagonist experience sexual pleasures from different men in an endless labyrinth. It explores sexuality borderline to id. Incorrigible is another story victimized by its fall. The structure is flat. Arguments are confusing. In the end, it self-destructs.
Queer Executioner is a material that is less pleasure to read. The world is ambiguous, more than that, the story is ambitious. A man woke up from a hospice. He received treatment from the facility because of a stroke, a strange disease that affects certain civilians of Philliane. Though he remains amnesic, his P-talk have a message for him. World building is slow and makes the experience dragging. Terminologies are styled to frenzy coda. It is like decrypting code from ancient tablets. This futuristic story is promising. It needs more pages; a novel material. The best part, Patrice was able to pull his story back to life three fourths of the story. And one fourth of it, if he written a shorter version of the remaining three fourths, is where the story should start.
It was a likable experience. I read this during leisure time behind those long and unpredictable duty hours and musings on my thesis proposal. Though it took me months, because some stories are sufferable to read, I finally muster Shades of Blue and discover new writers with local rainbow pins. For the editor, the one who copyedit or proofread—or whoever and whatever—he/she should do his work better next time. My eyes are not suited for your format.
Toy Soldier and Ang Bata sa Kanto ng Avenida are true reconnaissance of a primetime teleserye. These stories that squeeze your glands to tears. Stories that are too good to be true, yet stories that shine bright in the collection. Though cliché is the edifice of their plot device, these stories are clean and written carefully. There narrative is quaint and doesn’t show off, but characters that you want to see being bullied every time and in need for a good slap time to time for being ludicrous all throughout.
There are also stories with sweet what ifs. Stories that will give you kilig and tooth ache. People whose lives circulate (only) love and cannot live without. Rewind and Miracle of a Day are bittersweet stories. Stories that are best fillers to equalize the mood of the readers; a strategic plan to make the reading experience flawless. Love stories that were written years ago and yet they found a way to tell those stories uniquely. Their effectivity lies in their plot. Tell-tale what ifs that might really be happening; juxtapose to reality, though their stories lapse for being forgettable.
There are stories that won’t get away. Though they are the least favorite from the collection, they are mind blowing. Stories that will puzzle you and open a hole in your brain. There innovativeness and style are very distinct from the rest. Worst, these are the stories that are less executed properly.
Incorrigible starts fiercely like a ball of passion. Hiding nothing from the readers except his real name, the character is a free spirit who sells his body for those who are in need. The unidentified protagonist experience sexual pleasures from different men in an endless labyrinth. It explores sexuality borderline to id. Incorrigible is another story victimized by its fall. The structure is flat. Arguments are confusing. In the end, it self-destructs.
Queer Executioner is a material that is less pleasure to read. The world is ambiguous, more than that, the story is ambitious. A man woke up from a hospice. He received treatment from the facility because of a stroke, a strange disease that affects certain civilians of Philliane. Though he remains amnesic, his P-talk have a message for him. World building is slow and makes the experience dragging. Terminologies are styled to frenzy coda. It is like decrypting code from ancient tablets. This futuristic story is promising. It needs more pages; a novel material. The best part, Patrice was able to pull his story back to life three fourths of the story. And one fourth of it, if he written a shorter version of the remaining three fourths, is where the story should start.
It was a likable experience. I read this during leisure time behind those long and unpredictable duty hours and musings on my thesis proposal. Though it took me months, because some stories are sufferable to read, I finally muster Shades of Blue and discover new writers with local rainbow pins. For the editor, the one who copyedit or proofread—or whoever and whatever—he/she should do his work better next time. My eyes are not suited for your format.
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