What do you think?
Rate this book
Warga Kesunyian
Enam orang. Enam kehilangan. Enam pertemuan tak disangka.
Via bertemu semula lelaki asing yang pernah menyelamatkan malam paling kelam dalam hidupnya. Ronald, sendirian selepas ditinggalkan keluarga, bersahabat dengan seorang budak kecil yang mencari kunci dan jalan pulang. Gemma, dengan hati berat, menjejak kembali ibunya yang hilang dalam kabus Alzheimer. Cindy kehilangan cincin pertunangan -- dan dalam pencarian itu, mungkin juga cintanya. lan menerima mesej misteri selepas telefon lamanya hilang. Dan Marya, penjaga buku log barang hilang, perlahan-lahan menemui keberanian untuk menyembuhkan dirinya sendiri.
WARGA KESUNYIAN - novel dari Filipina tentang kehilangan, pertemuan, dan peluang kedua.
Via bertemu semula lelaki asing yang pernah menyelamatkan malam paling kelam dalam hidupnya. Ronald, sendirian selepas ditinggalkan keluarga, bersahabat dengan seorang budak kecil yang mencari kunci dan jalan pulang. Gemma, dengan hati berat, menjejak kembali ibunya yang hilang dalam kabus Alzheimer. Cindy kehilangan cincin pertunangan -- dan dalam pencarian itu, mungkin juga cintanya. lan menerima mesej misteri selepas telefon lamanya hilang. Dan Marya, penjaga buku log barang hilang, perlahan-lahan menemui keberanian untuk menyembuhkan dirinya sendiri.
WARGA KESUNYIAN - novel dari Filipina tentang kehilangan, pertemuan, dan peluang kedua.
300 pages, Paperback
Published November 28, 2025
8 people are currently reading
122 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 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 10, 2025
“6 orang. 6 kehilangan. 6 pertemuan tak disangka.”
Ini adalah dunia yang penuh dengan kehilangan, 6 jiwa yang patah dan sunyi mencari makna di sebalik apa yang telah cicir dari genggaman mereka - Via, yang kehilangan bukan sekadar cinta tapi juga kepercayaan pada cinta, cuba menebus luka silam dengan memulangkan dompet seorang asing yang pernah menyelamatkannya; Ronald, yang ditinggalkan keluarga, menemui seorang kanak - kanak hilang dan dalam pencarian kunci, dia sendiri cuba mencari arah pulang dengan hati yang sunyi; Gemma, yang kembali kepada seorang ibu yang tak lagi mengingatinya, terpaksa berdamai dengan masa lalu demi mencari saudaranya yang hilang - dan mungkin juga dirinya sendiri; Cindy, yang kehilangan cincin tunang, akhirnya menyedari bahawa yang benar - benar hilang adalah keyakinannya terhadap cinta yang pernah dia pertahankan; Dan Ian, yang kehilangan telefon, mula menerima mesej - mesej misteri yang menghidupkan semula bayang - bayang cinta lama yang belum reda; dan Marya, penjaga senyap buku log barang hilang, menyusun serpihan kisah orang lain sambil perlahan - lahan menyusun semula dirinya sendiri yang sangat rapuh. Dalam setiap kehilangan, mereka menemui sesuatu yang lebih mendalam - sebahagian diri mereka yang telah hilang, dan mungkin, jalan pulang yang tak mereka sedari sedang mereka cari.
Sebagai peminat setia Fixi Verso, koleksi peribadi aku memang lengkap dengan semua terjemahan mereka. Namun, saat buku ini berada di pasaran, timbul juga persoalan - kenapa aku langsung tak kenal penulis yang bernama Kannika Claudine D Pena ni? Dengan bantuan Goodreads, barulah aku tahu bahawa dia berasal dari Filipina. Dari situ, hati aku mula tertanya - tanya pula - apa yang menyebabkan penterjemah Ali Rafiq Ibrahim memilih karya ini untuk diterjemahkan?
Segala persoalan itu menjadi teka - teki yang ingin aku bongkar segera. Tapi disebabkan maklumat yang begitu terhad, aku tak menunggu lama - sebaik sahaja dapatkan ia di #SIBF2025, aku terus mulakan bacaan.
Dan aku harus akui - it was surprising good.
Membaca kumcer ini umpama meneliti bagaimana helaian - helaian jiwa yang koyak, dijahit semula dengan benang - benang takdir yang rapuh. Setiap kisah bermula dengan sesuatu yang hilang, dan dalam kehilangan itu, muncul pertemuan yang tak dijangka. Penemuan itu tak semestinya hadir untuk memulihkan, tapi ia hadir untuk mengingatkan bahawa luka itu masih ada, masih berdenyut.
Terus terang, terjemahan Ali Rafiq Ibrahim agak asing bagi aku - sedikit canggung & tak mengalir lancar; tapi yang ajaibnya, gaya bahasa yang asing ini berjaya menghidupkan suara - suara yang sunyi, lalu menyatukannya menjadi satu irama yang perlahan, pilu, dan kelam, sesuai dengan tema buku ini - kehilangan.
Kehilangan dalam buku ini bukan tentang objek fizikal semata, juga tentang kehilangan yang tak dapat disentuh - kasih yang tak sempat diucap, identiti yang terhakis oleh waktu, impian yang perlahan - lahan layu dalam diam… Objek - objek fizikal itu hanyalah bayang kepada sesuatu yang lebih dalam, lebih menyakitkan - sesuatu yang pernah memberi makna, dan kini hanya tinggal ruang kosong yang tak tahu bagaimana mahu diisi.
Ia mengingatkan aku kepada Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine oleh Gail Honeyman. Kedua - dua novel genre Slice of Life ini menekankan bagaimana objek kecil atau peristiwa impromptu boleh membuka pintu kepada transformasi besar. Kedua - duanya berkongsi nada melankolik tapi penuh harapan: bahawa lehilangan bukan noktah, tapi peluang untuk menulis semula hidup. Sesungguhnya setiap apa yang berlaku tu ada hikmahnya.
Overall, ini sebuah karya yang tak menjerit untuk didengari, tapi berbisik perlahan - lahan ke dalam lubuk hati. Ia mengajak kita merenung: apabila kita kehilangan sesuatu yang sangat penting atau sangat disayangi, adakah kita benar - benar kehilangan segalanya? Atau adakah kita sedang ditakdirkan untuk menemui sesuatu yang lebih penting - mungkin, diri kita sendiri?
Sebuah bacaan yang sunyi, namun penuh gema. Menyayat, namun tak putus harapan. Dan dalam diam, ia menyembuhkan.
3.9 / 5 stars
Ini adalah dunia yang penuh dengan kehilangan, 6 jiwa yang patah dan sunyi mencari makna di sebalik apa yang telah cicir dari genggaman mereka - Via, yang kehilangan bukan sekadar cinta tapi juga kepercayaan pada cinta, cuba menebus luka silam dengan memulangkan dompet seorang asing yang pernah menyelamatkannya; Ronald, yang ditinggalkan keluarga, menemui seorang kanak - kanak hilang dan dalam pencarian kunci, dia sendiri cuba mencari arah pulang dengan hati yang sunyi; Gemma, yang kembali kepada seorang ibu yang tak lagi mengingatinya, terpaksa berdamai dengan masa lalu demi mencari saudaranya yang hilang - dan mungkin juga dirinya sendiri; Cindy, yang kehilangan cincin tunang, akhirnya menyedari bahawa yang benar - benar hilang adalah keyakinannya terhadap cinta yang pernah dia pertahankan; Dan Ian, yang kehilangan telefon, mula menerima mesej - mesej misteri yang menghidupkan semula bayang - bayang cinta lama yang belum reda; dan Marya, penjaga senyap buku log barang hilang, menyusun serpihan kisah orang lain sambil perlahan - lahan menyusun semula dirinya sendiri yang sangat rapuh. Dalam setiap kehilangan, mereka menemui sesuatu yang lebih mendalam - sebahagian diri mereka yang telah hilang, dan mungkin, jalan pulang yang tak mereka sedari sedang mereka cari.
Sebagai peminat setia Fixi Verso, koleksi peribadi aku memang lengkap dengan semua terjemahan mereka. Namun, saat buku ini berada di pasaran, timbul juga persoalan - kenapa aku langsung tak kenal penulis yang bernama Kannika Claudine D Pena ni? Dengan bantuan Goodreads, barulah aku tahu bahawa dia berasal dari Filipina. Dari situ, hati aku mula tertanya - tanya pula - apa yang menyebabkan penterjemah Ali Rafiq Ibrahim memilih karya ini untuk diterjemahkan?
Segala persoalan itu menjadi teka - teki yang ingin aku bongkar segera. Tapi disebabkan maklumat yang begitu terhad, aku tak menunggu lama - sebaik sahaja dapatkan ia di #SIBF2025, aku terus mulakan bacaan.
Dan aku harus akui - it was surprising good.
Membaca kumcer ini umpama meneliti bagaimana helaian - helaian jiwa yang koyak, dijahit semula dengan benang - benang takdir yang rapuh. Setiap kisah bermula dengan sesuatu yang hilang, dan dalam kehilangan itu, muncul pertemuan yang tak dijangka. Penemuan itu tak semestinya hadir untuk memulihkan, tapi ia hadir untuk mengingatkan bahawa luka itu masih ada, masih berdenyut.
Terus terang, terjemahan Ali Rafiq Ibrahim agak asing bagi aku - sedikit canggung & tak mengalir lancar; tapi yang ajaibnya, gaya bahasa yang asing ini berjaya menghidupkan suara - suara yang sunyi, lalu menyatukannya menjadi satu irama yang perlahan, pilu, dan kelam, sesuai dengan tema buku ini - kehilangan.
Kehilangan dalam buku ini bukan tentang objek fizikal semata, juga tentang kehilangan yang tak dapat disentuh - kasih yang tak sempat diucap, identiti yang terhakis oleh waktu, impian yang perlahan - lahan layu dalam diam… Objek - objek fizikal itu hanyalah bayang kepada sesuatu yang lebih dalam, lebih menyakitkan - sesuatu yang pernah memberi makna, dan kini hanya tinggal ruang kosong yang tak tahu bagaimana mahu diisi.
Ia mengingatkan aku kepada Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine oleh Gail Honeyman. Kedua - dua novel genre Slice of Life ini menekankan bagaimana objek kecil atau peristiwa impromptu boleh membuka pintu kepada transformasi besar. Kedua - duanya berkongsi nada melankolik tapi penuh harapan: bahawa lehilangan bukan noktah, tapi peluang untuk menulis semula hidup. Sesungguhnya setiap apa yang berlaku tu ada hikmahnya.
Overall, ini sebuah karya yang tak menjerit untuk didengari, tapi berbisik perlahan - lahan ke dalam lubuk hati. Ia mengajak kita merenung: apabila kita kehilangan sesuatu yang sangat penting atau sangat disayangi, adakah kita benar - benar kehilangan segalanya? Atau adakah kita sedang ditakdirkan untuk menemui sesuatu yang lebih penting - mungkin, diri kita sendiri?
Sebuah bacaan yang sunyi, namun penuh gema. Menyayat, namun tak putus harapan. Dan dalam diam, ia menyembuhkan.
3.9 / 5 stars
January 27, 2024
I struggled to finish it. I found myself checking how many pages were still left in a chapter.
I bought it hoping to find solace in what is familiar, to know that I am not alone in feeling lonely in this (as how the review puts it) ‘city that refuses to feel like home’.
But the book, for me, fails to deliver that. I could feel the book’s intent to comfort, to tell me it’ll be okay. It wasn’t just that effective.
For what it’s worth, maybe it’s my fault as a mood reader. I wanted a reprieve from this noisy city; I wanted to take my mind off it, not be reminded of it. Right now, I wanted to escape reality, not see it reflected on a page.
But the book also has its strength. The author is very good at portraying human relations, the way how the brain thinks and how people interact. Thus, three stars.
I bought it hoping to find solace in what is familiar, to know that I am not alone in feeling lonely in this (as how the review puts it) ‘city that refuses to feel like home’.
But the book, for me, fails to deliver that. I could feel the book’s intent to comfort, to tell me it’ll be okay. It wasn’t just that effective.
For what it’s worth, maybe it’s my fault as a mood reader. I wanted a reprieve from this noisy city; I wanted to take my mind off it, not be reminded of it. Right now, I wanted to escape reality, not see it reflected on a page.
But the book also has its strength. The author is very good at portraying human relations, the way how the brain thinks and how people interact. Thus, three stars.
December 22, 2025
You can also read my review here. <3
there is something about commuting around metro manila that forces you to slow down. the long travel time leaves you alone with your thoughts, long enough to notice the things you have been carrying quietly while trying to get through everyday life.
——
all the lonely people follows six characters whose lives intersect in small and almost accidental ways, all against the backdrop of metro manila’s daily commute. each of them is dealing with loss, loneliness, and the quiet weight of ordinary moments. the stories are connected through a series of lost objects: wallets, keys, a cellphone, a pwd id, and even an engagement ring. what begins as the search for something misplaced slowly becomes a reflection on what is missing beneath the surface.
what struck me most was how the book treats loneliness not as something dramatic, but as something lived alongside routine. sadness does not arrive loudly here. it exists in errands, in waiting, and in holding on to something you have already lost. the stories do not try to fix loneliness, but instead show it as something shared, something human, and almost tender in its ordinariness.
some of the stories feel unfinished, as if they stop just when you expect clarity or resolution. at first, this can feel slightly unsatisfying, but the more i sat with it, the more it felt intentional. life rarely offers clean endings, especially when it comes to grief and loneliness. in that sense, the open endedness adds to the book’s quiet honesty and beauty.
the fragmented structure mirrors how people pass through each others lives briefly and imperfectly. <3 moments of connection feel fleeting but meaningful, offering subtle glimmers of hope rather than clear resolutions. the logbook of lost items becomes a quiet archive of absence, reminding us that what we lose is not always just an object.
all the lonely people is an honest book. it understands that loneliness does not always need closure. sometimes being seen, even for a moment, is enough.
——
i read this as part of the #akdangpinoyreadathon earlier this year! thank you @booklovertitas for the thought provoking questions during the discussion! 🤍
there is something about commuting around metro manila that forces you to slow down. the long travel time leaves you alone with your thoughts, long enough to notice the things you have been carrying quietly while trying to get through everyday life.
——
all the lonely people follows six characters whose lives intersect in small and almost accidental ways, all against the backdrop of metro manila’s daily commute. each of them is dealing with loss, loneliness, and the quiet weight of ordinary moments. the stories are connected through a series of lost objects: wallets, keys, a cellphone, a pwd id, and even an engagement ring. what begins as the search for something misplaced slowly becomes a reflection on what is missing beneath the surface.
what struck me most was how the book treats loneliness not as something dramatic, but as something lived alongside routine. sadness does not arrive loudly here. it exists in errands, in waiting, and in holding on to something you have already lost. the stories do not try to fix loneliness, but instead show it as something shared, something human, and almost tender in its ordinariness.
some of the stories feel unfinished, as if they stop just when you expect clarity or resolution. at first, this can feel slightly unsatisfying, but the more i sat with it, the more it felt intentional. life rarely offers clean endings, especially when it comes to grief and loneliness. in that sense, the open endedness adds to the book’s quiet honesty and beauty.
the fragmented structure mirrors how people pass through each others lives briefly and imperfectly. <3 moments of connection feel fleeting but meaningful, offering subtle glimmers of hope rather than clear resolutions. the logbook of lost items becomes a quiet archive of absence, reminding us that what we lose is not always just an object.
all the lonely people is an honest book. it understands that loneliness does not always need closure. sometimes being seen, even for a moment, is enough.
——
i read this as part of the #akdangpinoyreadathon earlier this year! thank you @booklovertitas for the thought provoking questions during the discussion! 🤍
August 24, 2025
All the Lonely People delivers exactly what its title promises— interconnected stories of people fighting their own battles.
I am amazed at the diversity of these character-driven stories which explored loss, grief, remorse, heartbreak, frustrations, and the struggle to prove yourself, to turn your life around. The writing is elegant, similar to how Fredrik Backman in Anxious People so precisely captures human thoughts and emotions. I tabbed so many lines, especially the ones that make me feel like I am experiencing them secondhand. The book also portrays different kinds of relationships such as between lovers, parents and children, colleagues, and friends. Some scenes feel so ordinary, yet the writing makes them extraordinary and memorable. I was moved to tears in several stories.
The stories flow seamlessly together, and each can stand on its own. The author vividly depicted the busy, claustrophobic life in the metro and the daily struggles- commuting, working, underemployment, making ends meet… These are perfect backdrops to the relatable situations of the characters.
Among the many, my favorite storylines were of Ronald’s, the Cordero women, and of course, of the main character, Marya. Her journey is complex, layered, and compelling.
The stories present unvarnished truths about messy, imperfect, real lives. The open endedness added to the authenticity. If there’s one thing I wished more of, it would be to take away just a bit more glimmer from the collection as a whole.
All the Lonely People reminded me of Plato’s words: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” I may have already quoted this in a caption or review in the past. Still, it rings so true. Makes you think about the stories of strangers we encounter everyday. Be kinder, be more compassionate. And in your own battles, be kind to yourself. 🥹
I highly recommend All the Lonely People and I look forward to read more works from the author. ❤️❤️❤️
4.25/5
I am amazed at the diversity of these character-driven stories which explored loss, grief, remorse, heartbreak, frustrations, and the struggle to prove yourself, to turn your life around. The writing is elegant, similar to how Fredrik Backman in Anxious People so precisely captures human thoughts and emotions. I tabbed so many lines, especially the ones that make me feel like I am experiencing them secondhand. The book also portrays different kinds of relationships such as between lovers, parents and children, colleagues, and friends. Some scenes feel so ordinary, yet the writing makes them extraordinary and memorable. I was moved to tears in several stories.
The stories flow seamlessly together, and each can stand on its own. The author vividly depicted the busy, claustrophobic life in the metro and the daily struggles- commuting, working, underemployment, making ends meet… These are perfect backdrops to the relatable situations of the characters.
Among the many, my favorite storylines were of Ronald’s, the Cordero women, and of course, of the main character, Marya. Her journey is complex, layered, and compelling.
The stories present unvarnished truths about messy, imperfect, real lives. The open endedness added to the authenticity. If there’s one thing I wished more of, it would be to take away just a bit more glimmer from the collection as a whole.
All the Lonely People reminded me of Plato’s words: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” I may have already quoted this in a caption or review in the past. Still, it rings so true. Makes you think about the stories of strangers we encounter everyday. Be kinder, be more compassionate. And in your own battles, be kind to yourself. 🥹
I highly recommend All the Lonely People and I look forward to read more works from the author. ❤️❤️❤️
4.25/5
May 31, 2024
A good mix of Filipino stories, surprisingly interconnected with each other at the end. I fell in love with the author's writing style, and I wanted to highlight so many passages! It was disappointing that I read and finished this book while I was outside, without my beloved pens and tabs.
Kudos to the author! I'm inching to read more of your work!
Kudos to the author! I'm inching to read more of your work!
August 4, 2023
Following the lives of six different people (and more, really), All the Lonely People banks on the inevitable intersections of human connection and the very real emotion and process of loss. While the theme of lost things in every POV is apparent, the deeper you get into the weave of the story, the more you absorb that of course the things are not just things but also representations of some precious intangibles. Lost relationships, yes, in every sense; loss of memory, identity, health, dream, hope, and purpose.
Read full review on Bookbed.
Read full review on Bookbed.
October 16, 2024
The book consists of stories of six different people, all related to a lost object—a lost ID, ring, wallet, key, and mobile phone. Via, Ronald, Gemma, Cindy, and Dan Ian all navigates and commutes in the chaotic world of Metro Manila. Some hailed from the province and ended up as minimum wage earners in the city, some are battling romantic despair and failed family relationships. In the midst of them all is Marya, the custodian of a lost-and-found logbook in an apartelle where she works. Marya thrives connection whenever she traverses in EDSA, a congested highway in Metro Manila.
I easily finished this book because of the impressive writing of the author, Kannika Claudine D. Peña @notkonicareads . There are many quotable quotes, mostly relating to the perspective of a lonely person. A lonely person here is not necessarily alone, but sometimes coping with grief due to sudden departure of a loved one, longing for a romantic relationship that has ended, or failure to establish a connection with a family member. The short stories are inter-related with each other, in the sense that they are stories of a person whom you might happen to pass by while walking on the street, or your seatmate at the city bus, or the narrative of a person you used to know and accidentally saw again after several decades.
The tone of the book is melancholic but hopeful. Indeed, there were times when we feel pensive without realizing that we are still far more fortunate than the others facing a worse battle.
These are my favorite lines from the book:
“I guess all lonely people are in their own self-made bubble, thinking no one could possibly feel the way they do now. But if we could really hear other people’s thoughts, perhaps everyone’s just thinking about the same sad and lonely thoughts.”
I easily finished this book because of the impressive writing of the author, Kannika Claudine D. Peña @notkonicareads . There are many quotable quotes, mostly relating to the perspective of a lonely person. A lonely person here is not necessarily alone, but sometimes coping with grief due to sudden departure of a loved one, longing for a romantic relationship that has ended, or failure to establish a connection with a family member. The short stories are inter-related with each other, in the sense that they are stories of a person whom you might happen to pass by while walking on the street, or your seatmate at the city bus, or the narrative of a person you used to know and accidentally saw again after several decades.
The tone of the book is melancholic but hopeful. Indeed, there were times when we feel pensive without realizing that we are still far more fortunate than the others facing a worse battle.
These are my favorite lines from the book:
“I guess all lonely people are in their own self-made bubble, thinking no one could possibly feel the way they do now. But if we could really hear other people’s thoughts, perhaps everyone’s just thinking about the same sad and lonely thoughts.”
April 19, 2025
The last line of the book: 😩😭😭😭😭
Cheers to all the lonely people.
Cheers to all the lonely people.
July 13, 2025
In one of our kotse chronicles, dok bb mentioned that he doesn't cry much because his tear ducts are tinier than any other person. Instead, whenever he feels like crying, it was his runny nose doing the deed. Whenever he feels deep sadness, he said, "kinokotse ko lang. huling hagulgol ko ay yung huling heartbreak ko eh." I guess at least with movement, he can find his release (without judging his runny nose and his huge mess of used tissue paper).
Movement and mementos are the big themes in Kannika's first novel of remembering loss and its adjacent emotions of grief, and how we have found ourselves looking for a company to share our loneliness with. With company comes empathy and reason, and may it not be a concrete form of happiness, but rather a release and a relief. Then hope. After all, hope if what gives us tenacity to brave the rage we experience everyday in the Metro.
Mandirigmang imortal, amirite?
If you are burned out from the daily life of the Metro, this time may not be a perfect chance to read the novel. Maybe this book is meant for people who wanted to enjoy the slow days in their homes, or want to relish the feeling of rawness of emotions. I can only opine on my reading experience, since I finished the whole book during the hours when the Globe Internet is down in Pasig area.
The six stories in the novel were done in a "hand-off" fashion, where the omniscient POV is moved from one character to another, its main goal is to share their little sob story. At the center of it all is Marya, and her own history of loss and longing for company, her sentiments poured out to the Lost and Found Logbook of the old Apartelle where she is currently working (and living in).
What I liked about the novel is how the story weaves and how it pulls the emotions out of me. I feel that my chest hurt everytime I read a snippet of their sad histories, and at some instances, I see my persona as a composite from the characters in the novel. I reflected at the what-ifs (like, if I was Gemma, will I still be ok managing my mother if she has Alzheimer's?) I even see my work colleague in Cindy's story. I loved how relatable the stories are.
Also, the author has effectively inserted her criticisms in our love for sad tropes ("Sadness that sells because it's everyone's sadness"), the dismal commute and horrendous traffic ("This city has no time for your heartbreak. So you move on"), and her leeway to explain why there are tendencies to romanticize this chaotic city ("But perhaps she's looking for a way to feel again"). The universality of stories and the feelings it evoked within me are remarkable. For less than 30 pages, I shed my tears as if the loss was my own. Good thing I don't have dok beside me because it is hard to explain why are you crying over a page you just read.
I think what wanes the reading experience for a bit is my introduction to Cindy's story. It felt abrupt. It's the sudden insertion, nothing weave-like. I was so used to the chaotic EDSA or slower moments in Pasay (where I think Via is from), and then Cindy opened her story with "Pillow crease on face." The momentum faltered from there. And just before the novel ended, the connection was made too convenient. Also, I personally felt that the stories of queer characters (Jona and Dan Ian, respectively) are tokens of inclusivity. Nonetheless, they are relevant stories. Including their snippets means that all of us walk and manage the loneliness of everyday.
What redeemed me in the end is the seemingly magical realism / romantic narrative at the bus station that even I (as the reader) was rooting for. That was so effective! It feels like watching the final sequence of Kimi No Nawa, two total strangers on the different lines of trains getting off on stations abruptly and meeting at the Suga Shrine.
"It's possible to be content with whatever and whoever is right there, even and especially with the knowledge that they will soon be gone, that nothing lasts forever—love, happiness, but also heartbreak, sadness, pain." And I thank this novel for giving me back my reading groove again, after managing the more challenging novels at the first half of the year. Thanks to Kannika for giving me a chance to slow down and just cry it out and breathe.
Movement and mementos are the big themes in Kannika's first novel of remembering loss and its adjacent emotions of grief, and how we have found ourselves looking for a company to share our loneliness with. With company comes empathy and reason, and may it not be a concrete form of happiness, but rather a release and a relief. Then hope. After all, hope if what gives us tenacity to brave the rage we experience everyday in the Metro.
Mandirigmang imortal, amirite?
If you are burned out from the daily life of the Metro, this time may not be a perfect chance to read the novel. Maybe this book is meant for people who wanted to enjoy the slow days in their homes, or want to relish the feeling of rawness of emotions. I can only opine on my reading experience, since I finished the whole book during the hours when the Globe Internet is down in Pasig area.
The six stories in the novel were done in a "hand-off" fashion, where the omniscient POV is moved from one character to another, its main goal is to share their little sob story. At the center of it all is Marya, and her own history of loss and longing for company, her sentiments poured out to the Lost and Found Logbook of the old Apartelle where she is currently working (and living in).
What I liked about the novel is how the story weaves and how it pulls the emotions out of me. I feel that my chest hurt everytime I read a snippet of their sad histories, and at some instances, I see my persona as a composite from the characters in the novel. I reflected at the what-ifs (like, if I was Gemma, will I still be ok managing my mother if she has Alzheimer's?) I even see my work colleague in Cindy's story. I loved how relatable the stories are.
Also, the author has effectively inserted her criticisms in our love for sad tropes ("Sadness that sells because it's everyone's sadness"), the dismal commute and horrendous traffic ("This city has no time for your heartbreak. So you move on"), and her leeway to explain why there are tendencies to romanticize this chaotic city ("But perhaps she's looking for a way to feel again"). The universality of stories and the feelings it evoked within me are remarkable. For less than 30 pages, I shed my tears as if the loss was my own. Good thing I don't have dok beside me because it is hard to explain why are you crying over a page you just read.
I think what wanes the reading experience for a bit is my introduction to Cindy's story. It felt abrupt. It's the sudden insertion, nothing weave-like. I was so used to the chaotic EDSA or slower moments in Pasay (where I think Via is from), and then Cindy opened her story with "Pillow crease on face." The momentum faltered from there. And just before the novel ended, the connection was made too convenient. Also, I personally felt that the stories of queer characters (Jona and Dan Ian, respectively) are tokens of inclusivity. Nonetheless, they are relevant stories. Including their snippets means that all of us walk and manage the loneliness of everyday.
What redeemed me in the end is the seemingly magical realism / romantic narrative at the bus station that even I (as the reader) was rooting for. That was so effective! It feels like watching the final sequence of Kimi No Nawa, two total strangers on the different lines of trains getting off on stations abruptly and meeting at the Suga Shrine.
"It's possible to be content with whatever and whoever is right there, even and especially with the knowledge that they will soon be gone, that nothing lasts forever—love, happiness, but also heartbreak, sadness, pain." And I thank this novel for giving me back my reading groove again, after managing the more challenging novels at the first half of the year. Thanks to Kannika for giving me a chance to slow down and just cry it out and breathe.
August 23, 2025
“They walked amidst and against an onslaught of people who all look and sound like they’re not from here but nowhere else to be, all equally lost and stuck and right where they needed to be, a million other stories playing out simultaneously.”
All the Lonely People presents us with a simple premise. It is a novel composed of stand-alone stories about items we often misplace and objects we hold so dearly, but still somehow lose.
The stories are interconnected through the perfect protagonist, Marya, who’s no stranger to big and irretrievable losses herself. Zooming in on the lives of ordinary working people, Kannika Claudine Pena fleshes out the nuances of human emotions that often stand too little for the buildings of Makati, the cramped MRT trains, and the usual 9 to 5s.
When I first read the synopsis, I cannot help but point out its striking resemblance to Chuckberry Pascual’s “Ang Nawawala,” which is also structured as a novel composed of integrated short stories delving on missing objects.
When a thing is lost, there is a story into it. It could have been forgotten, deliberately abandoned, or regretfully misplaced. When things are lost, we search for them — and this very human tendency to seek what has been and should be “there” makes these stories worth following.
And this is exactly what Peña did in her 200-page novel. She starts with a missing piece and leads us to how it was lost and eventually found. In cases where the lost item remains missing, the characters discover something else — mostly about themselves.
I nearly cried reading Gemma’s story about her estranged mother, who now has Alzeihmers after 20 years of no contact. I also liked the story behind Cindy’s missing engagement ring and how the search allowed her to understand what she has been feeling all along. Both are stories involving irretrievable loss but still somehow ends with hope.
Beyond the missing items, however, the novel actually confronts us that we humans are actually missing as well.
Because in reality, aren’t we all lost? Does anyone in this city actually believe that they are certain, still and found? Does anyone really know where they are headed?
If to be found means to be owned by someone, does it mean that to be lost is to be free and untethered?
Often poignant, reflexive, and sometimes snarky, All the Lonely People has proven to be an enjoying read from start to finish.
The last line serves as a fitting reminder on how we should deal with loneliness in this city that seems to never stop: “She continues to walk amidst strangers, all transplants in this city that refuses to feel like home, thinking for the first time in a while, or perhaps even ever, how living is such a good problem to have.”
All the Lonely People presents us with a simple premise. It is a novel composed of stand-alone stories about items we often misplace and objects we hold so dearly, but still somehow lose.
The stories are interconnected through the perfect protagonist, Marya, who’s no stranger to big and irretrievable losses herself. Zooming in on the lives of ordinary working people, Kannika Claudine Pena fleshes out the nuances of human emotions that often stand too little for the buildings of Makati, the cramped MRT trains, and the usual 9 to 5s.
When I first read the synopsis, I cannot help but point out its striking resemblance to Chuckberry Pascual’s “Ang Nawawala,” which is also structured as a novel composed of integrated short stories delving on missing objects.
When a thing is lost, there is a story into it. It could have been forgotten, deliberately abandoned, or regretfully misplaced. When things are lost, we search for them — and this very human tendency to seek what has been and should be “there” makes these stories worth following.
And this is exactly what Peña did in her 200-page novel. She starts with a missing piece and leads us to how it was lost and eventually found. In cases where the lost item remains missing, the characters discover something else — mostly about themselves.
I nearly cried reading Gemma’s story about her estranged mother, who now has Alzeihmers after 20 years of no contact. I also liked the story behind Cindy’s missing engagement ring and how the search allowed her to understand what she has been feeling all along. Both are stories involving irretrievable loss but still somehow ends with hope.
Beyond the missing items, however, the novel actually confronts us that we humans are actually missing as well.
Because in reality, aren’t we all lost? Does anyone in this city actually believe that they are certain, still and found? Does anyone really know where they are headed?
If to be found means to be owned by someone, does it mean that to be lost is to be free and untethered?
Often poignant, reflexive, and sometimes snarky, All the Lonely People has proven to be an enjoying read from start to finish.
The last line serves as a fitting reminder on how we should deal with loneliness in this city that seems to never stop: “She continues to walk amidst strangers, all transplants in this city that refuses to feel like home, thinking for the first time in a while, or perhaps even ever, how living is such a good problem to have.”
January 4, 2026
Warga Kesunyian ; Kanikka Claudine D. Pena | Translated by Ali Rafiq Ibrahim
Buku ini dimulakan dengan penceritaan seorang pekerja Arpatel (Apartment+hotel), bernama Marya yang mempunyai ceritanya sendiri. Dia simpan buku log untuk barang lost & found di arpatel tersebut dan setiap barang yang disimpan membawa cerita masing-masing. Marya berkenalan secara tak langsung bersama Peter, dan hubungan mereka awalnya hanyalah sebagai sex partner, atau teman borak. Masing-masing tak tahu cerita sesama mereka. Marya sangat misteri, menyimpan kesedihan yang tak ada siapa tahu. Peter cuba untuk faham Marya. Umur mereka jauh beza sebenarnya, dalam 5 6 tahun. Marya sebenarnya his first love.
6 cerita utama yang berbeza-beza diceritakan dalam buku ni. Semua berkait secara tidak langsung antara satu sama lain. Tak semua juga berkaitan dengan log book barang lost & found tu. Awal pembacaan saya sebenarnya expect yang semua 6 cerita menceritakan barang-barang tu milik siapa dan kenapa ianya ditinggalkan di Arpatel tersebut. Selingan setiap cerita, adalah cerita Marya dan Peter. Yang sama-sama mencari "sesuatu" untuk menutup lobang-lobang kesunyian dalam hidup mereka.
Saya akan kongsi cerita yang dekat dengan diri kita, yang saya rasa berlaku je dalam kalangan kita mahupun masyarakat kita. Berkaitan Via yang menolak proposal teman lelakinya hanya kerana dia tahu mereka masih tak bersedia. Kedua-duanya masih struggle dalam hidup. Orang sekeliling menyalahkan diri dia, kenapa tak terima, semua salah dia kononnya. Teman lelaki dia pun putuskan hubungan dengan dia lepas kantoi sebenarnya curang sampai mengandungkan teman sekerja dia. The guy moved on to other girl, while Via struggled alone. Lelaki tu bahagia dengan perempuan baru, Via rasa sunyi dan asyik salahkan diri sendiri. Perasaan yang Via rasa tu valid je. And keputusan yang dia buat juga valid.
Bacaan kalini sangat mencabar sebab struktur ayat yang kurang normal bagi saya. Jika translator menggunakan khidmat Ai mahupun Google Translator, harap dapat baca semula hasilnya. Kurang adil bagi pihak penulis jika penceritaan dan nilai murni tak sampai ke pembaca. Saya tahu buku ni boleh pergi jauh, tapi penggunaan ayat yang seolah-olah tiada jiwa buat saya mengeluh berkali-kali asbab cuba untuk fahamkan setiap ayat.
Buku ini dimulakan dengan penceritaan seorang pekerja Arpatel (Apartment+hotel), bernama Marya yang mempunyai ceritanya sendiri. Dia simpan buku log untuk barang lost & found di arpatel tersebut dan setiap barang yang disimpan membawa cerita masing-masing. Marya berkenalan secara tak langsung bersama Peter, dan hubungan mereka awalnya hanyalah sebagai sex partner, atau teman borak. Masing-masing tak tahu cerita sesama mereka. Marya sangat misteri, menyimpan kesedihan yang tak ada siapa tahu. Peter cuba untuk faham Marya. Umur mereka jauh beza sebenarnya, dalam 5 6 tahun. Marya sebenarnya his first love.
6 cerita utama yang berbeza-beza diceritakan dalam buku ni. Semua berkait secara tidak langsung antara satu sama lain. Tak semua juga berkaitan dengan log book barang lost & found tu. Awal pembacaan saya sebenarnya expect yang semua 6 cerita menceritakan barang-barang tu milik siapa dan kenapa ianya ditinggalkan di Arpatel tersebut. Selingan setiap cerita, adalah cerita Marya dan Peter. Yang sama-sama mencari "sesuatu" untuk menutup lobang-lobang kesunyian dalam hidup mereka.
Saya akan kongsi cerita yang dekat dengan diri kita, yang saya rasa berlaku je dalam kalangan kita mahupun masyarakat kita. Berkaitan Via yang menolak proposal teman lelakinya hanya kerana dia tahu mereka masih tak bersedia. Kedua-duanya masih struggle dalam hidup. Orang sekeliling menyalahkan diri dia, kenapa tak terima, semua salah dia kononnya. Teman lelaki dia pun putuskan hubungan dengan dia lepas kantoi sebenarnya curang sampai mengandungkan teman sekerja dia. The guy moved on to other girl, while Via struggled alone. Lelaki tu bahagia dengan perempuan baru, Via rasa sunyi dan asyik salahkan diri sendiri. Perasaan yang Via rasa tu valid je. And keputusan yang dia buat juga valid.
Bacaan kalini sangat mencabar sebab struktur ayat yang kurang normal bagi saya. Jika translator menggunakan khidmat Ai mahupun Google Translator, harap dapat baca semula hasilnya. Kurang adil bagi pihak penulis jika penceritaan dan nilai murni tak sampai ke pembaca. Saya tahu buku ni boleh pergi jauh, tapi penggunaan ayat yang seolah-olah tiada jiwa buat saya mengeluh berkali-kali asbab cuba untuk fahamkan setiap ayat.
August 18, 2025
Every lost thing carries a story, and every story leads us back to connection.
📚Genre: Literary Fiction
📅 Pub Date: Feb 2023
⭐️ Star Rating: 5/5
Six strangers. Six stories of loss. And at the heart of it all, Marya, the quiet keeper of a lost-and-found logbook. Through these interconnected tales, Peña paints a tender portrait of ordinary lives shaped by loss, chance encounters, and the fragile threads that bind people in a crowded city.
This 224-page novel stirred my emotions. I was so immersed despite its melancholic tone. The multiple POVs didn’t intimidate me at all. Instead, they drew me deeper into each character’s world. Their struggles felt achingly familiar.
I deeply appreciate this as Peña’s debut novel. Her writing is so evocative and powerful, and I truly hope she publishes more in the future. Peña’s atmospheric prose captures not only the intricacies of her characters’ inner worlds but also the pulse of their surroundings. I found myself highlighting so many lines, each one striking a quiet, resonant truth.
Reading this also made me recall the people I’ve encountered in different seasons of my life (former Pinoy co-workers abroad, parents of my NICU patients, even old roommates). In one way or another, we’ve shared pieces of our stories, fragments of loneliness. All the Lonely People reminded me that these connections, however brief or lasting, are what stitch our lives together and make the weight of solitude a little lighter.
💔 Lost love / heartbreak 🧳 Chance encounters 📱 Lost & found objects 👩👩👧 Family estrangement 🗝️ Searching & rediscovery 🌆 Metro life / urban loneliness 🤝 Interconnected stories
👥 Multiple POV
A poignant, five-star read that made me feel every ache of loneliness while reminding me of the small sparks of hope that carry us through. Lonely or not, I hope you give this beautiful book a chance to be read and felt.
📚Genre: Literary Fiction
📅 Pub Date: Feb 2023
⭐️ Star Rating: 5/5
Six strangers. Six stories of loss. And at the heart of it all, Marya, the quiet keeper of a lost-and-found logbook. Through these interconnected tales, Peña paints a tender portrait of ordinary lives shaped by loss, chance encounters, and the fragile threads that bind people in a crowded city.
This 224-page novel stirred my emotions. I was so immersed despite its melancholic tone. The multiple POVs didn’t intimidate me at all. Instead, they drew me deeper into each character’s world. Their struggles felt achingly familiar.
I deeply appreciate this as Peña’s debut novel. Her writing is so evocative and powerful, and I truly hope she publishes more in the future. Peña’s atmospheric prose captures not only the intricacies of her characters’ inner worlds but also the pulse of their surroundings. I found myself highlighting so many lines, each one striking a quiet, resonant truth.
Reading this also made me recall the people I’ve encountered in different seasons of my life (former Pinoy co-workers abroad, parents of my NICU patients, even old roommates). In one way or another, we’ve shared pieces of our stories, fragments of loneliness. All the Lonely People reminded me that these connections, however brief or lasting, are what stitch our lives together and make the weight of solitude a little lighter.
💔 Lost love / heartbreak 🧳 Chance encounters 📱 Lost & found objects 👩👩👧 Family estrangement 🗝️ Searching & rediscovery 🌆 Metro life / urban loneliness 🤝 Interconnected stories
👥 Multiple POV
A poignant, five-star read that made me feel every ache of loneliness while reminding me of the small sparks of hope that carry us through. Lonely or not, I hope you give this beautiful book a chance to be read and felt.
January 5, 2026
Warga Kesunyian menghimpunkan beberapa watak yang hidup dalam fasa paling rapuh dalam kehidupan mereka. Marya bekerja di sebuah hotel dengan menjaga buku log hilang dan jumpa, memikul trauma kehilangan anak serta keluarganya dalam satu kebakaran.
Gemma pula kembali bertemu ibunya, Ching, selepas dua puluh tahun terpisah akibat salah faham. Pertemuan itu tidak membawa kelegaan sepenuhnya kerana Ching kini menghidap Alzheimer.
Via tenggelam dalam kesedihan selepas putus cinta. Pertemuannya dengan Randall, yang kehilangan isteri, membuka ruang tentang duka dan proses memulihkan diri, walaupun tidak sembuh sepenuhnya.
Ronald, bekas banduan terpaksa berpisah dengan anaknya sekali lagi. Persahabatannya dengan seorang kanak-kanak membuatkan dia menyedari betapa banyak masa lalu yang telah disia-siakan, dan betapa sukarnya untuk melafazkan kata maaf yang tertangguh.
Cindy pula kehilangan cincin pertunangannya selepas keguguran, satu kehilangan kecil yang membawa kepada renungan besar tentang kehidupan. Sementara itu, Dan Ian menerima mesej misteri yang kandungannya seakan membaca isi hatinya sendiri.
Kesemua watak ini berkongsi satu persamaan, hari-hari mereka berlalu tanpa makna yang jelas, dan orang yang singgah dalam hidup mereka hadir bukan untuk kekal, tetapi untuk menyedarkan mereka tentang sesuatu. Warga Kesunyian bercerita tentang manusia yang terperangkap dalam sunyi, dan proses perlahan untuk berdamai dengan takdir. Sebagai novel debut, struktur ceritanya tersusun dan konflik batin wataknya terasa hidup dengan tema universal tentang kehilangan, dan keterasingan. Walaupun terjemahannya kadang-kadang terasa janggal dan ada pilihan frasa yang kurang sedap dibaca, keseluruhannya masih boleh difahami dan meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam. 4.3 ⭐
🖤
Gemma pula kembali bertemu ibunya, Ching, selepas dua puluh tahun terpisah akibat salah faham. Pertemuan itu tidak membawa kelegaan sepenuhnya kerana Ching kini menghidap Alzheimer.
Via tenggelam dalam kesedihan selepas putus cinta. Pertemuannya dengan Randall, yang kehilangan isteri, membuka ruang tentang duka dan proses memulihkan diri, walaupun tidak sembuh sepenuhnya.
Ronald, bekas banduan terpaksa berpisah dengan anaknya sekali lagi. Persahabatannya dengan seorang kanak-kanak membuatkan dia menyedari betapa banyak masa lalu yang telah disia-siakan, dan betapa sukarnya untuk melafazkan kata maaf yang tertangguh.
Cindy pula kehilangan cincin pertunangannya selepas keguguran, satu kehilangan kecil yang membawa kepada renungan besar tentang kehidupan. Sementara itu, Dan Ian menerima mesej misteri yang kandungannya seakan membaca isi hatinya sendiri.
Kesemua watak ini berkongsi satu persamaan, hari-hari mereka berlalu tanpa makna yang jelas, dan orang yang singgah dalam hidup mereka hadir bukan untuk kekal, tetapi untuk menyedarkan mereka tentang sesuatu. Warga Kesunyian bercerita tentang manusia yang terperangkap dalam sunyi, dan proses perlahan untuk berdamai dengan takdir. Sebagai novel debut, struktur ceritanya tersusun dan konflik batin wataknya terasa hidup dengan tema universal tentang kehilangan, dan keterasingan. Walaupun terjemahannya kadang-kadang terasa janggal dan ada pilihan frasa yang kurang sedap dibaca, keseluruhannya masih boleh difahami dan meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam. 4.3 ⭐
🖤
January 22, 2026
Hampir sebulan aku baca buku ni. Sikit spoil sebab penulisan dia mcm tak sampai jiwa tu. untuk pertama kali, nak ucap terima kasih kat pohat FIXI sebab bagi saya peluang dan ruang untuk baca buku ni. Ini buku pertama Fixi Verso yang saya baca dan saya akan review jujur ya macam sebelum ni, JWANJIHH!
Dari segi penulisan, aku anggap penulisan akan santai macam penulisan buku terbutan Fixi biasa tau. Tapi tak ya, aku rasa macam google translate pon ada sampai aku tak faham apa yang dia nak cakap. Kena baca sekali lagi baru faham. Sbb ni buku Fixi Verso yang diterbit dalam bahasa melayu jadi aku tak tahu kalah buku fixi verso lain macam ni atau tak? Mungkin sorang boleh bagi tahu.
Warga Kesunyian ni ada mesej yang nak dia sampaikan sebenarnya. Macam mana rasa hilangnya seorang yang sayang, macam mana kita dipertemukan dengan orang baru. Bagi aku cerita ni unik sebab rupanya semua karakter ada connection dia. Aku pelik first tiba2 masuk part Via tu dengan yg lain. Tapi bila baca sampai belakang lupa pulak kisah mereka masing2 (maaf sebab lama tinggal pastu baca balik😂)
Tapi dalam cerita ni, entah kenapa aku fikir dari banyak2 orang yang diceritakan rasa macam Marya sebenarnya watak highlight dlm cerita ni. Tapi aku suka la interaksi Marya ngan Peter ahahha.
Mungkin dalam terjemah English atau asal Filipina mungkin gaya penceritaan lagi sampai dari bahasa melayu. Tapi overall aku bagi solid 3, cerita ni unik juga dari cerita lain. Untuk high expectations utk plot twist?, tak sangat sbb ni cerita pasal kisah hidup 6 orang yang kesunyian. So standby hati and mental guys
Sekian🌸
Dari segi penulisan, aku anggap penulisan akan santai macam penulisan buku terbutan Fixi biasa tau. Tapi tak ya, aku rasa macam google translate pon ada sampai aku tak faham apa yang dia nak cakap. Kena baca sekali lagi baru faham. Sbb ni buku Fixi Verso yang diterbit dalam bahasa melayu jadi aku tak tahu kalah buku fixi verso lain macam ni atau tak? Mungkin sorang boleh bagi tahu.
Warga Kesunyian ni ada mesej yang nak dia sampaikan sebenarnya. Macam mana rasa hilangnya seorang yang sayang, macam mana kita dipertemukan dengan orang baru. Bagi aku cerita ni unik sebab rupanya semua karakter ada connection dia. Aku pelik first tiba2 masuk part Via tu dengan yg lain. Tapi bila baca sampai belakang lupa pulak kisah mereka masing2 (maaf sebab lama tinggal pastu baca balik😂)
Tapi dalam cerita ni, entah kenapa aku fikir dari banyak2 orang yang diceritakan rasa macam Marya sebenarnya watak highlight dlm cerita ni. Tapi aku suka la interaksi Marya ngan Peter ahahha.
Mungkin dalam terjemah English atau asal Filipina mungkin gaya penceritaan lagi sampai dari bahasa melayu. Tapi overall aku bagi solid 3, cerita ni unik juga dari cerita lain. Untuk high expectations utk plot twist?, tak sangat sbb ni cerita pasal kisah hidup 6 orang yang kesunyian. So standby hati and mental guys
Sekian🌸
December 27, 2025
ATLP is a surprising read! I was in a mood for something comforting after finishing a chunky experimental fiction and this book showed up in our doorstep at the perfect time.
I’ve seen raves about ATLP for years but I keep on putting it down since I want to secure a signed copy as I missed Kannika’s book fest appearance a couple of years ago but when @booklovertitas announced this as their August pick, I did not think twice and added it in my prio TBR.
Why did I enjoy this book? First, it was relatively familiar. The six different characters and their respective stories read like something I experienced or, if not, I heard from a family or friend. The way these people navigate their messy lives was oddly relatable and how they face the boulders that they encounter made them easy to root for.
Cliche as it goes, the people we meet in our daily commute or travel have their own stories to tell.
And speaking of commute, these stories are somehow connected by various modes of public transportation—buses, jeepneys, tricycles, motorcycles. Most of the pivotal scenes in this collection happen in shared transport.
Another common denominator in these stories is the touch on losing and finding. Be it a lost umbrella someone found at work or finally locating someone who you thought was untraceable already, ATLP highlighted these entries that hit close to home.
Yes, I enjoyed all of the stories especially Ronald & Waldo’s, and Gemma & Ching’s. If there is one thing that I want to improve, it’s the amount of pages because I need more.
I’ve seen raves about ATLP for years but I keep on putting it down since I want to secure a signed copy as I missed Kannika’s book fest appearance a couple of years ago but when @booklovertitas announced this as their August pick, I did not think twice and added it in my prio TBR.
Why did I enjoy this book? First, it was relatively familiar. The six different characters and their respective stories read like something I experienced or, if not, I heard from a family or friend. The way these people navigate their messy lives was oddly relatable and how they face the boulders that they encounter made them easy to root for.
Cliche as it goes, the people we meet in our daily commute or travel have their own stories to tell.
And speaking of commute, these stories are somehow connected by various modes of public transportation—buses, jeepneys, tricycles, motorcycles. Most of the pivotal scenes in this collection happen in shared transport.
Another common denominator in these stories is the touch on losing and finding. Be it a lost umbrella someone found at work or finally locating someone who you thought was untraceable already, ATLP highlighted these entries that hit close to home.
Yes, I enjoyed all of the stories especially Ronald & Waldo’s, and Gemma & Ching’s. If there is one thing that I want to improve, it’s the amount of pages because I need more.
September 26, 2024
This book shows how people in such a big city are connected in so many ways. Perhaps you and your taxi driver are thinking about a loved one who's about to give up on life in the hospital. Or maybe you and ten more in a cabin in the MRT feel dreaded going to work because it's not a friendly place anymore. Or you and three more in your work are feeling lost and empty in the current relationship you're in. This was how I felt while reading All the Lonely People of Kannika Claudine Pena : that majority of us share the same struggles in different layers. This novel tells the story of six different people who are unknowingly connected with one another for they share the sentiments of loss, loneliness, and emptiness but in various degrees. Set in Metro Manila, a place that many Filipinos may call the land of milk and honey. A bustling city and yet so heartless that all you need to do is survive. Perhaps if I read this book years ago when it felt like living and working in Metro Manila was like a punch in the gut, I probably could've sulked in a corner or maybe decided to stay in the province for good or perhaps continue to thrive because I know that I'm not alone. I guess that's the effect of a city: it's promising and depressing.
October 27, 2024
I saw this book during the Philippines Book Festival last year. When I passed by the booth, the author was there signing her books and I decided to get my copy. Fast forward to more than a year after, I was able to read it, finally.
All the Lonely People is an interconnected stories of six different people navigating the streets of Metro ManIla from their own personal losses. Via still reeling from a breakup met an unexpected stranger; Waldo at a loss when he as left behind by his family met a ten year old boy and helps him find his key and his way home; Gemma, who is not recognize by her mother with Alzheimer, reunites with her mother in helping her find her mother’s long lost sister; Cindy loses her engagement ring and in search for the ring, realizes the reason behind it; Dan Ian losses his phone and receives anonymous texts that he hopes from his ex. Among these stories is Marya, the keeper of the lost and found book in her work. Through all the loses, she also faces her own loss and struggles rebuilding her life.
There are so many things to like about this book. I like the author’s writing, so easy to get into the story and be captivated. The way the author describes the ordinary life of these ordinary people, knowing at the back of mind that I could be that person, or the same people I passed by on the streets, never knowing what they went through or are going through. I also like how the author makes the reader feel the crowded Metro, the lively street, the feel of public transport and the daily grind of the workers.
Each story is distinct and heartbreaking but one thing all their stories have in common is their losses, be it an object, a memory or a person. Each goes through a series of guilt, grief, pain and losses. And despite the busyness of the surrounding, you can always find somebody who is lonely, alone on their losses, coming to terms with their grief. Their stories are poignant and woeful but there is hope and there will always be a future in the midst of the crowded street of the metro.
All the Lonely People is an interconnected stories of six different people navigating the streets of Metro ManIla from their own personal losses. Via still reeling from a breakup met an unexpected stranger; Waldo at a loss when he as left behind by his family met a ten year old boy and helps him find his key and his way home; Gemma, who is not recognize by her mother with Alzheimer, reunites with her mother in helping her find her mother’s long lost sister; Cindy loses her engagement ring and in search for the ring, realizes the reason behind it; Dan Ian losses his phone and receives anonymous texts that he hopes from his ex. Among these stories is Marya, the keeper of the lost and found book in her work. Through all the loses, she also faces her own loss and struggles rebuilding her life.
There are so many things to like about this book. I like the author’s writing, so easy to get into the story and be captivated. The way the author describes the ordinary life of these ordinary people, knowing at the back of mind that I could be that person, or the same people I passed by on the streets, never knowing what they went through or are going through. I also like how the author makes the reader feel the crowded Metro, the lively street, the feel of public transport and the daily grind of the workers.
Each story is distinct and heartbreaking but one thing all their stories have in common is their losses, be it an object, a memory or a person. Each goes through a series of guilt, grief, pain and losses. And despite the busyness of the surrounding, you can always find somebody who is lonely, alone on their losses, coming to terms with their grief. Their stories are poignant and woeful but there is hope and there will always be a future in the midst of the crowded street of the metro.
October 24, 2025
What I love about the book is that it doesn’t treat loneliness as some kind of taboo or sickness that needs to be cured. It treats loneliness as a natural human experience—one that is worth embracing, even in its most shameful and depressing form. And I think there’s a lesson in that, coz as a society, we have stigmatized loneliness so much that we can’t talk about it without feeling embarrassed.
Aside from its take on loneliness, the book’s seamless transition from one character to another is just brilliant. It clearly shows that we are lonely in our own ways. Though we don’t experience the same loneliness for being a victim of our own circumstances—just like the characters in this book—we are still creatures that quietly yearn for deeper human connection.
Lastly—and this might be my optimistic, extroverted self speaking—the book reminds me that sometimes, the only way to get by in life is through a soul-warming yap session with a stranger.
Aside from its take on loneliness, the book’s seamless transition from one character to another is just brilliant. It clearly shows that we are lonely in our own ways. Though we don’t experience the same loneliness for being a victim of our own circumstances—just like the characters in this book—we are still creatures that quietly yearn for deeper human connection.
Lastly—and this might be my optimistic, extroverted self speaking—the book reminds me that sometimes, the only way to get by in life is through a soul-warming yap session with a stranger.
January 30, 2026
Warga Kesunyian. Terjemahan All the Lonely People. Enam kisah dalam buku ni, surprisingly well blend!
Buku ni kategori meluncur laju bila membacanya. Tak dramatik, tapi lebih engaging kerana banyak benda yang terasa sama dan dekat. Core reason: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻.
Setiap kisah well blend melalui rasa yang sama: 𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗻𝘆𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻, 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻, dan usaha kecil untuk memahami diri sendiri dan orang lain.
Kesunyian dalam buku ini agak intimate, kesunyian yang biasanya kita sembunyikan, yang jarang kita sebutkan kepada orang lain.
Selain kesunyian, kehilangan adalah core feeling dalam buku ini. Bukan sahaja kehilangan orang yang kita sayangi, tetapi juga kehilangan versi lama diri sendiri, hubungan yang pernah dekat, dan kenangan yang kita sangka akan kekal.
Hubungan yang digambarkan juga pelbagai: antara pasangan, ibu bapa dan anak, rakan sekerja, sahabat, malah orang asing. Antara yang paling memberi kesan kepada aku ialah kisah Ronald dan budak Waldo, serta Gemma dan ibunya, Ching.
Buku ini mengingatkan aku bahawa kita semua hanyalah 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶 𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝗶. Kita singgah sekejap dalam hidup orang lain, sama ada kita sedar atau tidak. Dan mungkin, sebagai manusia, perkara paling kecil yang kita boleh buat ialah 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗸𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻, agar perjalanan mereka lebih ringan, sebelum kita semua kembali ke destinasi akhir kita.
Untuk terjemahan, bacaan aku sedikit canggung, tapi mengingatkan kata rakan IG, kalau cerita penuh rasa, terjemahan tak sempurna pun kau tetap boleh rasa. Sebaliknya, kalau ceritanya sendiri kaku, terjemah cantik mana pun, tetap tak akan sampai rasa tu.
Overall, bacaan yang surprisingly banyak memberi kesan untuk diri aku juga. Aku suka bacaan kali ini. Terima kasih BUKU FIXI / FIXI VERSO untuk buku ini sebagai ulasan jujur.
Buku ni kategori meluncur laju bila membacanya. Tak dramatik, tapi lebih engaging kerana banyak benda yang terasa sama dan dekat. Core reason: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻.
Setiap kisah well blend melalui rasa yang sama: 𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗻𝘆𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻, 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻, dan usaha kecil untuk memahami diri sendiri dan orang lain.
Kesunyian dalam buku ini agak intimate, kesunyian yang biasanya kita sembunyikan, yang jarang kita sebutkan kepada orang lain.
Selain kesunyian, kehilangan adalah core feeling dalam buku ini. Bukan sahaja kehilangan orang yang kita sayangi, tetapi juga kehilangan versi lama diri sendiri, hubungan yang pernah dekat, dan kenangan yang kita sangka akan kekal.
Hubungan yang digambarkan juga pelbagai: antara pasangan, ibu bapa dan anak, rakan sekerja, sahabat, malah orang asing. Antara yang paling memberi kesan kepada aku ialah kisah Ronald dan budak Waldo, serta Gemma dan ibunya, Ching.
Buku ini mengingatkan aku bahawa kita semua hanyalah 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶 𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝗶. Kita singgah sekejap dalam hidup orang lain, sama ada kita sedar atau tidak. Dan mungkin, sebagai manusia, perkara paling kecil yang kita boleh buat ialah 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗸𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻, agar perjalanan mereka lebih ringan, sebelum kita semua kembali ke destinasi akhir kita.
Untuk terjemahan, bacaan aku sedikit canggung, tapi mengingatkan kata rakan IG, kalau cerita penuh rasa, terjemahan tak sempurna pun kau tetap boleh rasa. Sebaliknya, kalau ceritanya sendiri kaku, terjemah cantik mana pun, tetap tak akan sampai rasa tu.
Overall, bacaan yang surprisingly banyak memberi kesan untuk diri aku juga. Aku suka bacaan kali ini. Terima kasih BUKU FIXI / FIXI VERSO untuk buku ini sebagai ulasan jujur.
February 18, 2025
"i think we should all be burdened by everyone's sob stories. We should all care about everyone's stories... that's the least we can do as human beings."
Actual Rating: 3.5/5, phys book borrowed from Shen
a book full of short stories will actually save my reading life. i take the fact that most of the stories do not hit home as a blessing. pero gets ko sila this place (metro manila) (derogatory) can really make u sad as hell
Actual Rating: 3.5/5, phys book borrowed from Shen
a book full of short stories will actually save my reading life. i take the fact that most of the stories do not hit home as a blessing. pero gets ko sila this place (metro manila) (derogatory) can really make u sad as hell
May 3, 2025
takes the record for the most highlighted sentences in any fiction book i’ve ever read - the passages were timely, deeply relatable, and thought provoking.
in all the lonely people, we follow 6 unique individuals go through the motions of life
there’s a theme of loneliness surrounding the characters — which funnily enough is contrasted as their stories “connect” in the form of lost, mundane objects or simply them being in the same vicinity that moment in time.
the key takeaway though, is that, in their encounters with lost objects or metro manila commuters serve as the catalyst of them confronting their feelings and finding ways to move forward in spite of it.
in all the lonely people, we follow 6 unique individuals go through the motions of life
there’s a theme of loneliness surrounding the characters — which funnily enough is contrasted as their stories “connect” in the form of lost, mundane objects or simply them being in the same vicinity that moment in time.
the key takeaway though, is that, in their encounters with lost objects or metro manila commuters serve as the catalyst of them confronting their feelings and finding ways to move forward in spite of it.
September 26, 2025
This is the first Filipino author book that I have read and it gives you so much perspective about life in general. I took the time to read it during my everyday commute to work because I feel like its the best place to read it, knowing that somehow, every single person there is connected with one another - one way or another.
August 15, 2025
Heavy, meaningful, and beautifully written. Peña captures loneliness in all its raw, complex forms, weaving a story that lingers long after the last page. I only wish the ending gave a little more — but maybe that’s what makes it so haunting.
October 2, 2025
the title is true to its content.
November 18, 2025
i love me a good book with interconnecting stories, and this one is that. it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.
August 9, 2024
In the face of failures, emptiness, and even the erosion of memory is the shared humanity of these characters whose loneliness affirms that they are alive. (Book blurb)
October 28, 2025
People pass you by without you knowing the stories they bear.
Do you go people watching? Do you just sit in the park, at the cafe--anywhere, really--and just observe the people around you? Do you think about where they're going, what they're doing?
This book is a reminder that people have their own lives, going through their own stories. Battles we know nothing about. Burdens we can't see on their shoulders—on their ankles, weighing down their every step. We pass each other by with a polite smile or even without one at all, but that's all you can see. We're all just a bunch of lonely people trying to make it through our day-to-day.
I'm sentimental about my belongings, but there's now a new profound appreciation thanks to this book, when you think of the stories these objects hold. I can pick out many items on my table right now and tell you a significant story where they were used. Where they came from, who gave them to me. I look around, and I see them. And a lot of them were memories shared with people I no longer talk to. But it doesn't make me love it any less. More, even, because I have something to hold on to.
Do you go people watching? Do you just sit in the park, at the cafe--anywhere, really--and just observe the people around you? Do you think about where they're going, what they're doing?
This book is a reminder that people have their own lives, going through their own stories. Battles we know nothing about. Burdens we can't see on their shoulders—on their ankles, weighing down their every step. We pass each other by with a polite smile or even without one at all, but that's all you can see. We're all just a bunch of lonely people trying to make it through our day-to-day.
I'm sentimental about my belongings, but there's now a new profound appreciation thanks to this book, when you think of the stories these objects hold. I can pick out many items on my table right now and tell you a significant story where they were used. Where they came from, who gave them to me. I look around, and I see them. And a lot of them were memories shared with people I no longer talk to. But it doesn't make me love it any less. More, even, because I have something to hold on to.
September 21, 2025
Actual Rating: 4.5
"Run, Via," he says. "If you're tired of crying, run."
When I picked up All the Lonely People by Kannika Claudine D. Peña, I didn’t expect it to feel this personal. I’ve always been taught not to trust strangers, to keep my guard up. But this book reminded me that strangers are human too, carrying their own stories, and sometimes that’s all the reason we need to trust—even just a little.
The book is made up of six stories, each about someone lonely in their own way. Their lives cross in small, almost forgettable moments, yet those moments matter. It’s not grand or dramatic, but it feels so real, like life itself. What made it even more powerful were the subtle nods to our reality—paid trolls, broken transportation, corrupt leaders. It wasn’t preachy, just honest, and it grounded the stories even more.
In the end, this book made me feel seen. It reminded me that emotions are valid, no matter how small or heavy. Even in the most ordinary things, there can be light. There can be hope. Hence, I know I’ll read this again when I need a reminder that the mundane can be beautiful, and that we’re never really alone in our loneliness.
I read this as part of the #BayanihansaPagbasa book club pick of @booklovertitas in collaboration with Akdang Pinoy, @thefilipinoshelf, and @milfloresbooks.
"Run, Via," he says. "If you're tired of crying, run."
When I picked up All the Lonely People by Kannika Claudine D. Peña, I didn’t expect it to feel this personal. I’ve always been taught not to trust strangers, to keep my guard up. But this book reminded me that strangers are human too, carrying their own stories, and sometimes that’s all the reason we need to trust—even just a little.
The book is made up of six stories, each about someone lonely in their own way. Their lives cross in small, almost forgettable moments, yet those moments matter. It’s not grand or dramatic, but it feels so real, like life itself. What made it even more powerful were the subtle nods to our reality—paid trolls, broken transportation, corrupt leaders. It wasn’t preachy, just honest, and it grounded the stories even more.
In the end, this book made me feel seen. It reminded me that emotions are valid, no matter how small or heavy. Even in the most ordinary things, there can be light. There can be hope. Hence, I know I’ll read this again when I need a reminder that the mundane can be beautiful, and that we’re never really alone in our loneliness.
I read this as part of the #BayanihansaPagbasa book club pick of @booklovertitas in collaboration with Akdang Pinoy, @thefilipinoshelf, and @milfloresbooks.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews