The Goodbye Girl

by Noringai

Lahat tayo nagmamahal. Pero hindi lahat, minamahal. ’Yung iba, niloloko, sinasaktan, iniiwan.
May ibang binubulungan ng “I love you.”
May ibang tinatanong ng “Will you marry me?”
At may iba na sinasabihan ng “Goodbye.”

Ito ay para sa lahat ng nagmahal, pero nasaktan at naiwan . . . para sa mga nagpapaalam. Para sa mga Goodbye Girl.
The Goodbye Girl is a compilation of short, witty, and heartwarming essays about heartache, heartbreak, and moving on. Noringai introduces readers to the five types of “goodbye girl”: the invisible girl, the other girl, the heartbroken girl, the bitter girl, and finally, the new girl. It is her hope that readers can “find comfort, hope, and even humor in every story,” and make them realize that what they are feeling “may be universal, but it’s just temporary.”

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[ABYbliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always be a fan of Filipino writers.

Sobrang bilib ako sa mga babaeng nag-share ng istorya nila na nakalagay sa librong to. Hindi biro ang maiwanan, masaktan, maloko, or ma-take for granted. Sobrang sakit nyan. Wasak kung wasak talaga eh. Ngunit ganun pa man, at least nakayanan nila, nakasurvive sila, at higit sa lahat, nagawa nilang magmove on.

Perfect itong librong to sa mga readers na broken-hearted, nagmmove on, sa mga nagmamahal na nasaktan... para sa mga Goodbye Girl...

Super thumbs-up sya for me. May mga parts na nakarelate ako (of course, naging heartbroken din ako before... but then, I moved on, and right now... I'm happy & in love. ♥).

You will find comfort as you read the stories of these girls na naging broken din. Sabi nga ni Noringai, "Di ka nag-iisa."

[Apokripos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Chance to Love Again
(A Book Review of The Goodbye Girl by Noringai)

I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: Noringai’s Parang Kayo Pero Hindi is one of the best books that I bought on impulse. There was something that really attracted me to the book, made me pick it up and browse it while I was on my way to the bookstore’s cashier. I guess masasabi ko na rin na it was love on first browse. What made fell for it is that it somehow parallels my thoughts and kasentihan sa buhay when it comes to love and, well, other matters.

When I’ve found out that she also has a second book out, walang pag-aatubili at dali-dali na rin akong pumunta sa pinakamalapit na bookstore to buy it. Again, the book was delightful, and I like it more than the first one. In Buti Pa Ang Roma May Bagong Papa, Noringai shows her witty and playful side, and more than about giving tips on how to deal with love woes, she also dishes out insightful life lessons.

Kaya kapag nakikita ko sa social media that she has a new book, ‘matic na, bibilhin ko na talaga! This was the case when I first saw The Goodbye Girl when I attended The Philippine Literary Festival last August 2015.

Noringai’s third book depicts different stories how girls (or people in general) got disregarded, taken for granted, hurt, frustrated, turn nasty, vengeful, and eventually hopeful all in the name of love. If in her first and second book Noringai displays her humorous and lively viewpoint in matters of the heart, The Goodbye Girl is a bit different: it is more serious, emotional, deeper in exploring the varied pains that loving someone brings about.

She truly hits a raw nerve with the stories presented in the book. May mga tagpo talaga while reading na parang ikaw ‘yon o naikwento iyon at one time or another ng kakilala, kaibigan, kaklase, o kaopisina mo. Then mayroon ding mga kuwento na mapapatawa o maiinis ka sa katangahan ni girl. In all measure, it’s a truly relatable book not only for girls but also for guys—as Noringai said in the book’s preface experiencing heartbreak is the only equalizer in life.

After all the roller coaster ride of emotions that the author lead us to in the course of the book, she essentially imparts that more than breaking us apart, love also has the power to heal, make us whole, and ultimately enable us to love again in time. That saying goodbye doesn’t always mean finality but giving ourselves the chance to start with a clean slate, begin things anew. That the goodbye girl can always be a new girl.

Pagdating sa pag-ibig, hindi maiiwasan na may madarapa’t masasaktan. Pero tandaan na sa buhay na ito we can either move on or live a life of misery. Choice mo na ‘yan.

Maligayang araw ng mga puso sa lahat!


_________________________
Detalye ng Aklat:
Nilathala ng Anvil Publishing
(Trade Paperback, Unang Limbag, 2015)
100 Pahina
Binasa: Enero 30 – Pebrero 1, 2016

[Mababasa ang book review na ito at iba pa mula sa aking book blog: Dark Chest of Wonders]

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book unlike her past books because she captures the characteristics of women that went to a heartbreak and tries to move on in their little way. Alam mo yung parang imposible nang maibalik ang lahat para sumaya ka ulit pero in time, nakakabangon ka din sa pagkakalugmok at tatawa ka na lang na iniyakan mo ang panget na yon! Hahahaha. Kidding aside, I also like the message of this book (for me) that its a natural thing to be angry, bitter when your precious relationship ends. Its part of the process of healing, moving on, moving forward. Then finally, be a better girl than you were before. At yes, sa boyfriend ko ang librong ito. Actually he's an avid fan of Noringai. :D

[Christelle Clarisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something about Noringai's books will really leave you feeling light-hearted, comforted, and even a better person after reading it. Maybe it's the way she writes with so much humor that it will make even the most painful memories seem laughable, or the way her words seem to reassure you that you are not alone and that there's always hope... I can't put my finger on it. All I know is that she writes with such skill that everytime I see another book by her in a store, I always feel compelled to buy knowing that I will never be disappointed, and that it will be a money well-spent.

[Jaenara Bitao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na matawa sa ilang istorya na nabasa ko. Kasi sobrang nakakarelate ako. Damang dama ko yung bawat salita na nabasa ko sa bawat istorya. Bilib ako sa mga babaeng nag-share ng kwento nila sa librong ito, dahil iilan lang ang may kayang gawin iyon. Pero higit sa lahat, natutuwa ako dahil pagkatapos ng hinagpis, merong mga kapupulutang aral mula sa kanila, lahat tayo nasasaktan pero lahat tayo pwedeng makabangon muli. #womenempowerment

[grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naalala ko back when I was college, As I was searching a specific books at Pandayan bookstore with my old college friends, this one grabs my attention and I had planned to buy this book out of curiosity. It’s intrigued me as well. That time, I was also broken hearted. Hindi ko na siya nabili hanggang ngayon but Scribd has.

This books is a compilation of short stories related to broken hearted people. Pero, not all of the short stories here is about broken hearted talaga. Some of them is can be triggered to your relationship o mga kaganapan mo ngayon sa buhay love life.

This book is not kinda your love guru.

Here’s a take a way note:

“Being hurt is something we can’t stop from happening but being miserable is always our choice. “

rate: 3.0

(this not belong to my want-to read book section, pero out of curiosity kaya binasa 😅😌)

[Carla ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lahat tayo nagmamahal. Pero hindi lahat, minamahal. Iyung iba, niloloko, sinasaktan, iniiwan.

May ibang binubulungan ng "I love you."
May ibang tinatanong ng "Will you marry me?"
At may iba na sinasabihan ng "Goodbye."

Ito ay para sa lahat ng nagmahal, pero nasaktan at naiwan... Para sa mga Goodbye Girl...

[Kirstie Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One easy read, a good book that puts into words what girls feel and do after every heartache, and how they overcome it.

[Tracy Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dana's story for the win... #tequilapamore

[Bii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the entries, nakakarelate ako. Kaya this book deserves 5 stars. I loved it.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nakakaaliw yung mga kwento, at maganda ang pagkakasulat.

[Aira Irish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and good feel book that you can easily relate to.