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Riverrun
Riverrun is a rite-of-passage novel in the life of a young gay man growing up in a colorful and chaotic dictatorship. Shaped in the form of a memoir, it glides from childhood to young adulthood in chapters written like flash fiction and vignettes, along with a recipe, a feature article, excerpts from poems, and vivid songs.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Danton Remoto
37 books47 followersDanton Remoto was born on 25 March 1963 in Basa Air Base, Pampanga. He was an ASEAN scholar at the AdMU where he obtained his AB Interdisciplinary Studies in 1983. With his Robert Southwell scholarship, Remoto obtained his MA English Lit., 1989; then, on a British Council fellowship, another MA in publishing studies, 1990, at the University of Stirling, Scotland.
He was a Local fellow for poetry at the UP Creative Writing Center, 1994. He was at Hawthornden Castle, 1993, and later, at the Cambridge Seminar. Remoto teaches at AdMU where he manages the Office of Research and Publishing. He is also studying for his Ph.D. in creative writing at UP. He was an associate of PLAC and a member of the Manila Critics Circle since 1989.
He has won various awards, among them, the ASEAN prize for the essay, 1979; the Palanca for the essay in 1987; the CCP literary award for poetry; the Stirling District Arts Council award for poetry and the short story.
Among his works: Skin , Voices , Faces , Anvil, 1991; Black Silk Pajamas / Poems in English and Filipino , Anvil, 1996. He edited Buena Vista [Alfrredo Navarro Salanga's poems and fiction], 1989 and co-ed., Gems in Philippine Literature , 1989. More importantly, he has co-edited the Ladlad series with J. Neil Garcia.
He was a Local fellow for poetry at the UP Creative Writing Center, 1994. He was at Hawthornden Castle, 1993, and later, at the Cambridge Seminar. Remoto teaches at AdMU where he manages the Office of Research and Publishing. He is also studying for his Ph.D. in creative writing at UP. He was an associate of PLAC and a member of the Manila Critics Circle since 1989.
He has won various awards, among them, the ASEAN prize for the essay, 1979; the Palanca for the essay in 1987; the CCP literary award for poetry; the Stirling District Arts Council award for poetry and the short story.
Among his works: Skin , Voices , Faces , Anvil, 1991; Black Silk Pajamas / Poems in English and Filipino , Anvil, 1996. He edited Buena Vista [Alfrredo Navarro Salanga's poems and fiction], 1989 and co-ed., Gems in Philippine Literature , 1989. More importantly, he has co-edited the Ladlad series with J. Neil Garcia.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 5, 2020
"The fragmented structure gives Remoto the opportunity to employ a heightened sense of observation, giving each and every moment a sense of daily detail that coming of age writing rarely achieves."
Check out more of my thoughts on Danton Remoto's Riverrun for over at the Asian Review of Books
https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
Check out more of my thoughts on Danton Remoto's Riverrun for over at the Asian Review of Books
https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
November 29, 2015
I liked this book.
My second time to read a work by Representative Danton Remoto of the Ladlad Partylist that represents the marginalized LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) communities in the Philippines. Remoto is currently the producer and host of a top-rating, daily radio show called "Remoto Control" simulcast live on television, reaching millions of Filipinos every night. He has published books (poetry, collections, anthologies, etc) but this is his first novel.
The first book by Remoto that I read was his collection of poetry, Pulotgata: The Love Poems (1 star). I did not like it because I thought I was fooled. He did not reveal that the start what the poems were about homosexual love. I thought it was a deception since being gay might turn off some of the readers. But then towards the middle half of the collection, he had some poems with homosexual references and so I thought that the first ones were insincere.
Now that I know who Danton Remoto is and what he stands for, when I picked this book (the blurbs are very encouraging; there is even one by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin endorsing Remoto) I knew all along that there could be chapters or stories with homosexual nature.
The novel is another creative non-fiction. In form, it is a novel but it sounds and has the feel of being a memoir. Again, just like in Elmer Ordonez's Snows of Yesteryear: A Family in War and a Sentimental Education (5 stars), we don't know why it has to be categorized as novel when we know that it is true-to-life. Is it another deception so that the author can use creative license to put some elements of non-fiction in the otherwise boring life story? Is it so that relatives cannot sue them for telling lies? Is it another way to fool the readers? Why can't they be honest and sincere enough to tell the real stories?
Riverrun is a coming-of-age story of a gay boy in the Philippines during the 60's and 70's. Danton Remoto (born 1963) is just a year older than me so I was able to relate to most of his stories except of course the homosexual experiences. I did not lust after my boyhood male friend. I did not see a male penis except one night when adolescent boys were showing off their penises on a side street in Quezon while somebody is pointing a flashlight (torch) on his organ. I also had an older classmate Nombila showing his erect member during a school noon breaktime. No touching, no kissing, no whatsoever. Those boys in my hometown was just too horny, they'd like to show off.
But Remoto's way of telling his stories are poignant. The bittersweet language reminded me of Rene O. Villanueva's Personal: Mga Sanaysay sa Lupalop ng Gunita (4 stars) although Remoto used English language while Villanueva skillfully used Tagalog. They are both homosexuals (or so I was told) and there were scenes of men showing their members to either directly or unknowingly to the author. But Remoto is more explicit. Villanueva did not tell exactly that he lusted after his male friend(s) in the book. Maybe because Villanueva had his own family to protect so he did not come out by telling those kinds of stories in his well-read memoir.
A must read for all people who appreciate well-written gay boyhood stories.
My second time to read a work by Representative Danton Remoto of the Ladlad Partylist that represents the marginalized LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) communities in the Philippines. Remoto is currently the producer and host of a top-rating, daily radio show called "Remoto Control" simulcast live on television, reaching millions of Filipinos every night. He has published books (poetry, collections, anthologies, etc) but this is his first novel.
The first book by Remoto that I read was his collection of poetry, Pulotgata: The Love Poems (1 star). I did not like it because I thought I was fooled. He did not reveal that the start what the poems were about homosexual love. I thought it was a deception since being gay might turn off some of the readers. But then towards the middle half of the collection, he had some poems with homosexual references and so I thought that the first ones were insincere.
Now that I know who Danton Remoto is and what he stands for, when I picked this book (the blurbs are very encouraging; there is even one by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin endorsing Remoto) I knew all along that there could be chapters or stories with homosexual nature.
The novel is another creative non-fiction. In form, it is a novel but it sounds and has the feel of being a memoir. Again, just like in Elmer Ordonez's Snows of Yesteryear: A Family in War and a Sentimental Education (5 stars), we don't know why it has to be categorized as novel when we know that it is true-to-life. Is it another deception so that the author can use creative license to put some elements of non-fiction in the otherwise boring life story? Is it so that relatives cannot sue them for telling lies? Is it another way to fool the readers? Why can't they be honest and sincere enough to tell the real stories?
Riverrun is a coming-of-age story of a gay boy in the Philippines during the 60's and 70's. Danton Remoto (born 1963) is just a year older than me so I was able to relate to most of his stories except of course the homosexual experiences. I did not lust after my boyhood male friend. I did not see a male penis except one night when adolescent boys were showing off their penises on a side street in Quezon while somebody is pointing a flashlight (torch) on his organ. I also had an older classmate Nombila showing his erect member during a school noon breaktime. No touching, no kissing, no whatsoever. Those boys in my hometown was just too horny, they'd like to show off.
But Remoto's way of telling his stories are poignant. The bittersweet language reminded me of Rene O. Villanueva's Personal: Mga Sanaysay sa Lupalop ng Gunita (4 stars) although Remoto used English language while Villanueva skillfully used Tagalog. They are both homosexuals (or so I was told) and there were scenes of men showing their members to either directly or unknowingly to the author. But Remoto is more explicit. Villanueva did not tell exactly that he lusted after his male friend(s) in the book. Maybe because Villanueva had his own family to protect so he did not come out by telling those kinds of stories in his well-read memoir.
A must read for all people who appreciate well-written gay boyhood stories.
August 16, 2024
I felt like he wanted to say more because this book read like it was censored by a fascist lol
Really... this is just a series of teasers/almost there stories in the backdrop of the Marcos Regime... I mean you read one of those, you sorta read em all and Riverrun is not above the fold. Sad.
Really... this is just a series of teasers/almost there stories in the backdrop of the Marcos Regime... I mean you read one of those, you sorta read em all and Riverrun is not above the fold. Sad.
September 19, 2019
The novel generally felt a bit rushed, particularly in part two. Through adolescence and young adulthood it felt too quick, even if this period in a person's life is the time he discovers much about himself. Or maybe it really goes by quickly, childhood and adolescence? The first part was almost nostalgic—the elementary school, the boys and girls, the innocent boy crush— and the coming-of-age, the changes to the narrator's personality as he grew up, were all relatable. It’s an interesting novel that I think would be good for opening up discussions on gay (queer) literature.
September 19, 2020
"Home, which for me is like a ship anchored on a misty harbour. You can glimpse its outlines; you know it is there. But its pure solidity you cannot touch, lost as it is amidst the grey and the vapour"
Thanks to Times Reads for sending a review copy of Riverrun by Danton Remoto to me. I've never read any books from Remoto before but perhaps I would be mindful of his future novels after reading this one.
Riverrun is essentially a coming-of-age story of a gay Filipino during the 60s or the 70s. It was written in a memoir-like style. This means, if you are looking for clear or fast-paced plotlines in this story, then Riverrun may not be the book for you. This book is infused with a lot of Filipino cultures: recipes, folklore (such as the stories of the kapre, manananggal, mangkukulam and etc.), beliefs, and religion. What I love the most is the fact that the author heavily criticized the Philippines government (during the reign of the military dictator, Ferdinand Marcos) in a very subtle, implied, and humorous manner. The corrupt government during the Marcos reign was glaringly brought out in this book especially the author's description of the "First Lady" (I would assume that the author is referring to the infamous Imelda Marcos, who robbed the country billions of money) which immediately leads me to associate her with our very own "ex-First Lady" (I hope Malaysians know who I am referring to). The author's writing style is also praiseworthy. It is poetic but not too flowery. The emotions of the gay protagonist were conveyed seamlessly through the pen of Remoto. This may be due to his experience in writing poems.
Despite the above, I really think that the story is a little too "quiet". It lacks a "punch", which will definitely make the story more impactful. Further, I think that the blending between the "coming-of-age gay boy" theme and the "criticizing government" theme could be executed with a better flow as at times, I feel that both themes are too distinct which results in the switching of both themes in the book being interrupted. I would say that this book deserves a strong 3.8/5 star rating. My rating would definitely go higher if there is a "punch" in this book but it could be a matter of preference. Fans of Southeast Asian literature, do watch out for Riverrun!
Thanks to Times Reads for sending a review copy of Riverrun by Danton Remoto to me. I've never read any books from Remoto before but perhaps I would be mindful of his future novels after reading this one.
Riverrun is essentially a coming-of-age story of a gay Filipino during the 60s or the 70s. It was written in a memoir-like style. This means, if you are looking for clear or fast-paced plotlines in this story, then Riverrun may not be the book for you. This book is infused with a lot of Filipino cultures: recipes, folklore (such as the stories of the kapre, manananggal, mangkukulam and etc.), beliefs, and religion. What I love the most is the fact that the author heavily criticized the Philippines government (during the reign of the military dictator, Ferdinand Marcos) in a very subtle, implied, and humorous manner. The corrupt government during the Marcos reign was glaringly brought out in this book especially the author's description of the "First Lady" (I would assume that the author is referring to the infamous Imelda Marcos, who robbed the country billions of money) which immediately leads me to associate her with our very own "ex-First Lady" (I hope Malaysians know who I am referring to). The author's writing style is also praiseworthy. It is poetic but not too flowery. The emotions of the gay protagonist were conveyed seamlessly through the pen of Remoto. This may be due to his experience in writing poems.
Despite the above, I really think that the story is a little too "quiet". It lacks a "punch", which will definitely make the story more impactful. Further, I think that the blending between the "coming-of-age gay boy" theme and the "criticizing government" theme could be executed with a better flow as at times, I feel that both themes are too distinct which results in the switching of both themes in the book being interrupted. I would say that this book deserves a strong 3.8/5 star rating. My rating would definitely go higher if there is a "punch" in this book but it could be a matter of preference. Fans of Southeast Asian literature, do watch out for Riverrun!
December 10, 2025
the novel was written as if every chapter a diary entry: undiluted and arrant of innocence, confusions, and wanderings of a gay young man in an austere Philippine society. the first half of the novel had the readers the feel of early rural (and urban) life in the 1970s Philippines, a time under martial law. while the latter half, a cascade of character exploration.
what i love the most is the unkempt reality of young romance, love, lust, and sexual exploration. it did not try to hide the confusion of a young in his sexuality; of the lust he hid from men he was into; of the fear for the consequences god may wrath him for his erotic deeds; and, of the berievement he had for his lack of strength to confess. the novel is written the way a bildungsroman should be.
my only trouble for this piece is the lack of build up. everything felt stale, like a narrative written only to report an update on his life. although there were parts that had me prancing and giggling, but that is all about it.
anyhow, i think this is a well-written representation of the Philippine society during Ferdinand Marcos's reign, and the secret one-sided romance some young Filipino gay men experienced during that time.
what i love the most is the unkempt reality of young romance, love, lust, and sexual exploration. it did not try to hide the confusion of a young in his sexuality; of the lust he hid from men he was into; of the fear for the consequences god may wrath him for his erotic deeds; and, of the berievement he had for his lack of strength to confess. the novel is written the way a bildungsroman should be.
my only trouble for this piece is the lack of build up. everything felt stale, like a narrative written only to report an update on his life. although there were parts that had me prancing and giggling, but that is all about it.
anyhow, i think this is a well-written representation of the Philippine society during Ferdinand Marcos's reign, and the secret one-sided romance some young Filipino gay men experienced during that time.
February 25, 2025
A bunch of fragmented thoughts
Not much coherent plot here…
Some observations about diaspora and globalism, but nothing that profound
Some exploration of sexuality but nothing interesting tbh
Really tedious tbh
I expected more!!!
Filipinos have to support Filipinos but only when the art is good!!!
Not much coherent plot here…
Some observations about diaspora and globalism, but nothing that profound
Some exploration of sexuality but nothing interesting tbh
Really tedious tbh
I expected more!!!
Filipinos have to support Filipinos but only when the art is good!!!
September 24, 2018
ang lgbtq+ always panalo
December 24, 2020
There's a lingering wistfulness in every page of Riverrun; one that attempts to revive the past and bring it close to heart - even the hurt that comes with it. Danito, the protagonist, opens the novel with the fundamentals of the English language itself: alphabets. And just like language, Danito is a character who seldom voices it, instead opting to note every single detail and memory in simple, poetic statements. This makes reading Riverrun like a diary you're peeking into, the kind that jots down recipes and news articles because of how it defines one's history and self. Food, after all, is a constant staple that bears the mark of one's culture.
While the novel is an easy, straightforward read with minimal dialogue that's loaded with brilliant sass, the pacing and direction of the novel become slightly uncertain. Riverrun can't run (ha) from a typical bildungsroman structure - with it being separated into Part 1 (childhood) and Part 2 (living in UK) - but it felt as if Part 2 was too rushed after that slow walk in Part 1's memory lane. Which meant sacrificing solid singular moments that made Part 1 so interesting to read. Which meant the ending in Part 2 fell emotionally flat from the lack of buildup despite its attempt to tie everything together.
Even so, Danton Remoto writes remarkably well. I look forward to the many poetic lines sparingly sprinkled in simple, Hemingway-esque paragraphs. These lines subtly encompass the mixture of feelings that Danito experiences, whether it's the lustful description of raindrops, or the humming of cicadas.
I'm certainly looking forward to more of his works!
While the novel is an easy, straightforward read with minimal dialogue that's loaded with brilliant sass, the pacing and direction of the novel become slightly uncertain. Riverrun can't run (ha) from a typical bildungsroman structure - with it being separated into Part 1 (childhood) and Part 2 (living in UK) - but it felt as if Part 2 was too rushed after that slow walk in Part 1's memory lane. Which meant sacrificing solid singular moments that made Part 1 so interesting to read. Which meant the ending in Part 2 fell emotionally flat from the lack of buildup despite its attempt to tie everything together.
Even so, Danton Remoto writes remarkably well. I look forward to the many poetic lines sparingly sprinkled in simple, Hemingway-esque paragraphs. These lines subtly encompass the mixture of feelings that Danito experiences, whether it's the lustful description of raindrops, or the humming of cicadas.
I'm certainly looking forward to more of his works!
February 24, 2025
3.5 . this book is a sensory masterpiece … the philippines remoto paints bleeds out through the pages in home cooked recipes and undulating cogon leaves and the feeling of rain on skin in the province or smoke in the city air, remoto describes all these places and experiences with so much love and care
i just think that the heavily fragmented structure doesn’t always serve the story! when it succeeds the narrative reads like a scrapbook but when it flops Boyyy does the story feel SO discontinuous . temporality gets sooo blurry and rushed especially in the back half of the book and you rlly don’t have that much time to reorient yourself with how quick the chapters go by. it’s just a bit jarring at times i fear, but it didn’t significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the book
lastly i do feel like remoto had soooo much more to say considering the subject matter of the story. i was promised a queer coming of age story foregrounded against martial law and i didn’t really feel like he delivered as much as he could on the latter is what i will say …!!!
i just think that the heavily fragmented structure doesn’t always serve the story! when it succeeds the narrative reads like a scrapbook but when it flops Boyyy does the story feel SO discontinuous . temporality gets sooo blurry and rushed especially in the back half of the book and you rlly don’t have that much time to reorient yourself with how quick the chapters go by. it’s just a bit jarring at times i fear, but it didn’t significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the book
lastly i do feel like remoto had soooo much more to say considering the subject matter of the story. i was promised a queer coming of age story foregrounded against martial law and i didn’t really feel like he delivered as much as he could on the latter is what i will say …!!!
September 11, 2021
I don’t think I have been this enchanted by words in a while. Remoto’s prose is delicious, his images and diction so vivid, drawing you in at all the right moments. Riverrun is not by any means a “usual” novel, there is no linear plot. It is laced with poems, recipes, manuals, all of which work in its favor. This felt like a meditation on Remoto’s life, maybe fictionalized, maybe not, who knows? It reads as a compilation of memories - that of a young gay man growing up in the Philippines, full of wit, longing for a better government, and longing for love that never seems to leave his lips.
July 24, 2023
This was a unique read, and I’m not sure if I felt the pacing was off because of the way it’s structured in vignettes or if I could even say that since I’ve never read anything structured like this before. I wish we could’ve spent as much time in adolescence as we did in childhood.
The restraint coupled with a sense of familiarity grounded on the (I assume) deliberately hazy timestamps of its setting like the presence of colonizers and markers of the dictatorship is unlike anything I’ve encountered.
Joey Ayala’s Panganay ng Umaga (1991)
The restraint coupled with a sense of familiarity grounded on the (I assume) deliberately hazy timestamps of its setting like the presence of colonizers and markers of the dictatorship is unlike anything I’ve encountered.
Joey Ayala’s Panganay ng Umaga (1991)
September 29, 2025
Mr. Danton Remoto’s prose is impeccable, with each vignette crafted well enough to stand on its own. I understand the intention behind the title Riverrun—the sense of stories meandering and flowing like water—but my experience of the book was different. Instead of carrying me along in a continuous current, the structure often cut off my momentum at each part, leaving me admiring the parts more than the whole.
March 11, 2021
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦: 𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠
✰᪥𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬♪✩
.
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I agree with some of the reviews, the gap between the childhood and adulthood is quite jarring. However, Remoto's way of shaping his sentences and creating the atmosphere is very commendable.
✰᪥𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬♪✩
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I agree with some of the reviews, the gap between the childhood and adulthood is quite jarring. However, Remoto's way of shaping his sentences and creating the atmosphere is very commendable.
July 15, 2023
It’s short but could not get the into it the first few times I tried to read it. It’s chapters are short, fragmented and not at a pace one finds typical for a novel.
Forging on — it picks up and improves. Gayhood slowly reveals itself in the story.
Recommended.
Forging on — it picks up and improves. Gayhood slowly reveals itself in the story.
Recommended.
December 12, 2023
Well done. Pacing felt rushed towards the end, but the writing style had a perfect mix of being straight to the point, descriptive, flowery and concise. Loved it so much! I love books formatted and told like this. I wished that I could’ve read more of his experience of the Martial law.
September 10, 2021
A fantastic read! Truly engaging. Much recommended!
January 28, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
The anticipation I had every chapter.
The anticipation I had every chapter.
August 1, 2022
premier livre d'août, incroyable <3
vraiment généralement je suis pas fan de ce genre de format, mais là woah. quand il a dit "a geography of feelings" i really felt that
vraiment généralement je suis pas fan de ce genre de format, mais là woah. quand il a dit "a geography of feelings" i really felt that
August 3, 2025
im so soft for gay yearning™️
🥀🥺
🥀🥺
December 29, 2024
This is the first Danton Remoto novel I’ve ever read, and I’m happy that I picked this book for my critical reading in my literature class. The writing style is distinctly Filipino and I love Remoto’s dry and sarcastic sense of humor. If you’re a fan of coming-of-age stories, this one is a good read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews