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The Human Zoo
Filipino-American Christina "Ting" Klein has just travelled from New York to Manila, both to escape her imminent divorce, and to begin research for a biography of Timicheg, an indigenous Filipino brought to America at the start of 20th century to be exhibited as part of a 'human zoo.' It has been a year since Ting's last visit, and one year since Procopio "Copo" Gumboc swept the elections in an upset and took power as president. Arriving unannounced at her aging Aunt's aristocratic home, Ting quickly falls into upper class Manila life--family gatherings at her cousin's compound; spending time with her best friend Inchoy, a gay socialist professor of philosophy; and a flirtation with her ex-boyfriend Chet, a wealthy businessman with questionable ties to the regime. All the while, family duty dictates that Ting be responsible for Laird, a cousin's fianc�, who has come from the States to rediscover his roots.
As days pass, Ting witnesses modern Filipino society languishing under Gumboc's terrifying reign. To make her way, she must balance the aristocratic traditions of her extended family, seemingly at odds with both situation and circumstance, as well temper her stance towards a regime her loved ones are struggling to survive. Yet Ting cannot extricate herself from the increasingly repressive regime, and soon finds herself personally confronted by the horrifying realities of Gumboc's power.
At once a propulsive look at contemporary Filipino politics and the history that impacted the country, The Human Zoo is a thrilling and provocative story from one of our most celebrated and important writers of literary fiction.
As days pass, Ting witnesses modern Filipino society languishing under Gumboc's terrifying reign. To make her way, she must balance the aristocratic traditions of her extended family, seemingly at odds with both situation and circumstance, as well temper her stance towards a regime her loved ones are struggling to survive. Yet Ting cannot extricate herself from the increasingly repressive regime, and soon finds herself personally confronted by the horrifying realities of Gumboc's power.
At once a propulsive look at contemporary Filipino politics and the history that impacted the country, The Human Zoo is a thrilling and provocative story from one of our most celebrated and important writers of literary fiction.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2021
18 people are currently reading
764 people want to read
About the author
Sabina Murray
17 books83 followersSabina Murray was born in 1968 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is of mixed parentage—her mother a Filipina from Manila, her father a former Jesuit scholastic turned anthropologist from Boston. Her parents met in Washington DC, where both were pursuing graduate degrees. At the age of two she moved to Perth with her family, when her father accepted a position at the University of Western Australia. In 1980 the family moved again, this time to Manila, to be closer to her mother’s family. Although Sabina Murray is an American citizen, she did not live again in the United States until she attended college. She feels that she moves easily through the various cultures that have forged her own identity: Australian, Filipino, and American. She now lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family, where she directs, and teaches in, the Creative Writing Program at Umass.
In 1989, Murray’s novel, Slow Burn, set in the decadent Manila of the mid-eighties, was accepted for publication, when Murray was twenty years old. Later, she attended the University of Texas at Austin where she started work on The Caprices, a short story collection that explores the Pacific Campaign of WWII. In 1999, Murray left Texas for Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she had a Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. In January, 2002, Murray published The Caprices, which won the PEN Faulkner Award.
Murray’s next novel, A Carnivore’s Inquiry, follows Katherine Shea, a woman of strange appetites, as she moves from man to man ruminating on the nature of cannibalism in western history, literature and art. The book is a dark comedy that is concerned with power and hunger. Forgery is her most recent book, and this looks at authenticity by following Rupert Brigg, who is exploring art and escaping grief in Greece in the early sixties. Both novels were Chicago Tribune Best Books.
Her most recent book, Tales of The New World, a collection of short stories with an interest in explorers, was released by Grove/Black Cat in November, 2011. She is hard at work on a novel that looks at the friendship between the Irish revolutionary Roger Casement and the artist Herbert Ward.
Murray is also a screenwriter and wrote the script for the film Beautiful Country, released in 2005. Beautiful Country follows the story of Binh, a young Amerasian man who comes to the U.S. from Vietnam in search of the father he never knew. Terrence Malick commissioned Murray to write the screenplay.
Murray has been a Michener Fellow at UT Austin, a Bunting fellow at Radcliffe, a Guggenheim Fellow, and has received the PEN/Faulkner Award, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant, a Umass Research and Creativity Award, and a Fred Brown Award for The Novel from the University of Pittsburgh. Beautiful Country was nominated for a Golden Bear and the screenplay was nominated for an Amanda Award (the Norwegian Oscars!) and an Independent Spirit Award.
In 1989, Murray’s novel, Slow Burn, set in the decadent Manila of the mid-eighties, was accepted for publication, when Murray was twenty years old. Later, she attended the University of Texas at Austin where she started work on The Caprices, a short story collection that explores the Pacific Campaign of WWII. In 1999, Murray left Texas for Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she had a Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. In January, 2002, Murray published The Caprices, which won the PEN Faulkner Award.
Murray’s next novel, A Carnivore’s Inquiry, follows Katherine Shea, a woman of strange appetites, as she moves from man to man ruminating on the nature of cannibalism in western history, literature and art. The book is a dark comedy that is concerned with power and hunger. Forgery is her most recent book, and this looks at authenticity by following Rupert Brigg, who is exploring art and escaping grief in Greece in the early sixties. Both novels were Chicago Tribune Best Books.
Her most recent book, Tales of The New World, a collection of short stories with an interest in explorers, was released by Grove/Black Cat in November, 2011. She is hard at work on a novel that looks at the friendship between the Irish revolutionary Roger Casement and the artist Herbert Ward.
Murray is also a screenwriter and wrote the script for the film Beautiful Country, released in 2005. Beautiful Country follows the story of Binh, a young Amerasian man who comes to the U.S. from Vietnam in search of the father he never knew. Terrence Malick commissioned Murray to write the screenplay.
Murray has been a Michener Fellow at UT Austin, a Bunting fellow at Radcliffe, a Guggenheim Fellow, and has received the PEN/Faulkner Award, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant, a Umass Research and Creativity Award, and a Fred Brown Award for The Novel from the University of Pittsburgh. Beautiful Country was nominated for a Golden Bear and the screenplay was nominated for an Amanda Award (the Norwegian Oscars!) and an Independent Spirit Award.
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March 25, 2024
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Written with compelling self-assurance The Human Zoo focuses on Ting, a Filipino-American journalist in her late forties whose marriage is close to collapse. Ting decides to go to Manila, where she seeks refuge in her Tita Rosa’s house, who still dotes on her like she was a child. Ting’s motivations for this journey are ambiguous, even to herself, but being in Manila does allow her to put some distance between her and her predicament (impending divorce) and to carry out the much-needed research she needs to complete her book (which she should already be writing) on Timicheg, an Igorot man who in the early 20th century was displayed in one of the last ‘human zoos’ in America. As Ting listlessly carries out her days, eating with her Tita Rosa, attending bombastic family gatherings, and reconnecting with her socialist friend, Inchoy, a teacher, and perhaps rekindling her romance with her former sweetheart, Chet, now a married magnate dabbling is some dubious business deals.
Since her last visit Procopio Gumboc, a fictional stand-in for Rodrigo Duterte, has become the country’s controversial president who incentivizes his anti-drug campaign by offering bounties, leading to a mounting numbers of extrajudicial killings.
Although aware of Gumboc’s activities, Ting easily slips back into a comfortable existence with the house staff taking care of her every need. The only things weighing on her mind are her slow progress on her research and her writing, as well as the endless traffic of Manila. When her aunt asks her to look after Laird, the American fiance of one of her cousin’s, Ting is not too pleased, especially when his line of questioning reveals a fierce interest in the city’s infrastructure, in Gumboc, and in martial law.
Mired by ennui, Ting rarely makes any active choice, often letting others make choices on her behalf, yet, as we know, sometimes not choosing is a choice in itself, one that allows Ting to see herself as free of responsibility and culpability. Ting ignores her husbands’ attempts to reach out to her, avoids her Tita’s questions, and reluctantly finds herself with Chet, despite her desire to be alone, certainly not a ‘mistress’, and her aversion to Chet’s ways (he refuses to discuss his work with her, dismiss her concerns over their relationship at ever turn, often making her feel as if she is making a big deal out of something simple).
Ting finds herself confronted with reality when Laird vanishes and someone dear to her is brutally murdered as a result of Gumboc's war on drugs.
This is yet another instance that makes me realize that sometimes I read the right book at the wrong time. Having recently had a blast with Sabina Murray’s A Carnivore's Inquiry, a darkly satirical novel in the vein of Ottessa Moshfegh, I decided to revisit The Human Zoo, which I read last summer, in the hopes that, having familiarized myself with Murray’s tone and style, this time around I would be able to appreciate it more. While the narrator is not quite as sharp or subversive as the central character in A Carnivore's Inquiry, I did find myself drawn by Ting, even if her perspective is often informed by a naive understanding of the world around her. Despite the limitations brought about by adopting Ting’s point of view, Murray is nevertheless able to present us with a clever social commentary exploring class, identity, gender, and politics in contemporary Philippines as well as providing us readers with an uneasy retrospective on colonialism, ‘human zoos’, and past regimes. Through Ting’s perspective and the research she carries out, Murray is also able to give us a comprehensive overview of the geography of the Philippines and of its predominant ethnic groups and languages so that the Philippines that ultimately emerges in these pages is multivalent and idiosyncratic. Like A Carnivore's Inquiry, The Human Zoo has a predilection for periods of history and artworks that are fraught with violence, often honing in on practices like cannibalism. While A Carnivore's Inquiry gives us a glimpse into the American elite, The Human Zoo centers on Manila’s upper class. Ting’s obliviousness to her privilege soon becomes apparent, yet she repeatedly takes the higher moral ground with others. When discussing Gomboc, his infringement of human rights, she does so from afar, cushioned as she is by her family’s wealth, her ‘American mestizo’ identity. Her involvement with Chet, despite the suspicion of his being involved with Gomboc, also reveals that despite her resolute anti-Gomboc stance, she can compromise her morals (that she remains with chet after the death of her friend…).
I found the story truly immersive and atmospheric. Ting is a flawed yet compelling narrator whose insights into the Philippines social and political climate, although shaped by her privileged standpoint, are always discerning. Although more subdued than in A Carnivore's Inquiry, there are remarks and scenes that are tinged with irony which always succeed in adding levity. Like A Carnivore's Inquiry, The Human Zoo is permeated by ambivalence, as Murray refuses the easy way out, so we never know quite where to stand with certain characters, nor are we certain if and when Ting’s stay in Manila will end.
The ending did feel rushed, which is a pity as before that the pacing was very much consistent. I still find myself wondering why Ting, who is very Americanized, describes Inchoy, her friend, as being gay when he is in a loving relationship with a transwoman, then again, maybe I am viewing this relationship through Western tinted lenses.
The Human Zoo paints a vivid picture of contemporary Manila, from its trafficked roads and humid weather, to its class disparities and political climate. Through Ting's narrative Murray explores past and present systems of power, the horrors of colonialism, privilege, and identity.
Written with compelling self-assurance The Human Zoo focuses on Ting, a Filipino-American journalist in her late forties whose marriage is close to collapse. Ting decides to go to Manila, where she seeks refuge in her Tita Rosa’s house, who still dotes on her like she was a child. Ting’s motivations for this journey are ambiguous, even to herself, but being in Manila does allow her to put some distance between her and her predicament (impending divorce) and to carry out the much-needed research she needs to complete her book (which she should already be writing) on Timicheg, an Igorot man who in the early 20th century was displayed in one of the last ‘human zoos’ in America. As Ting listlessly carries out her days, eating with her Tita Rosa, attending bombastic family gatherings, and reconnecting with her socialist friend, Inchoy, a teacher, and perhaps rekindling her romance with her former sweetheart, Chet, now a married magnate dabbling is some dubious business deals.
Since her last visit Procopio Gumboc, a fictional stand-in for Rodrigo Duterte, has become the country’s controversial president who incentivizes his anti-drug campaign by offering bounties, leading to a mounting numbers of extrajudicial killings.
Although aware of Gumboc’s activities, Ting easily slips back into a comfortable existence with the house staff taking care of her every need. The only things weighing on her mind are her slow progress on her research and her writing, as well as the endless traffic of Manila. When her aunt asks her to look after Laird, the American fiance of one of her cousin’s, Ting is not too pleased, especially when his line of questioning reveals a fierce interest in the city’s infrastructure, in Gumboc, and in martial law.
Mired by ennui, Ting rarely makes any active choice, often letting others make choices on her behalf, yet, as we know, sometimes not choosing is a choice in itself, one that allows Ting to see herself as free of responsibility and culpability. Ting ignores her husbands’ attempts to reach out to her, avoids her Tita’s questions, and reluctantly finds herself with Chet, despite her desire to be alone, certainly not a ‘mistress’, and her aversion to Chet’s ways (he refuses to discuss his work with her, dismiss her concerns over their relationship at ever turn, often making her feel as if she is making a big deal out of something simple).
Ting finds herself confronted with reality when Laird vanishes and someone dear to her is brutally murdered as a result of Gumboc's war on drugs.
This is yet another instance that makes me realize that sometimes I read the right book at the wrong time. Having recently had a blast with Sabina Murray’s A Carnivore's Inquiry, a darkly satirical novel in the vein of Ottessa Moshfegh, I decided to revisit The Human Zoo, which I read last summer, in the hopes that, having familiarized myself with Murray’s tone and style, this time around I would be able to appreciate it more. While the narrator is not quite as sharp or subversive as the central character in A Carnivore's Inquiry, I did find myself drawn by Ting, even if her perspective is often informed by a naive understanding of the world around her. Despite the limitations brought about by adopting Ting’s point of view, Murray is nevertheless able to present us with a clever social commentary exploring class, identity, gender, and politics in contemporary Philippines as well as providing us readers with an uneasy retrospective on colonialism, ‘human zoos’, and past regimes. Through Ting’s perspective and the research she carries out, Murray is also able to give us a comprehensive overview of the geography of the Philippines and of its predominant ethnic groups and languages so that the Philippines that ultimately emerges in these pages is multivalent and idiosyncratic. Like A Carnivore's Inquiry, The Human Zoo has a predilection for periods of history and artworks that are fraught with violence, often honing in on practices like cannibalism. While A Carnivore's Inquiry gives us a glimpse into the American elite, The Human Zoo centers on Manila’s upper class. Ting’s obliviousness to her privilege soon becomes apparent, yet she repeatedly takes the higher moral ground with others. When discussing Gomboc, his infringement of human rights, she does so from afar, cushioned as she is by her family’s wealth, her ‘American mestizo’ identity. Her involvement with Chet, despite the suspicion of his being involved with Gomboc, also reveals that despite her resolute anti-Gomboc stance, she can compromise her morals (that she remains with chet after the death of her friend…).
I found the story truly immersive and atmospheric. Ting is a flawed yet compelling narrator whose insights into the Philippines social and political climate, although shaped by her privileged standpoint, are always discerning. Although more subdued than in A Carnivore's Inquiry, there are remarks and scenes that are tinged with irony which always succeed in adding levity. Like A Carnivore's Inquiry, The Human Zoo is permeated by ambivalence, as Murray refuses the easy way out, so we never know quite where to stand with certain characters, nor are we certain if and when Ting’s stay in Manila will end.
The ending did feel rushed, which is a pity as before that the pacing was very much consistent. I still find myself wondering why Ting, who is very Americanized, describes Inchoy, her friend, as being gay when he is in a loving relationship with a transwoman, then again, maybe I am viewing this relationship through Western tinted lenses.
The Human Zoo paints a vivid picture of contemporary Manila, from its trafficked roads and humid weather, to its class disparities and political climate. Through Ting's narrative Murray explores past and present systems of power, the horrors of colonialism, privilege, and identity.
September 1, 2021
Audiobook…narrated by Rachel Coates
….6 hours and 53 minutes
Cheers!!!….
…. to this charming and terrifying contemporary novel…
Its culturally fascinating, eye-opening and informative about the Filipino society….(under Duterte’s presidency)….politically, and socially. I learned a lot.
It’s also filled with witty and endearing dialogue — family, and friends. (strife, love, amusing arrogance, and authentic humility).
Having returned to her birth place —Manila—
after a long flight from New York, (leaving her banker-husband), Christina asked a taxi car driver what was his biggest concern about living in the Philippines.
She expected him to say corruption…. (which it is)…
but his response was ‘traffic’.
Yeah… that too!
The sparkling dialogue, wonderful writing, (comfy engaging), and the ingenious storyline held me captivated for the entire 6 + hours non-stop listening!
It was such a surprise treasure - I’ve already bought two more books to read by Sabina Murray.
4.5 rating
….6 hours and 53 minutes
Cheers!!!….
…. to this charming and terrifying contemporary novel…
Its culturally fascinating, eye-opening and informative about the Filipino society….(under Duterte’s presidency)….politically, and socially. I learned a lot.
It’s also filled with witty and endearing dialogue — family, and friends. (strife, love, amusing arrogance, and authentic humility).
Having returned to her birth place —Manila—
after a long flight from New York, (leaving her banker-husband), Christina asked a taxi car driver what was his biggest concern about living in the Philippines.
She expected him to say corruption…. (which it is)…
but his response was ‘traffic’.
Yeah… that too!
The sparkling dialogue, wonderful writing, (comfy engaging), and the ingenious storyline held me captivated for the entire 6 + hours non-stop listening!
It was such a surprise treasure - I’ve already bought two more books to read by Sabina Murray.
4.5 rating
December 31, 2021
Sabina Murray's The Human Zoo heads in two directions at once. On the one hand, it's the story of Ting (Christina) a Filipino-American journalist who has decided to divorce her husband and has returned to the Filipines to be with family as she considers her next direction in life. On the other hand, it's a novel exploring the violence of the "Gumboc" regime in the Filipines (as far as I can tell, her fictionalized version of the Duterte regime) and the way a significant portion of a population can acquiesce to totalitarianism if it seems the easiest alternative to chaos. I found the book's success mixed along both themes.
Ting is an odd sort of drifter. She *should* be divorcing her husband. She *should* be setting clear boundaries with the ex who's pursuing her romantically from the moment she arrives in the Filipines. She *should* be working on the book she's received an advance for. Instead, she's ignoring mail from her husband; spending a great deal of time with her ex in ways that are convenient for him, not her; and spinning her wheels on the book. By the novel's end, her life seems a bit more directional, but this is at least as much a result of circumstance as of decisions on her part.
Gumboc's Filipines is a dangerous place. Extra-judicial killings of both drug dealers and users are encouraged. If we accept that Gumboc is a stand-in for Duterte, then it's worth looking at what Human Rights Watch has to say about Duterte's use of extra-judicial killings: "According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), 4,948 suspected drug users and dealers died during police operations from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2018. But this does not include the thousands of others killed by unidentified gunmen. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), 22,983 such deaths since the 'war on drugs' began are classified as 'homicides under investigation.'" This is a human rights situation that could make for dramatic fiction, but because readers see the Filipines through Ting's eyes, the violence carries little weight until it begins to affect her personally.
I was engaged while I read this book, but also felt as if I was spying through two very different key holes at once—and not seeing the reality behind either particularly clearly.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Ting is an odd sort of drifter. She *should* be divorcing her husband. She *should* be setting clear boundaries with the ex who's pursuing her romantically from the moment she arrives in the Filipines. She *should* be working on the book she's received an advance for. Instead, she's ignoring mail from her husband; spending a great deal of time with her ex in ways that are convenient for him, not her; and spinning her wheels on the book. By the novel's end, her life seems a bit more directional, but this is at least as much a result of circumstance as of decisions on her part.
Gumboc's Filipines is a dangerous place. Extra-judicial killings of both drug dealers and users are encouraged. If we accept that Gumboc is a stand-in for Duterte, then it's worth looking at what Human Rights Watch has to say about Duterte's use of extra-judicial killings: "According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), 4,948 suspected drug users and dealers died during police operations from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2018. But this does not include the thousands of others killed by unidentified gunmen. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), 22,983 such deaths since the 'war on drugs' began are classified as 'homicides under investigation.'" This is a human rights situation that could make for dramatic fiction, but because readers see the Filipines through Ting's eyes, the violence carries little weight until it begins to affect her personally.
I was engaged while I read this book, but also felt as if I was spying through two very different key holes at once—and not seeing the reality behind either particularly clearly.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
May 10, 2021
The Human Zoo is the title and topic of the novel within a novel. Our protagonist, Ting, a successful Filipino-American author returns to Manila on the cusp of a divorce to visit with family and friends, reconnect with herself, and work on a novel surrounding the early 20th century Coney Island exhibition of the Bontoc tribe.
Ting has her hands full on the professional front stemming from her editor’s demand for a first draft while suffering from a serious lack of motivation, creativity, and source material; and on a personal level dealing with the stress from her philandering husband who does not want a divorce. Understanding a need for a reprieve, I still found her to a bit too distracted and aloof -- she spends a considerable amount of time lunching with her professional colleagues, connecting with old college friends, and allowing herself to be seduced by an old (but now married) boyfriend/lover. However, it is within these casual exchanges, the reader glimpses the impact on the Filipino people from the controversial political policies and stifling regime, globalization, and legacy of colonialism and fall-out of war(s) resulting in the current class stratum - the nouveau riche, the ‘old guard,’ the intelligentsia, etc. - and the socio-economic divisions and limitations that affect the masses.
Despite a very dramatic and rushed ending and I enjoyed learning aspects of Filipino history, culture, and cuisine which included a glimpse at the breadth of political ideologies and the depth of (police/government) corruption (reminiscent of the Duterte presidency), the strength of familial bonds and reverence of traditions.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Ting has her hands full on the professional front stemming from her editor’s demand for a first draft while suffering from a serious lack of motivation, creativity, and source material; and on a personal level dealing with the stress from her philandering husband who does not want a divorce. Understanding a need for a reprieve, I still found her to a bit too distracted and aloof -- she spends a considerable amount of time lunching with her professional colleagues, connecting with old college friends, and allowing herself to be seduced by an old (but now married) boyfriend/lover. However, it is within these casual exchanges, the reader glimpses the impact on the Filipino people from the controversial political policies and stifling regime, globalization, and legacy of colonialism and fall-out of war(s) resulting in the current class stratum - the nouveau riche, the ‘old guard,’ the intelligentsia, etc. - and the socio-economic divisions and limitations that affect the masses.
Despite a very dramatic and rushed ending and I enjoyed learning aspects of Filipino history, culture, and cuisine which included a glimpse at the breadth of political ideologies and the depth of (police/government) corruption (reminiscent of the Duterte presidency), the strength of familial bonds and reverence of traditions.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
August 10, 2021
I greatly enjoyed this novel. It is very well-written, the pace is good, the plot is exciting and eventful but I especially loved the atmosphere and the fact it is set in the Philippines. All I knew of the Philippines was its strange Spanish-American colonial history and its authoritarian leader. But this book teaches a lot about contemporary society, daily life, class, food and the apparently horrible traffic.
The story is told by a 49-year old half-American, half-Filipino woman called Ting, who comes back to her very rich family in Manila after separating from her American husband. I liked her very much: she is a very open yet passive and somewhat ironic character and she sounded so real to me that I often wondered if there were autobiographical elements.
4,5
Thanks very much to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told by a 49-year old half-American, half-Filipino woman called Ting, who comes back to her very rich family in Manila after separating from her American husband. I liked her very much: she is a very open yet passive and somewhat ironic character and she sounded so real to me that I often wondered if there were autobiographical elements.
4,5
Thanks very much to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2022
DNF. stopped at chapter 3. as a Filipino born and raised in the PH, the caricature of the Philippines and specifically manila, is so cringey and painful to read. the inauthentic way things are presented makes it the literary equivalent of the sound of nails on a chalkboard.
July 18, 2021
Thank you Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
Release date: August 10, 2021
3.5/5 stars
Trigger warnings: death, grief, drugs, violence, execution, kidnappings, beheadings, government violence, use of dead-name.
Other things to consider: Talk about racism, class status, gender, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------
What are human zoos? A product of colonialism (and incredibly inhumane), they were used as a way to "display" people who had a "different" (in the eyes of Westerners, at least) culture. Throughout history, human zoos were established, mainly, in the United States, France and Brussels which predominantly took Filipinos belonging to different tribes and African people. As of today, they have been banned.
The Human Zoo tells the story of Ting, a 49 year old Filipino-American reporter who travels to Manila for research purposes regarding the Human Zoos, established by the United States in 1904, supposedly banned in 1914. Besides her research, she must navigate between the newly established regime of "president" Gumboc, who has been on a never ending war with drugs, which ultimately brings martial law and extrajudicial killings.
While navigating daily life, the book addresses themes such as class status, (since Ting is from an upper class Manila family) racism and gender. Through its characters, you can clearly see a reflection of ideals: Ting´s mother ,for instance, plays a big role on gender discussion. On another hand, Laird (who I particularly hate) tackles themes such as power play and martial law and finally, Inchoy and Ting tackle social class and LGBTQ themes.
-------------------------------------------------------
To be entirely honest, I was incredibly pleased with this book. Not only did it manage to shine light on a topic I barely knew about, but it also intertwined Filipino culture and daily life: food, family, class, gender and sexuality and most importantly: politics and history. I truly, truly learned a lot from this book. A brief introduction, (if you will) but an introduction that will definitely help to educate myself further on The Human Zoo topic and how much of a role it played on humanity´s history.
-------------------------------------------------------
Onto other aspects: the writing style fitted perfectly. It let you understand what was going on (the history and politics) without overcomplicating the plot which, was a bit chaotic to be honest, but ultimately really interesting to keep up with: the dynamics between the characters, what each of them talked about, Gumboc´s involvement, the daily life of these characters, everything.
I think mainly, my only complaint is that the plot sometimes distanced itself from some topics and the ending left me a *bit* confused. Aside from that, I´m still thinking about something I can´t really disclose due to it being a spoiler but that I can hopefully think in further detail and talk about some time after this is released.
Overall its a really interesting read and finally, I would just like to add that I would urge you to educate (in case you don´t or didn´t know) yourself on these topics.
Release date: August 10, 2021
3.5/5 stars
Trigger warnings: death, grief, drugs, violence, execution, kidnappings, beheadings, government violence, use of dead-name.
Other things to consider: Talk about racism, class status, gender, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------
What are human zoos? A product of colonialism (and incredibly inhumane), they were used as a way to "display" people who had a "different" (in the eyes of Westerners, at least) culture. Throughout history, human zoos were established, mainly, in the United States, France and Brussels which predominantly took Filipinos belonging to different tribes and African people. As of today, they have been banned.
The Human Zoo tells the story of Ting, a 49 year old Filipino-American reporter who travels to Manila for research purposes regarding the Human Zoos, established by the United States in 1904, supposedly banned in 1914. Besides her research, she must navigate between the newly established regime of "president" Gumboc, who has been on a never ending war with drugs, which ultimately brings martial law and extrajudicial killings.
While navigating daily life, the book addresses themes such as class status, (since Ting is from an upper class Manila family) racism and gender. Through its characters, you can clearly see a reflection of ideals: Ting´s mother ,for instance, plays a big role on gender discussion. On another hand, Laird (who I particularly hate) tackles themes such as power play and martial law and finally, Inchoy and Ting tackle social class and LGBTQ themes.
-------------------------------------------------------
To be entirely honest, I was incredibly pleased with this book. Not only did it manage to shine light on a topic I barely knew about, but it also intertwined Filipino culture and daily life: food, family, class, gender and sexuality and most importantly: politics and history. I truly, truly learned a lot from this book. A brief introduction, (if you will) but an introduction that will definitely help to educate myself further on The Human Zoo topic and how much of a role it played on humanity´s history.
-------------------------------------------------------
Onto other aspects: the writing style fitted perfectly. It let you understand what was going on (the history and politics) without overcomplicating the plot which, was a bit chaotic to be honest, but ultimately really interesting to keep up with: the dynamics between the characters, what each of them talked about, Gumboc´s involvement, the daily life of these characters, everything.
I think mainly, my only complaint is that the plot sometimes distanced itself from some topics and the ending left me a *bit* confused. Aside from that, I´m still thinking about something I can´t really disclose due to it being a spoiler but that I can hopefully think in further detail and talk about some time after this is released.
Overall its a really interesting read and finally, I would just like to add that I would urge you to educate (in case you don´t or didn´t know) yourself on these topics.
March 23, 2021
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on August 10th, 2021.
Writing: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 4/5
An unusual (and engaging) book — the narrative felt so real I had to remind myself it was fiction, not memoir.
Filipino-American writer Christina Klein (Ting) travels back to the Philippines — ostensibly to write a book about an episode in Filipino history featuring a headhunter tribe’s role in Coney Island’s “human zoo.” A short year after the election of a dictatorial leader, Ting experiences the new Manila superimposed on the remembered culture and practices of her youth, which in turn are layered on stories and experiences from a more distant past as told through her historical research and the stories of her many elderly Titas and Titos.
The writing is fluid and provides fascinating linkages over time and class — her interactions span people with varied backgrounds, living conditions, and political opinions, from her aristocratic family to earnest socialists to those in the current circles of power. The dialog perfectly distills different perspectives and her ongoing reflection gives us insight into her personal journey to understand and evolve her sense of morality in a situation where nothing at all is perfectly clear. It’s masterfully done, IMHO.
As an aside, I learned a lot about Philippine history, although it is a backdrop to the story rather than a comprehensive presentation — 7,000 islands and 182 non mutually intelligible languages!
Some good quotes:
“Morality is the spine of fiction, even if it is most often twisted and deformed.” <— my fav
“They liked microphones and Spam. America’s streets and classrooms had instilled in many a sense of inferiority and in some a seething resentment at being brown in a white world. The Fil-Ams suffered from the shame of otherness, while Filipinos born and educated in the Philippines struggled with disdain for gauche American culture. In the States, we were all seen as being of the same tribe, but it was, at times, a flawed taxonomy.”
“This was to illustrate the colorful ways of the backward Filipinos and justify American’s occupation of the islands. Why exterminate all the brutes when you could display them and make a profit?”
“Inchoy watched me watching the children, and I felt my perspective slowly shift from mine to his: from my joy at the beauty of the children to Inchoy’s perception of forced child labor. He flicked his eyebrows at me to drive home the point.”
“Tita Rosa’s ambush resolved itself quickly: this was Manila and duty presented itself in clear, direct ways. Resignation was the backbone of survival here. Resistance only created anxiety.”
“The results of Gumboc’s presidency are that the poor live in fear for their lives and with reason. Gumboc’s army of assassins operates in a price per head economy and there is no due process. These people are murdered for money as part of a government-sanctioned program.”
Writing: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 4/5
An unusual (and engaging) book — the narrative felt so real I had to remind myself it was fiction, not memoir.
Filipino-American writer Christina Klein (Ting) travels back to the Philippines — ostensibly to write a book about an episode in Filipino history featuring a headhunter tribe’s role in Coney Island’s “human zoo.” A short year after the election of a dictatorial leader, Ting experiences the new Manila superimposed on the remembered culture and practices of her youth, which in turn are layered on stories and experiences from a more distant past as told through her historical research and the stories of her many elderly Titas and Titos.
The writing is fluid and provides fascinating linkages over time and class — her interactions span people with varied backgrounds, living conditions, and political opinions, from her aristocratic family to earnest socialists to those in the current circles of power. The dialog perfectly distills different perspectives and her ongoing reflection gives us insight into her personal journey to understand and evolve her sense of morality in a situation where nothing at all is perfectly clear. It’s masterfully done, IMHO.
As an aside, I learned a lot about Philippine history, although it is a backdrop to the story rather than a comprehensive presentation — 7,000 islands and 182 non mutually intelligible languages!
Some good quotes:
“Morality is the spine of fiction, even if it is most often twisted and deformed.” <— my fav
“They liked microphones and Spam. America’s streets and classrooms had instilled in many a sense of inferiority and in some a seething resentment at being brown in a white world. The Fil-Ams suffered from the shame of otherness, while Filipinos born and educated in the Philippines struggled with disdain for gauche American culture. In the States, we were all seen as being of the same tribe, but it was, at times, a flawed taxonomy.”
“This was to illustrate the colorful ways of the backward Filipinos and justify American’s occupation of the islands. Why exterminate all the brutes when you could display them and make a profit?”
“Inchoy watched me watching the children, and I felt my perspective slowly shift from mine to his: from my joy at the beauty of the children to Inchoy’s perception of forced child labor. He flicked his eyebrows at me to drive home the point.”
“Tita Rosa’s ambush resolved itself quickly: this was Manila and duty presented itself in clear, direct ways. Resignation was the backbone of survival here. Resistance only created anxiety.”
“The results of Gumboc’s presidency are that the poor live in fear for their lives and with reason. Gumboc’s army of assassins operates in a price per head economy and there is no due process. These people are murdered for money as part of a government-sanctioned program.”
March 5, 2022
The Human Zoo is a surprising novel, one that I feel is needed to shine a spotlight on the current state of the Philippines’ broken political system. The main character, Ting, is researching and writing about Timicheg and the Igorot people who were brought to the United States as part of a human zoo. The Philippines’ long and horrendous history of colonization provides context for Ting’s story in present-day New Manila. I loved this book because it was both charming and uncomfortably real, many of the characters felt like I was reading about my actual friends and family.
I had wondered about the choice of the narrator with Ting, but by the end, I realized that it couldn’t be anyone else. Ting is a likable yet frustrating character, she passionately condemns the horrible injustices taking place because of the current war on drugs, yet is apathetic toward the politics that run the country. She comes from a family of privileged elite, where she can comfortably float from one family event to the next, not caring about responsibilities after the implosion of her marriage. Her place of privilege is what allows her to be apathetic and even judgmental toward the people around her, including Filipino Americans despite being one herself. She is the perfect representation of the rich socialite families that hold immense power yet do nothing beyond living a life of luxury, ignoring the glaring issues that continue to plague the Philippines.
The Human Zoo is a powerful condemnation of the corruption found in the upper levels of Philippine society, directly confronting the inaction of the privileged elite and the ever-increasing disparity of wealth. It is a timely novel that dares to ask complex questions about Duterte’s current tenure as president beyond his notorious drug war.
Disclaimer: Received a copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley
I had wondered about the choice of the narrator with Ting, but by the end, I realized that it couldn’t be anyone else. Ting is a likable yet frustrating character, she passionately condemns the horrible injustices taking place because of the current war on drugs, yet is apathetic toward the politics that run the country. She comes from a family of privileged elite, where she can comfortably float from one family event to the next, not caring about responsibilities after the implosion of her marriage. Her place of privilege is what allows her to be apathetic and even judgmental toward the people around her, including Filipino Americans despite being one herself. She is the perfect representation of the rich socialite families that hold immense power yet do nothing beyond living a life of luxury, ignoring the glaring issues that continue to plague the Philippines.
The Human Zoo is a powerful condemnation of the corruption found in the upper levels of Philippine society, directly confronting the inaction of the privileged elite and the ever-increasing disparity of wealth. It is a timely novel that dares to ask complex questions about Duterte’s current tenure as president beyond his notorious drug war.
Disclaimer: Received a copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley
February 13, 2021
I really loved the writing style of this one. I did find it was slow moving in the beginning, but the descriptions of the Philippines and the food and Ting's family were detailed and beautifully written, so the story held my attention long before the plot took a turn to the more dramatic events.
It may have been slow moving in the beginning, but once it picks up, wow, do things ever start to happen.
All in all a really great read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! :)
It may have been slow moving in the beginning, but once it picks up, wow, do things ever start to happen.
All in all a really great read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! :)
January 29, 2025
slow to start but very enjoyable. the narrator, ting, has this dry but genuine voice throughout that made her feel quite endearing. she’s wishy-washy and can’t commit to anything, so you learn more about her through the actions and dialogue of others than from any observation she has about herself. several important topics are discussed in the first quarter of the book, and i was curious to see how they would all intertwine throughout the rest of the story. luckily, i was very impressed by the way everything came together in the end. speaking of the end… what a ride!!! the last quarter-to-third of the book is a complete page turner with plenty of whiplash. i literally gasped outloud three seperate times during the last 10 pages alone.
this was my first book for filipino-american history month and it did not disappoint!!!! literature with filipino characters and culture by filipino authors is such a joy to read. food i love and terms of endearment being used in books is a rare excitement for me. also… i was only the second person who has checked this book (at least this copy) out from my library so now i have to make sure other people read it…
this was my first book for filipino-american history month and it did not disappoint!!!! literature with filipino characters and culture by filipino authors is such a joy to read. food i love and terms of endearment being used in books is a rare excitement for me. also… i was only the second person who has checked this book (at least this copy) out from my library so now i have to make sure other people read it…
August 15, 2021
The title of this book is misleading. The actual book isn't what it claims to be, a woman who travels to the Philippines to "research for a biography of Timicheg, an indigenous Filipino brought to America at the start of 20th century to be exhibited as part of a 'human zoo." What it actually is, is boring.
The writing isn't bad but I couldn't give it 3 stars because I actually like something about the books I give that rating to. This was so luke warm that it left me feeling a frustration that slowly grew into dislike.
The writing isn't bad but I couldn't give it 3 stars because I actually like something about the books I give that rating to. This was so luke warm that it left me feeling a frustration that slowly grew into dislike.
July 29, 2023
I would have liked to learn more about the human zoo since it's the title of the book. Instead the book is mostly about the main character's divorce, going back home, writer's block, and reuniting with an old boyfriend.
May 6, 2022
I think the setting and cultural grounding in this book was incredibly strong—I could have read an entire book about recently separated, apathetic Ting landing in the arms of well-meaning aunts while she works on her book and finds herself, against her better judgement, entangled with Chet. Sticky Manila heat and well-heeled echelons shot through with mounting political tension.
But, it felt like the book started in the wrong place. The dynamic that I described above is well represented, but there are so many other things that aren’t given enough time or energy to really take off in this book. The mystery of Laird (and the further mystery of his faked death), Chet’s true involvement with Gumboc, Ting’s book on The Human Zoo, etc. I expected the theme of the Human Zoo/what Ting researches about Timicheg to tie in a little more clearly than it does. I feel like we had only just hit the major turning point of the book—Ting discovering Chet with Gumboc, Inchoy’s assassination attempt—in the last few pages.
I felt really compelled by Ting as a character, but there just wasn’t enough here.
But, it felt like the book started in the wrong place. The dynamic that I described above is well represented, but there are so many other things that aren’t given enough time or energy to really take off in this book. The mystery of Laird (and the further mystery of his faked death), Chet’s true involvement with Gumboc, Ting’s book on The Human Zoo, etc. I expected the theme of the Human Zoo/what Ting researches about Timicheg to tie in a little more clearly than it does. I feel like we had only just hit the major turning point of the book—Ting discovering Chet with Gumboc, Inchoy’s assassination attempt—in the last few pages.
I felt really compelled by Ting as a character, but there just wasn’t enough here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2022
An Absolute Page Turner!
August 5, 2021
Ting's marriage has fallen apart and her writing has stalled so she opts to travel back to the Philippines where she finds things very much changed since the election of Copo Gumboc as President. Ostensibly researching the ways that Philippine citizens were exploited in human zoos in the US and elsewhere, she finds herself instead caught up in daily life and family drama. Her family is privileged but that doesn't keep them safe from the autocracy and demagoguery. Murray's packed a lot into a slim volume but it's a rewarding read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Good characters and terrific atmospherics.
July 22, 2023
2.5 stars
There were some interesting moments in this novel, but mostly it meandered along without direction. The narrator is also an obtuse, somewhat spineless person who doesn't make for a compelling protagonist. I think with a different narrative structure and maybe even point of view, this could have been a story worth telling (maybe one that actually approached the 'human zoo' as something other than a catchphrase)
There were some interesting moments in this novel, but mostly it meandered along without direction. The narrator is also an obtuse, somewhat spineless person who doesn't make for a compelling protagonist. I think with a different narrative structure and maybe even point of view, this could have been a story worth telling (maybe one that actually approached the 'human zoo' as something other than a catchphrase)
June 9, 2023
The MC was very immature and seemed more like a 20something than a 49yo woman. I also found her dull in spite of a setting I was very curious about and an interesting family.
August 15, 2024
I've been to a government building thrice within two weeks, in which I have waited a total of seven hours. In those seven hours, I read this book. I am starting with this information since I feel it gives a bit of context to my review. I don't usually read books like this and this was shelved in my "maybe want to read" pile. I checked it out after seeing it was available since I'm currently waiting on hopes for three books I want to read. I wasn't sure if I was really going to read it, though. I would meander through the first couple of pages to see what was going on before I drifted off.
And then I was stuck waiting. With this particular building stuck in the middle of dead spot, so no WiFi. All I had was this book that has already been downloaded offline.
It's hard for me to make an objective review since this book just isn't really what I typically check out. I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone, and this sounded pretty interesting. A sort of "slice-of-life" book about a woman moving to the Philippines after an impending divorce and staying with her great aunt, who lives and aristocratic lifestyle. There is an undercurrent story of the main character, Christina (often called Ting) is trying to finish a book centered around the subject of an indigenous chef and his people who were taken in order to be part of a touring "human zoo." Both of these things are the small bits of Ting's life that makes up the whole of her experience. The story is really an exploration of Filipino culture under a harsh presidential regime as seen through Ting's daily life; through her relationships, through the setting, and through Filipino history.
There's not really a driving plot force, which isn't what I'm used to. This is a heavily character-driven book, where we experience life alongside Ting. I didn't find it overly boring, though, like I do sometimes with these kinds of books. There were a couple of places where I began to skim, but never for too long. I wasn't skipping entire chapters or anything like that. My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the setting and the food. It really did feel like an authentic showing of Filipino culture. The passage I still remember in this book is the one about the flooded roads, where women took off their sandels in order to wade through the water. It just really stuck out to me, that imagery.
I find it hard to fault the book for the things I didn't like since a lot of it was really down to my own personal tastes. I do find the writing quirk of "characters have a conversation where neither really responds to the other and they just keep saying random, unrelated things" to be annoying regardless of genre. There were a lot of history exposition dumps, but I actually found them interesting to read so I didn't mind, but I do wonder if part of the motivation of writing this book was a chance for the author to flex their research that they've done rather then weave it seamlessly with the story.
My biggest complaint is really the ending. No spoilers, but the book really ramped up in the very last section and went into hyperdrive before ending extremely abruptly. It was one of those endings that gave me whiplash for how hard and fast it went. I really don't get the reasoning behind that. I suppose it was meant to be some kind of slow burn, which in retrospect, I can see and think wasn't too ineffective, but my least favorite endings are the abrupt ones.
That's pretty much all of my thoughts. Interesting book and even though it's different from what I usually read, I'm glad I took a chance and did. It was harsh, sometimes bleak, but the camaraderie of friends and family managed to shine through even the darkest of moments. That's an important lesson to take away.
And then I was stuck waiting. With this particular building stuck in the middle of dead spot, so no WiFi. All I had was this book that has already been downloaded offline.
It's hard for me to make an objective review since this book just isn't really what I typically check out. I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone, and this sounded pretty interesting. A sort of "slice-of-life" book about a woman moving to the Philippines after an impending divorce and staying with her great aunt, who lives and aristocratic lifestyle. There is an undercurrent story of the main character, Christina (often called Ting) is trying to finish a book centered around the subject of an indigenous chef and his people who were taken in order to be part of a touring "human zoo." Both of these things are the small bits of Ting's life that makes up the whole of her experience. The story is really an exploration of Filipino culture under a harsh presidential regime as seen through Ting's daily life; through her relationships, through the setting, and through Filipino history.
There's not really a driving plot force, which isn't what I'm used to. This is a heavily character-driven book, where we experience life alongside Ting. I didn't find it overly boring, though, like I do sometimes with these kinds of books. There were a couple of places where I began to skim, but never for too long. I wasn't skipping entire chapters or anything like that. My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the setting and the food. It really did feel like an authentic showing of Filipino culture. The passage I still remember in this book is the one about the flooded roads, where women took off their sandels in order to wade through the water. It just really stuck out to me, that imagery.
I find it hard to fault the book for the things I didn't like since a lot of it was really down to my own personal tastes. I do find the writing quirk of "characters have a conversation where neither really responds to the other and they just keep saying random, unrelated things" to be annoying regardless of genre. There were a lot of history exposition dumps, but I actually found them interesting to read so I didn't mind, but I do wonder if part of the motivation of writing this book was a chance for the author to flex their research that they've done rather then weave it seamlessly with the story.
My biggest complaint is really the ending. No spoilers, but the book really ramped up in the very last section and went into hyperdrive before ending extremely abruptly. It was one of those endings that gave me whiplash for how hard and fast it went. I really don't get the reasoning behind that. I suppose it was meant to be some kind of slow burn, which in retrospect, I can see and think wasn't too ineffective, but my least favorite endings are the abrupt ones.
That's pretty much all of my thoughts. Interesting book and even though it's different from what I usually read, I'm glad I took a chance and did. It was harsh, sometimes bleak, but the camaraderie of friends and family managed to shine through even the darkest of moments. That's an important lesson to take away.
June 12, 2021
(I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
The Human Zoo is not a tidy book- it's about a Fil-Am woman who travels back to the Philippines and avoids responsibility, while messy personal and societal politics play out around her. It reads as both a love letter to and criticism of the Philippines, specifically Manila, and even more specifically, the elite of Manila.
I'm not sure how to review this book, but here are my thoughts anyway, as best as I can put them together- Even though it felt, at times, that nothing actually happened in the story, it was nevertheless a compelling read, and full of complexity. Ting is simultaneously aware of her privilege and willingly blind to it. She's Fil-Am and has a lot of complicated feelings about it, especially as she considers staying in the Philippines while everyone assumes she will go back the the US. There is the whole Chet situation, which turns out to be even more complicated than it seemed. And through it all are scenes of everyday life for the well-off of Manila- drivers and trips and family and social cues.
Sabina Murray translates a few Tagalog words and concepts, but she doesn't translate everything, and she doesn't exoticize the Philippines. It's all presented as very normal, which seems to be becoming more popular in non-Western fiction, and I'm glad. I looked up what I wasn't familiar with, and I learned some new things.
Ting is not a proactive protagonist. I went back and forth as to whether I liked that, and I'm still not sure, but it needs to be said. She doesn't so much make things happen as have things happen around her. In the context of The Human Zoo, I think that worked, although I'm struggling to put together why I think it worked. It wasn't about her, even though it centered on her. It was more about Filipino society, and people who want to change it, and the system. She was the proxy by which those things could be explored, and her Fil-Am identity a way of making her simultaneously an outsider and insider. I worry this comes across as a criticism, but I think it was well done. However, I can see a lot of people getting frustrated with Ting, and the book in general, for that.
Gumboc seemed to be fairly transparently a Duterte expy. I can't speak for the accuracy of that, but the brashness and war on drugs and extrajudicial killings all seemed to point there.
Laird. I guessed part of where that storyline was going, but not the whole thing, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending in general.
As I said, this was not a tidy book, and for all its strong points, I feel somewhat unsatisfied. I don't need stories to be neatly tied up in a bow, but it feels like there was too much going on, and too much left open-ended. It was like real life, full of things that don't go anywhere and questions that are never answered. I'm sure some people will love it, but I wasn't the biggest fan of that element. That said, I'm interested in seeing what else Murray has written.
The Human Zoo is not a tidy book- it's about a Fil-Am woman who travels back to the Philippines and avoids responsibility, while messy personal and societal politics play out around her. It reads as both a love letter to and criticism of the Philippines, specifically Manila, and even more specifically, the elite of Manila.
I'm not sure how to review this book, but here are my thoughts anyway, as best as I can put them together- Even though it felt, at times, that nothing actually happened in the story, it was nevertheless a compelling read, and full of complexity. Ting is simultaneously aware of her privilege and willingly blind to it. She's Fil-Am and has a lot of complicated feelings about it, especially as she considers staying in the Philippines while everyone assumes she will go back the the US. There is the whole Chet situation, which turns out to be even more complicated than it seemed. And through it all are scenes of everyday life for the well-off of Manila- drivers and trips and family and social cues.
Sabina Murray translates a few Tagalog words and concepts, but she doesn't translate everything, and she doesn't exoticize the Philippines. It's all presented as very normal, which seems to be becoming more popular in non-Western fiction, and I'm glad. I looked up what I wasn't familiar with, and I learned some new things.
Ting is not a proactive protagonist. I went back and forth as to whether I liked that, and I'm still not sure, but it needs to be said. She doesn't so much make things happen as have things happen around her. In the context of The Human Zoo, I think that worked, although I'm struggling to put together why I think it worked. It wasn't about her, even though it centered on her. It was more about Filipino society, and people who want to change it, and the system. She was the proxy by which those things could be explored, and her Fil-Am identity a way of making her simultaneously an outsider and insider. I worry this comes across as a criticism, but I think it was well done. However, I can see a lot of people getting frustrated with Ting, and the book in general, for that.
Gumboc seemed to be fairly transparently a Duterte expy. I can't speak for the accuracy of that, but the brashness and war on drugs and extrajudicial killings all seemed to point there.
Laird. I guessed part of where that storyline was going, but not the whole thing, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending in general.
As I said, this was not a tidy book, and for all its strong points, I feel somewhat unsatisfied. I don't need stories to be neatly tied up in a bow, but it feels like there was too much going on, and too much left open-ended. It was like real life, full of things that don't go anywhere and questions that are never answered. I'm sure some people will love it, but I wasn't the biggest fan of that element. That said, I'm interested in seeing what else Murray has written.
July 1, 2025
Sabina Murray is a mature and compelling writer. ‘The Human Zoo’ brings out the talent evident in her ‘Slow Burn’ and to an extent her ‘A Carnivore’s Inquiry’. In ‘Zoo’ she enlarges on the upper-class mestizo Filipino-Spanish-American world of Manila and its multiple modes of involvement while remaining aloof from the ordinary Filipino and regions beyond Manila. Writing in the first person in the character of a journalist allows Murray to make an otherwise complex story readily understood at the same time as introducing moral and ethical dilemmas for readers aware of the nuances of that unique social environment.
Without relating the storyline, it is sufficient to state that educated middle class American attitudes are contrasted with those of the privileged class in Manila and their finely tuned skills of survival to retain influence and wealth. Serially introducing divorce, passion, love, sideshow ethnic exploitation, drugs, dictatorship, extra judicial killings (‘EJKs’ – to show the Filipino penchant for abbreviations and acronyms), beheadings, business compromises, ‘malling’ and infernal traffic, makes the novel read like real life in Manila.
If the story’s dictator President Gumboc is taken to represent the past President Duterte, the balance struck in some of Murray’s descriptions will ring true to informed parties. Unsavoury deeds sometimes produce social benefits, but the question remains whether the benefits are worth the cost. It is likely that culturally insular readers in the US or the West in general may find some of the novel’s equivocations test their own moral and political objectivity. EJKs were a tool of Duterte’s government, just as they were of Thaksin in his first PM tenure in Thailand; critics should remember that neither period was associated with reduced Western business or tourism in these countries. Some might even see current deportations in countries closer to home as a similar political action.
I found Murray’s style continuously engaging. Her mixed background is evident in her language and descriptions, of US mediocracy and boredom, of hypocritical Filipino social castes, and in adjectival references derived from Australia, including ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ and ‘Ned Kelly’. Such diverse cultural influences in her formative years give power to evocative images. Also related to style, I found the final chapter of ‘Zoo’ to be a sound and concise way of rounding off events in an unexpected yet wholly believable manner. Such things happen in the Philippines, and SE Asia in general. No doubt some reviewers will read their own worldviews into Murray’s work, but in my opinion that could detract from its realism. An outstanding novel that should be read by all who venture into these societies.
Professor Emeritus Lindsay Falvey
Without relating the storyline, it is sufficient to state that educated middle class American attitudes are contrasted with those of the privileged class in Manila and their finely tuned skills of survival to retain influence and wealth. Serially introducing divorce, passion, love, sideshow ethnic exploitation, drugs, dictatorship, extra judicial killings (‘EJKs’ – to show the Filipino penchant for abbreviations and acronyms), beheadings, business compromises, ‘malling’ and infernal traffic, makes the novel read like real life in Manila.
If the story’s dictator President Gumboc is taken to represent the past President Duterte, the balance struck in some of Murray’s descriptions will ring true to informed parties. Unsavoury deeds sometimes produce social benefits, but the question remains whether the benefits are worth the cost. It is likely that culturally insular readers in the US or the West in general may find some of the novel’s equivocations test their own moral and political objectivity. EJKs were a tool of Duterte’s government, just as they were of Thaksin in his first PM tenure in Thailand; critics should remember that neither period was associated with reduced Western business or tourism in these countries. Some might even see current deportations in countries closer to home as a similar political action.
I found Murray’s style continuously engaging. Her mixed background is evident in her language and descriptions, of US mediocracy and boredom, of hypocritical Filipino social castes, and in adjectival references derived from Australia, including ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ and ‘Ned Kelly’. Such diverse cultural influences in her formative years give power to evocative images. Also related to style, I found the final chapter of ‘Zoo’ to be a sound and concise way of rounding off events in an unexpected yet wholly believable manner. Such things happen in the Philippines, and SE Asia in general. No doubt some reviewers will read their own worldviews into Murray’s work, but in my opinion that could detract from its realism. An outstanding novel that should be read by all who venture into these societies.
Professor Emeritus Lindsay Falvey
November 21, 2021
This exceeds four stars for me - I really loved it.
1) The title and the story within a story was a historical fascination that is too little known and the people abused too little memorialized in the US. Yes, human beings from other nations were exhibited in zoos and expositions and amusement parks alongside the bearded lady. But also, at what point are authors who write about their heritage (dual heritage in this case) also exhibiting their country(men) for white readers? Is it exploitative? And also, are we that far removed from animals in our behaviors (nature red it tooth and claw and all that). Lots to unpack.
2) The main character is flawed, but also interesting. She's self-centered and lost, and in a common way that many of us have of enjoying our privileges even when we recognize that not everyone shares in them. She's also 50 (or nearly 50) and still has a sex life, which is practically revolutionary in literature
3) The focus on women is great - the Titas are running the show, and the quietly resentful and proud yayas, and the elegant mothers, and even the indulged nieces with their disturbing birthday parties. Inchoy is gay and has a trans woman partner. Meanwhile the husband is domineering, but diluted by distance and absence, the boyfriend seems to be an urban criminal, Tito is in an old-age home and the other main male character is a dog. The rest of the men drive the women around or provide muscle (I had a soft spot for Top Gun).
4) The plot hems and haws for a while but then rollicks to a close with real adrenaline and emotion for the reader.
5) It has real humor, in a sympathetic way, for the way things work in a country where stops for fast food are build into what is always a two-hour drive to go do anything, and where a dog might have the spirit of a dead uncle.
Sometimes the narrative stutters and drops off in what seems like an unfinished scene. I wondered a few times if my Kindle version was missing sections until I got the picture. The Human Zoo is a good metaphor but the lengthy expositions (book within a book) get tedious and then sort of go nowhere. There are a lot of Filipino words (foods etc) that apparently make the audiobook harder to follow (per friends). And Ting is self-centered (but aren't women allowed to be self-centered?). Altogether it really put off a good half of the women I read this with - you seem to either love or hate this book.
1) The title and the story within a story was a historical fascination that is too little known and the people abused too little memorialized in the US. Yes, human beings from other nations were exhibited in zoos and expositions and amusement parks alongside the bearded lady. But also, at what point are authors who write about their heritage (dual heritage in this case) also exhibiting their country(men) for white readers? Is it exploitative? And also, are we that far removed from animals in our behaviors (nature red it tooth and claw and all that). Lots to unpack.
2) The main character is flawed, but also interesting. She's self-centered and lost, and in a common way that many of us have of enjoying our privileges even when we recognize that not everyone shares in them. She's also 50 (or nearly 50) and still has a sex life, which is practically revolutionary in literature
3) The focus on women is great - the Titas are running the show, and the quietly resentful and proud yayas, and the elegant mothers, and even the indulged nieces with their disturbing birthday parties. Inchoy is gay and has a trans woman partner. Meanwhile the husband is domineering, but diluted by distance and absence, the boyfriend seems to be an urban criminal, Tito is in an old-age home and the other main male character is a dog. The rest of the men drive the women around or provide muscle (I had a soft spot for Top Gun).
4) The plot hems and haws for a while but then rollicks to a close with real adrenaline and emotion for the reader.
5) It has real humor, in a sympathetic way, for the way things work in a country where stops for fast food are build into what is always a two-hour drive to go do anything, and where a dog might have the spirit of a dead uncle.
Sometimes the narrative stutters and drops off in what seems like an unfinished scene. I wondered a few times if my Kindle version was missing sections until I got the picture. The Human Zoo is a good metaphor but the lengthy expositions (book within a book) get tedious and then sort of go nowhere. There are a lot of Filipino words (foods etc) that apparently make the audiobook harder to follow (per friends). And Ting is self-centered (but aren't women allowed to be self-centered?). Altogether it really put off a good half of the women I read this with - you seem to either love or hate this book.
December 25, 2021
I received a free advanced electronic copy of PEN Faulkner award-winner Sabina Murray’s most recently published book, TheHuman Zoo. I thank Ms. Murray, her publisher Grove Press, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am posting my review voluntarily.
I had not read anything written by this distinguished author prior to reading this interesting novel. The book’s protagonist is the daughter of a Filipino mother and an absent American father. After spending much of her childhood living in the Philippines, she moves to the US for college, marries an American, and settles into a career in writing and journalism. After publishing her first book, a successful novel, and while seeking a divorce, she returns to the Philippines ostensibly to do research for and write her second novel, also titled The Human Zoo. She intends the book to be about an indigenous Philippine leader and members of his head-hunting tribe who voluntarily go to America to be paid to be gawked at as part of a “human zoo.” However, she finds it difficult to concentrate and work and, after spending months in the Philippines, fails to write any part of her new book. Instead, she finds herself palling around with an old friend and rekindling a romance with her married high school boyfriend. Unwittingly she becomes embroiled in the corrupt politics of the Philippine dictator and his thugs. I will leave it open to other readers to decide whether Ms. Murray’s book title refers simply to her narrator’s book title or to something else.
I enjoyed reading this book and learned many interesting things about the Philippines, it’s politics, it’s society, and it’s background as a former Spanish colony that retains many Spanish influences. I was curious to learn about several characters’ lives and what befell them in this corrupt society. The narrative took a few interesting twists and turns among its short 300 pages, but the ending was somewhat predictable. The book is well-written, although I don’t believe it rises to the level of award-winning. I am interested to read Ms. Murray’s earlier collection of stories, The Caprices, that was the recipient of the PEN Faulkner award.
I had not read anything written by this distinguished author prior to reading this interesting novel. The book’s protagonist is the daughter of a Filipino mother and an absent American father. After spending much of her childhood living in the Philippines, she moves to the US for college, marries an American, and settles into a career in writing and journalism. After publishing her first book, a successful novel, and while seeking a divorce, she returns to the Philippines ostensibly to do research for and write her second novel, also titled The Human Zoo. She intends the book to be about an indigenous Philippine leader and members of his head-hunting tribe who voluntarily go to America to be paid to be gawked at as part of a “human zoo.” However, she finds it difficult to concentrate and work and, after spending months in the Philippines, fails to write any part of her new book. Instead, she finds herself palling around with an old friend and rekindling a romance with her married high school boyfriend. Unwittingly she becomes embroiled in the corrupt politics of the Philippine dictator and his thugs. I will leave it open to other readers to decide whether Ms. Murray’s book title refers simply to her narrator’s book title or to something else.
I enjoyed reading this book and learned many interesting things about the Philippines, it’s politics, it’s society, and it’s background as a former Spanish colony that retains many Spanish influences. I was curious to learn about several characters’ lives and what befell them in this corrupt society. The narrative took a few interesting twists and turns among its short 300 pages, but the ending was somewhat predictable. The book is well-written, although I don’t believe it rises to the level of award-winning. I am interested to read Ms. Murray’s earlier collection of stories, The Caprices, that was the recipient of the PEN Faulkner award.
Read
August 11, 2021This book was a slightly clunky but fascinating read. It picks up a lot in the second half, which is not to say that the first half didn't have its merits- I just found the writing to be a little awkward at the start. And while I appreciated the connection between Ting's research on "human zoos" and the events in the novel (as well as current events), I'm not sure the research excerpts added a ton- it slowed the plot down quite a bit. I think some of it needed to be there to for the comparisons to be drawn, and it's a very interesting viewpoint, but the excerpts could have been shaved down a bit.
Three things I loved about this book:
1. It has lot of history about the Philippines in general that I did not know and was very interested to learn.
2. There are excellent and unforgettable characters- from privileged Ting and her wonderful family full of equally spoiled but entertaining people, mysterious and complex Chet, socialist Inchoy, to ill-fated (mild spoiler) but lovely Bibo. And then there's Laird, who I'm still not sure I understand.
3. Twisted humor!!! A few examples:
"The air conditioner was off and the room had reached a temperature that seemed capable of poaching my organs."
"Preparing for an outing to Dad’s World Buffet, as with a colonoscopy, entailed a certain amount of fasting."
"I looked down at Morato, where the traffic inched along, like pork in an alimentary canal."
I was also able to add the excellent word, "prelapsarian" to my vocabulary because of this book, so my thanks to the author for that!
Lastly- I loved Googling all the different foods mentioned. Yummmm.
Thanks to Grove and NetGalley for the review copy!
Three things I loved about this book:
1. It has lot of history about the Philippines in general that I did not know and was very interested to learn.
2. There are excellent and unforgettable characters- from privileged Ting and her wonderful family full of equally spoiled but entertaining people, mysterious and complex Chet, socialist Inchoy, to ill-fated (mild spoiler) but lovely Bibo. And then there's Laird, who I'm still not sure I understand.
3. Twisted humor!!! A few examples:
"The air conditioner was off and the room had reached a temperature that seemed capable of poaching my organs."
"Preparing for an outing to Dad’s World Buffet, as with a colonoscopy, entailed a certain amount of fasting."
"I looked down at Morato, where the traffic inched along, like pork in an alimentary canal."
I was also able to add the excellent word, "prelapsarian" to my vocabulary because of this book, so my thanks to the author for that!
Lastly- I loved Googling all the different foods mentioned. Yummmm.
Thanks to Grove and NetGalley for the review copy!
October 15, 2023
[4.5] This is a novel made by and for FilAms. To the point where I would understand if non-Pinoys didn’t really understand/see the value of it, but it is what it is. I love Murray’s really intentional depiction of Manila social strata and really putting into context what privilege looks like in the Philippines. In particular, what privilege might look like for FilAms trying to insert themselves in the homeland in it’s current political context. To me, that’s the main value proposition of the novel.
But there is something to be said of the personal fulfillment of this novel. Ting is a well-crafted avatar for the in-betweenness of FilAms, a mestizo caught between growing up in the Philippines and the US, disaffected by her life in America but unwilling to set roots in an uncertain homeland, brimming with the desire of justice but constantly beset by the Filipino fatalistic.
It’s also all the little details the novel gets so right. It’s really comforting to read the word “reciprocity”, to see the shared experience of submitting yourself to relatives who have just the faintest of ties to you, to just have Tagalog written on the page with the expectation that it doesn’t need translating, to feel the melodrama of it all. There’s even a Chowking reference!
The plot is the weakest part of the book, as it is the only bit that did leave me a bit wanting. But even then, I just saw it as a medium for just creating a book that so aptly recreates the feeling of being FilAm.
But there is something to be said of the personal fulfillment of this novel. Ting is a well-crafted avatar for the in-betweenness of FilAms, a mestizo caught between growing up in the Philippines and the US, disaffected by her life in America but unwilling to set roots in an uncertain homeland, brimming with the desire of justice but constantly beset by the Filipino fatalistic.
It’s also all the little details the novel gets so right. It’s really comforting to read the word “reciprocity”, to see the shared experience of submitting yourself to relatives who have just the faintest of ties to you, to just have Tagalog written on the page with the expectation that it doesn’t need translating, to feel the melodrama of it all. There’s even a Chowking reference!
The plot is the weakest part of the book, as it is the only bit that did leave me a bit wanting. But even then, I just saw it as a medium for just creating a book that so aptly recreates the feeling of being FilAm.
February 11, 2022
It's such a miracle to pick up/listen to a book and in a few hours know something about the history or family situations or expectations in a country. And, yes, it states very clearly that it is fiction by the ISBN. Even so, there are currently three generations of history and experiences I have visualized.
Our main character is Christina, aka Ting, who has won the National Book Award; married and is divorcing a banker; lives in New York city and teaches at Columbia. Ting has three remaining elder relatives in the Philippines and a lot of other relationships. Jim has built a business empire including a heliport. "Tita" (Aunt) Rosa, now 90, known as the wise, collects rents, organizes. Dominica, "Dom," has family to tend to. There are lots of grandchildren who have governess care. The Sunday service fills the church. Transportation is a major problem of being crowded. Several storms are mentioned.
Their clan has married Americans and come and go from this country. Ting went to high school and college here. Her father is American. Ting has just written a n article for Vice magazine about President Gumboc, a "Duterte-like" ruler who has been responsible for the murders for 10,000 people.
I'll leave it to you to find out about the origin of the title and amazing stories of the multiple languages and characters.
Our main character is Christina, aka Ting, who has won the National Book Award; married and is divorcing a banker; lives in New York city and teaches at Columbia. Ting has three remaining elder relatives in the Philippines and a lot of other relationships. Jim has built a business empire including a heliport. "Tita" (Aunt) Rosa, now 90, known as the wise, collects rents, organizes. Dominica, "Dom," has family to tend to. There are lots of grandchildren who have governess care. The Sunday service fills the church. Transportation is a major problem of being crowded. Several storms are mentioned.
Their clan has married Americans and come and go from this country. Ting went to high school and college here. Her father is American. Ting has just written a n article for Vice magazine about President Gumboc, a "Duterte-like" ruler who has been responsible for the murders for 10,000 people.
I'll leave it to you to find out about the origin of the title and amazing stories of the multiple languages and characters.
January 4, 2025
Ting is an American Filipina who has just arrived at her aunt's house in the Philippines. Coming from a high-class family, she let us see this other side of the Philippines we usually don't see. A short visit to her country turns into months and we get to know Ting's friends and even a potential love match.
This happens in the middle of a turbulent period in the Philippines, marked by political unrest and crime, letting us see a more complex situation in the country and its effect on different social classes.
While the first half of the book starts slow, and with a narrative that seems to initially focus on the Human Zoon that Ting is investigating as a writer, the book gradually develops and shifts its focus to Ting's surroundings and the complexities of the humans who surround her.
Without giving away anything, I must say Murray does a good job intertwining all stories and guiding readers into the unexpected last chapters that I enjoyed very much.
I definitely recommend this book as a thoughtful exploration of human connections and the dynamics of social classes in a different cultural setting.
This happens in the middle of a turbulent period in the Philippines, marked by political unrest and crime, letting us see a more complex situation in the country and its effect on different social classes.
While the first half of the book starts slow, and with a narrative that seems to initially focus on the Human Zoon that Ting is investigating as a writer, the book gradually develops and shifts its focus to Ting's surroundings and the complexities of the humans who surround her.
Without giving away anything, I must say Murray does a good job intertwining all stories and guiding readers into the unexpected last chapters that I enjoyed very much.
I definitely recommend this book as a thoughtful exploration of human connections and the dynamics of social classes in a different cultural setting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2021
Christina "Tine" Klein, originally from the Philippines, lives in the US. She is presently going through a divorce and wants some space to think and get away from the drama. She decides to write about the government of the Philippines focusing on one of their leaders and goes back to her homeland. Her family is upper class so they enjoy some privileges. While there, she reconnects with one of her best friends who is a professor and an
old flame who is married and may be involved with some shady dealings. She also gets caught up with an American who is about to marry her cousin. Her research is going nowhere and she gets involved with trying to find out about the murder of her friend's lover, the involvement of her ex-boyfriend's in shady dealings, the disappearance of the American and of course, with the family dynamics..She has a lot going on and her husband keeps contacting her about the divorce.
A good look into the dealings of another country and the corruption that goes on.
old flame who is married and may be involved with some shady dealings. She also gets caught up with an American who is about to marry her cousin. Her research is going nowhere and she gets involved with trying to find out about the murder of her friend's lover, the involvement of her ex-boyfriend's in shady dealings, the disappearance of the American and of course, with the family dynamics..She has a lot going on and her husband keeps contacting her about the divorce.
A good look into the dealings of another country and the corruption that goes on.
June 1, 2022
3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
Insightful and resonant with the political climate in the Philippines. It's disquieting and very uncomfortable for me to read a book like this that so accurately reflects my own loved ones' casual justification of Martial Law in the Philippines, and the ways in which unjust and truly despicable political actions are twisted in order to gain public support. The secrecy, the fear, the underground and behind-closed-doors organizing, the confusion, and the misinformation under a government blazing a path toward dictatorship all find their place in this story that, on the surface, feels like such an ordinary story of Filipino family, expectations, and culture.
I didn't find the story as compelling as I had hoped it would be, but at around 75% it really picked up and the ending was dramatic but LEAVES YOU HANGING at such a critical moment and leaves you little to no hope for what is to come.. I have so many questions!!
Insightful and resonant with the political climate in the Philippines. It's disquieting and very uncomfortable for me to read a book like this that so accurately reflects my own loved ones' casual justification of Martial Law in the Philippines, and the ways in which unjust and truly despicable political actions are twisted in order to gain public support. The secrecy, the fear, the underground and behind-closed-doors organizing, the confusion, and the misinformation under a government blazing a path toward dictatorship all find their place in this story that, on the surface, feels like such an ordinary story of Filipino family, expectations, and culture.
I didn't find the story as compelling as I had hoped it would be, but at around 75% it really picked up and the ending was dramatic but LEAVES YOU HANGING at such a critical moment and leaves you little to no hope for what is to come.. I have so many questions!!
April 25, 2022
*book #5 for march buzzword challenge: locations
*thank you to libro.fm for this audio copy
I surprise myself but this surprised me—because the narrative didn't feel super clean and always relevant to a plot, but this scattered-ness paralleled themes of the book, and I like it when things do that.
This story follows Ting, a writer failing at both marriage and her research for a biography on Timicheg, an early 20th century indigenous Filipino who was exhibited in an American 'Human Zoo'. Ting returns to her upper class Filipino family as the realities of Gumboc's (read: Duterte's) presidency unfold around her. As she navigates the entanglements of identity and Filipino society and avoids her American commitments, the present asserts itself. Reality is insistent; it's complicated and difficult, and it won't be avoided.
*thank you to libro.fm for this audio copy
I surprise myself but this surprised me—because the narrative didn't feel super clean and always relevant to a plot, but this scattered-ness paralleled themes of the book, and I like it when things do that.
This story follows Ting, a writer failing at both marriage and her research for a biography on Timicheg, an early 20th century indigenous Filipino who was exhibited in an American 'Human Zoo'. Ting returns to her upper class Filipino family as the realities of Gumboc's (read: Duterte's) presidency unfold around her. As she navigates the entanglements of identity and Filipino society and avoids her American commitments, the present asserts itself. Reality is insistent; it's complicated and difficult, and it won't be avoided.
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