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كل جزري الوحيدة
في إحدى الليالي الهادئة تصل كريسانتا وفرديناند إلى جزيرة فلبينية في مهمة البحث عن عازفة بيانو عجوز للاعتراف بحقيقة ما حدث في أحراش بنجلاديش منذ عقد من الزمن، فماذا سيكون وقع اكتشاف الحقيقة؟
شخصيات العمل فريدة ومرسومة بدقة، كما تقدم المؤلفة وصفًا رائعًا للأماكن التي تدور بها الأحداث والتي تتوزع بين الفلبين وبنجلاديش؛ ولمحات عن الثقافتين الفلبينية والبنغالية.
شخصيات العمل فريدة ومرسومة بدقة، كما تقدم المؤلفة وصفًا رائعًا للأماكن التي تدور بها الأحداث والتي تتوزع بين الفلبين وبنجلاديش؛ ولمحات عن الثقافتين الفلبينية والبنغالية.
316 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
9 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
V.J. Campilan
1 book20 followersVJ Campilan is a content writer specializing in tech, science, and business trends. All My Lonely Islands was her thesis for her MFA Creative Writing degree, after which it won the Grand Prize for the 2015 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, the Philippines' most prestigious and long-running literary award. It also won the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award and the Gintong Aklat Award. It was recently announced as a finalist for the 37th National Book Awards (Manila).
All My Lonely Islands is currently available at NBS, PowerBooks, Anvil Publishing Online, Amazon & Kobo.
VJ resides in Manila.
All My Lonely Islands is currently available at NBS, PowerBooks, Anvil Publishing Online, Amazon & Kobo.
VJ resides in Manila.
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May 14, 2021لا تتعجلني...دعني أنفض عن يديّ الرمال الناعمة أولاً ومن ثم سأروي لك الحكاية..
على إحدى شواطيء الجزر الفليبينية البديعة جلست برفقة الكاتبة " فيجي كامبيلان" ..أمام المياه اللازوردية التي تلتمع تحت سماء زرقاء صافية..يتناثر بها القليل من السحب الكريمية الهشة..بينما يداعب النسيم وجهينا...كانت أمواج المحيط الهاديء تلعق أقدامنا ...وهسهستها تختبيء بداخل الأصداف لكي لا تتوقف الحكاية التي تشق طريقها للقلب دون عناء....
تبدأ حكاية الطفلة "كريسانتا" ولدت في "مانيلا" تخلت عنها أمها يوم ولادتها وقد تولى والدها رعايتها...
تأملت هناك وجه الطبيعة التي تفتنك بجمالها الساحر وجوهرها الذي يخبيء قوة مُدمِرة تتمثل في الفيضانات والزلازل والصواعق ...تُخلف وراءها أهلها مُنهكين بترقب الموت والتشبث بالحياة...
ذات يوم تنتقل هى ووالدها إلى بنجلاديش وعن طريق رحلات استكشافية وميدانية تتعرف على طبيعتها وعلى الثقافة البنغالية...
تأخذنا الذكريات إلى مرحلة المراهقة وصداقاتها ، والحبو بخطوات متعثرة لاستكشاف عالم البالغين...
الصراع مع الخوف...الوحدة..الإيمان..التعرف على الذات...
مرارة الخسارات وفقد من تحب دون اي سبيل لإنقاذه ، يترك المرء عالقاً بالذكريات إلى أن يأت يوماً يعجز فيه عن التذكر والنسيان معاً وقد بات العيش صعباً تحت ثقل الصمت..وفي ظل غياب الكلمات....
التداعي أمام سيل الذكريات الجارف ومحاولة النهوض واستعادة الحياة من جديد...
لقد توقفت الحكاية...فاختلست النظر إلى السماء الأرجوانية البرتقالية وهى تستسلم إلى الليل وهو يتسلل من وراء الكواليس...عندئذٍ نهضت لأنفض الرمال الناعمة ولم أكن مستعدة بعد لقول وداعاً.....
هل تعلمين ان الحزن يخرج اسوأ ما فينا ؟ او لعله يخرج أفضل ما فينا ...لقد علمني الحزن درساً جيداً....
على إحدى شواطيء الجزر الفليبينية البديعة جلست برفقة الكاتبة " فيجي كامبيلان" ..أمام المياه اللازوردية التي تلتمع تحت سماء زرقاء صافية..يتناثر بها القليل من السحب الكريمية الهشة..بينما يداعب النسيم وجهينا...كانت أمواج المحيط الهاديء تلعق أقدامنا ...وهسهستها تختبيء بداخل الأصداف لكي لا تتوقف الحكاية التي تشق طريقها للقلب دون عناء....
تبدأ حكاية الطفلة "كريسانتا" ولدت في "مانيلا" تخلت عنها أمها يوم ولادتها وقد تولى والدها رعايتها...
تأملت هناك وجه الطبيعة التي تفتنك بجمالها الساحر وجوهرها الذي يخبيء قوة مُدمِرة تتمثل في الفيضانات والزلازل والصواعق ...تُخلف وراءها أهلها مُنهكين بترقب الموت والتشبث بالحياة...
ذات يوم تنتقل هى ووالدها إلى بنجلاديش وعن طريق رحلات استكشافية وميدانية تتعرف على طبيعتها وعلى الثقافة البنغالية...
تأخذنا الذكريات إلى مرحلة المراهقة وصداقاتها ، والحبو بخطوات متعثرة لاستكشاف عالم البالغين...
الصراع مع الخوف...الوحدة..الإيمان..التعرف على الذات...
مرارة الخسارات وفقد من تحب دون اي سبيل لإنقاذه ، يترك المرء عالقاً بالذكريات إلى أن يأت يوماً يعجز فيه عن التذكر والنسيان معاً وقد بات العيش صعباً تحت ثقل الصمت..وفي ظل غياب الكلمات....
التداعي أمام سيل الذكريات الجارف ومحاولة النهوض واستعادة الحياة من جديد...
لقد توقفت الحكاية...فاختلست النظر إلى السماء الأرجوانية البرتقالية وهى تستسلم إلى الليل وهو يتسلل من وراء الكواليس...عندئذٍ نهضت لأنفض الرمال الناعمة ولم أكن مستعدة بعد لقول وداعاً.....
هل تعلمين ان الحزن يخرج اسوأ ما فينا ؟ او لعله يخرج أفضل ما فينا ...لقد علمني الحزن درساً جيداً....
March 7, 2017
Exceptional writing style, truly worthy of its praise.
This book won the Grand Prize for the Novel 2015 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for a reason. It is without a doubt truly worthy of that prestigious award. Now how to give the justice it deserves? I have zero idea, but I’m trying anyway. I have to point out first that this book is very well-written in all sense of the word. The words used in each sentences were carefully crafted so as to give life to the story. And though it was fairly a short read, it was a book that you need to savor. It is the book that you don’t rush finishing, but still ultimately look forward for an unadulterated time to be alone with it. It has this melancholic vibe to it that one can’t simply shake off. A book that will give you that sense of foreboding and as the story peaks up, you’re hanging on to every sentence leading to the inevitable end.
I truly adored how the story was written, it was a recollection of Crisanta’s life from childhood up to her teenage years in Dhaka, Bangladesh and all the events that transpired between then and the present times. How the main character was able to reconcile the demons of her past with her present self. And can we also talk about how the narration was so vivid and beautiful it is as if you are truly there in the story. Batanes, Dhaka and Sundarban were all described with such eloquence and impressive imagery. The author painted these places in such a beautiful light, without sugarcoating it. It was presented in the most realistic way possible and I think that contributed to the overall beauty of the book. All My Lonely Islands also highlighted a lot of Filipino cultures and traditions though most of the book transpired in Dhaka Bangladesh. A book I will definitely recommend to those who would want to know more about the Philippines and its haunting beauty.
Each character was unique – flawed, yes, but forgivable. Take for an instance Ferdinand, this troubled boy who didn’t have an easier life and was always living up to what people purports him to be. Oh that part when his parents found out that he was in trouble, the relief on their faces – because he was something they could define. Good god, that was a great explanation. I don’t want to reveal much of it, I wouldn’t want to spoil anyone anyway. I loved Ferdinand’s character, this may not be the same to others. But his character was the one who improved a whole lot. Crisanta’s character on the other hand was pretty consistent one, her character was the perfect depiction of every Filipino teenager, or every teenager for that matter. I was able to relate to her in more ways than one. And Stevan, how do I even start with Stevan? I wish there was more of Stevan. He was the character I wanted to know more of. He seems to be that boy who was also trying hard to survive each of his grueling days in high school, just as much as everyone else. Every character in this book was well thought out adding color to the story.
The subtle hints provided by the author in each chapter was enough to keep you going, enough to keep you interested. It wasn’t revealing everything at the first instance, there was the element of surprise and coherence. Every event was connected to the other. The side stories are also exceptional, like the one about Pobrito, man, that hit me hard. It was heartbreaking, ugly, depressing and yet I was so drawn to it, that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Who would have thought that this was only the first book of the author? It seems to me that she had been writing all her life to come up with something that’ll hit you hard, of something that is so thought-provoking you couldn’t help but pause and ponder on the words you just read. And if being a Filipino is the only association I can have with this author, then I am damn proud to be a Filipino. Filipino talents are indeed world class, this book is the proof of it. This book struck a special cord in my heart, I’m confident to tell (yes even just two months in the year) that this book will be included in my Top 17 Books of 2017. This book deserves to be read even once in one’s lifetime. Honestly the blurb didn’t give the book much justice. If I passed by this one in a bookstore and read that blurb, I would be curious, but not enough to be inclined to read it right away. I just wish there was more to the blurb, it wasn’t able to fully grasp the whole beauty of the book. This is the only issue I have with this book, but hey this is what reviews are for. So I’m really trying my best to persuade you guys to not just depend on blurbs. Take a chance on a book, take a chance on this one!
That ending was exactly what the book needed – it was a closure. I felt more satisfied than ever, I appreciated that it took its sweet time. Not one thing was forced, it is as if everything happened at its own pace, at its own perfect time. Everything culminated and unfolded into this simple yet profound tale. Im glad I have read this one, made me value life more.
This book won the Grand Prize for the Novel 2015 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for a reason. It is without a doubt truly worthy of that prestigious award. Now how to give the justice it deserves? I have zero idea, but I’m trying anyway. I have to point out first that this book is very well-written in all sense of the word. The words used in each sentences were carefully crafted so as to give life to the story. And though it was fairly a short read, it was a book that you need to savor. It is the book that you don’t rush finishing, but still ultimately look forward for an unadulterated time to be alone with it. It has this melancholic vibe to it that one can’t simply shake off. A book that will give you that sense of foreboding and as the story peaks up, you’re hanging on to every sentence leading to the inevitable end.
I truly adored how the story was written, it was a recollection of Crisanta’s life from childhood up to her teenage years in Dhaka, Bangladesh and all the events that transpired between then and the present times. How the main character was able to reconcile the demons of her past with her present self. And can we also talk about how the narration was so vivid and beautiful it is as if you are truly there in the story. Batanes, Dhaka and Sundarban were all described with such eloquence and impressive imagery. The author painted these places in such a beautiful light, without sugarcoating it. It was presented in the most realistic way possible and I think that contributed to the overall beauty of the book. All My Lonely Islands also highlighted a lot of Filipino cultures and traditions though most of the book transpired in Dhaka Bangladesh. A book I will definitely recommend to those who would want to know more about the Philippines and its haunting beauty.
Each character was unique – flawed, yes, but forgivable. Take for an instance Ferdinand, this troubled boy who didn’t have an easier life and was always living up to what people purports him to be. Oh that part when his parents found out that he was in trouble, the relief on their faces – because he was something they could define. Good god, that was a great explanation. I don’t want to reveal much of it, I wouldn’t want to spoil anyone anyway. I loved Ferdinand’s character, this may not be the same to others. But his character was the one who improved a whole lot. Crisanta’s character on the other hand was pretty consistent one, her character was the perfect depiction of every Filipino teenager, or every teenager for that matter. I was able to relate to her in more ways than one. And Stevan, how do I even start with Stevan? I wish there was more of Stevan. He was the character I wanted to know more of. He seems to be that boy who was also trying hard to survive each of his grueling days in high school, just as much as everyone else. Every character in this book was well thought out adding color to the story.
The subtle hints provided by the author in each chapter was enough to keep you going, enough to keep you interested. It wasn’t revealing everything at the first instance, there was the element of surprise and coherence. Every event was connected to the other. The side stories are also exceptional, like the one about Pobrito, man, that hit me hard. It was heartbreaking, ugly, depressing and yet I was so drawn to it, that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Who would have thought that this was only the first book of the author? It seems to me that she had been writing all her life to come up with something that’ll hit you hard, of something that is so thought-provoking you couldn’t help but pause and ponder on the words you just read. And if being a Filipino is the only association I can have with this author, then I am damn proud to be a Filipino. Filipino talents are indeed world class, this book is the proof of it. This book struck a special cord in my heart, I’m confident to tell (yes even just two months in the year) that this book will be included in my Top 17 Books of 2017. This book deserves to be read even once in one’s lifetime. Honestly the blurb didn’t give the book much justice. If I passed by this one in a bookstore and read that blurb, I would be curious, but not enough to be inclined to read it right away. I just wish there was more to the blurb, it wasn’t able to fully grasp the whole beauty of the book. This is the only issue I have with this book, but hey this is what reviews are for. So I’m really trying my best to persuade you guys to not just depend on blurbs. Take a chance on a book, take a chance on this one!
That ending was exactly what the book needed – it was a closure. I felt more satisfied than ever, I appreciated that it took its sweet time. Not one thing was forced, it is as if everything happened at its own pace, at its own perfect time. Everything culminated and unfolded into this simple yet profound tale. Im glad I have read this one, made me value life more.
December 31, 2020
Wow! I am so happy to have read this book and I am so proud of fellow Filipino, VJ Campilan. She nailed this one! A finely crafted novel, a remarkably well-told tale. All My Lonely Islands is a poignant story about people who are not only haunted by death but by life. It is a powerful meditation of forgiveness, regret, identity and redemption. Campilan's prose is beautiful and lyrical that rivets not only our attention but also our understanding and recognition of the past, of the what-ifs, of the choices we make. Though melancholy and loss haunt these pages, Campilan also supplies gentle humor and strengthening dose of hope. I imagined this to be adapted into a movie. How cinematic: from idyllic Batanes to metropolis Manila to the rickshaw capital of the world - Dhaka, Bangladesh. I finished this book quite fast than my usual pace. It is that good!
February 16, 2018
This book was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This is the Grand Prize Winner for the 2015 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awrds.
"All those lonely islands. They will keep afloat without me."
Finally, I was able to finish this book and it took me a long time to end this. I don't know why but I was afraid to end it. Maybe because I was not ready to know what will happen. I just want to savor the memories of this book. It has this vibe, that is so melancholic. The story was just beautiful, when you are being haunted by your past and you just want to make amends with whatever demons you have left behind. Coming into terms with yourself. I think that this book is just as good as it gets. It will keep you reading for more. This story is heartbreaking at times, for me most of the time but also it will keep your imaginations alive.
The book also takes you to places you've never been. Bangladesh, Batanes, Manila. It definitely describes the place beautifully and makes you want to go there and wander around. It also features different cultures since the story happens in different places. A good depiction of different cultures, breaking language barriers, traditions, etc.
The characters are just unique in each own. Crisanta's narration of the story was just clear and uncomplicated, the emotions she felt was really real for me, I can definitely feel all of the feels. Being Crisanta has reminded me of high school, tough times and all. But their experiences hones and haunts them. I bet it is hard going through life like that. Ferdinand on the other hand, his story gets to me, when they were young he is this boy who bullies other kids and he is so troubled that you won't even tell that he is also messed up inside. I now totally understand why he is acting the way he is. It saddens me really. The time he spills out his family's history to Crisanta on how he feels all the time, I felt the heaviness. I started to like him eventually after that. I feel that his actions from the start was really not the real Ferdinand and I am so glad to know why. When he was in the church talking to the Reverend, it makes me wanna cry and I don't know why maybe because somewhere deep inside I know that Ferdinand is a good person and he is just troubled and he needs help. Something in him is also vulnerable and it makes me want to tell everyone to give him a tight big hug right at that very moment. Stevan's story is heartbreaking but I wish there is more for him, more time so that we can see how it will turn out for him. Each of them is flawed in a different way, And I believe that in the end thay have redeemed theirselves and makes all the efforts to move on and live their life. Oh and that Pobrito story? It was so damn cruel and it really breaks my heart. The letter of Stevan's mom to Crisanta was just pure love, as I was reading it I felt the sincerity and just love from her.
And the ending is just so perfect, doesn't need anything. It is just the way it's supposed to happen. The last few pages keeps me sniffing and crying. Just be ready when you read this story it will definitely make you really feel. This book is beautifully crafted and maybe one of the best reads so far. It is heartbreakingly amazing. I would really recommend this book, though it's somewhat heavy and sad but really not all the time, it is that good. I cried with the characters too, I feel with them, I traveled with them and experience everything with them. It is good in a way that eventhough these things happened to them they still move forward, make themselves a better version of eaach other. Make amends with the past and hopefully forgive their past self. No wonder this book won a prestigious award given that this is just the first book from the author. A 5 star for me, it definitely lived up to it's expectation.
"All those lonely islands. They will keep afloat without me."
Finally, I was able to finish this book and it took me a long time to end this. I don't know why but I was afraid to end it. Maybe because I was not ready to know what will happen. I just want to savor the memories of this book. It has this vibe, that is so melancholic. The story was just beautiful, when you are being haunted by your past and you just want to make amends with whatever demons you have left behind. Coming into terms with yourself. I think that this book is just as good as it gets. It will keep you reading for more. This story is heartbreaking at times, for me most of the time but also it will keep your imaginations alive.
The book also takes you to places you've never been. Bangladesh, Batanes, Manila. It definitely describes the place beautifully and makes you want to go there and wander around. It also features different cultures since the story happens in different places. A good depiction of different cultures, breaking language barriers, traditions, etc.
The characters are just unique in each own. Crisanta's narration of the story was just clear and uncomplicated, the emotions she felt was really real for me, I can definitely feel all of the feels. Being Crisanta has reminded me of high school, tough times and all. But their experiences hones and haunts them. I bet it is hard going through life like that. Ferdinand on the other hand, his story gets to me, when they were young he is this boy who bullies other kids and he is so troubled that you won't even tell that he is also messed up inside. I now totally understand why he is acting the way he is. It saddens me really. The time he spills out his family's history to Crisanta on how he feels all the time, I felt the heaviness. I started to like him eventually after that. I feel that his actions from the start was really not the real Ferdinand and I am so glad to know why. When he was in the church talking to the Reverend, it makes me wanna cry and I don't know why maybe because somewhere deep inside I know that Ferdinand is a good person and he is just troubled and he needs help. Something in him is also vulnerable and it makes me want to tell everyone to give him a tight big hug right at that very moment. Stevan's story is heartbreaking but I wish there is more for him, more time so that we can see how it will turn out for him. Each of them is flawed in a different way, And I believe that in the end thay have redeemed theirselves and makes all the efforts to move on and live their life. Oh and that Pobrito story? It was so damn cruel and it really breaks my heart. The letter of Stevan's mom to Crisanta was just pure love, as I was reading it I felt the sincerity and just love from her.
And the ending is just so perfect, doesn't need anything. It is just the way it's supposed to happen. The last few pages keeps me sniffing and crying. Just be ready when you read this story it will definitely make you really feel. This book is beautifully crafted and maybe one of the best reads so far. It is heartbreakingly amazing. I would really recommend this book, though it's somewhat heavy and sad but really not all the time, it is that good. I cried with the characters too, I feel with them, I traveled with them and experience everything with them. It is good in a way that eventhough these things happened to them they still move forward, make themselves a better version of eaach other. Make amends with the past and hopefully forgive their past self. No wonder this book won a prestigious award given that this is just the first book from the author. A 5 star for me, it definitely lived up to it's expectation.
May 14, 2017
I took the author's advice and savoured every word of this novel. An eloquent and emotionally searing story of the complexity of relationships, of redemption and forgiving oneself. How fitting that I should finish it on Mother's Day. By the time I reached those last pages, it beautifully displayed the unconditional love we all receive, if not from our own mothers, but from our great God of infinite chances.
June 26, 2024
This is a story of a Filipino and an American
who were former immigrants in Bangladesh. They travel to Batanes, an idyllic island in the north of the Philippines. Their journey aims to uncover the truth about what really happened to Stevan ten years ago while they were still living in Bangladesh.
I feel almost guilty for not giving this a 5-star rating. All the reviews gush at how poetic and beautiful Campilan’s prose is, and it’s true. Her writing is impressive. Her ingenuity with words and figures of speech are captivating.
And yet, it is also dragging. And sometimes confusing.
The cover itself features a young girl who is seemingly levitating in the water. The blurb at the back tells of a secret. Is this a horror story? A mystery? A thriller?
It’s neither of those. It is in fact, a poignant and spiritual drama—a story of redemption and letting go.
There’s only so much pretty metaphors you can create in order to mask an otherwise mediocre story. It was also quite confusing because everything was so vague. The first 10 pages, I was convinced that Graciela was Crisanta’s best friend, that Crisanta was in her forties, and that Stevan was like a son to her. Stevan, in fact, was Crisanta’s best friend.
The timelines of the story was also confusing, alternating between past and present without clear transitions. It takes me a few paragraphs to realise, “Oh hang on, this is the present now.” We never really find out exactly what the score was between Crisanta, Ferdinand, and Stevan. Campilan constantly prompts the reader to read between the lines (or metaphors).
I did enjoy the journey this book took me on, from the Sundarban jungle to Batanes Island. The writing style is impressive, but I felt that the story itself lacked depth- I wish we saw more of the relationship between Graciela and Crisanta. Or the dynamics of Crisanta, Ferdinand and Stevan. I would not have minded even if it took another 100 pages or so.
Nevertheless, I am curious on Campilan’s other works, and would definitely still give her books a go.
3.75 ⭐️
who were former immigrants in Bangladesh. They travel to Batanes, an idyllic island in the north of the Philippines. Their journey aims to uncover the truth about what really happened to Stevan ten years ago while they were still living in Bangladesh.
I feel almost guilty for not giving this a 5-star rating. All the reviews gush at how poetic and beautiful Campilan’s prose is, and it’s true. Her writing is impressive. Her ingenuity with words and figures of speech are captivating.
And yet, it is also dragging. And sometimes confusing.
The cover itself features a young girl who is seemingly levitating in the water. The blurb at the back tells of a secret. Is this a horror story? A mystery? A thriller?
It’s neither of those. It is in fact, a poignant and spiritual drama—a story of redemption and letting go.
There’s only so much pretty metaphors you can create in order to mask an otherwise mediocre story. It was also quite confusing because everything was so vague. The first 10 pages, I was convinced that Graciela was Crisanta’s best friend, that Crisanta was in her forties, and that Stevan was like a son to her. Stevan, in fact, was Crisanta’s best friend.
The timelines of the story was also confusing, alternating between past and present without clear transitions. It takes me a few paragraphs to realise, “Oh hang on, this is the present now.” We never really find out exactly what the score was between Crisanta, Ferdinand, and Stevan. Campilan constantly prompts the reader to read between the lines (or metaphors).
I did enjoy the journey this book took me on, from the Sundarban jungle to Batanes Island. The writing style is impressive, but I felt that the story itself lacked depth- I wish we saw more of the relationship between Graciela and Crisanta. Or the dynamics of Crisanta, Ferdinand and Stevan. I would not have minded even if it took another 100 pages or so.
Nevertheless, I am curious on Campilan’s other works, and would definitely still give her books a go.
3.75 ⭐️
July 15, 2025
كل جزري الوحيدة
قراءة بهدف الاكتشاف و التعرف على أدب بلد آخر وكم فاجأني وفاق توقعاتي ..
تطرح الرواية فكرة ضياع الهوية في مرحلة حرجة من حياة الانسان هي فترة المراهقة و التي تتسم أصلاً بالتشتت والضياع والبحث عن بيئة حاضنة في حين يتجه الفكر والشعور للإكتمال يحدث هذا مع كريسانتا بطلة الرواية ويتكرر أيضا مع صديقها فيرناندو.
لا تعرف كريسانتا ماذا تريد من الحياة والعائلة والصداقة والعالم ككل.. تنطوي على نفسها وتشعر بأن كل شيء يعاديها بطريقة أو أخرى حتى الرب. ولكنها تأنس إلى أبسط الأشياء وتتعلق بما تحمله الأشياء من معاني مخبوءة لأن لها شخصية تأملية فرضتها عليها طبيعتها الحساسة كما ترك غياب والدتها جرحاً لم يندمل .. فيما محاولات والدها لجعلها فتاة صلبة تواجه شراسة العالم لم تثمر كثيراً طغى حبها للانزواء والرفض على شخصيتها.
الرواية يوميات تخاطب فيها روح معلمة الموسيقى والتي تركت أعظم الأثر في نفس كريسانتا وبقيت مدينة لها بالكثير ولكنها تبقى مؤرقة بسر عظيم تكتمه ويمثل عبئا ً ثقيلاً على روحها تحكي في تلك اليوميات كل ما لم تستطع في الواقع أن تقوله عن ذكريات طفولتها ومراهقتها وسخطها وكل همومها.
كريسانتا نموذج للإنسان غير المنتمي الذي يرافقه شعور الغربة مهما أحاط به الناس ومهما تنقل أو استقر يبقى بداخله نزوع للغربة عن ذاته وهو مكبل به للأبد و هو ما دفع بها للميل للتعبير عن ذلك بالموسيقى والكاتبة والتي بهما استطاعت أن تشعر بالهدوء والأمان وسط صخب مشاعرها التي لا تهدأ.
رواية جيدة جداً مكتوبة بلغة حميمية دافئة أعطتها طابع الاعترافات ..ولكن في جزء منها تبدو وكأنها رواية يافعين كما كانت الرسائل فيها واضحة بعض الشيء.. كان أسلوب الكتابة بديعاً واستطاعت أن تنقل صورة من حياة الأبناء في البلدان النامية من خلال الأحداث التي تدور في بلدها الفلبين وتمتد إلى بنجلاديش .
قراءة بهدف الاكتشاف و التعرف على أدب بلد آخر وكم فاجأني وفاق توقعاتي ..
تطرح الرواية فكرة ضياع الهوية في مرحلة حرجة من حياة الانسان هي فترة المراهقة و التي تتسم أصلاً بالتشتت والضياع والبحث عن بيئة حاضنة في حين يتجه الفكر والشعور للإكتمال يحدث هذا مع كريسانتا بطلة الرواية ويتكرر أيضا مع صديقها فيرناندو.
لا تعرف كريسانتا ماذا تريد من الحياة والعائلة والصداقة والعالم ككل.. تنطوي على نفسها وتشعر بأن كل شيء يعاديها بطريقة أو أخرى حتى الرب. ولكنها تأنس إلى أبسط الأشياء وتتعلق بما تحمله الأشياء من معاني مخبوءة لأن لها شخصية تأملية فرضتها عليها طبيعتها الحساسة كما ترك غياب والدتها جرحاً لم يندمل .. فيما محاولات والدها لجعلها فتاة صلبة تواجه شراسة العالم لم تثمر كثيراً طغى حبها للانزواء والرفض على شخصيتها.
الرواية يوميات تخاطب فيها روح معلمة الموسيقى والتي تركت أعظم الأثر في نفس كريسانتا وبقيت مدينة لها بالكثير ولكنها تبقى مؤرقة بسر عظيم تكتمه ويمثل عبئا ً ثقيلاً على روحها تحكي في تلك اليوميات كل ما لم تستطع في الواقع أن تقوله عن ذكريات طفولتها ومراهقتها وسخطها وكل همومها.
كريسانتا نموذج للإنسان غير المنتمي الذي يرافقه شعور الغربة مهما أحاط به الناس ومهما تنقل أو استقر يبقى بداخله نزوع للغربة عن ذاته وهو مكبل به للأبد و هو ما دفع بها للميل للتعبير عن ذلك بالموسيقى والكاتبة والتي بهما استطاعت أن تشعر بالهدوء والأمان وسط صخب مشاعرها التي لا تهدأ.
رواية جيدة جداً مكتوبة بلغة حميمية دافئة أعطتها طابع الاعترافات ..ولكن في جزء منها تبدو وكأنها رواية يافعين كما كانت الرسائل فيها واضحة بعض الشيء.. كان أسلوب الكتابة بديعاً واستطاعت أن تنقل صورة من حياة الأبناء في البلدان النامية من خلال الأحداث التي تدور في بلدها الفلبين وتمتد إلى بنجلاديش .
December 26, 2019
I didn't appreciate it at first because it looks like a memoir that felt too plain for me, but when it goes to its larger themes, I just can't take the book off my hands. This is indeed a wonderful work deserving of a literary award, and I hope everybody who journeys and struggles with faith and life finds this book.
December 27, 2018
“All My Lonely Islands” won the Grand Prize for the Novel in the 2015 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. How could I even dare to review a novel that won such a prestigious award? It is honestly an intimidating task but I’ll try. One of the Palanca Awards judges blurbed and praised the book for its “sparkling prose” and I agree with it 100%. The plot is pretty much uncomplicated and if I were to write the story, it would be just straightforward and be over by two pages. But Crisanta, the narrator, has an artful way of telling it. I am simply blown away by her beautiful way of expressing things. Crisanta is a self-proclaimed “weaver of words” but the truth of the matter is, she is just stalling. She is about to tell the truth but she is evading it altogether so she took time in telling, careful not to spill everything just yet and used enchanting and flowing words to conjure “ghosts, cobwebs, and sickly metaphors”. She puts up phrases to form “wispy things that can hold up an entire decade of recollection”. It’s like going down on a Pensieve, this magical basin of swirling memories in the Potterverse.
If you are looking for something to read with romantic fluff, stay away. Okay, I am not exactly warding off fluff readers because I am a fluff reader myself and I unexpectedly came to love the book. What I am really trying to say is if you are picking up this book, get your heart ready because it is a bit heavy. There is teenage romance, maybe even a love triangle, but it is all ambiguous and strange. I like the ambiguity and strangeness of it: no big declaration of feelings whatsoever, only furtive glances, only thoughtful acts. Then the rivalry between Ferdinand and Stevan is so restrained, almost psychological.
The overall tone of the book is unabashedly somber, the sound of a weary soul looking for forgiveness or redemption. Crisanta is almost always in an introspection. The story cuts between the past and present Crisanta who “hate each other”. She sifts through her memories from her childhood in the streets of Manila to her teenage years in Bangladesh in search for some meaning, for some reason why, after all those years, she is currently in Batanes about to face the mother of her dead bestfriend, Stevan. For an outsider, what really happened was just stuff high school urban legends are made of, but for the ones involved, Crisanta, Ferdinand, and Graciella, it’s a personal tragedy. Their grief and guilt are so palpable that flipping through the pages, the reader is not just an outsider anymore. The reader becomes involved and deeply affected as well. I swear I have this general gloom over me while reading the book even my sister noticed, “Ate, why do you look so sad?” And I sighed, “Well, it’s this book that I’m reading...”
It’s not all sadness. The book is interspersed with light, even laughable images, for example, try picturing a teacher riding a unicycle to school with one hand holding a mug of coffee and the other waving to the curious people in the streets. Crisanta’s childhood memories in Manila is a bit of a blissful nostalgia for me because we both grew up playing the same games and hearing the same stories about Filipino monsters or "maligno", as we call them. There are tender, heartwarming moments especially from scenes with Crisanta’s dad in it. I like her dad. He gives this Atticus Finch vibe to me, kind but just. The book sometimes smacks the reader with social commentaries, observations from Crisanta, backdrops for her story. The book even tries to be meta, “All those big words. Polished sentences. Musings about society.”
The ending is bittersweet. I was bawling my eyes out reading the last few pages. My tears are the tears of a sinner newly baptized in the Jordan River. Okay sorry, I’m just attempting to insert a biblical metaphor here because the book is scattered with it. Let me try in layperson feels: it’s being able to find hope in the ruins of a personal tragedy. As a reader, it’s like the book snatched my heart and made it heavy. The book is like, “Here, try carrying this heavy heart.” Then the book snatched my heart again, lifted the weight and finally brought it back to me feeling lighter than it was before. I still have the heart that I had at the start but it does not feel the same after trying on all those heavy weight. “All My Lonely Islands” is brilliant, I can easily declare it as a modern Filipino literary masterpiece. And I think it is very much worth reading, especially for those looking and advocating for #ownvoices books.
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If you are looking for something to read with romantic fluff, stay away. Okay, I am not exactly warding off fluff readers because I am a fluff reader myself and I unexpectedly came to love the book. What I am really trying to say is if you are picking up this book, get your heart ready because it is a bit heavy. There is teenage romance, maybe even a love triangle, but it is all ambiguous and strange. I like the ambiguity and strangeness of it: no big declaration of feelings whatsoever, only furtive glances, only thoughtful acts. Then the rivalry between Ferdinand and Stevan is so restrained, almost psychological.
The overall tone of the book is unabashedly somber, the sound of a weary soul looking for forgiveness or redemption. Crisanta is almost always in an introspection. The story cuts between the past and present Crisanta who “hate each other”. She sifts through her memories from her childhood in the streets of Manila to her teenage years in Bangladesh in search for some meaning, for some reason why, after all those years, she is currently in Batanes about to face the mother of her dead bestfriend, Stevan. For an outsider, what really happened was just stuff high school urban legends are made of, but for the ones involved, Crisanta, Ferdinand, and Graciella, it’s a personal tragedy. Their grief and guilt are so palpable that flipping through the pages, the reader is not just an outsider anymore. The reader becomes involved and deeply affected as well. I swear I have this general gloom over me while reading the book even my sister noticed, “Ate, why do you look so sad?” And I sighed, “Well, it’s this book that I’m reading...”
It’s not all sadness. The book is interspersed with light, even laughable images, for example, try picturing a teacher riding a unicycle to school with one hand holding a mug of coffee and the other waving to the curious people in the streets. Crisanta’s childhood memories in Manila is a bit of a blissful nostalgia for me because we both grew up playing the same games and hearing the same stories about Filipino monsters or "maligno", as we call them. There are tender, heartwarming moments especially from scenes with Crisanta’s dad in it. I like her dad. He gives this Atticus Finch vibe to me, kind but just. The book sometimes smacks the reader with social commentaries, observations from Crisanta, backdrops for her story. The book even tries to be meta, “All those big words. Polished sentences. Musings about society.”
The ending is bittersweet. I was bawling my eyes out reading the last few pages. My tears are the tears of a sinner newly baptized in the Jordan River. Okay sorry, I’m just attempting to insert a biblical metaphor here because the book is scattered with it. Let me try in layperson feels: it’s being able to find hope in the ruins of a personal tragedy. As a reader, it’s like the book snatched my heart and made it heavy. The book is like, “Here, try carrying this heavy heart.” Then the book snatched my heart again, lifted the weight and finally brought it back to me feeling lighter than it was before. I still have the heart that I had at the start but it does not feel the same after trying on all those heavy weight. “All My Lonely Islands” is brilliant, I can easily declare it as a modern Filipino literary masterpiece. And I think it is very much worth reading, especially for those looking and advocating for #ownvoices books.
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January 2, 2025
هالكتاب كان مفاجئة لختام السنة!
رهيف ورقيق. الترجمة رائعة والقصة تحمل خصوصية وعاطفة حملتني على الإنزلاق بين السطور بدون وعي): مشاعر الندم ومشاعر النضج ومشاعر ملعوطة ومخربطة ملئت الصفحات.
رهيف ورقيق. الترجمة رائعة والقصة تحمل خصوصية وعاطفة حملتني على الإنزلاق بين السطور بدون وعي): مشاعر الندم ومشاعر النضج ومشاعر ملعوطة ومخربطة ملئت الصفحات.
February 21, 2017
Why come back to this empty house, and this Manila with a strange face; the one I never knew? All those lonely islands. They will keep afloat without me.
December 29, 2017
An impressive story from a Filipina novelist. A must read.
December 31, 2021
The prose is beautiful, the descriptions authentic, the opening intriguing. It could have used sharper editing: there aren’t a lot of errors but a few towards the end are glaring and jarring. What drives the main character is unclear. I’m relieved, though, that the hints of romance in her life took realistic turns, that refreshingly love wasn’t provided as the easy resolution to her feelings of emptiness and doubt, nor was faith. I find Ferdinand’s transformation hard to believe but it does have enough foundation to be logical.
I have to admit that I was getting impatient at the lack of clear storyline, though, until the end of the fourth chapter, when Stevan appeared. From then on, I couldn’t put it down. Stevan is the heart of the book yet at the same time you can’t hate Crisanta for not falling in love with him, for it fits her passionless nature, plus it’s a pleasure to read about a boy-girl friendship that can withstand this complication for a change, without changing.
The real pleasure of this book is how it takes you to so many exotic locations, which are not just there as window dressing but fit excellently with the dramatic moments that occur there. All in all a beautiful book.
I have to admit that I was getting impatient at the lack of clear storyline, though, until the end of the fourth chapter, when Stevan appeared. From then on, I couldn’t put it down. Stevan is the heart of the book yet at the same time you can’t hate Crisanta for not falling in love with him, for it fits her passionless nature, plus it’s a pleasure to read about a boy-girl friendship that can withstand this complication for a change, without changing.
The real pleasure of this book is how it takes you to so many exotic locations, which are not just there as window dressing but fit excellently with the dramatic moments that occur there. All in all a beautiful book.
November 9, 2018
All My Lonely Islands is generally a worthwhile read for it resonates well to those who are still trying to figure out their scattered sense of self.
Two characters, Crisanta and Ferdinand, are well-rounded with gloriously espoused flaws which are the driving force toward the inevitable climax that will seal the bildungsroman's coming-of-age. The narration is paced between time periods (past, present), designed to appropriately fit with the emotional healing of the characters.
The POV shifts throughout the whole text. This is refreshing for it provides variation, however the shift to the second person ("you") sometimes unsettles me for I believe I was not able to invest well in Graciella, mother to the victim. Her character slightly pales in comparison to the others. Although the shifting perspectives is an admirable effort, I think the text could've survived even without second person POV gimmick. Maybe a second reading will enlighten me.
Two characters, Crisanta and Ferdinand, are well-rounded with gloriously espoused flaws which are the driving force toward the inevitable climax that will seal the bildungsroman's coming-of-age. The narration is paced between time periods (past, present), designed to appropriately fit with the emotional healing of the characters.
The POV shifts throughout the whole text. This is refreshing for it provides variation, however the shift to the second person ("you") sometimes unsettles me for I believe I was not able to invest well in Graciella, mother to the victim. Her character slightly pales in comparison to the others. Although the shifting perspectives is an admirable effort, I think the text could've survived even without second person POV gimmick. Maybe a second reading will enlighten me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2025
This book was part of a monthly book review with my friends and one of them chose this. To be honest, it's probably not the kind of book I would even lift off a shelf. That's why I'm so thankful I got the chance to read it.
I didn't check the synopsis before reading this so I was mostly clueless to what the book was about (aside from my friend saying it was set in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines). I didn't really know what to expect and I wasn't really expecting much to be honest - except maybe that the cover seemed very tragic.
Even from the first pages, I could say that I fell in love with the writing style - how the words were made to fit together in a seamless whole. That, in itself, kept me between the pages. It was maybe down the middle when the plot itself finally gripped me and I flew to the end.
This book elicited in me a lot of emotions and memories and its grip lingers even now as I type this review several days later.
I didn't check the synopsis before reading this so I was mostly clueless to what the book was about (aside from my friend saying it was set in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines). I didn't really know what to expect and I wasn't really expecting much to be honest - except maybe that the cover seemed very tragic.
Even from the first pages, I could say that I fell in love with the writing style - how the words were made to fit together in a seamless whole. That, in itself, kept me between the pages. It was maybe down the middle when the plot itself finally gripped me and I flew to the end.
This book elicited in me a lot of emotions and memories and its grip lingers even now as I type this review several days later.
December 3, 2022
"I hope you'll learn to drive your roots into a deep earth so that the fullness of your life will depend on no one".
I am willing to read and weed through 99 trashy novels if it would give me a chance to fine 1 novel as beautiful as this one.
Written in such beautiful prose that can instantly transport you into Crisanta's world. I loved every minute of reading this book and I wish I could turn back time and experience it the first time again. I can only ever hope that I can produce a gem of a novel like this in my entire lifetime.
I'd recommend it to anyone who I want to influence reading more Philippine literature! It's a whole experience.
I am willing to read and weed through 99 trashy novels if it would give me a chance to fine 1 novel as beautiful as this one.
Written in such beautiful prose that can instantly transport you into Crisanta's world. I loved every minute of reading this book and I wish I could turn back time and experience it the first time again. I can only ever hope that I can produce a gem of a novel like this in my entire lifetime.
I'd recommend it to anyone who I want to influence reading more Philippine literature! It's a whole experience.
October 18, 2023
This may be the best book I have read so far in 2023. This book is so well-written I would eat it if eating it would help me digest everything the author intended to deliver in this novel.
The writing reminded me so much of The Secret History and If We Were Villains (and I think that's part of why I loved it so much) but coming from a Filipino woman's perspective. The scenery and locations, you can almost feel, see, and smell through the prose. I loved the Filipino references especially Crisanta's jeepney ride and Stevan's love for telenovelas.
It makes me feel so proud that something this good is written by someone who came from the same place I was born.
The writing reminded me so much of The Secret History and If We Were Villains (and I think that's part of why I loved it so much) but coming from a Filipino woman's perspective. The scenery and locations, you can almost feel, see, and smell through the prose. I loved the Filipino references especially Crisanta's jeepney ride and Stevan's love for telenovelas.
It makes me feel so proud that something this good is written by someone who came from the same place I was born.
August 10, 2021
Campilan’s vivid prose is enough to keep your eyes open in this novel. Her words are engaging as she takes her reader back and forth from Batanes and Manila and the very unfamiliar land of Bangladesh. There’s that expectation once you first picked up this book since it has won the Grand Prize in Palanca Awards and it did not disappoint. Campilan’s eloquent writing deserved that prestigious award. She makes her readers ponder on the essence of grief, its weight and the lingering question on whether time heals the wound from our past actions, and what do we do to cope and live with it.
June 3, 2018
Beautifully written. It stirred emotions in me I never knew I had. Crisanta broke my heart, and then, gave me a new hope. Just like her farewell to Stevan and Graciella, I don’t think I can ever say goodbye to this book. “A lifetime of remembering,” like Crisanta said. I will definitely read this again someday.
September 6, 2019
4.5 I really liked this book but at the beginning I had a hard time understanding who "you" was. I couldn't figure out if she was breaking the fourth wall or talking to someone. As the book went along and that mystery was solved I really loved it. The characters and prose was amazing.
June 23, 2022
I love how all the anecdotes, no matter how "small", came together in the end (there's something about running...). To read this for the first time is one thing, but to reread this book again to savor its words--I expect that it would be another experience in itself.
November 19, 2018
i’m so wowed!!! omg!
January 4, 2019
Beautiful. Absolutely great storytelling!
April 12, 2020
I'm afraid I don't fit the target audience of this book.
May 7, 2021
I would highly recommend this to anyone. This book took me on a journey, broke and rebuilt me in just 200 pages. A very memorable read and is now one of my ultimate favorites.
June 14, 2021
With poetic prose, Crisanta’s story sinks its teeth deep into your heart and mind.
November 15, 2021
عمل جاء في الوقت غير مخطط له، اقتحمني دون انذار، وتركني وحيداً الآن.
عمل روائي رائع بتفاصيله💔
عمل روائي رائع بتفاصيله💔
February 10, 2022
كتاب لطيف جدا وعميق جدا. قصة ولوحة دقيقة تغوص في أعماق النفس الإنسانية وتصف كثير مما يجول بها. وتقدم فيها الكاتبة وصفًا جميلا ودقيقًا جدا عن الحياة في الفلبين وبنغلاديش
December 29, 2022
توجد حميمية في السرد والوصف بديع
August 6, 2025
such vivid storytelling.. i aspire to have this eloquence some day
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