Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories

by Yvette Tan

Yvette Tan, one of the Philippines’ most celebrated horror writers, returns with her second short story collection. Two friends adapt in a zombie-infested Angeles City. At Luneta Park, a girl and a young tikbalang begin their journey to save the last moon. A brothel in Poblacion offers an expecting father pleasures he cannot resist. And in the titular story, an American unwittingly purchases a mail-order bride from the mystical island of Siquijor. From stories of youthful charm with supernatural twists, to provocative tales of unassuming humans willingly falling prey to creatures with manicured talons, Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories forms a panoramic view of the Filipino experience—sometimes humorous and touching, oftentimes dark and forbidding.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Anthologies, Adult

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

YVETTE NATALIE U. TAN is a Manila-based horror writer. Her works have been published in The Philippine Free Press, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Manila Times, Uno magazine, Rogue magazine, Story Philippines, and the Philippine Genre Stories, among others.

Her fiction has also appeared in anthologies such as Sleepless in Manila and Philippine Speculative Fiction II and III.

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Akin to a bloodied monster lurking underneath the skin of a beautiful stranger, See Ye Whore and Other Stories is a criminally underrated collection of fantasy and horror narratives inspired by Filipino folklore that surprised me with how much I loved/was horrified by it.

[Gerald The Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS!!!! I freaking love this!!!!

Waking the Dead by the same author is that cringey teenage photo of you and this -- THIS SEEK YE WHORE is your GLOW UP PHOTO!

I love all of the stories in this anthology!

Walang tapon!!!

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5/5)

This collection definitely gave me a lot to think about, but also left me scratching my head at times. Some of the stories, like Fold Up Boy and Seek Ye Whore, were really gripping. There was this raw, eerie energy to them that made me feel both unsettled and intrigued. I could’ve easily read a whole novel based on those. But then, there were others, like The Club and All the Birds, that just made me go, “Huh?” The endings didn’t feel as satisfying, and there were a lot of loose threads I couldn’t quite tie together.

What I loved was how the stories kept me on edge. Everything was unpredictable, and you never quite knew where they were headed. But on the flip side, some stories felt too rushed, and I found myself wishing they had been given more space to breathe. All in all, I enjoyed the book, even though most of the stories left me hanging with questions. Still, there’s something about Tan’s storytelling that sticks with you, even the weird bits!

[Jahnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome! I enjoyed all the stories. This collection highlights how Philippine folklore can be creatively explored not only for its magic and mysticism, but also for its eerieness.
The first section of this book is more for the tamed and general audience, PG-stuff that dwells more on mysticism and creative horror fiction. The second part is more for audiences who love dark, graphic descriptions and are prepared to be pleasantly horrified. Of course I love the second-part stories more: All the Birds, The Club, Dead Season (which reminded me of the TV series "From"), Her Room Was Her Temple, and Seek Ye Whore.

[Alianah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love evil sexy women and lesbian aswangs

[Jireh · Rating 4 out of 5]

a pretty solid collection all in all

3.75 (rounded up)

[ian without an e · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is okay but it’s nothing to write home about. The premise of the individual stories are interesting although some of them should’ve stayed in the drafts as they felt underdeveloped and bland.

I really liked The Last Moon since it felt like a celebration of the rich Philippine mythology while also featuring our distinguished folk creatures. All the birds is also a nice retelling of the aswang ritual. Lost Girl and Fold up boy felt more personal which I also appreciated.

The Club, Her Room Was Her Temple, and Seek ye whore all seemed similar, leaning into disturbing implications, yet also feel predictable if I’m being honest.


Demon Summoning Made Easy - 1 🌟
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Corpses - 3 🌟
The Last Moon - 5 🌟
Lost Girl - 5🌟
Fold up boy - 5🌟
Ronnie Joins the Band - 1 🌟
Advanced Demonology - 1 🌟
All the Birds - 5🌟
The Club - 2 🌟
Dead Season - 2 🌟
Her Room Was Her Temple - 3 🌟
Seek ye Whore - 4 🌟

Total 3 🌟

Favorite stories: ranked
1.) The Last Moonlight
2.) Fold up Boy
3.) All the Birds
4.) Lost Girl

[yanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

black mirror but make it filipino

[Sai theengineerisreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as part of Akdang Pinoy and Talk Bookish to me PH November 2024 book of the month and I enjoyed it as expected.

I am not a big fan of horror novels and short stories but surprisingly, I finished this in one sitting.

The Philippines is home to many lores, myth creatures, and superstitious beliefs that are perfect for a scary work of art and in Seek ye Whore, Yvette Tan compiled ten short stories revolving on character experiences that range from odd to eerie, stomach-turning to grisly.

[Ice M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started out strong, maintained the momentum, and kept me hooked through every story. Walang tapon.

[Paula M · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also read my review here!



Seek Ye Whore is the first book I’ve read by Yvette Tan and without a doubt, it won’t be the last. I still can’t get over how brilliant her writing is. I first picked up this book while traveling to Siquijor with a couple of friends last year, and it left such a mark on me that, even now as I write this review, I vividly recall the eerie, atmospheric world I was pulled into from the very first page to the last. The moment I read the introduction, I knew I was in for something unforgettable.

This book reads like a film, or better yet, a series. I’ll go so far as to say that it’s like Black Mirror vibes, but better. Yvette Tan’s writing is so crisp and vivid, you are no longer holding the book when you read it; you are inside along with the characters. Each story written contains a Filipino folklore element, which just made my reading experience better. Yvette Ta brilliantly transformed timeless lore and folk tales into fresh, modern, and darkly unique versions.

The collection hits that perfect balance: it leaves you wanting more, yet still completely satisfied. As I said at the beginning, Seek Ye Whore may have been my first Yvette Tan read, but it definitely won’t be my last.

Links: Instagram | Blog

[jhabelita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The gorier, the better

Average: 3.44

My rating per story:
1. Fresh Fruit from Rotting Corpses - 5/5
2. The Last Moon - 3/5
3. Lost Girl - 3/5
4. Fold Up Boy - 4/5
5. All the Birds - 2/5
6. The Club - 2/5
7. Dead Season - 2/5
8. Her Room Was Her Temple - 5/5
9. Seek Ye Whore - 5/5

[Betsy Mae Partosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting read and I was entertained story after story. I noticed how each one progressed from mild horror to extreme.

[Emmzxiee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings horror and chills!!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last two stories are five star worthy!!!

[Mark Alpheus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unapologetically Filipino. Highly recommended.

[Meeko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories are much more unforgettable and fun to read than the ones on Waking The Dead. So much gore and horror. You can actually see how the stories are well-written and has a wode variety of theme to discuss. It focused more on the horror fiction genre.

[Tabitha Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

parang ang sarap ng sisig nila ah 🍽️

[Margaux Kristel de la Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seek Ye Whore… seek-yee-hoar… Siquijor? Siquijor: both a city and a province in Central Visayas, Philippines. According to popular Filipino belief, Siquijor is best known for being the land of enkantos, mambabarangs, diwatas, and so many more Filipino superstitious beliefs that define a part of our Filipino heritage.

Legend has it that if you have an enemy, you go to Siquijor, seek out a mambabarang or witch and have her barang your enemy. Barang is basically a hex or a curse.

I digress with Filipino tidbits, Seek Ye Whore gives you a Filipino version of Love, Death, and Robots sans the robots. Therefore if this were Filipino it would be apropos to call it, “Love, Death, and Witchcraft”. The stories here would look perfect for a Netflix anthology series.

Tan delivers horror stories in a humorous and haunting manner. You as a reader will be confused if you want to feel goosebumps or laugh or laugh with goosebumps. If that was the end goal, Tan has definitely served!

Seek Ye Whore is a short and easy to consume read. Definitely a must to explore the Filipino culture more!

[eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
My first local book in a long time, Seek Ye Whore is a collection of short stories that packs a punch. I love how the author sets the scene and develops the characters so well, considering the short length of each story. Reading these stories almost feels nostalgic, similar to hearing the ghost stories I listened to as a child.

Standout stories: Fold Up Boy, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Corpses, Her Room Was Her Temple

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Corpses - 5⭐
The Last Moon - 4.5⭐
Lost Girl - 4��
Fold Up Boy - 5⭐ (fave!)
Ronnie Joins the Band - 2.75⭐
All the Birds - 4⭐
The Club - 3.5⭐
Dead Season - 4⭐
Her Room Was Her Temple - 5⭐
Seek Ye Whore - 4⭐

[Ara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

i love how these short stories were inspired by filipino folklore. being familiar with some of the words, places, and traditions made the experience enjoyable and comforting. it was also really creative how the author used these filipino creatures to reflect societal issues in the country.

i would've given a higher rating but most of the stories left me confused or ended on a cliffhanger.

i haven't read much filipino authored books, i'd still say this was a good read 🫶🏻

[Mx. Andy Feje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gagi, ang ganda! While reading, my face was either twisted in awe or scrunched in disgust (for good reasons siyempre!). Fave pieces are All the Birds (lalo na ‘yong kaba, kabadingan, char), Her Room Was Her Temple, and the title story Seek Ye Whore.

[Claudine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly amazing. Perfect short story proportions. Got me shook with my jaw dropping especially for Her Room Was a Temple story.

[Luisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was intense.

[Tiffany Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so creepy I love it so much!

[Krisha T · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a lot of great story ideas, but most of them needed to be fleshed out a bit more. The title story is my personal favorite ❤️

[Fati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent collection from Yvette Tan! Here are my top 3!!
- Fresh Fruit from Rotting Corpses
- Her Body was Her Temple
- Seek Ye Whore

Kudos to the author for these dark, unhinged, and insane stories!

[kwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 | second half was pretty much thr same in diff fonts. i did like most of them esp the last moon, fold up boy, the lost girl, and seek ye whore itself. some js didn't sit right with me. personally not a fan of short story collections, but this was a good read

[SaltandBleach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read books outside of my "go to" zones because of our office book club challenge so I ended up with this recommendation from Jane.

I just went through the regular motions at first and since there were too many to dos at home and in the office, I didn't get a lot of time to read even though I had this book with me daily. Safe to say, I took my time.

It wasn't until I was around the middle pages when I realized how charming this book is. The stories it had are the kond of stories we heard growing up. "Ungo-ungo". Hahaha.

I found myself looking back at my 11 year old self listening to these and other stories. It didn't even scare me at all.

Wonderful short stories which are nicely put together.

[fuzzy. ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

started this year's spooktober right.