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Roles: A Not Quite Unreal Novel
123 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 28, 2011
"She kissed her husband goodbye on the mouth before jumping out of their car. It was a big, wet type of kiss."
Appearing on the third page, the sentence above tells readers what to expect in Carlos Malvar’s socio-comedy novel Roles.
Tagged as “A Not Quite Unreal Novel,” Roles is set in a fictional (or not) school named The Montessori of Asia and the Pacific, where the usual high school stereotypes abound, the Bitchy girls, the nerds, the athletes and, of course, the newcomer. The story begins during the beginning of the academic year, with Principal Prima Maadera inviting students to audition for a reality show set within the campus grounds.
One can simply enjoy the novel for its sheer mixture of realism and absurdity. Malvar has an ability to craft his sentences in such a way that his prose flows smoothly, allowing us readers to avoid the pitfall of having to reread a paragraph and lose momentum. The wordplay is deftly apparent, with punchlines provoking a chuckle or two.
The story’s real strength lies in its characters. Each student has his or her own problem that is given proper treatment one way or another. Olivia Pokangpokang Schaultz, for instance, elicits moral ambiguity as a student who has to work in a nightclub to pay for the bills. Standout among the males is Orestes Dizon, who has been secretly in love with Jason Lastimosa, a childhood friend. It is surprising to note that amidst all the ridiculousness of its façade the novel goes on to throw us real and contemporary issues of the Filipino youth. Their way of talking might not be close to reality, but their issues are. Readers can surely relate to some because what they undergo are real, and Malvar sure knows how to make each character’s problems as authentic and as Filipino as possible.
If one major criticism is to be given to the book, it is its self-awareness of being incomplete. It does not work as a stand-alone novel, and its last pages obviously acknowledges a cliffhanger ending that is continued in the sequel, Crash.
Roles is a novel that depicts a dog-eat-dog world, an environment where people have to find his or her part to play else face ostracism. It’s cheap, short and fun, and I recommend this to those who could not find the time to read something worth reading, but would love to. This is one of my guilty pleasures, and whenever I need a laugh or two I would go pick it up and read a few of its pages.
Appearing on the third page, the sentence above tells readers what to expect in Carlos Malvar’s socio-comedy novel Roles.
Tagged as “A Not Quite Unreal Novel,” Roles is set in a fictional (or not) school named The Montessori of Asia and the Pacific, where the usual high school stereotypes abound, the Bitchy girls, the nerds, the athletes and, of course, the newcomer. The story begins during the beginning of the academic year, with Principal Prima Maadera inviting students to audition for a reality show set within the campus grounds.
One can simply enjoy the novel for its sheer mixture of realism and absurdity. Malvar has an ability to craft his sentences in such a way that his prose flows smoothly, allowing us readers to avoid the pitfall of having to reread a paragraph and lose momentum. The wordplay is deftly apparent, with punchlines provoking a chuckle or two.
The story’s real strength lies in its characters. Each student has his or her own problem that is given proper treatment one way or another. Olivia Pokangpokang Schaultz, for instance, elicits moral ambiguity as a student who has to work in a nightclub to pay for the bills. Standout among the males is Orestes Dizon, who has been secretly in love with Jason Lastimosa, a childhood friend. It is surprising to note that amidst all the ridiculousness of its façade the novel goes on to throw us real and contemporary issues of the Filipino youth. Their way of talking might not be close to reality, but their issues are. Readers can surely relate to some because what they undergo are real, and Malvar sure knows how to make each character’s problems as authentic and as Filipino as possible.
If one major criticism is to be given to the book, it is its self-awareness of being incomplete. It does not work as a stand-alone novel, and its last pages obviously acknowledges a cliffhanger ending that is continued in the sequel, Crash.
Roles is a novel that depicts a dog-eat-dog world, an environment where people have to find his or her part to play else face ostracism. It’s cheap, short and fun, and I recommend this to those who could not find the time to read something worth reading, but would love to. This is one of my guilty pleasures, and whenever I need a laugh or two I would go pick it up and read a few of its pages.
November 4, 2014
I've written a 'short' review on paper...
but I'm too lazy to type it in. Well, soon... soon...
P.S.
Prepare to answer this question when I see you (very soon) Siege...
What's with themabahong surnames? Hahaha.
UPDATE: July 2, 2014
Read this book again for a certain 'project'
but I'm too lazy to type it in. Well, soon... soon...
P.S.
Prepare to answer this question when I see you (very soon) Siege...
What's with the
UPDATE: July 2, 2014
Read this book again for a certain 'project'
October 30, 2012
In an attempt to fill the void in the young adult genre of Philippine Literature, Carlos Malvar brought to us a very interesting plot that seems to breakthrough from the deviance of a normal teen telenovela presented in our country. Although, the plot, in its entirety, is a bit lackluster, what makes you stay to read more is the wide array of characters presented in the novel. Surely, there is at least one character that will hook your heart. Laughter, tears, and all that jazz that are experienced through the daily course of a teenager are in here.
January 15, 2016
Reading this book is a crazy ride. I can really relate to it, sometimes being in the jungle full of wild animals is way better that to be in high school where you have to watch yourself all the time. I like this book. Fast and easy to read, though the ending was a damn cliffhanger and I'm hoping that one reviewer on the sequel wasn't exactly right when he said that the sequel wasn't much of a continuation of the ending here :(
March 25, 2011
I was hoping Roles would be a more original answer to the Western young adult novels popping these days and I was hoping that I was getting more of my 150 pesos. I was hoping to be entertained. I shouldn’t have hoped.
The premise is promising but it is bombed with awkward phrases, improper choice of words, forced attempts at humor, and obvious pronouncements. Some scenes are also, too far-fetched from reality, which might make you think that the Not Quite Unreal tagline should belong to a videogame rather than a book that supposedly “tackles” the youth of today.
The only saving grace of the book was that it slightly keeps me entertained for a while, for the wrong reasons, but not for long. Reading the book was like reading a book version of TV5’s “Lipgloss.” Still, it’s a better purchase than its sequel “Crash.”
The premise is promising but it is bombed with awkward phrases, improper choice of words, forced attempts at humor, and obvious pronouncements. Some scenes are also, too far-fetched from reality, which might make you think that the Not Quite Unreal tagline should belong to a videogame rather than a book that supposedly “tackles” the youth of today.
The only saving grace of the book was that it slightly keeps me entertained for a while, for the wrong reasons, but not for long. Reading the book was like reading a book version of TV5’s “Lipgloss.” Still, it’s a better purchase than its sequel “Crash.”
October 13, 2012
One pageturner. I really love books like these. I love how an author can connect the dots. I'm weak at that. He uses all his characters very well.
March 27, 2020
I get why Siege wrote this book - written at a time when Gossip Girl was the in thing - heck it even inspired its own local rip-off, Lipgloss. But Roles/Crash was way better than that.
It was not bad at all. I love how it was fast-paced and how everyone gets a fair share of attention. And, oh, I'm a fan of that Jason-Ordiz-Voltaire sexual tension. Also, Mitch and her sense of rationality.
It made me miss my private school life, somewhat. And all its craziness.
It was not bad at all. I love how it was fast-paced and how everyone gets a fair share of attention. And, oh, I'm a fan of that Jason-Ordiz-Voltaire sexual tension. Also, Mitch and her sense of rationality.
It made me miss my private school life, somewhat. And all its craziness.
August 9, 2020
You must read thi! A reaally good, fun (really not boring), and enjoyable novella!
May 24, 2011
Challenges:
Book #115 for 2011
Book #115 for 2011
Read
December 18, 2013So realistic and so cool! I never thought Ordiz is a gay! I was expecting of OrMich love team. Anyway, thumbs up for this and I'm waiting for the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews