Book Review: VOX by Christina Dalcher

Vox by Christina Dalcher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


"These words that I'm about to unleash, they'll never be absorbed. Each syllable, each morpheme, each individual sound, will bounce and ricochet forever... We'll carry them with us like that cartoon character who's always surrounded by his own dirt cloud."

Comparisons with Atwood's THE HANDMAID'S TALE are inevitable, but VOX has a unique spin on the dystopian patriarchy-on-steroids story.

If power comes from having a voice, what happens if women are legally only allowed to speak 100 words a day?

What makes VOX disturbing is that it describes a scenario that is all too plausible, given the rise of bigoted demagogues and the far right who believe quite literally in 1 Corinthians 11:3.

Rated three out of five stars for a few plot holes and a not-so-satisfactory ending. But still worth reading, if only to realize the danger.

"Think about what you need to do to stay free."

Many, many thanks to the Overseas Publishers' Representatives Association of the Philippines (OPRAP) for this awesome freebie, for attending their event during the 2019 Manila International Book Fair!



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Book Review: BEFORE EVER AFTER by Samantha Sotto

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Had an hour of free time to kill and I left my current read in the office, so I went inside the nearest bookstore decided to get this book based on how I've been hearing about the author and... Yeah... The gorgeous cover. 😂 Did due diligence and checked the Goodreads score, it was OK. So I went ahead and got it.

Huhuhu! I feel so bad that I wasted money on a brand new copy of this book. Decided not to waste any more of my time and stopped reading after 60 pages (20% of the book).

It reads like the worst of fanfiction. Not enough historical background. Weird, pseudo-witty dialogue that comes off as unnatural and forced.

I wanted so badly to like this book, it being written by a Pinay and all.

Will look for a secondhand copy of her other books, maybe she got better as she went along.

I hope.

:'(



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Book Review: DARK AGE (Red Rising # 5) by Pierce Brown

Dark Age by Pierce Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"A dark glass slides over the world.
I will never be the same."

Gory damn. This 752 page tome took over my life for a little over two weeks (lifting it was a workout unto itself!) but finally I have finished it!! And I am left feeling bereft at the thought that there is just one more book to wait for, until the end of this most epic of series.

The word "epic" is used too liberally, but in this particular case, it's too small a word to contain the magnitude of the entire universe Pierce Brown has created. And I now fear that he has spoiled this reader for any other sci-fi/ fantasy books, because this fifth book of his was an example of prime perfection.

By any measure of good literature (pacing, premise, stakes, etc.), this one scores at the highest percentile!

It was sweet agony to finish it, knowing I have to wait an unknown number of years until the next and last book comes out. But oh, how I look forward to re-reading the other books in the series! And I almost never re-read, so this is an indicator of how good this book is. I want to savor the witty repartee, the gory battle scenes, the twists and turns reminiscent of the best and worst of Greek gods and Roman emperors.

He makes a cast of more than thirty characters come so vibrantly alive, in all their pettiness, their cruelty, and yes, the majesty that each one is capable of. (And for the inevitable memory gap, thank Jove for the fanmade wiki at https://red-rising.fandom.com/wiki/Re...!)

Oh, if only I were a full-time academic so I could write a thesis about Pierce Brown's novels, and draw references between great classics and his! I predict that his novels will be included in THE CANON and will be studied fifty years from now in colleges and universities. I called it first!!

Do yourself a favor and start with Book 1 of the series right away. And never mind how long the other novels are. They're worth the investment.




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Operetta Review: PASSION (Philippine Opera Company)

Two Sondheim productions opened in Manila this weekend alone, with a third showing next month! Boy oh boy, it's a great time to be alive in this city, traffic notwithstanding!

Coming in to watch a Philippine Opera Company production, the average audience member already has high expectations. But this particular production will blow you away! Name a category and it. Will. Surpass. Your. Imaginings.

The glorious costumes unto themselves were worth the price of entrance already! But then you add the gorgeous music, the expressive singing, the efficient yet beautiful set... and certain shocking-yet-dramatically-necessary bits of directing and acting... and BAM!! It's a winner!

La Boheme meets Beauty and the Beast in this terribly relatable tale of love in all its forms: unrequited, ill fated, catastrophic, and redemptive. And since never did a human being walk the earth who did not at one time or another find one's soul lit brightly by a flame whose warmth was not reciprocated (aminin niyo!!!), every one will find themselves sympathizing with Fosca, the bookworm invalid who loves Giorgio, a handsome officer, who, for all his vaunted goodness, irritated some audience members for behaving so inconsistently... Like he was on a see-saw, veering from callousness to grace. To find out where he lands, go watch!

The lovely Shiela Valderrama had the entire audience sympathizing with her Fosca, while Vien King stole the females' hearts with his physique and "Prince Charming" tenor voice as Giorgio.

Although there were a few times when the live chamber orchestra overpowered the singing of particularly low notes, the overall experience was like bathing one's ears in a symphony of colors! For while it IS a Sondheim musical and therefore the songs might not be considered "catchy," they were certainly very beautiful...(Oh.So.Beautiful)... and PASSION-ately sung! 😉

PASSION runs until Sept. 29 at the RCBC Plaza! Go watch it to be reminded of the painful perils and powerful pleasures of that most inconvenient of emotions. Thank you so much Karla Gutierrez for bringing this show to Manila! Can't wait to see what POC will come up with next!

#POCPassion2019

Play Review: THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA (Dulaang UP)

A Dulaang UP production is always a special occasion. It could never be considered as mere "entertainment," it leaves its audiences disturbed and asks important questions of us afterwards. The first in their 44th season was no exception.

Featuring a strong all-female cast with the always fierce and awesome Frances Makil-Ignacio and bright star Stella Canete-Mendoza, the production (directed by Alex Cortez) had the audience enthralled with its harrowing plot of a widow, her 5 unmarried daughters, and the 2 staff who bear witness to the unmaking of a family. When does virtue become vice? Watch Federico Garcia Lorca's THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA either in English or Filipino to find out.

You can get tickets through Ticket2Me! Basically, you can pay for them at any 7-11. They run til September 29!

#dupbernardaalba
#dup44daluhong