If only this story can really be happening in the Philippines, I am sure that the incidences of crimes or maybe the number of unsolved crimes will decrease by significant levels. But I guess that would only be an advantage of a story, fictionalizing a Filipino setting. Everyday, we are exposed to an over doze of crime, corruption and chaos that I can barely associate the events, characters, the setting and the plot to our local setting knowing that what happened in the novel is a picture of what never happens in the country. The witty policemen and NBI, helpful politicians, smart priests/ investigators and up to date equipment and methods are mere fantasies in our country.
For me, the character and the setting of the story are detached from each other. It is just so good to be true. Although I appreciate this novel because it was written in a very good manner that it grips the reader until he/she is finished. I can say that this is a fact since a lot of my friends and classmates commended the novel on this aspect. Even my younger friends who are still in high school shared that they have read the book because of the consensus of their classmates that it is interesting. The story was successful as suspense, detective story because it really challenges the reader about the outcome of the story. The monologues at the start of each chapter have been very helpful in maintaining the interest in reading. It is acting on two directions; one to give a sneak on the coming chapter thus enticing the reader to read more, and another to open a passage to different possibilities to where the story can lead. The monologues strengthen the mystery in the novel that although it is giving a hint, it would still make you wonder. The story is a reinvention of a typical detective story because it was written in such a way that only after reading would you realize that you have read that or seen that somewhere. The novel has been effective in reaching out to the reader what is happening using simple English. Even the technical terms are explained in simple terms with credit for the author that it was also well researched and accurate. It is also good that the creativity of the author was reflected on the weaving of the story. It was weaved in an almost flawless manner that would link the previous to the next. This mechanism drives the reader to be continuously interested in the novel. It was simple enough but not to the extent of being a “pamigay” type of reading. There is a good balance of suspending the facts and telling the juicy parts.
I can also say that the title is creative because it does not directly provide you with the story. It is a thing I like with novels that the title itself would entice you to read the whole story. Not alone is it effective in inflicting appetite for one to read the novel but is also good in providing avenues for analysis. It embodies the story as a whole. When one would interpret what are the smaller and smaller circles in the story or why the title, the story would all be incorporated in the process of explaining it.
Another reason why the novel may be well appreciated and patronized in the Philippines is because of the rarity of this kind of works Filipinos can call their own. It even won a Palanca award. Maybe because it is a first of its kind with no competitors that we see it as a a good book. It is one of the very few attempts to write a suspense- detective story set in the country. It is trailblazing in the local literature.
What I observed to be lacking from this book are the real emotions felt by the people. I think it is important to make the reader feel than to dictate how the reader should feel. It may be that the author intentionally wanted to do away with such gory scenes that there was no detailed description of the procedure, the experience of the killer, the agony of the victim and other emotions. The procedure of the killing which should be an effective tool to inflict the reader with hate towards the killer and sympathy towards the victim was stated as mere speculations of the priests and the investigators. Presenting it in that manner would somehow lessen the intensity. The pain of the victims are also not mentioned. The only emotion projected in the story is anger felt by most of the characters. Through this, the author somehow directed the reader to feel hate and anger towards the killer.
On my own opinion I enjoyed reading the book because I have this mindset that what I am reading is fiction and it is intended to entertain me. But once we move out of the circle and try to relate the book to reality, there are different flaws that would eventually lead us to not believing at the story. Convincing the reader and placing them in your story are big indications that the story is very effective. It is like watching those “telenovelas” and we see the characters apart from the real actors. The characters are exaggerations; either very smart, good looking or super humans. While reading it, I observed the near perfect characteristics of the characters. Only few funny imperfections like an impacted tooth and ill temper. If we separate the elements of the story, we would see things as detached pieces because they barely have things in common. The characters are not so Filipino while the setting itself has confusions if it is really a Filipino setting. Although, it should be noted that the characterization and the definition of the setting are very effective and creative that you can clearly visualize the characters and the slum setting. Except for some inconsistencies, the characters would have been perfect. I wondered why the priests are so interested with a branch of science which would deal mostly on biology and anthropology, the sciences which gives much proof to evolution. It is funny that as workers of the church, they are studying it not the way they should learn it. Their identities as detectives/ criminal investigators are so detached from their identity as priests when they are doing things. There was no mention of them praying (or rare mentions) in any instance; or even bless the cadavers of the children. Even the choice of music is not aligned to their identity as priests. The response time of the police is also not very realistic. In the story, the policemen are responding immediately while in reality, it would take a longer time to do it. Even the investigations are fantasies for the NBI here in the Philippines, in the story, the investigations are accurate, up to date and in depth while the investigations of here in our country are based on outdated machinery, outdated methods, and educated “speculations”. One strong characteristic of the Philippine police portrayed accurately in the story is the reporting of the disappearances of the children as merely “missing”. It made me think that maybe those inconsistencies together with the imperfections of the setting and characters are intended to do a commentary. It is presenting the situation Philippines comparing it to better conditions of other countries when it comes to society and development.
I think the ending can be written in a better way. It is so illogical to approach the man in such a state. If they truly are smart and scientific, entering a wounded and bothered lion’s den would be suicide. They would have devised a better way to lure him out. The manner of the killer’s death is also disappointing for me. It made me think that I have read that long just to come up with a death like that. The author created a hate and anger build up in the reader and would end the killer that simple. It would have been more exciting if the death was of a more atypical cause like getting killed by rat bites or catching dengue. Even with the imperfections, I can still say that the story is an interesting one.
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