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This was a fantastic read to follow up a trip to the Philippines for work. I loved the impetus to find out more about the pre-WWII colonial interactions between the US and PI, and the twisty integration of the past into the present through the lens of a modern filmmaker, as well as the way the past is never quite clear really worked for me. Really drives home the issues of how who tells a story determines what truths we learn from it.

I knew I was in trouble when the author took the time to rant about how it is unnecessary for the reader to understand what is going on in the story. Sharp points are made about the false relationships between the colonizer and the colonized. However, whatever clarity might be gleaned is short lived with slipping timelines and an over abundance of characters. Read it but don‘t expect to grasp the whole meaning in one go.

This book layers multiple narratives through it in a way that‘s very difficult to track on audio. You eventually learn at the end the origin of each narrative, but by then I was pretty checked out and didn‘t much care. I would have preferred a more simplified structure, as I am curious to learn more about the history of the #Philippines. Also, the audio narrator did Spanish accents for Filipino characters, which I didn‘t like.

#ReadingAsia2021

I have been celebrating the election results today by sleeping and ACTUALLY READING, but I didn't want to forget this week's #IntegrateYourShelf prompt -- especially since this week's is a prompt that I didn't manage to post last month!

The tagged book is on my TBR pile. I love learning about historical events through fiction, especially when it's told by the other side that my white, Eurocentric history classes didn't center.

A mystery author travels to the Philippines to visit her family and is approached by a filmmaker to serve as a translator and guide en route to Samar to scout locations for her planned film about the Phillipine-American War, but the mystery author has her own ideas about the wisdom of this venture. What follows is a fantastic dark comic meditation that addresses the question: if history is always written by the winners, what stories get lost?

#currentread
Just starting this one and this bodes well 😁

I‘m a sucker for a who-gets-to-tell-the-story theme. But this book is so much more than that alone - it‘s stories within stories within stories, a complex and challenging work by a brilliant writer. It‘s not an easy read and requires concentration, but it‘s unique enough to be worth the effort.

The end papers of this book about the Philippines (in a meta fictive nutshell) are stunning.

I‘m disappointed in myself for not giving this book enough of my attention. ☹️ I really struggled to keep up with the story. Because it was an ebook, I always read it in bed, before I fell asleep (my partner can‘t sleep with a lamp on). I find that I struggle immensely to focus on certain books at this point of the day.

No stars for this one because I think given the circumstances, I can‘t rate it properly, but for me this was a pan.

1. Tagged book I started in early March because of #womenreadwomen2019 but I am yet to finish! 🤦🏻‍♀️ The discussion for it fell the same day as my son‘s 2nd b‘day. I had no time to participate. Other books I‘m reading are The Rosie Effect & Virgil Wander.
2. Swing Time by Zadie Smith. I had to look on Goodreads for this one as majority of books I read are on my Libby app, so I don‘t see the cover regularly.
3. GREEN, of course! 💚
#weekendreads

"Insurrecto is a misnomer. Revolution is a dream.

The Philippine-American War is unremembered."

Beautifully written. Lyrical descriptions. Heart-wrenching. Guilt inducing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was too exhausted to muscle through and finish this meta historical fiction last night.
"Fortunately," my son decided he needed a mid morning (3am ???) feeding today, and gifted me a second chance to knock it out.

Too many novels came in for me at the library! And Black Leopard Red Wolf is taking too much time!

#WomenReadWomen2019 ReadAlong Chat is here! I only prepared two Qs for discussion. This book was difficult for me to read through. Quite a number of times, I was tempted to abandon it, but the fact that both my mother and husband are from Samar, and I spent pretty much my childhood summers in my mother‘s impoverished hometown made me stay with the alternating and layered narrative. I wonder how other readers made sense of it.

Repost for @GatheringBooks :
#WomenReadWomen2019 ReadAlong Chat is in a few days‘ time (last day of the month)! Do join the discussion, and let me know if you are keen so I can tag you. Tagged (in original post) those who have already expressed interest (or may be interested) in being part of the read along chat.

#WomenReadWomen2019 ReadAlong Chat is in a few days‘ time (last day of the month)! Do join the discussion, and let me know if you are keen so I can tag you. Tagging those who have already expressed interest (or may be interested) in being part of the read along chat.

Repost for @GatheringBooks :
March is upon us! Here‘s the schedule for #WomenReadWomen2019 at the end of the month. Fair note of warning, this is not an easy read. Finished it two nights ago and looking forward to discussing with you all! Do let me know if you want to join the ReadAlong Chat and will tag you!

March is upon us! Here‘s the schedule for #WomenReadWomen2019 at the end of the month. Fair note of warning, this is not an easy read. Finished it two nights ago and looking forward to discussing with you all! Do let me know if you want to join the ReadAlong Chat and will tag you!

Breakfast this morning with the gorgeous view of the jetty and Insurrecto. Travel with a book. #WomenReadWomen2019

Now back in Singapore. Admittedly, I did not have the time to read this as I spent practically all my waking moment at the pool while on our Overnight Valentine Break. Weekend read, then. 🧚🏼‍♀️📚💕 #WomenReadWomen2019

Bringing this book for our Valentine Getaway in Nongsapura, Batam, Indonesia. For our #WomenReadWomen2019 Read Along Chat in March! 🧚🏼‍♀️💕📚

📖 so quirky
❤️ Valentines
🍊 Orange
🤷🏽‍♀️ probably still Taylor since it‘s a gender neutral name
😍🥰😘💜💛💚💙🖤
#FriYayIntro

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WHAT a book. Double your knowledge (or confusion, if you‘re confused) with two narrators writing at least two different scripts - and the person you think is writing one script may not be - for a movie that is a sequel/correction/extension/exploration of pointless wars and rebellion and death, or colonialism and pointless death, or courage and stupidity, or fear and loss, of a “famous” movie about an insurrection in the Philippines. ⬇️

UGGGH I have had little time to read this weekend, but I *will* finish this so-far excellent book before the library snatches it out of my (cold from holding my phone to read the book) hands. I‘m like #4in48 instead of 24 this weekend. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

1. Tagged book - Insurrecto - and I‘ll add a couple in the comments.
2. Dunno, maybe Ravenclaw?
3. Binge watched three eps of Elementary last night! From maybe three seasons ago. I‘m behind!

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain good one! Love seeing what others are reading.

“What the f*ck is the point of knowing history‘s goddamned repetitive spirals if we remain its bloody victims?” From chapter 8 - A Film with a Void at Its Heart

This book is tremendous so far.

Finally started this (due in 3 days at the library, yikes), and the writing, the writing is captivating.

Loved this! It was maybe a little difficult to follow the plot, but the world and the writing and the characters were so good that I didn‘t find myself minding not being sure what was going on. It was so evocative and I felt I learned a lot about the Philippines, it was my first book set there and I‘m determined to read more and get there myskefnone day.

Random pic from the tournament of books longlist, I‘ve barely read anything about the Philippines and this looked really interesting!

I just downloaded two #tob2019 books for when I finish Midnight‘s Children! It‘s a long list and I don‘t think I‘ll get through all of them starting now (I‘ve already read some just coincidentally tho) but I‘ve been craving prize shortlists in the quiet time between Bookers. Very pleased to have a list again and there‘s some awesome books on it

If you feel like joining our #WomenReadWomen2019, feel free to share this as we are doing a #ReadAlong. Given what is happening to the world, I feel women should be read more - and these are lovely diverse voices to start the first quarter of the year with. A memoir written by a Native American, poetry from an Iranian writer, and a novel from a Filipino author. Will share updates by end of each month. If the books intrigue you, do join us!

Look what showed up in my Libby! CANNOT WAIT.

My own Jolabokaflod Book Loot this Christmas from ze husband. This does not even include my book loot from the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Malaysia. Now to find time to read ALL THE BOOKSES!!!

My library haul. That‘s a stick next to the books because I live with a 5yo.

I found the audiobook of this on #Hoopla, but the narrative of this book is complex so I would recommend reading a hard copy. A multi-layered story about two women traveling in the Philippines-a young American filmmaker and a translator. A central theme of the book is grief. Both women are dealing with personal grief, but there is also an examination of cultural/social grief in the face of colonialism and a particular massacre in the Philippines.

I mean seriously? This book is gorgeous!

Afternoon reading. 📚❤️📚

Seeing people‘s book stack pics is one of my favorite things about social media. And sharing them is fun too! Here‘s my haul from NEIBA this year.(I may be leaving my clothes in Rhode Island so that there is more room in my suitcase...) What here are you excited to read? ❤️📚❤️