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Book review: Bob Ong redefines love in latest book ‘Si’
"Maaari bang malaman ang iyong pangalan?"
"Victoria."
"Kailan kita masisilayan, Victoria?"
"Sa iyong pagsilang."
This is what's written at the back of Bob Ong's tenth and latest book, "Si," published last November by Visprint. It mainly talks about love and life, combining simplicity and profundity at the same time.
Perhaps the first problem readers of this book would notice is the order of how it's supposed to be read. "Should I read this according to the page numbers or according to the chapter order?" I've read the book both ways, and it pretty much makes sense however I read it. One may see it as a person chronicling his life story (if read according to the chapter order) or an old man flashing back through important events in his life as he celebrates his birthday. It is but interesting to note, too, that each chapter, from 0 to 72, seems to represent the age of the unnamed main character—and narrator, as it is written in a first-person perspective.
Mainly, "Si" talks about love, something that Bob Ong hasn't written about before. The author himself has stated: "Sa pananaw ko ay may sagradong tungkulin ang mga manunulat na magkuwento ng tungkol sa pag-ibig, isang beses sa kanilang buhay. Hindi lahat ay bubuo ng nobelang tungkol sa romansa. Pero walang makakaiwas na bumanggit sa damdaming nagbubuklod sa lahat at kumikilala sa pangangailangan natin sa isa't isa."
But while it may be "kilig" at some points, this is totally not a romantic novel. It tackles love in its different forms as one experiences them in his or her lifetime—Agape (love of God), Eros (romantic/sexual love), and Storge (familial love)—and how the main character and narrator experiences these kinds of love in the most turbulent years of both his personal life and of the Philippines. Some of the main historical events mentioned in the book were the Japanese occupation, the EDSA People Power Revolution, and the 1990 Baguio earthquake.
Who is Bob Ong?
The question still remains: Just who is Bob Ong?
Little is known about the author's real name, thanks to the fact that it's a pseudonym derived from Bobong Pinoy, a website he created and used to maintain. Contrary to popular belief, he is not Chinese-Filipino, and both author Charlson Ong and poet Paolo Manalo have denied that they are the person behind the name. So, sino ba talaga siya? As of this writing, at least, no one really knows.
His most popular work is "ABNKKBSNPLAko?", published in 2001 and made into a movie in 2014. Bob's other works include, but are not limited to, "Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino?", "Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas", and "Kapitan Sino".
Like his other books, "Si" is written in Filipino. However, unlike the conversational tone of his previous works, "Si" is written a more formal but colorful way. The author's use of the language can perhaps make even those who do not read Filipino books more easily paint a picture of the story in a heartbeat. Makulay at malalim ang paggamit ng Filipino, pero hindi pilit at korni, kumbaga.
I admit that it's personally tough for me to give a review without giving away the story. To sum everything up, "Si" is a love story, but it's also more than that. It tells in colorful detail a testimony of how profoundly love can work in a human being. "Si" redefines love, and brings it to a deeper level. Love, indeed, isn't just about romance. — BM, GMA News
"Victoria."
"Kailan kita masisilayan, Victoria?"
"Sa iyong pagsilang."
This is what's written at the back of Bob Ong's tenth and latest book, "Si," published last November by Visprint. It mainly talks about love and life, combining simplicity and profundity at the same time.
Perhaps the first problem readers of this book would notice is the order of how it's supposed to be read. "Should I read this according to the page numbers or according to the chapter order?" I've read the book both ways, and it pretty much makes sense however I read it. One may see it as a person chronicling his life story (if read according to the chapter order) or an old man flashing back through important events in his life as he celebrates his birthday. It is but interesting to note, too, that each chapter, from 0 to 72, seems to represent the age of the unnamed main character—and narrator, as it is written in a first-person perspective.
Mainly, "Si" talks about love, something that Bob Ong hasn't written about before. The author himself has stated: "Sa pananaw ko ay may sagradong tungkulin ang mga manunulat na magkuwento ng tungkol sa pag-ibig, isang beses sa kanilang buhay. Hindi lahat ay bubuo ng nobelang tungkol sa romansa. Pero walang makakaiwas na bumanggit sa damdaming nagbubuklod sa lahat at kumikilala sa pangangailangan natin sa isa't isa."
But while it may be "kilig" at some points, this is totally not a romantic novel. It tackles love in its different forms as one experiences them in his or her lifetime—Agape (love of God), Eros (romantic/sexual love), and Storge (familial love)—and how the main character and narrator experiences these kinds of love in the most turbulent years of both his personal life and of the Philippines. Some of the main historical events mentioned in the book were the Japanese occupation, the EDSA People Power Revolution, and the 1990 Baguio earthquake.
Who is Bob Ong?
The question still remains: Just who is Bob Ong?Little is known about the author's real name, thanks to the fact that it's a pseudonym derived from Bobong Pinoy, a website he created and used to maintain. Contrary to popular belief, he is not Chinese-Filipino, and both author Charlson Ong and poet Paolo Manalo have denied that they are the person behind the name. So, sino ba talaga siya? As of this writing, at least, no one really knows.
His most popular work is "ABNKKBSNPLAko?", published in 2001 and made into a movie in 2014. Bob's other works include, but are not limited to, "Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino?", "Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas", and "Kapitan Sino".
Like his other books, "Si" is written in Filipino. However, unlike the conversational tone of his previous works, "Si" is written a more formal but colorful way. The author's use of the language can perhaps make even those who do not read Filipino books more easily paint a picture of the story in a heartbeat. Makulay at malalim ang paggamit ng Filipino, pero hindi pilit at korni, kumbaga.
I admit that it's personally tough for me to give a review without giving away the story. To sum everything up, "Si" is a love story, but it's also more than that. It tells in colorful detail a testimony of how profoundly love can work in a human being. "Si" redefines love, and brings it to a deeper level. Love, indeed, isn't just about romance. — BM, GMA News
