The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan 7 comments

I think it's safe to say that I've never read a novel or any book like this before in the hundreds (if not thousands) of books I managed to get my paws on in the almost two decades that I've been reading. 

A nameless character tells the story of a relationship entirely in dictionary entries. There is no chronological order of events, no cohesive plot, no palpable characterization, only flawless narration of events, dialogues and feelings that delivers a story that is vague and nondescript but featuring settings and feelings that are all too familiar to most people who is and has been, at least once in their lives, in love.

Since the novel defies the usual paths of plot line developments, what makes this literary gem sparkle is its ability to lure the reader in solely by just the brilliance of its writing and the ideas and insights that comes with such situations universally common in almost all relationships.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan, an author who was introduced to me by John Green via their collaboration in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, is an easy, wonderful read. It will make you smile, laugh and tear up in different occasions in the less than 3 hours you will spend finishing it. It's a quick read, without overwhelming the senses, without pretending to be what its not. 

 It will make you think about your own life, its past and the future that lies ahead. It will make you love the concept of love, including the struggles and the bliss that comes with the territory. Because, what else is life for?

2013 Opening Remarks and the 19 Books of 2012 0 comments

So. The world refused to end last December 2012. I'd like to congratulate everyone for surviving yet another Armageddon. We are getting good at this, people!

First, I'd like to take this opportunity to beg for forgiveness to the 6 1/3 people who read this blog. I am sorry for being so busy these past few weeks months. Yes, this is me importantly bragging the existence of my hectic non-cyber life, please pretend to be in awe. Ha! 

But seriously, hospital work contracts come and go but this piece in the world wide web has been with me for years now and no matter how toxic my schedule becomes, mark my words: Orchestroscopy. Will. Live. On.

That said, let us welcome this new year with a scandalous and titillating post about the list of books I've read the past year. Year end reviews / lessons learned / new year resolutions that never survive past January will have to wait. This list is easier to write.

From the 34 books I've read in 2010 to the 18 books finished last 2011, here is my brand new spanking list for the year that was. It's not any better from the previous year and I have to admit, without some of the easily-read local titles, this is a worse year for literary achievements. 

(In chronological order of completion)

1. Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
2. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
3. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
4. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
5. Percy Jackson #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
6. Percy Jackson #2: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
7. Percy Jackson #3: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
8. Percy Jackson #4: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
9. Percy Jackson #5: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
11. Looking for Alaska by John Green
12. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
13. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
14. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Local titles:

   15. Ligo na U, Lapit na Me by Eros S. Atalia

   16. Naermyth by Karen Francisco

   17. 100: The Hundreds Project by UP Writer's Club

   18. Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo by Ramon Bautista

   19. Table for Two by Marla Miniano

I regret not being able to write reviews for most of these titles. I'm pretty sure I have more than enough thoughts to accomplish an easy write-up if only time (and laziness) permitted me. Now, however, I feel sort of challenged to devour as much novels (and write as much articles) as possible before June, where there is a 99% of me not being able to crack open a book that is not technically written and full of important sounding jargon. (More of that in the posts to come.)

You see, there is a difference of reading any other book and reading a novel. With novels, you see the beauty and brilliance of artistically written language. There is passion in those pages where written facts, diagrams and figures could never hope to achieve nor even come close to. I think this is what I'll miss the most with the path I am determined to take. But whatever the future may hold, at least I'll know, I'll always have words.

100: The Hundreds Project by UP Writers Club 2 comments

It takes 43 muscles to frown. 17 muscles to smile. 14, 17, or 35 muscles to kiss. It takes much more muscles to make love. It takes a wink to be noticed. A note to make the moment memorable. Or, a drink and a bed to make the night less lonesome. It takes six words to a story. 14 lines and a meter to a sonnet, but you know that’s hard to find. It takes 3 words to express what you feel. 3 words and a slap to know you expected too much. It takes 100 words to express why we all need love and should bother reading this book.

And it takes a trip to the 33rd Manila International Book Fair to take home this one of a kind collection of stunning literary works "expressing kilig to kirot and all points in between."

In elementary or even in high school, writing a 100-word essay may feel like a painful chore of physically extracting words from your brain but when writing becomes a hobby, a hundred words may feel like jotting down a measly phrase. That is why I admire the format and the works from this literary goldmine I almost didn't purchase because the few remaining copies were hiding behind boring looking books.

And what better theme to give such a format than the still undefinable four-letter-word everyone could relate to. Add to that a sprinkle of unrequited yearnings, passion and the gory details of a broken heart combined with a candid dash of sex, lust, and all the things the CBCP warned teenagers not to do, this compilation is a perfect mix of sweet and complicated which addictingly delivers what makes up young love today.

Here are (hopefully) non-copyright infringement, cyber-crime-law-fearful copies of my favorite pieces:

Full of poetic quotes and relatable lines readers would be dying to post on Facebook, Twitter and upload a lomofied snapshot of in Instagram (I am guilty of this), it's a shame that the book is not available in most of the leading bookstores nationwide. However die hard fans may check out this site for more information on how to get a copy:

http://www.panitikan.com.ph/event/writers-club-publishes-100-hundreds-project-now-available

"Be a period, a stop. Be the end of my every sentence. Cut me into sentences, paragraphs: the better for me to understand myself. Because unlike a comma, you will not let me run on. You will be my brake; you will make me make sense. Give me meaning and open me up to the world. You will ground me, and I will love you for it."

- No. 87 by Isobel Yap

Starbucks Inspired Shorts: Table for Two by Marla Miniano Book Review 0 comments

Every once in a while, everyone (at least everyone who reads for pleasure) needs a good novel to curl up to during rainy evenings under the cozy warmth of a comforter surrounded by familiar it's-so-fluffy-I'm-gonna-die pillows. 

The kind of book that reminds one of the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the yellow lights of somewhere classy but also laid back where people can sit all day and talk or just mind their own emo sentimentalities. The class of literature that makes one think of the pleasure of people watching and conjuring stories based on the looks and body gestures of two connecting individuals or a lone entity sitting by the windowsill watching rain droplets slide through the glass like a physical weather-related manifestation for all the uncried tears humanity has been keeping inside.

This is exactly what Marla Miniano's novel, Table For Two, felt like. Uncannily similar to listening to a good friend tell her story in detail over a cup of overly expensive creamy latte with pretty boy baristas blending frappe just a few feet away.

Made up of five interconnecting short stories which happen to collide in a serendipitous yet unassuming coffee shop beside a Korean grocery store, the novel is a treasure box for romance, angst and everything in between, told in a witty yet thought-provoking manner. There may not be stand out one-liners that readers could post on Twitter and on Facebook in an attempt to sound well-read and deep, but then the narration flows effortlessly and engages readers right from the very first page.

It is worth mentioning the 4th short story of the book entitled "This Closure". It is a gripping piece no doubt everyone can relate to and will be in awe of the raw yet unedited, hauntingly delivered emotions beautifully put together by melancholy memory montages and candid thought monologues.

All in all, even though the stories' connections to each other can be wrapped up a bit more neatly, the book is a delicious mix of familiar stories to keep one occupied in an otherwise another cold and dreary rainy evening. All you will need is the book, a good light source to keep the migraines away (side effect of being an habitual ebook reader), a cup of your favorite caffeinated hot beverage and you will feel like you're in the company of good friends and greater stories, perfect to keep the loneliness at bay.

Orchestr-o-meter: B

33rd Manila International Book Fair 2012 2 comments

For someone who has consumed books like daily vitamins for the past 13 years, how ironic it is that this is the first time I've attended the MIBF when they've been doing this for 33 years. Stalls and rows after rows of shelves filled with countless books of all shapes, colors and genres. I felt like (and the cliche goes) a kid in a candy store.

I had 3 goals in coming to the book fair. Not all of them were met but I did have a great time browsing through expensive-looking glossy covers and gawking at rare local published works I wouldn't be able to find in any local friendly red and white logo-ed bookstore.

First goal was to meet and greet and have the typical fangirl book-signing-and-picture with the resident internet Pogi Guy and my current brain crush Mr. Ramon Bautista (search the hilarious Tales From The Friend Zone videos on youtube and you will be hooked!) who I knew will be there at the PSICOM booth promoting his new book "Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo" together with Stanley Chi and Tado. Of course, me and book buddy Epi (who blogs at  http://soksay.blogspot.com/ ) arrived too late with already a bunch of other fans in line for autographs and picture taking and no more book copies available. I did get to take a picture of them having pictures with other people. I guess that's the closest thing I'll get to being a fangirl. Must photoshop these pics soon.

Looong line to Tado, Stanley Chi and Ramon Bautista's book signing table.

Second goal was to find some unique designs for bookmarks. Since I'm not fond of reading physical paper and ink books because I have to hold them with both hands and get up and switch off the lights before going to sleep as compared to just turning off the iPad (how lazy is that?) I was interested in getting my hands on some unique bookmarks design like those magnetic ones I found in National Bookstore a few years ago (yes, that’s how long I’ve been reading paperless). Disappointingly, for a huge international book fair, in grand SMX of all places, we only saw one stall selling them and I didn’t even like the designs available.

Third was to find and purchase unique contemporary Filipino works because, honestly, I can't find them anywhere online. ;) But, seriously, I've developed this interest in literature written in English but based on Philippine society etc. and, no doubt, the UP Publishing booth won this category, hands down.

It's not much and I know people who have bought a lot more but in my defense, there wasn't a lot to choose from based on my detailed specifications and with the amount of religion/gospel books taking up half of the space inside the convention center, well, let's just say those stalls were automatically out of my to-browse list. Anyway, here are the 3 books I managed to buy from my first ever book fair attendance.

MIBF Book Haul 2012:

100 by UP Writer's Club - 100 literary works by UP college students (I'm guessing), all within 100 words "expressing kilig to kirot and all points in between". What a word goldmine. Glad we went back to the UP stall or else I wouldn't be able to buy this precious thing.

Beautiful Accidents by Ian Rosales Casocot - Short stories about Filipino modern life written in free-flowing English. Exactly what I was looking for. And isn't that cover just plain gorgeous?

A Hundred and One Reasons by Bianca Salindog - A 20-something Registered Nurse who has managed to published her own novel. Sounds exactly my dream. :)

All in all, it was a thrilling and refreshing afternoon to be surrounded by printed words, glossy covers, star-striking authors but, most of all, by fellow book lovers roving the store like drug addicts  in need of their latest pharmacological fix. Why this is the very first time I went to an event like this is still a mystery to me.

Fifty Shades of Grey, Smut and Fluff: A Book Review 4 comments

I've procured a digital copy of the Fifty Shades trilogy even before Twilight moms went raving about it, catapulting it to the New York Times' Best Seller List. After spending a month on my iBooks library, I decided to finally give this highly controversial series a chance, and, boy, did it give me an eyeful. 

As much as I don't want to admit it, the first book was surprisingly addicting. There is something about the mysterious, rich, handsome and sparkly perfect male love interest falling for the seemingly mediocre girl next door with self-worth problems. Sounds familiar? It should. The premise has already been published internationally, garnered millions of screaming hormonal fans and gave birth to an equally ridiculously successful movie franchise. 

Twilight-inspired BDSM fanfiction. This is ultimately what the whole series is. Anastasia Steele is precisely Bella Swan in ropes with her self-abhorrence, exasperating quirks and irritating dislike for expensive gifts. The same way Christian Grey is Edward, minus the superhuman strength, blood cravings and literal sparkle. 

Having read and written too many fanfiction chapters for my own good, for me, this literary serving came from the McDonald's fastfood chain of greasy fiction. Not much seasoning, full of unwanted calories and prepared for the non-choosy masses. There are countless of better places to dine in, however, it still sells and people keep coming back for more.

It's like reading crack. You know it's bad for you and you could even feel your neurons wasting away but you can't seem to stop. At least for the first book (Fifty Shades of Grey), I've had this experience. However, with Fifty Shades Darker, the only thing that got darker is one's view of the plot. Because there was none. It felt like reading endless fanfiction chapters of fluff and smut with no direction whatsoever. Even the graphic sex scenes, which, let's face it, are a big contribution to the success of the trilogy, were toned down to make way for cuddles and never-ending professions of love.

Whether I will find the will and the patience to start and finish the latest installment of this runaway hit, I don't know, although one thing is clear. People reading these books should throw away the paperback novel and stick to their obscure iPads, Kindles and iPhones ebook versions because if I were to spot someone reading this book on the LRT, mental snickers would follow. 

You'll know what I mean.

Orchestr-o-meter: B-

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto: An Anthology of Short Stories 2 comments

I'll be honest. "Pinoy Pride!" and "I'm so proud to be Filipino!" mantras aside, I only read this book because I heard that a Jose Rizal protegee has managed to penetrate the international publishing market with this debut novel. Thank you for living my dreams, but I will not sugarcoat this review and worship the ground that she stands on (ahem Charice fans ahem) just because me and the author shame the same ethnic background.

So here's my untainted opinion about this book that has been covering the shelves of local bookstores lately. It was... okay.

Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max; same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose; he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.  

As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem; how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up? Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down; if it is really Max and along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.

Let it be clear that I am not a fan of semi-supernatural love stories. Either have a whole new world of mystical beings such as vampires having relationship with slayers and wizard friends slowly falling for each other or have a completely realistic circumstances (albeit unlikely) set in places that actually exist in real life. 

That said, this novel is exactly at the middle of these parameters, much like The Time Traveler's Wife. But as much as adore that book, I can't quite say that with this publication . It doesn't mean that it's not any good nor doesn't deserve to be read. I've read lots of reviews praising the prose. I guess it just didn't fit with my tastes and expectations.

For me, the greatest weakness of the novel is the lack of an actual main plot and a satisfying ending to answer the mystery that has been slowly building up since the first page. The book is made up of endless short stories, spanning from a few decades ago to the beginning of civilization, portraying different characters and explaining historical sites, all of which are interesting, but after the nth flashback, I just wanted to skip all the Mother Goose tales and get back to the real plot. Unfortunately, this finally happened with only a handful of pages left, which were not sufficient to quench this reader's appetite for plot hole clarifications.

I do have to applaud the novel for the witty and superb writing style that made me stay with the book up until the end. The characters are likeable enough, I admittedly found myself swooning every time Max is on the page. For a romance novel, it lacked a few passionate punches here and there. It did, however, make me crave for baked eggs and cheese.

It was not an unputdownable book, nor a novel that would haunt me long after reading the last word, but I did pick up a few things from the journey, and that in itself made it worth the time and effort.

Now, if I can only find the recipe for that infamous Baked Eggs & Cheese.

Orchestr-o-meter: B-

The Hunger Games (2012) Review: A Reader's Dream 2 comments

It's quite fitting that I haven't eaten for more than 24 hours when I found the time and waking neurons to catch the latest YA-Novel-to-bigscreen-superstardom flick of 2012. The Hunger Games is definitely one of the most anticipated movie of the year, and let me just say that all the hype and excitement surrounding the next-big-franchise was not a waste of time. Cower in your sparkly boots, Twilight, teenage angst will only get you so far, but a gripping story and strong independent characters will always prevail in the hearts of the thinking masses.

The movie opens with a sorrowful portrayal of District 12, showing scenes of poverty and destitution in shaky, head-aching angles that could only come from a camera man with a neurological disorder. But aside from the near-migraine I got from the style they decided on showing Suzanne Collin's world, I appreciated how the production made it a point to differentiate the way of life of poorer districts and the lavish colorful existence of those from the Capitol.

Enter the Capitol and the Hunger Games mission control center. From a film with a limited budget and a complicated world it has to portray, I think they succeeded in luring in the readers and giving their imagination the visual candy it deserves. Save for the disappointing silent screen Cornucopia scene (which I found terribly disappointing) and the bloody and violent killing moments which the production decided to soften by again putting their cameraman with uncontrolled spasms behind the lense, the movie portrayal was a success even for the whiniest and eyebrow-raising book fan that I am.

Strongest points of the film? The actors, without a doubt. Jennifer Lawrence played Katniss Everdeen perfectly. She carried the role with such power and social awkwardness that fits the character that I did not have to convince myself that she is the heroine in my mind while I was reading the book. The other actors also carried their own weight, although I do wish that Gale and his jawline managed to get more screen time. In the next movie, perhaps.

Weakest? They could have wrapped up the film more tightly, in my opinion. There are numerous scenes of morose lamentations and soul-searching stares that the 2 1/2 hours of the film could do without. I'm all for character development, really, but in a movie that boasts a televised arena where teenagers kill each other in order to survive, more action, less talk please.

End Note:

With the end of the wonderful and magical Harry Potter era and the closing of the sparkly slightly-homosexual vampire saga of Twilight later this year, this fan is happy to say that in a time of never-ending book adaptations, there is one that stayed surprisingly loyal to the prose. It didn't need to cut scenes nor add ones to make the film more interesting. Both the written and shot versions were superb and if that doesn't say the odds are definitely in our favor, then I don't know what does.

Orchestr-o-meter: A

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan 4 comments

Hannah Payne’s life has been devoted to church and family. But after she’s convicted of murder, she awakens to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes—criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime—is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love. 

In a future world where the lines of state and church is eradicated, felons roam the streets in multicolored stigma and revered church leaders commit sins in the worst possible ways, this novel portrays an all too familiar society present today that some would not dare admit.

In this dystopian universe, a sexually transmitted disease has rendered a good part of the population sterile, giving way to an political and religious fusion which brought about extreme faith-abiding laws which served as a noose around personal freedom. It encapsulates the reality how the faithful worship religious leaders like groupies in a rock concert and how, in return, these evangelists spread hope and strength while keeping terrible secrets of their own.

Aside from the gripping tale of an unlikely sinner protagonist, it is the characters' views on faith which I enjoyed the most. Like many of the articles and opinions I've read, it mirrors exactly my sentiments on religion, faith and today's society.

On the existence of God:

"If God is the Creator, if God englobes every single thing in the universe, then God is everything and everything is God. God is the earth and the sky, and the tree planted in the earth under the sky and the bird in the tree, and the worm in the beak of the bird, and the dirt in the stomach of the worm. God is He and She, straight and gay, black and white and red - and green and blue and all the rest. And so, to despise me for loving women, or you for being a Red who made love with a woman, would be to despise not only His own creations but also to hate Himself. My God is not so stupid as that."

On having a personal God not necessarily in congruence with any established belief:

And yet, Hanna's parents had taught her that faith was deeply personal, something between her and God alone. The contradiction struck Hannah now, as she fully appreciated how little volition she'd ever had in her own faith, how little her opinion had even mattered.

"My God is a God of infinite wisdom and love and compassion," Simone was saying, "not some bully who spends His time in throwing fire and Brimstone at homosexuals."

On the diversity of different religions and practices:

"A Catholic would tell you that questioning God is your first mistake, that faith must be blind and absolute or it's not faith at all. Of course, if I were a Catholic, I'd be wearing a habit not a collar, and my opinion about such important doctrinal questions wouldn't matter a damn to anyone... It doesn't matter to  God what we call ourselves, or even what we call Him. We're the only ones who care about that...."

On Free Will vs. God's Plan

"You don't have to stop thinking and asking questions to believe in God, child. If He'd wanted a flock of eight billion sheep, He wouldn't have given us opposable thumbs, much less free will." 

She'd been taught that free will was an illusion; that God had a plan for her and for everyone, a premapped destiny. But if that were true, then He'd meant for her to get pregnant and have an abortion, to be chromed, to be despised and humiliated, kidnapped and almost raped. She saw suddenly that this was at the core of her loss of faith: a reluctance to believe in god who was that indifferent or that cruel.

What impressed me the most is the undertone in the novel that, even though the world in the story is full of liberal minded homosexuals, abortionists and hypocrites hiding under the veil of religiosity, there is still this wonderful all-encompassing higher being who is watching over us all. That things aren't black and white as they seem. The shunned criminal may have reasons for his actions and the most pious evangelist may be hiding the blackest of sins.

Religion may be a driving force for most people but it is not a prerequisite in believing and loving an omnipotent being who, in my opinion, doesn't need a specific name nor an image. He (or She) may be born in a stable to be visited by three kings or from traders from Mecca, what matters is, we do the most that we can in this existence and try to touch as many lives as possible, religion or no religion.

18 Books I've Read this 2011 0 comments

Pathetic. 

Yes, I know. 

Compared to the 34 Books I've Read in 2010, this year is just heartbreaking for my digital library. I can still hear the echoes of their cries for attention reverberating in my head. I'm sorry I've failed you, beloved books. I promise to love you better in the coming year. This time I'll be sweeter, our love will run deeper. Have faith, in me...

(In Obsessive-Compulsive Chronological Order of Completion)

1. Pretties - Scot Westerfeld
2. The Girl & the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
3. Something Borrowed - Emily Griffin
4. Something Blue - Emily Griffin
5. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
6. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
7. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
8. Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
9. City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
10. If I Stay - Gayle Forman
11. Where She Went - Gayle Forman
12. Before I Go To Sleep - S.J. Watson
13. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
14. Can You Keep A Secret - Sophie Kinsella
15. Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick
16. Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho
17. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
18. Room - Emma Donoghue

And because of such a short list, I don't think I can do my "annual" book awards with this kind of line-up. I mean, half the books mentioned is written by the same author, not to mention that 90% of the novels are under the YA category. This has been a terrible year for literary variety. What have I done with my life?? *bangs head to the wall* I blame mobile Internet!

Anyway, there is always next year. With my new iBooks app and its dazzling interface, hopefully, I can work my way to a respectable number before the world ends. ;)

Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) Review 4 comments

As much as I am a Twilight basher, I have shamelessly watched all the 3 previous movies and read the novels that came out of the franchise. Why? Just to have the right to have an opinion, mostly. I cannot insult what I know nothing about. Anyway, this was the year that I thought I would not be able to write my annual sarcasm-infused Twilight movie-of-the-year review because of time constraints, but 'lo and behold, here it is. I may not be my usual gritty self because of the crippling pain in my bleeding uterus, but I'll do my best.

For the record, I was not able to read the novel. Even the lure of using a new gadget and reading with my much anticipated iBooks app was not enough to make me endure the childish, whiny and self-centered contents of Bella Swan's thoughts. That, and of course, and Stephanie Meyer's horrid writing. I told myself that the movie was bound to be more interesting than the book, as with what happened when New Moon came out when the film actually made it seem that the literary version has a story to tell.

That said, with just the slightest idea of the plot as told by a friend, here is what I thought about the underworld's newest sparkly blockbuster hit.

First off, the movie started out like a bad fanfiction reenactment. I have read too many fan-made chapters of fluff and smut to know what cheesy plotlessness is and the first 30-45 minutes of Breaking Dawn Part I epitomizes just that. I have no idea which was taken from the book or were just put there for visual purposes, but no amount of cinematography could save almost an hour of teary-eyed parental goodbyes and PG-13 make-out sessions.

Side note: Honestly, what were Bella's parents on when they decided to let their just-graduated-from-high-school 18-year-old daughter marry an unemployed undergrad with a bad case of anemia? I mean, seriously. As far as I know, this isn't the 18th century where the only goal of a women in her life is to marry young and marry wealthy ala Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Moving on, I have to give it up for Taylor Lautner for an awesome performance as always. Just when the audience was getting sick of all the make-out sessions with Bella and Edward on the beach, bed, waterfalls, sofa, beside a chess set, he comes in with just the right intensity before the whole films turns into vampire-themed porn. But seriously, Jacob Black was awesome in this movie, his almost photoshopped beach-ready human body is just as adorable with his cuddly It's-so-fluffy-I-wanna-die wolf form.

As for the plot, I really don't think the book needed to be split into two movies. There wasn't much that went on in this half and I feel that the movie would've have been actually great (action packed and with good pacing) if done in totality. It was not like in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows where too much has happened that squeezing everything into one big production without the scenes being rushed is next to impossible. This is a classic example of big companies who want bigger profit in expense of quality and artistry.

Wait, quality and artistry? This is Twilight we're talking about, who am I kidding?

All in all, even having skipped the book, I believe the production has done all that they can with the little they have to work with. It has succeeded again in making the book more interesting even to non-fans with that cliffhanger ending. I may probably end up picking up where I left off, page 10 I think of the Breaking Dawn novel. 

Nah, probably not.

Orchestr-o-meter: C

My iBooks Library 0 comments

I have been salivating over this app since it first came out with the launch of iOS4 last year. Having a 3rd generation 8gb iPod Touch, I cannot upgrade to the latest OS because so many people have been complaining of having their devices laggy and unresponsive because the hardware could not take the load. So for more than a year, I've been goggling over colored home screens and beautiful iBooks libraries while being stuck with my non-updated Stanza. 

But alas, here we are, with my new bigger and better device, now powerful enough to handle this most coveted virtual library. 

The first thing that I can say is that the interface is simply stunning. The virtual bookshelf with large cover images neatly displayed in rows makes me want to gobble them up one after the other. I was also able to separate my Read list in another library, sorted chronologically of course and divided into which year I finished them. Yes, I'm a computer files Neat Freak and it translates into iPod files. Unfortunately, this characteristic did not cross over to my bedroom.

As for the reading experience, I like how the everything is neater with this app. The chapters don't get messed up and you can clearly see how many pages you have left to read, a feat Stanza failed on tremendously. In Stanza's defense, I did not update my app for more than a year so I cannot speak for the latest versions, but you get the drift. The paragraphs and spacing are cleaner too, with less irritating formatting errors. For a 3.5 inch screen, these minor improvements are a blessing. 

I still prefer the slide-down-to-dim-screen and slide-up-to-brighten format of Stanza though. The screen adjustments on iBooks are too sensitive for my liking. And it's irritating how the brightness reverts back to its original settings every time the screen is locked and unlocked. This is the OC in me talking, please ignore her.

Overall, I do not regret my upgrade. Hopefully, this striking virtual library will help add some more read novels to my pathetic 2011 list. 

Cheers to the worlds that can only come from words!

I Got Into Pottermore! (Day 6) 0 comments

I cannot believe that a Facebook chat message from a Harry Potter fan friend that I have is what led the way to this awesome night of magic and Internet hysteria. See, I've been busy the whole week and have accepted my fate as a mere Muggle who would enter the pearly gates of Pottermore.com in October along with everyone else. 

But fate has a different plan for this night, thankfully.

Anyway, I was too psyched at first that I forgot to print screen the question but I do remember it being:

Number of chapters in Half-Blood Prince multiplied by 14.

It's easy enough to answer so I won't give it away here.

For the record, I now love this country's time zone. I've been hearing news about teens and children lacking sleep, and basically a life, in America because the clues get released in the godforsaken hours of the day. Here, (at least today) it's mundanely not-so-late at night and people just happen to be naturally online after a long day's work/school.

I feel torn between loving and severely disliking the not-being-able-to-create-own-username system they have in Pottermore. I mean, I do understand the reason for such (so that people won't go 'round creating sexually explicit names like HotLeatherPantsDraco321 especially since kids will be around), but sometimes, there really aren't enough good choices in the list that you end up settling for less.

But really, MidnightStar? Sounds more like Twilight to me. (Other choices were worse.)

So after waiting for roughly an hour for the email with the confirmation link to arrive, I finally got to this page:

So there's really nothing there yet for us newly registered fans to gawk at. We will still be waiting for another welcome email to arrive which will more or less hand us the coveted keys for the magical online Wizarding World.

As much as I had my doubts in the idea at first (I would rather JKR write another book than dabble with more Internet hype) I'm slowly leaning towards it. I mean, I do love the fandom and have immersed myself in it for roughly the better part of my early teens and some sites like Fictionalley.org and Mugglenet.com have had their own wonderful culture that would probably be wrecked by this online giant, I do love what's happening now.

That fans all over the world are being united by this one goal of getting into a virtual magical world, sharing ideas and answers, talking about and anticipating dates just like before. I think it's a wonderful idea to keep the excitement alive, a sensation that many feared was gone forever after the release of the final movie. It makes me happy to see print screens of acceptance letters on Facebook and Tumblr. I rejoice in the jubilation of others.

Because contrary to what non-fans have been expecting, Harry Potter and JK Rowling's world is still alive and kicking. And if Voldemort had 7 Horcruxes to keep him alive, significant and tethered to this world, Harry Potter has millions inside each and every one of us fans.

And yes, that is an evil analogy, but I rest my case.

Harry Potter: The Boy Who Will Continue On Living 4 comments

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be leaving the theaters in a few weeks. By then, all billboards, posters and advertisements will be taken down and replaced with scantily clad models trying to sell bikinis in this monsoon season. Worse comes to worst, they will be replaced with Edward Cullen's bloodless face sparkling in the sunlight. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. Kill me already.

So is this really it? Is the epic journey over? Is our generation of quality literature and commendable role-model characters left orphaned by the conclusion of the film franchise? Will hormone induced sex-crazed supernatural teenagers take over the theaters, bookstore and Internet fandoms?

I don't think so.

I am a Harry Potter fan from the very beginning but I'm not one who fawns over movie premieres and merchandise. Offer me a genuine "wand" direct from the Hogwarts set and I won't know what to do with it. Gift me a shirt with Daniel Radcliffe's face on it and I probably won't wear it outside the house. But write me a superb, addicting and exceptionally-written story about any character in any place inside JK Rowling's magical world and I'll remember it forever.

Movie or no movie, it's the characters that I'm in love with together with the Wizarding World we have all lived in. It's the taste of Butterbeer in the coldness of winter, it's the unpredictability of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, the mystery in the secret rooms of Hogwarts, the childish pleasures of doing magic in the corridors and the comfort and warmth of snuggling by the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room.

It's the world in my head that makes Harry Potter special, not these million dollar productions. And it can and will survive without them.

See, the movie may have rolled its final credits, but Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, is still very much alive in the hearts of many. As long as there is imagination, creativity, love and appreciation for the enthralling world we have lived in for more than a decade, Harry will continue on living in the childhood of this generation, and in the hearts of millions to come.

And in the future, decades after this day, if ever a grandchild catches me excitedly watching one of the eight movies or lovingly perusing with misty eyes a Harry Potter book, and asks me, "After all this time?"

To quote the Boy Who Loved, Severus Snape, my answer would be: "Always."

A Final Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II 5 comments

This may very well be the last time I would get to write a Harry Potter film review, for the highly successful franchise has cast its last spell and will be closing its curtains forever. There will be no casting choices left to  scrutinize, no deleted scenes to be angry about, no trailers to look forward to and no more movie date release to anticipate with bated breath.

It all ends with this.

And what a magical swan song it was. From the moment the WB logo floated onscreen up to the rolling of the credits, it was a thrilling spectacle ride for readers and non-fans alike. Having worshiped the books from the start, I am the kind of anal retentive movie-goer who frowns upon changed scenes and plot cuts. Fortunately, neither was rampant in this David Yates' masterpiece.

Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows was packed with action, spells and rubble from start 'till finish. One need not know what the bloody hell is happening just as long as one is aware that Harry's the protagonist and the bald guy with the non-existent nose is the evil one and it will still be enjoyable to watch. Even my Muggle  movie companion was mesmerized by the sheer brilliance of almost every scene. It was a breathtaking experience to witness the Wizarding World in shambles. One can really tell that this is the final hurrah and Harry is determined to go with a final bang.


THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

The film wasted no time in trying to explain the complicated aspects of Wandlore nor Dumbledore's shady past, and for that I am grateful. There is no way you could explain that much information to an illiterate audience who did not even care to crack open a single Harry Potter book. Instead, the screenwriters decided to tone down the plot details and hyped up the chaos and pandemonium, which translated better on the big screen. It was a wise decision indeed.

And as our heroic Trio found themselves back in Hogwarts, the plot and my heart took flight. This was it. This was the moment we've all been waiting for. The Great Battle. The ultimate war between the power of love and love of power. And I think every reader could attest that there was distinct feeling of thrill, exhilaration and awe upon watching the scene unfold right before our very eyes.

As with the book, the moment Professor McGonagall animated the once lifeless suits of armors and exclaimed, "Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries. Protect us!"  and the remaining faculty started to take matters in their own hands and use their highly developed skills in magic, chills ran down my spine. 

There is something astounding about finally seeing rather than just imagining. The impressive protective sphere, the spells, the fire, the rubble, the smoke and the thundering music set the perfect atmosphere for the raging battle that has yet to come. I could not have asked for a better set design. This was the battle of all battles, the final duel between good and evil, and it sure felt like it.

The scenes were reasonably paced, with the hunt of Ravenclaw's lost diadem, the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement, the duels and the overall pandemonium inside the once peaceful halls of Hogwarts. It all blended together in this wonderful adrenaline-induced cacophony that could make Lord of the Rings proud.

THE PRINCE'S TALE

A review of Deathly Hallows Part II would not be complete without the mention of the unbelievably accurate portrayal of Alan Rickman to the endlessly complex and brilliant character that is Severus Snape. I will admit, the chapter entitled "The Prince's Tale" of the 7th book is my most read chapter in the entire series. I prefer my characters complicated, dark and with a secret that could shatter thousands of hearts, and that is exactly what JK Rowling did with our once hated Potions Master. 

Before the release of Deathly Hallows the novel, I remember all the talks behind the power of Harry's green eyes, because in countless of interviews, our queen creator has mentioned that it will play a big role in the final book. Nobody could understand it and probably very few speculations got it right. The shock that it was not some supernatural power never before witnessed by the Wizarding world but just, yet again, the uncontainable force of love, blew me away. And reduced me to a blubbering goopy mess the moment Harry stepped out of the Pensieve.

It is for this reason that I fell in love with this character who was often described as greasy and bat-like. Because it shows that everybody hurts, yet everybody loves. And no matter how despicable a certain person looks from the outside, if you just care to look a bit further, there would be always something there that could surprise you.

Okay, then. Now back to the movie.

THE FLAW IN THE PLAN

I think the only criticism I could give is that the closing battle at Hogwarts (the one which transpired after Harry came back to life) was underwhelming at best. Where were the centaurs, who upon seeing Harry's lifeless body decided to take a stand and fight against Voldemort? Where were the House Elves who have valiantly left the kitchens to stab Death Eaters in the ankles with paring knives? Where were the ordinary village people of Hogsmeade who overcame their fear of the Dark Lord, left their barrels of butterbear and came to fight alongside the wounded students of Hogwarts?

I know no single feature film could meet the millions of wild imaginations, all of which have created their own version of the epic final battle in their heads, but I just feel like these details shouldn't have been left out. It was the turning point in the book, showing how united the Wizarding World was in defeating a powerful tyrant. I regret to say that it was the only part of the film that felt sloppy and hastily made. 

However, I do understand why the producers felt there has to be an intense one-on-one battle slash chase scene between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, with both running around the castle physically trying to destroy each other ala Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's final Lightsaber match. It's a cinematic staple, a sort of movie template every great archenemies are expected to have.

However, in this case, I can't help but feel how out of character those scenes were. First of all, never could I remember imagining Voldemort run, much less chase Harry around Hogwarts. A little longer and I would have expected both to be pulling each other's hair, if Voldemort had hair.

But still, epicness prevailed. The ultimate end of Voldemort was much more silent than I anticipated, with just the wands doing all the talking, but the concluding image of the once feared sorcerer slowly dissolving to ashes was a satisfying image. 

NINETEEN YEARS LATER

And it all came to a full circle.

Platform 9 3/4: In the middle of the busy bustling train station filled with families and cages of various kinds of pets, we see them.


Ginny sporting Mom Hair, Harry looking basically the same, some random kids who are supposed to be James and Lily (both of whom nobody really cares about) and then there he was... Albus Severus Justin Potter Bieber.

Then there was Ron with his beer belly, Hermione who also looked quite the same and Draco Malfoy who just looked... weird.

The next generation of talented mischief managing wizards were on their way to Hogwarts. And we were left with the image of our beloved trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione looking wistfully on.

As a fan, I expected a lot and quite honestly, those expectations were mostly met. The film is a perfect mix of action, suspense, horror, comedy and a little bit of romance. It has a heart as big as Harry's, wit as sharp as Hermione's and loyalty to the novel that could make Ron proud. 


Thank you for giving the end of my childhood justice.


Orchestr-o-meter: Thousand points to David Yates & Co. !

Edward Cullen in Manila: A Plea for Local YA (Young Adult) Novels 0 comments

I probably am the perpetual teenager when it comes to reading choices. Since elementary days up to post-college years, I still enjoy reading novels targeted at hormonally imbalanced pre-adults. When it comes to YA Novels, I think I've read them all, at least the ones people are talking about. Yes, I've endured even the phenomenal Twilight series with its neuron-killing plot and a heroine you'd want to beat with Thor's hammer.

Stephanie Meyer's books aside, I just love the genre. There's this light and free-flowing feeling I get when I read books in the YA category. I especially like those which are infused with supernatural / dystopian alternate universe element to them. Think The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

And yes, it gets formulaic sometimes, when the Ordinary Girl meets Tortured Mysterious New Student Guy Who May Or May Not Be Human in Science class. Then there's the sexy and heart-palpitating Forbidden Love arc after we find out that the protagonist is actually a Vampire / Werewolf / Fallen Angel / Witch. Reading novels like these is simple and entertaining and I pursue it even though it may not give a 20-something young professional like me bragging points when asked what kind of books have I perused.

The problem is this: There may be a myriad of books to choose from in this category with international books, so much that sometimes their world and themes overlap, however, there is a lot of catching up to do with regards to our local literature. All I see are children's books, chick lits and award-winning deep novels about poverty, corruption and drugs that are way too depressing for a teenager to spend time on. There is simply not much to choose from in the YA arena, if at all.

Having read countless of these kind of novels set in New York, or some other city in the United States, I do wish to be able to read one set here locally in our country just so it can be much more relatable to our teens. Imagine Good vs. Evil battling it out in Tondo or a Shopaholic desperately haggling in Divisoria. Our country, our places, our customs, mannerisms are so rich with potential I'm disappointed that, with all the talented writers we have, not a lot have attempted to flourish in such a popular category. 

I believe in the power of reading and how it helps form the mind of an individual, especially when they start at a young age. Young Adult fiction books have their own special power because the characters in the books are especially formulated so that readers can relate to them. It puts a person into other worlds and situations that would be dangerous otherwise if done in real life but gives off the same lessons that could be learned from such scenarios. 

I do hope that with the rise of the international YA scene, our country follows. There is so much untapped power in the genre that I think, if written brilliantly, could upset the long standing bestseller's list dominated by international titles. Now that is a novel I would be proud to read.