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apothecarum's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Rape, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
rjermann's review
Did not finish, had a a very hard time getting past the author herself. I felt like the first several chapters were simply the story of the author and her effect on the women.
danicakereads's review
4.0
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
M. Evelina Galang a Filipina-American goes to the Philippines to interview Filipino women who were subject to sexual slavery during World War 2. It took me a while to get through this one because of the content and had to take breaks in between. It was disheartening to hear these women’s stories and how many of them were sexually abused as children. The only thing I didn’t like was Galang would insert herself and talk about her experience in the Philippines. I was hoping she would center the women instead and their stories.
Overall it was educational, heartbreaking, and shedded light on the injustice for women who were forced into sexual slavery.
M. Evelina Galang a Filipina-American goes to the Philippines to interview Filipino women who were subject to sexual slavery during World War 2. It took me a while to get through this one because of the content and had to take breaks in between. It was disheartening to hear these women’s stories and how many of them were sexually abused as children. The only thing I didn’t like was Galang would insert herself and talk about her experience in the Philippines. I was hoping she would center the women instead and their stories.
Overall it was educational, heartbreaking, and shedded light on the injustice for women who were forced into sexual slavery.
fe_lea's review
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
“But you know before they left they used me again.” When the Lolas cannot say rape, or when they cannot talk about being thrown down and pried open, when the words may rekindle old pain, they say ginamit nila ako. They used me. Over and over again, she says, they used me.
Lola’s House recounts the stories and abuse experienced by 16 surviving comfort women (sex slaves by the Japanese Imperial Army) under the hands of the Japanese during World War II. This is probably the heaviest book I’ve read this year so far. I have read Iris Chang’s The Rape of Nanking last year, and while reading that made me uncomfortable and angry for the victims, I found Lola’s House more difficult to get through. I had to pause every once in a while because I found it too heavy. Galang has made the stories more personal by injecting anecdotes about her experiences with each Lola, and putting a face in each story by including their photos. This is probably what made it harder for me to read Lola’s House. It felt like each Lola was telling me her story directly. Whereas in The Rape of Nanking, the events were told in a more matter of fact manner, so even though the accounts in that book were more graphic, I was able to finish that book quickly.
It’s very maddening and frustrating to read how the Lolas (and all the comfort women in previously Japanese-occupied territories) have never gotten the justice they deserved. All they wanted was simple: a formal apology, compensation for their suffering, and documentation in official histories. Many of them died not getting any of these. It’s also heartbreaking to read how, after everything they went through, fellow Filipinos, including family members, shunned and judged them and even called them prostitutes and Japanese leftovers. One Lola even recounted “It’s as if what happened to me made him lose his love for me (…) My mister took me home, but he did not forgive me.”
The only thing I didn’t like, which is due to personal taste, is that I found the author’s voice to be too loud. I came here for the Lolas and expected the book to focus solely on their stories. But then in between chapters, you get musings from Galang’s life that I frankly don’t really care about, lol. What was I supposed to do with this line: Because I am a contemporary Pinay from America, I practice healthy living. I stop eating meat all together. I think I will be fine. (This is why I actually personally prefer Chang’s writing style over Galang’s.)
Nevertheless, I would still highly recommend this book. The Japanese Government has been trying to downplay/erase these women’s stories, we can’t do that to them too.
This issue is about the perpetual abuse of women in war - at home and abroad, between nations, among communities, and within families. This is about women and their bodies. Who has a right to them? Who protects them? Who honors them and who denies them? It is about that dignity that is torn from each girl, each woman, each nation’s daughter, every time she is taken against her will, violated and left for dead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
talagil's review
4.0
heartbreaking to know that most filipinos are unaware of the true horrors of what happened to comfort women :( “know history, know self. no history, no self.”
jordanrisa's review
5.0
“This issue is about the perpetual abuse of women in war— at home and abroad, between nations, among communities, and within families. This is about women and their bodies. Who has a right to them? Who protects them? Who honors them and who denies them? It is about that dignity that is torn from each girl, each woman, each nation’s daughter, every time she is taken against her will, violated, and left for dead.”
This book documents the stories of 16 surviving Filipino “comfort women” who were kidnapped, beaten, and brutally raped by the Japanese army in WW2. This is only 16 stories of over 1000 Filipino girls and women— some as young as 12– and over 4000 victims in Asia overall about the terror many Japanese soldiers caused so many people. I’ve never read a nonfiction account on war before this one and it has opened my eyes even more to how war affects so many innocent people. I highly recommend this read, no matter how difficult at times, because the stories that the Japanese government has tried so hard to cover up have the right to be heard.
This book documents the stories of 16 surviving Filipino “comfort women” who were kidnapped, beaten, and brutally raped by the Japanese army in WW2. This is only 16 stories of over 1000 Filipino girls and women— some as young as 12– and over 4000 victims in Asia overall about the terror many Japanese soldiers caused so many people. I’ve never read a nonfiction account on war before this one and it has opened my eyes even more to how war affects so many innocent people. I highly recommend this read, no matter how difficult at times, because the stories that the Japanese government has tried so hard to cover up have the right to be heard.
nonprofitkate's review
4.0
Content Warning: This book contains explicit descriptions of rape and torture that could be triggering to some survivors.
Lolas' House is part history book, part memoir, and part biography. Eveline Galang interviews sixteen women who survived imprisonment as Japanese "comfort women" during World War II. These "women" were most often young girls, barely teenagers, stolen off the streets while running errands with siblings. They watched as parents, siblings, and spouses were tortured and murdered before they themselves are hauled away and forced into sexual slavery.
Galang mingles her own personal narrative with the testimonies of the survivors and the history of Filipino life during WWII. It is impossible to not be moved by the strength of these women. They have experienced the worst that humanity has to offer. Not only were they stolen from their homes as children but after daily rapes and slavery, many were rejected by their families upon their return. Yet, the women pushed on and now as very old women, they are fighting the Japanese government.
The only real issue with the book is that it immersed in the history and culture of the Filipino people. As someone outside of that circle, I would have liked a little more context around some of the traditions that are discussed. Likewise, there is some dialogue that is in the original languages of the women. This is noted in the author's introduction but it was difficult to understand the longer passages. However, this in no way diminishes the book for me -- it's still an exceptionally moving read.
Lolas' House comes at a pivotal moment. Many of the lolas express their desire to end war. They say over and over that they hope to keep other children safe from this fate. With the world poised on the edge of the cliff, I would behoove everyone to read Galang's book. It is an incredibly powerful testimony to the horrors of war and the power of the human spirit to persevere. We cannot let this happen again.
Lolas' House is part history book, part memoir, and part biography. Eveline Galang interviews sixteen women who survived imprisonment as Japanese "comfort women" during World War II. These "women" were most often young girls, barely teenagers, stolen off the streets while running errands with siblings. They watched as parents, siblings, and spouses were tortured and murdered before they themselves are hauled away and forced into sexual slavery.
Galang mingles her own personal narrative with the testimonies of the survivors and the history of Filipino life during WWII. It is impossible to not be moved by the strength of these women. They have experienced the worst that humanity has to offer. Not only were they stolen from their homes as children but after daily rapes and slavery, many were rejected by their families upon their return. Yet, the women pushed on and now as very old women, they are fighting the Japanese government.
The only real issue with the book is that it immersed in the history and culture of the Filipino people. As someone outside of that circle, I would have liked a little more context around some of the traditions that are discussed. Likewise, there is some dialogue that is in the original languages of the women. This is noted in the author's introduction but it was difficult to understand the longer passages. However, this in no way diminishes the book for me -- it's still an exceptionally moving read.
Lolas' House comes at a pivotal moment. Many of the lolas express their desire to end war. They say over and over that they hope to keep other children safe from this fate. With the world poised on the edge of the cliff, I would behoove everyone to read Galang's book. It is an incredibly powerful testimony to the horrors of war and the power of the human spirit to persevere. We cannot let this happen again.
unofficialbookgraph's review
5.0
Galang documents stories of 16 Filipina “comfort women,” women and girls forced into sexual slavery during ww2, and ongoing efforts of the Lolas and survivors in other countries to receive formal acknowledgment and reparations from the Japanese government. The number of living “comfort women” continues to decrease as the years go on and they have yet to receive formal apologies.
On one hand, it was difficult to read the horrific stories and to further learn about the trauma, isolation, and stigmatization the Lolas faced afterwards. On the other hand, it was inspiring to read about how full of life many of them were. Dancing, singing, and inviting Galang to eat, “kain na” - all the while reminding me of my own lola, enduring in the face of everything.
Reading about this problem doesn’t solve it but these women’s stories deserve to be acknowledged and heard. I would recommend this book for those who want to learn about this subject with the warning that the descriptions of events may be triggering.
On one hand, it was difficult to read the horrific stories and to further learn about the trauma, isolation, and stigmatization the Lolas faced afterwards. On the other hand, it was inspiring to read about how full of life many of them were. Dancing, singing, and inviting Galang to eat, “kain na” - all the while reminding me of my own lola, enduring in the face of everything.
Reading about this problem doesn’t solve it but these women’s stories deserve to be acknowledged and heard. I would recommend this book for those who want to learn about this subject with the warning that the descriptions of events may be triggering.