Scan barcode
simplymegy's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Pride.
I guess that sums up all my emotions in one word after reading this book. Candy Gourlay takes us into a journey to my home country, the Philippines, in 1899. This is a story of tribe wars, of the war between Filipinos and Americans, told through the eyes of a 10 year old child. Of a boy and his heroic father. Of a beautiful friendship. Of what it’s truly like to be colonised. I am so happy that this book was published in the UK and is duly awarded. This narrative needed to be told, and i’m so proud of this author for writing such an amazing and well-written tale about one of the tribespeople in the Philippines. I too, am delighted to read a heroine from an international book who looks like me. Mabuhay ka, Candy. ❤️
learnthuman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
carolineroche's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book by Candy Gourlay set on her native Philippines at the beginning of the colonial era there. As Candy says, there are no contemporary records from Philippino voices and so Candy had to do a considerable amount of research and talking to people on the ground to understand what the impact of the first white men was. The result is a wonderful book from a well respected author. Loved it!
ayumi_can_read's review
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
comforting YA, the miseducation of my Fil-Am history
holly_daze_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Death, and Murder
Minor: Body horror and War
chynna_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
bookish_redpanda15's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jenlabrador's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great tale about an indigenous boy growing up in the mountains of the Philippines when the Americans invade and take over the land and its people. We sweep aside past sins of Native American genocide by excusing them as "well, that was long time ago, we learned from that, and we've never done it again" but no, that's simply not true. Bone Talk finally opens the world up to the lesser known Philippine American War when Americans actually again invaded other countries, slaughtered natives, and tried to take over their land at the start of the 20th century.
At first, I disliked the protagonist Samkad and the tone he brought to the book. He seemed petulant, demanding, and almost entitled. But after finishing the book, I see the necessity of his attitude as the reader begins to see how Samkad truly does change and shift into a "man" as the book progresses. He is a good character for kids to relate to as they read the book. I also love how this book showed so many sides and foreshadowings of Filipinos relationships with the United States. Kinyo nicely depicts how many Filipinos came to admire and worship all things American as well as suggesting the confusion Kinyo has over his own identity and ancestry. Gourlay touches on war but also shows the subtle, deep humiliation of the Filipinos by the Americans. She also respectfully shows many different customs of the indigenous people of the time by putting them in the context of the villagers' own spirituality and ways of living and not judging from the lenses of outsiders as was so often the case.
I would recommend this book to kids 4th grade and up who like adventure. There is violence in the book. Headless corpses and mass graves are depicted as part of the story but not glorified. This is definitely more a book about a boy finding himself than about war and violence.
At first, I disliked the protagonist Samkad and the tone he brought to the book. He seemed petulant, demanding, and almost entitled. But after finishing the book, I see the necessity of his attitude as the reader begins to see how Samkad truly does change and shift into a "man" as the book progresses. He is a good character for kids to relate to as they read the book. I also love how this book showed so many sides and foreshadowings of Filipinos relationships with the United States. Kinyo nicely depicts how many Filipinos came to admire and worship all things American as well as suggesting the confusion Kinyo has over his own identity and ancestry. Gourlay touches on war but also shows the subtle, deep humiliation of the Filipinos by the Americans. She also respectfully shows many different customs of the indigenous people of the time by putting them in the context of the villagers' own spirituality and ways of living and not judging from the lenses of outsiders as was so often the case.
I would recommend this book to kids 4th grade and up who like adventure. There is violence in the book. Headless corpses and mass graves are depicted as part of the story but not glorified. This is definitely more a book about a boy finding himself than about war and violence.
kent_alvarus's review against another edition
4.0
"A day is made of hours. A month is made of days. A year is made of months. And a man is made of years."
Talk about men's traditional concept of rite of passage in the Philippines. Talk about tribal folklore and culture. Talk about colonization. Talk about bravery. Talk about friendship. Talk about humanity.
Bone Talk offers a glimpse on one of the widely known Filipino tribes of Luzon, Mountain Province's Bontok (aka Igorot). The novel strides on the perspective of a child Bontok named Samkad who wishes to be granted "the Cut" and be recognized as a man in their tribe, allowed to wield spears and shield and to perform the duties becoming of a man. But such will only happen by the time his 'brother' Kinyo goes back to their village. So he came. But then the arrival of the Americans happened, disturbing the normal way of Bontok lives. Such journey, among others, made Samkad ready enough to be a man.
The premise is very original, with the underlying concepts really aimed on the idea construction of the tribe and their customs and traditions. The writing is intended for the consumption of younger readers. It had highs and lows, and flats.
For me, it lacked in certain aspects. For example, on that part of the story about the escape from the Americans. It did not satisfy or convince me enough that such is the resolution on that conflict. Also, the ending was somewhat hastily made. But the epilogue made up for it, suggesting the history behind the bringing of the Cordillera tribesmen to the US for the controversial human zoo at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition/St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.
I'd be glad to see this in an animated film with the quality of those in Studio Ghibli films.
Talk about men's traditional concept of rite of passage in the Philippines. Talk about tribal folklore and culture. Talk about colonization. Talk about bravery. Talk about friendship. Talk about humanity.
Bone Talk offers a glimpse on one of the widely known Filipino tribes of Luzon, Mountain Province's Bontok (aka Igorot). The novel strides on the perspective of a child Bontok named Samkad who wishes to be granted "the Cut" and be recognized as a man in their tribe, allowed to wield spears and shield and to perform the duties becoming of a man. But such will only happen by the time his 'brother' Kinyo goes back to their village. So he came. But then the arrival of the Americans happened, disturbing the normal way of Bontok lives. Such journey, among others, made Samkad ready enough to be a man.
The premise is very original, with the underlying concepts really aimed on the idea construction of the tribe and their customs and traditions. The writing is intended for the consumption of younger readers. It had highs and lows, and flats.
For me, it lacked in certain aspects. For example, on that part of the story about the escape from the Americans. It did not satisfy or convince me enough that such is the resolution on that conflict. Also, the ending was somewhat hastily made. But the epilogue made up for it, suggesting the history behind the bringing of the Cordillera tribesmen to the US for the controversial human zoo at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition/St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.
I'd be glad to see this in an animated film with the quality of those in Studio Ghibli films.
heartrend's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had wanted, for the longest time now, to read a story set in the Cordilleras. So I was pleasantly surprised upon discovering this book. However, I will admit that I had a few doubts, as the author was not Cordilleran. My doubts were dashed immediately upon seeing the amount of time, care, and research the author had put into depicting the land and people of Bontoc.
Indigenous history in the Cordilleras is commonly told through long-standing oral traditions, and thus to seek out written records that aren’t told through the colonialist gaze of an American is rather difficult. It was nice, for once, to be able to read the stories of the Cordilleras by a Filipino author. :)