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santino1215 's review for:
My Brother, My Executioner
by F. Sionil José
Book 18 out of 200 books
"My Brother, My Executioner" by F. Sionil Jose
F. Sionil Jose's chronologically third novel of the five Rosales novels explores the Psychological aspects of human interactions and the voyaging towards an uncertain future, that is. It tells the story of two brothers (or half-brothers), Luis Asperri- the legitimate first child of Don Vicente Asperri, the wealthy yet greedy landowner from the Previous novel, "Tree"- who now appears physically as a major character in this book. Luis Asperri had just got back from his studies in Manila to settle down and run, first a notary in the town of Rosales, then second, Inherit his father's lands as he lays down to die. Victor, the illegitimate second child, meanwhile, is a revolutionary (or a rebel, you could say)- who, not only despises his father for being of the bourgeoisie class, he finds it hard to influence, or at least- get in touch with his older half-brother for being product of the same class as his father.
"My Brother, My Executioner" is, in my own opinion, the *second darkest of all the Rosales novels in terms of aspect and storyline, that is because this story does take place in a bleak atmosphere, during the dawn of the Cold war and the dawn of all-out communism in the Philippines, more specifically, during the havoc caused by the Hukbalahap, an armed Guerrilla responsible for resistance against the Japanese 5-10 years before, now becoming the main enemy they swore to destroy.
MY THOUGHTS:
So I read this book over a year ago because I've not anything to do. It was the summer vacation but because of Covid-19, I can not be able to go outdoors on a daily basis. There I sat on my bed, reading the five Rosales novels, from "Po-on" to "Mass".
F. Sionil Jose wrote a masterpiece of a book series! I honestly wanted to immediately consume these books but it still took me 3 weeks to get through them all. I realized how difficult actually are these books because they feel like a mirroring of what's happening in the Philippines, my home nation, right now a year later.
I don't exactly have a favorite character in this book, but I have to sympathize with Victor here. You see, the word "Activism" has quite a negative connotation here in the Philippines. We are so backwards as a nation in terms of politics, you are immediately branded as a Communist or a terrorist just for protesting your views antithesis to the government's views.
It honestly is sad because you have the youth being brainwashed to think a certain way or believe what the government's telling them. As you read, even more ireful, the fact that parents are in favor of Mandatory military service and mandatory ROTC, even without reading or being informed of the effects and consequences of these unnecessary requirements.
This would be a difficult book review for me to write because of how relatable really are the characters he, whether you root for Luis Asperri because he was in favor of land reforms and labor reforms, or you root for Victor because Victor and the Hukbalahap rebels only have violence as a resort to actually get things done.
Let us start with Luis, then. Luis Asperri is your textbook definition of an optimist. An idealist you could say. But because of this excessive optimism he forgot the main aspects and dangers of what was happening around him. Though I sympathize with Luis on so many aspects, from introducing land reform programs for poor farmers, to at least negotiating with his own brother to stop the insurgency in favor of more peaceful approaches to problems, I can't help but bring the fact up that Luis chose the temptations of women first when he should be solving his society's problems! Also unfaithful, as I should write which serves as a character flaw, Luis Asperri was young and naïve. The man should've known how actually hard it is to be pitted on society's problems but he chose that path, even without thorough knowledge of what's coming to him. He honestly thought we would just inherit the money from his greedy father but he inherit the problems his father decided not to face!
Then we now move on to Victor. Victor is already your textbook definition of an activist, as I've pointed out back. Here we see a realist character who doesn't give flinch at the plea of "peace". What he sees as peace, is false peace. The type of peace that the colonizers, former or even the current-turned-accomplices grant, is all false. This is quite true nowadays, not only in the Philippines, but the whole world is heading towards a dystopia disguised as a democracy. But on a more domestic case, the Philippines has never had the true, liberal and unflinching type of democracy because of how fragile it really is. Unfortunately for us Filipinos, we have a history of tolerating criminals into power, which undermines the possibilities of good governance.
Enter Victor (Notice how I actually am not giving him a last name, because the book doesn't actually give him a last name, as his mother is blackened out from the narrative. But Luis' mother herself is blackened out too, making both Luis and Victor equal at some point), the realist who only believes peace when the ones who "granted" them peace are deposed or dead, that is because he believes that peace should be granted by the Filipinos, not by the Americans or the Japanese. There seems to be some flaw in his reasoning, but because he wants a leader for the masses, not for the masses. Keep in mind that the Philippines still was under heavy American influence, even just a couple years after before the USA actually granted independence to the new country.
Victor was an activist. Though most Filipino activists of the modern day aren't as violent! So why was I rooting for Victor when he was rooting for violence, making him indifferent from the government who won't answer to the plea of the insurgents? That is because, things have gotten bleaker when the new president ascended. It was 2 weeks since the elections 2022, and well- I use to see Luis and Victor indifferent from each other but it was a year past, it is time that we actually wake up from our indolence, and wake up as Filipinos with an identity and hopes for our nation.
This is quite a long book review. So I am going to end it here. The 192-paged (on my edition) book was worth the read and very timely now that democracies are failing and falling worldwide.
"My Brother, My Executioner" by F. Sionil Jose
F. Sionil Jose's chronologically third novel of the five Rosales novels explores the Psychological aspects of human interactions and the voyaging towards an uncertain future, that is. It tells the story of two brothers (or half-brothers), Luis Asperri- the legitimate first child of Don Vicente Asperri, the wealthy yet greedy landowner from the Previous novel, "Tree"- who now appears physically as a major character in this book. Luis Asperri had just got back from his studies in Manila to settle down and run, first a notary in the town of Rosales, then second, Inherit his father's lands as he lays down to die. Victor, the illegitimate second child, meanwhile, is a revolutionary (or a rebel, you could say)- who, not only despises his father for being of the bourgeoisie class, he finds it hard to influence, or at least- get in touch with his older half-brother for being product of the same class as his father.
"My Brother, My Executioner" is, in my own opinion, the *second darkest of all the Rosales novels in terms of aspect and storyline, that is because this story does take place in a bleak atmosphere, during the dawn of the Cold war and the dawn of all-out communism in the Philippines, more specifically, during the havoc caused by the Hukbalahap, an armed Guerrilla responsible for resistance against the Japanese 5-10 years before, now becoming the main enemy they swore to destroy.
MY THOUGHTS:
So I read this book over a year ago because I've not anything to do. It was the summer vacation but because of Covid-19, I can not be able to go outdoors on a daily basis. There I sat on my bed, reading the five Rosales novels, from "Po-on" to "Mass".
F. Sionil Jose wrote a masterpiece of a book series! I honestly wanted to immediately consume these books but it still took me 3 weeks to get through them all. I realized how difficult actually are these books because they feel like a mirroring of what's happening in the Philippines, my home nation, right now a year later.
I don't exactly have a favorite character in this book, but I have to sympathize with Victor here. You see, the word "Activism" has quite a negative connotation here in the Philippines. We are so backwards as a nation in terms of politics, you are immediately branded as a Communist or a terrorist just for protesting your views antithesis to the government's views.
It honestly is sad because you have the youth being brainwashed to think a certain way or believe what the government's telling them. As you read, even more ireful, the fact that parents are in favor of Mandatory military service and mandatory ROTC, even without reading or being informed of the effects and consequences of these unnecessary requirements.
This would be a difficult book review for me to write because of how relatable really are the characters he, whether you root for Luis Asperri because he was in favor of land reforms and labor reforms, or you root for Victor because Victor and the Hukbalahap rebels only have violence as a resort to actually get things done.
Let us start with Luis, then. Luis Asperri is your textbook definition of an optimist. An idealist you could say. But because of this excessive optimism he forgot the main aspects and dangers of what was happening around him. Though I sympathize with Luis on so many aspects, from introducing land reform programs for poor farmers, to at least negotiating with his own brother to stop the insurgency in favor of more peaceful approaches to problems, I can't help but bring the fact up that Luis chose the temptations of women first when he should be solving his society's problems! Also unfaithful, as I should write which serves as a character flaw, Luis Asperri was young and naïve. The man should've known how actually hard it is to be pitted on society's problems but he chose that path, even without thorough knowledge of what's coming to him. He honestly thought we would just inherit the money from his greedy father but he inherit the problems his father decided not to face!
Then we now move on to Victor. Victor is already your textbook definition of an activist, as I've pointed out back. Here we see a realist character who doesn't give flinch at the plea of "peace". What he sees as peace, is false peace. The type of peace that the colonizers, former or even the current-turned-accomplices grant, is all false. This is quite true nowadays, not only in the Philippines, but the whole world is heading towards a dystopia disguised as a democracy. But on a more domestic case, the Philippines has never had the true, liberal and unflinching type of democracy because of how fragile it really is. Unfortunately for us Filipinos, we have a history of tolerating criminals into power, which undermines the possibilities of good governance.
Enter Victor (Notice how I actually am not giving him a last name, because the book doesn't actually give him a last name, as his mother is blackened out from the narrative. But Luis' mother herself is blackened out too, making both Luis and Victor equal at some point), the realist who only believes peace when the ones who "granted" them peace are deposed or dead, that is because he believes that peace should be granted by the Filipinos, not by the Americans or the Japanese. There seems to be some flaw in his reasoning, but because he wants a leader for the masses, not for the masses. Keep in mind that the Philippines still was under heavy American influence, even just a couple years after before the USA actually granted independence to the new country.
Victor was an activist. Though most Filipino activists of the modern day aren't as violent! So why was I rooting for Victor when he was rooting for violence, making him indifferent from the government who won't answer to the plea of the insurgents? That is because, things have gotten bleaker when the new president ascended. It was 2 weeks since the elections 2022, and well- I use to see Luis and Victor indifferent from each other but it was a year past, it is time that we actually wake up from our indolence, and wake up as Filipinos with an identity and hopes for our nation.
This is quite a long book review. So I am going to end it here. The 192-paged (on my edition) book was worth the read and very timely now that democracies are failing and falling worldwide.