Scan barcode
A review by ardentlyaugustine
Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan
5.0
I loved this book. I first found it a few months ago and read that it tackles many sensitive topics, so then I bought a copy because it piqued my interest. This book sat on my bookshelf for a few months before I went to my school library and found a copy. I also found it quite ironic because my school is a catholic school with a church next to it and then I find a book in its library that contained many political views that would probably anger any close minded church goer.
My book at home was still sealed with the plastic from fully booked, but the one I found in my school's library was of course, already opened. I read the first page and then borrowed it and then I went to class to read it during our free time. I started reading from the prologue to the 2nd chapter and realized how well written it was. I then returned it to the library as I had no plans of bringing it home because I already had a copy that I could annotate. I went home that day and after doing most of my schoolwork, I immediately rummaged through my overfilled bookshelf and unwrapped the book from its plastic and started reading it.
This book is about two Jesuit priest who investigate on a case that involves a serial killer in Payatas, in Northeast Manila who kills young boys and leaves their bodies mutilated in the dump.
It's my first thriller/mystery book and even though I haven't built my standards for such a genre, I truly believe this book is a wonderful piece of art. This book got me out of my reading slump and I enjoyed reading it a lot. Every sentence I read made me want to turn more pages to find what happens next in the sequence of events. It unexpectedly captured my love for reading again and I am even more delighted that it coincidentally featured someone with the same last name as me at the acknowledgements part in the book. Although the author acknowledged her professor in the University of the Philippines (Prof. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo) it still felt surreal and I felt like I was meant to read this book somehow.
Besides the huge dump of emotions I wrote here, I adore this book. Miss or Mrs. Batacan ATEEEEEEEEE! I LOVED EVERY SINGLE BIT.
This book discusses so many social issues in the Philippines and even today, the political points made in this literary work are still relevant. It is an eye-opener on how ignorant and neglectful the government of the Philippines is, and how even the church (an organization that prides themselves in doing good and serving the Lord) abuses its power and contains so many hypocrites. It also primarily tackles how overlooked SA victims are and how Filipinos are considered to be hospitable but turns a blind eye towards a victim of social injustice. The book was able to talk about how much our country is uneducated about mental health and the cronyism that exists in our society.
I definitely think you need to read with discretion while reading this book, but in spite of that, this is a masterpiece. I am so glad I came across this book.
My book at home was still sealed with the plastic from fully booked, but the one I found in my school's library was of course, already opened. I read the first page and then borrowed it and then I went to class to read it during our free time. I started reading from the prologue to the 2nd chapter and realized how well written it was. I then returned it to the library as I had no plans of bringing it home because I already had a copy that I could annotate. I went home that day and after doing most of my schoolwork, I immediately rummaged through my overfilled bookshelf and unwrapped the book from its plastic and started reading it.
This book is about two Jesuit priest who investigate on a case that involves a serial killer in Payatas, in Northeast Manila who kills young boys and leaves their bodies mutilated in the dump.
It's my first thriller/mystery book and even though I haven't built my standards for such a genre, I truly believe this book is a wonderful piece of art. This book got me out of my reading slump and I enjoyed reading it a lot. Every sentence I read made me want to turn more pages to find what happens next in the sequence of events. It unexpectedly captured my love for reading again and I am even more delighted that it coincidentally featured someone with the same last name as me at the acknowledgements part in the book. Although the author acknowledged her professor in the University of the Philippines (Prof. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo) it still felt surreal and I felt like I was meant to read this book somehow.
Besides the huge dump of emotions I wrote here, I adore this book. Miss or Mrs. Batacan ATEEEEEEEEE! I LOVED EVERY SINGLE BIT.
This book discusses so many social issues in the Philippines and even today, the political points made in this literary work are still relevant. It is an eye-opener on how ignorant and neglectful the government of the Philippines is, and how even the church (an organization that prides themselves in doing good and serving the Lord) abuses its power and contains so many hypocrites. It also primarily tackles how overlooked SA victims are and how Filipinos are considered to be hospitable but turns a blind eye towards a victim of social injustice. The book was able to talk about how much our country is uneducated about mental health and the cronyism that exists in our society.
I definitely think you need to read with discretion while reading this book, but in spite of that, this is a masterpiece. I am so glad I came across this book.