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A review by acidicbruises
Insurrecto by Gina Apostol
4.0
More like a 3.75~ but I'm so completely conflicted overall that I don't know whether it's tilting towards a 3.5 or a 4. On the whole, I really enjoyed Insurrecto but I felt as though I was reading it wrong most of the time.
I took the advice of many other reviews and kept a pencil with me at all times (my copy is LITTERED with thoughts and observations now) but I really think Apostol's writing is one that sits with you as you read, then perplexes you once you put the book down, even for a break. The best way I would describe the reading experience is watching something a critically acclaimed film on Netflix with the choppiest of wireless connections: you're not going to understand anything unless you watch it (metaphorically speaking) in one go—constantly having to pick it up where you left off is confusing and convoluted and nothing works.
I loved the metafiction, the kaleidoscopic narrative, the fact that the story doesn't feel like it's "going anywhere," I loved the stories and Magsalin and Chiara and Cassandra and Caz. As a half/mixed Filipina woman, film lover, writer and photographer(am I perhaps too many things at once?) it felt as though Apostol had peered into my soul and written about my every identity—which is perhaps why I love this book so much. Those unfamiliar with the Philippines or Philippine culture and how colonialism has shaped it could benefit from some external research, but I found that my very basic knowledge was good enough to peruse through the lives of these women in a way that was both self-involved and detached.
With that in mind, this book most definitely is not for everyone. If you're just looking to dip into metafiction or a kaleidoscopic narrative as I was, maybe don't start with this one. If you're a reader that needs a story to evolve, keep an open mind—it gets very confusing and might require a second read through, but it's worth it. If you're just interested in reading Apostol's words as a Philippine author, go right ahead.
I took the advice of many other reviews and kept a pencil with me at all times (my copy is LITTERED with thoughts and observations now) but I really think Apostol's writing is one that sits with you as you read, then perplexes you once you put the book down, even for a break. The best way I would describe the reading experience is watching something a critically acclaimed film on Netflix with the choppiest of wireless connections: you're not going to understand anything unless you watch it (metaphorically speaking) in one go—constantly having to pick it up where you left off is confusing and convoluted and nothing works.
I loved the metafiction, the kaleidoscopic narrative, the fact that the story doesn't feel like it's "going anywhere," I loved the stories and Magsalin and Chiara and Cassandra and Caz. As a half/mixed Filipina woman, film lover, writer and photographer
With that in mind, this book most definitely is not for everyone. If you're just looking to dip into metafiction or a kaleidoscopic narrative as I was, maybe don't start with this one. If you're a reader that needs a story to evolve, keep an open mind—it gets very confusing and might require a second read through, but it's worth it. If you're just interested in reading Apostol's words as a Philippine author, go right ahead.