Pranks gone wrong

 

This book is only 112 pages long, and it took me four days to finish it. Not because it was difficult for me to read in Tagalog, but because I wasn’t really enthusiastic about it. The only reason I bought it was that it came bundled with a book I was interested in at this year's MIBF on September 13. It was a good deal, and I saw it as my contribution to the Filipino literary community. Also, since it’s a Palanca awardee—a prestigious local literary award—I was curious to see the caliber of novels that win such an award.

After reading it, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed. If this won, how come Trese or any of Bob Ong’s works haven’t won any Palanca awards? Maybe their works didn’t qualify since the Palanca requires only unpublished stories to be submitted. That could be the case. But at least now I know one of the qualifications to be a Palanca awardee.

So, what’s the book about? It’s about a group of friends who love horror stories and go around chasing urban legends. When their searches fail, they take it upon themselves to make the urban legends come true. In short, they prank the people in their area based on these legends. Eventually, the pranks escalate into a disaster that breaks up the group of friends.

The flow of the story feels like a Filipinized version of Stranger Things or Stephen King’s IT—a group of friends enjoying adventure until they get a dose of their own medicine.

It’s also a story of typical Filipino youth growing up, which I can personally relate to. Back when I was a kid, my group of friends and I loved to check if urban legends were more than just stories. We even went as far as role-playing, pretending to be aswangs flying at night. Yes, even as a child, I was already delulu.

ChatGPTs depiction of an Aswang

Given its status as a Palanca awardee, I anticipated a more profound and compelling narrative. However, the storytelling came across as somewhat straightforward and predictable, leaving me yearning for greater complexity and nuance. While I appreciate the nostalgia it evokes—reminding me of my own childhood experiences—it may be rooted in the familiar themes of everyday Filipino life. This familiarity, while relatable to me as a Filipino, could potentially resonate more deeply with foreign readers seeking to explore Filipino culture. It’s possible that the book’s ability to encapsulate the essence of growing up in the Philippines contributed to its recognition with a Palanca award, as it provides a window into our unique cultural landscape, even if it lacks the extraordinary elements I had hoped for.