Customer Reviews

Eating Fire and Drinking Water

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was forced into reading this book. And at first, I found myself confused and thinking "ho-hum" with a matching sigh and yawn. But that didn't last long, because my interest progressed the further I was drawn into the story. I could not put the book down for long.

It's not really about Clara as the book description says, it's more of a series of events intertwined to complement each other. I find the plot complex and something that can't quite be labelled and defined as it's not just about news. I also found it heartbreakingly close to reality, quite poignant with the search for truth and the wise insights brought upon that are just screaming for you to quote them, the morals heroic but not preachy, the characters honorable but not flawless, a backdrop that was well researched in Philippine history. It has suspense, it has drama, it has mystery, it has every one of those genres within its pages. The beauty of this book is in its balance. The story ends nicely, but not fairy tale like. There is acceptance, but honest difficulty in it. There are horrible experiences, but no miraculous cure for them at the end of the book. True to life.

This story definitely warmed my heart to it, and I must say, considering I usually stick to reading fluffy and light books, this holds extraordinary power. I'm glad I read it.

I could remember vividly most of the events that were stated in the book. Even if the names of the characters and places are changed, they are very familiar. It's definitely a story with the fall of the Marcos regime as a backdrop. I could relate to that book because I was in Manila at that time when some of the events mentioned became chapters in Philippine history.

Set in a "small South Seas island" that is easily recognizable as the Philippines, Eating Fire and Drinking Water is a fascinating, well-written book that successfully melds the chaos of a dying authoritarian regime, the idealism of activist youths, the homegrown cunning of the poor and dispossessed and the surreal religiosity that is all too familiar to Filipinos and those who have spent time in the country. I applaud Arlene J. Chai for not succumbing to the slogans and the jargon that were carelessly brandished about during the period she writes of. And I envy her her skill in putting together a story that is at once plausible (because many of the things she wrote about actually happened) and riveting. I could not put down the book -- everything was too familiar. I felt that I was back to that time and that place that have shaped me to what I am right now.

Eating Fire and Drinking Water by Arlene J. Chai is one of the best books that I have read in recent months. In this story, finding the truth of her unknown past seems to lead Carla, an orphan who was raised by nuns from one mystery to another mystery. The interesting story keeps the reader wanting to finish the book in one sitting to be able to find the truth and identities of Carla Perez' parents. Carla was named after the name of the orphanage that took care of her when she was given up for adoption. I think this book is more or less similar to Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons, a heartwarming story about an eleven-year-old orphan named Ellen. After her parent's death, Ellen was raised in a foster home and that was when she had decided to adopt the word Foster as her last name.

Chai attempts to write many different stories and have them converge. The result is a hodge-podge of poorly developed characters whose relationships feel contrived.

Chai builds suspense by foreshadowing events, but she abuses this ploy too often! It became an annoyance.

The scope of this book is ambitious, and Chai cannot live up to the challenge. Characters, emotions, and plots are lost in the hands of an amateur storyteller.

"The Last Time I Saw My Mother" was a touching book, but this second novel is very poorly written.