Customer Reviews

The Umbrella Country (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

then the Umbrella Country is the book for you. I am appalled by the recent reader reviews of this book here. I am a Filipino American myself. I love reading poetry and good contemporary literature. This might be the reason why I enjoyed reading Realuyo's novel. I thought the "official" reviewers where right on the dot about this book. I found it in the Discover Great New Writers section of B&N, and I instantly bought it. Unlike the other readers here, I was not disappointed. I understood what Realuyo was trying to do. The book is really not about Martial Law in the Philippines per se, but the lives of this family who was affected by it. Theirs is the kind of life that is still being led by so many Filipinos. It is a story that is both touching and realistic. I believe the beauty in the book lies in the manner it was written: lyrical prose, poetic lines, and interspersed narrative style. If you read Stephen King, this may not be the book for you. Realuyo's novel and many novels like his are for people who enjoy collecting FINE LITERATURE.

I'm pleased to have come across this book while browsing ... recently. What attracted me initially was the cover- it made me want to find out more about the book. Upon beginning to read it, I found myself unable to put it down that I had to buy it and in fact, finished it in one night. The novel is so well written that I felt I was transplanted to the Philippines, a country I know nothing about, and was living life with the characters themselves.

After deciding to browse reviews of the book ... , I was surprised by the negative reviews- they definitely do not reflect my thoughts about this novel- I would definitely recommend it! Anyone knows when this author is coming out with another novel?

I attended Realuyo's reading in San Francisco. I was glad to hear him read from his first novel. I think the Umbrella Country is a very rare Filipino Novel. It covers stories of people we never hear about. I know this young author will go very far and deserve success on this book. His writing is superb. His reading of his work matches the lyrical tone of his book. Support this book! I don't see books by Filipino authors all the time, so I am glad to finally read this one. What a beautiful novel this is! I bought a copy for all my friends and relatives. You will learn about the Philippines in ways it hasn't been explored in Filipino novels. The story and characters have stayed with me. I laugh and become sad whenever I think about them. That is what a great novel does. Highly recommended.

Just like DOGEATERS, another the Fil-Am novel that preceeded it, THE UMBRELLA COUNTRY is a classic Fil-Am novel. It possesses all the ingredients of a novel that will be read again and again over the generations: a moving story, an imaginative setting (Manila in the 70s), unforgettable characters (two brothers going through very hard times like Crispin and Basilio in Rizal's NOLI ME TANGERE), and a platform of issues never before presented in Filipino literature (sexual violence, homosexuality, abuse). A good friend introduced me to THE UMBRELLA COUNTRY, and told me it is one of the most read Filipino novels to date. One does not have to be of Filipino background to appreciate the poetry and the poignant narrative of this novel, one simply has to love good writing, lyrical prose that sounds more like a symphony of words, well-orchestrated and crafted. If there is such a thing as sculpture in literature, THE UMBRELLA COUNTRY will be the one. When there is not much to be proud of as a Filipino these days, I am particularly proud of being one, after reading this novel. This is my holiday gift for my friends. I highly recommend it. (I usually don't write reviews on-line, but I have to do it for this novel. I hope people who read this will be convinced to buy it.)

I couldn't put the book down after I started reading it. I just wanted to know what was going to happen to Pipo and Gringo. The characters grew on me so much that there was a point where tears fell down my cheeks because I felt so much for them. Also, it really hit home when I read the part where daddy Groovie was about to leave for the states. My kid sister (the youngest one of all four girls) who was then six howled and kicked her way through to my mom when she was about to leave (for the states). We all had to sit through lunch at the restaurant in the airport where you could see the planes landing and departing. We had to keep it a secret from my sister, but being the smart girl that she is, sensed that something was wrong, that my mom was leaving. I guess kids have that sixth sense when it comes to these things...their innocence does not hinder them from holding back what might be otherwise concealed by adults. When Pipo was at the airport, even trying to act and look like daddy Groovie ( his last ditch effort to make his dad stay or like him), begging for some sign or love or affection, I felt as if I was transported back to that day when I couldn't help but cry too, seeing my kid sister struggle to literally reach my mom. It might not be exactly the same circumstance, but it sure is familiar. It was painful for me to read that part, the leaving part, but at the same time, relieving since I have survived those difficult times.

This is what makes the characters in the story universal...they love, ache and bleed as all humans do. Although they have different surroundings, the humanity in them shines through.

This novel moves me, and the lyricism captures the rich and painful facets of the Filipino culture. I too grew up with those principles and beliefs. Reading this novel has been such a gift to me.

Thank you for giving the whole world (including me) something to hold close to our hearts and minds. It is a sad, and painful reminder of what we are, where we came from, and what we can become (anything, if we try). The umbrella country is a success as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, it's a coming-of-age story. Yes, it's an immigrant story. Yes, it's about being poor and abused. Yes, it's about the tumult of Manila in the 70s. Yes, it's about the shadow of colonization. BUT IT'S MORE THAN ALL OF THESE! This is about a woman's strength. This is about a child with a heart that is so wide and deep that it can hold the world - its beauty and horrors - in the same container. This is about redemption.

AND MORE...

Just finished reading Umbrella Country -- couldn't put
it down. It was amazing and rang completely true.

The story deftly captured the genuine ambivalence
immigrants feel towards America. Have you seen the
latest movie of Aureus Solito (another friend from
U.P. Diliman) called 'Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo
Oliveros?' It came out last year in Manila and has
been shown at Sundance and the Berlin Film Festivals.

Pipo and Gringo reminded me so much of Maximo, the
prepubescent protagonist, and Maximo's father had many
similarities with Daddy Groovie. Do see it if you can
find a DVD copy, since it would resonate so well with
this story -- they even have a hilarious Ms. Universe
pageant scene to open the movie.

I really do believe it needs to be
read by more people, especially by Filipino American students, many
of whom are children of Filipino immigrants. It would
be a great way to open up this conversation with them.

The Umbrella Country by Bino A. Realuyo is a powerfully written novel about a young boy discovering himself within the passion of a filipino family. The characters in this novel are complex and revealing of the inner workings of family life in the Philippines. Realuyo has used his formidable talent to draw us into the sights, sounds, smells, feelings, and sensuality of the Philippines. He carries the reader through a maze of mysteries and family secrets which ultimately change each member of the family as they struggle in life. From the very beginning Realuyo so captivates the reader that one cannot put the book down - though at times, the raw passion which he expresses tempts one to leave it for a while. However, it is the rare person who can put it aside. Despite the pathos expressed one cannot but continue. Realuyo has not forgotten his homeland and he offers a special insight into this fascinating land and its people through his exceptional talent as a writer.

This is the first Fil-Am novel I've read and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters will last with me for a long time. After reading the last page it was as if I have come to really know Gringo and Ninang Rola. After reading the last page, I wished the novel didn't end. I guess this was because Realuyo's portrayal of the characters were so realistic that one can see their personalities in real live Filipinos. Even more haunting was the experience Gringo was having the morning he and his brother left the country...from waking at dawn, showering, the final breakfast, the rain, the jeepney ride. It all comes back to me just as when my family left the motherland. Many sentences by Realuyo are even more memorable that they will remain forever engraved within me. They transcend the Flipino culture. I highly recommend this book.

I don't know much about the Phillipines, but I found that this book taught me a lot. Moreover, it was a convincing, tender picture of one boy's tumultuous coming-of-age. The way the author uses language--particularly the way he intersperses Spanish with Tagalog and English--pushes the envelope of American English. Also, this book is, at its heart, an Asian AMERICAN book, yet it is set in the Phillipines. No small accomplishment.