Comic Book Review: "12:01" by Russell Molina & Kajo Baldisimo

Title: 12:01
Author(s): Russell Molina, Kajo Baldisimo
Publisher: Adarna House
Published date: 2016
ISBN: 9789715085984
Language: Filipino
Genre: Historical Fiction, Graphic Fiction, Filipino Comics, Filipiniana

Gunitain ang isang parte ng madilim na nakaraan sa ilalim ng Martial Law na mababasa sa one-shot komiks ni Russell Molina at Kajo Baldisimo.

12:01 Front Cover

12:01 Rear Cover

Ang "12:01" ay isa lamang sa istorya sa maraming pang-aabuso noong panahon ng Martial Law na ipinatupad ng diktador na si Ferdinand Marcos. Kuwento ito ng mga magkakaibigan na inabutan ng curfew dahil sa nasira nilang sasakyan. Ito yung mga panahon na hindi ka sasantohin ng mga nagpapatupad ng batas kahit aksidente pa ang kamalian mo tulad ng paglagpas sa curfew.

Ang isa sa madilim na kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, ang Marcos' Martial Law, ay nagsimula noong Septiyembre 23, 1972 sa deklarasyon ng nasabing diktador. Hanggang sa masipa siya sa pwesto noong Pebrero 1986 dahil sa People Power Revolution.

Para sa mga tinatamad na magbasa ng all-text na libro, marahil sa pagbabasa ng komiks kayo sipagin ;)

Iminumungkahi ko na tangkilikin natin ang mga ganitong uri ng babasahin tulad ng "12:01". Nang sa gayon ay nababalikan natin ang nangyari noon. Na mabasa ang kasaysayan natin sa pamamagitan ng komiks.

Ang puntos ko sa komiks na ito ay: 4.0 / 5.0

Sana'y nagustuhan ninyo ang aking rebyu.

Salamat!

-

Otakore Literantadodist

September 22, 2020

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Reference:
Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos, wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_under_Ferdinand_Marcos

Book Review: In The Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami

Title: In The Miso Soup [イン ザ・ミソスープ / In Za Misosūpu ]
Author: Ryu Murakami
ISBN: 0747574057
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published date: 2005 (first published 1997)
Language: English (translated from Japanese)
Genre: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

This is my first Ryu Murakami book. I've heard of the author before and I'm aware of his subject in writing. I'm not into the psychological horror-thriller genre, and this is actually my first time reading this kind of book. And I'm starting to like it!

In The Miso Soup (Front Cover)

In The Miso Soup (Rear Cover)

In The Miso Soup (Dust Jacket / Binding)

* WARNING: some spoilers ahead.

It's a grim experience for Kenji with his unregistered job as a guide for attending Frank - an absurd-looking American tourist. With the news of a murder coalesce with odd happenings while escorting Frank, Kenji grew his suspicions. That suspicions turned into a real nightmare when Frank murders people in front of him.

Frank is being like a Charles Manson having a tour in Japan. A psycho-killer with a connection to cult and magic, and knows where you live but you don't know where and when he will appear. It's very scary to think.

A point in the novel I appreciate is making a story within the red-light district of Japan. Although the subject is uncomfortable to talk about for some, It just shows the reality of life in Japan.

The ending signifies they're in a Miso soup with the characters as the ingredients, readers can figure out the meaning by reading the whole novel. My anxiety grows with the ending, with Frank letting Kenji live with his girlfriend and then gone in the crowd. Who knows if Frank is really true to himself treating Kenji as a friend. But he mentioned he sometimes has a different him and is lying several times. That I can't trust. But it ends there. We wouldn't know.

I'm rating this book: 3.5 / 5.0

Hope you like my review.

Thanks!

-

Otakore Literantadodist
September 04, 2020

* I sold this copy at Shopee, https://shopee.prf.hn/l/7OAvZmW