[Contemplation] Wounded Little Gods
Wow. It's been quite a long time that I've read something from a physical book - and a local literature at that! Wounded Little Gods by Eliza Victoria is a story you could finish in one sitting. Not because it was short, but because its mystery intrigues you to the extent that you can't stop. And I like that.
Here is the synopsis of the book:
Regina was born and raised in the small town of Heridos, where gods and spirits walked the earth. Until they didn't.
Ten years ago, the whole town produced a bad harvest - rice grains as black as soot - and the people of the town moved on, away from the soil and the farms, believing the gods and spirits have abandoned them.
It is ten years later, on a Friday before a long weekend, and Regina ends her shift at an office in Makati. She walks home with a new colleague named Diana. Diana, following a strange and disturbing conversation with Regina, does not appear at the office on Monday, and the day after that. And the day after that. On Thursday, Regina opens her bag and finds a folded piece of paper filled with Diana's handwriting. On the page are two names and a strange map that will send Regina home.
My love for browsing at book stores paid off when I found a fiction book so out of my league yet I found pleasure. I enjoy international books from romance to fantasy and mystery but when I picked this up and read the synopsis, I was instantly curious. At first, I wasn't able to buy it but when I came back for it, I bought it then and there.
Wounded Little Gods is a local literature which took me by surprise about the fascinating world of Philippine Mythology, History and Medical experiments. It was good to know these kinds of stories because we can relate to it - especially the settings. The story is spooky and engrossing at the same time. Regina, the lead character, untangles the mysteries surrounding the province of Heridos, the town where she grew up. It is a scary tale in a sense that the atmosphere it builds is familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Also add to that the flow of the story which leads to a heart-stopping and mind-boggling revelation.
My problem with the book came from the transition and words. I don't know why but there were times that I had to reread the whole thing because I didn't get what really was happening. I'm not sure if it's my vocabulary or her writing. I was also quite confuse with the perspective of the narration because it was changing. Also I didn't have much emotional attachment to the characters. They just don't invoke the emotions in me. Though the writing was excellent and compelling, I wasn't emotionally wired.
Wounded Little Gods is a right book for you if you want a quick read mystery/fantasy type. It also makes you curious about conspiracy theories that happened in the Philippines. Grab a book now! :)
My Rating:
Plot: 8.2/10
Characters & Dialogue : 6.0/10
Structure & Pacing: 6.8/10
Theme: 8.9/10
Style & Tone: 8.4/10
OVERALL RATING: 7.7