Ilustrado
Synopsis
Ilustrado opens with Crispin Salvador, lion of Philippine letters, dead in the Hudson River. His young acolyte, Miguel, sets out to investigate the author's suspicious death and the strange disappearance of an unfinished manuscript-a work that had been planned not just to return the once-great author to fame but to expose the corruption behind the rich families who have ruled the Philippines for generations. To understand the death, Miguel scours the life, charting Salvador's trajectory via his poetry, interviews, novels, polemics, and memoirs. The literary fragments become patterns become stories become epic: a family saga of four generations tracing 150 years of Philippine history forged under the Spanish, the Americans, and the Filipinos themselves. Finally, we are surprised to learn that this story belongs to young Miguel as much as to his lost mentor, and we are treated to an unhindered view of a society caught between reckless decay and hopeful progress. In the shifting terrain of this remarkably ambitious and daring first novel, Miguel Syjuco explores fatherhood, regret, revolution, and the mysteries of lives lived and abandoned.
News & Blog
More News & Blog
[caption id="attachment_2346" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The beautiful UWA grounds where the Opening Night Party was held"][/caption] Perth Writers’ Festival was a huge success over the weekend, and over the next few days I will be giving a run-down of some of the highlights and on–the-ground stories from this 4 day event. Perth Writers’...
The New York Times has released its annual list of '100 Notable Books' for 2010. The list is chosen by NYT editors to include the year's outstanding published works. This year's list features some stellar Random House authors, including, Ian McEwan's SOLAR, David Grossman's TO THE END OF THE LAND, Miguel Syjuco's ILUSTRADO, Susan Casey's THE WAVE, Adam Ross's MR. PEANUT and A.?L. Kennedy 's WHAT...
Editorial Reviews
"Tale of Filipino intelligentsia has magic to spare. Miguel Syjuco is a newcomer who rightfully holds top literary judges spellbound and his wildly entertaining Illustrado was the recipient of the 2008 Man Asia Literary Prize. Ilustrado is more a novel of wonderful parts than a completely successful whole. However, Syjuco is only in his mid-30s and he already has the wand of the enchanter." - Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"Tale of Filipino intelligentsia has magic to spare. Miguel Syjuco is a newcomer who rightfully holds top literary judges spellbound and his wildly entertaining Illustrado was the recipient of the 2008 Man Asia Literary Prize. Ilustrado is more a novel of wonderful parts than a completely successful whole. However, Syjuco is only in his mid-30s and he already has the wand of the enchanter." - Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"There is much to admire here. The reader is truly immersed in key aspects of the Philippines - history, politics, youth culture and the expatriate experience. A talented writer willing to take risks." - David Messer, The Sydney Morning Herald
"There is much to admire here. The reader is truly immersed in key aspects of the Philippines - history, politics, youth culture and the expatriate experience. A talented writer willing to take risks." - David Messer, The Sydney Morning Herald
"A fine, flawed, frustrating and fascinating Moebius-strip of a novel." - Katherine England, Adelaide Review
"A fine, flawed, frustrating and fascinating Moebius-strip of a novel." - Katherine England, Adelaide Review
"This is an extraordinary accomplishment for a debut novelist, a virtuoso display." - The Age
"This is an extraordinary accomplishment for a debut novelist, a virtuoso display." - The Age
"Moving, powerful and perplexing. Ilustrado is an impressive debut from a young writer whose place in the literary pantheon must already be assured." - WA Review
"Moving, powerful and perplexing. Ilustrado is an impressive debut from a young writer whose place in the literary pantheon must already be assured." - WA Review
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