Book: Orosa-Nakpil Malate
Author: Louie Mar A Gangcuangco
Genre: Novel
Publishing Date: 2006Review by Raydon L. Reyes
How does one turn one of the most feared deadly chronic diseases ever to plague mankind into something that is intellectually, socially, and sensually engaging? Nineteen-year-old Louie Mar A. Gangcuangco gives his answer in his novel entitled, “Orosa-Nakpil Malate”.
The book tells the story of John David de Jesus (Dave, for short), a gay medical student who is exposed to the life in Malate, one of the supposed “bowels” of Manila, and a haven for urban homosexual insomniacs. It starts with Dave’s childhood, along with his early struggles as a growing gay boy, with his first love, first heartbreak, and his longing for acceptance from his family, particularly his father. The story then jumps to when Dave, who has already become a medical student in UP, struggles to find true love, hoping to exchange the “casual” things of Malate for something “serious”.
Things are never as simple though, especially where love and lust is concerned. Dave, who refuses to give up his physical standards for “the one”,
“Kailangan siya ay guwapo.”
-experiences his fair share of ups and downs. He endures the suffering inflicted upon him by the predators of his world, particularly Celso, Michael and Vincent, but he also enjoys the love given to him by Ross, the one whom he feels cherishes him the most. Ultimately, he is faced with the challenge of remaining the decent and loving person that he is while his loved one becomes plagued with the very thing he has been fighting with since he began to aspire to become a doctor.
The story, adorned with sensual poetry and art, is simple enough. Gay grows up longing for acceptance. Gay is exposed to the nightlife. Gay gets tired of nightlife. Gay looks for true love and gets a few kicks in his behind along the way. Gay finds love. Gay finds heartbreak. Gay finds a bittersweet ending.
But what distinguishes this novel from other pieces of gay literature is the fact that it serves to educate, rather explicitly, not only of the social implications of the modern gay life but also of the harsh reality that HIV-AIDS presents. Lines that give medical information and advice pertaining to the virus, which has been verified by specialists of the disease, are constantly put between the characters’ dialogues, including those of the narrator’s. This is done without compromising the flow of the novel’s storyline.
A second person point of view is used, where the narrator talks to the main character, making the reader feel as if he, himself, was Dave. This new perspective makes it so that the reader makes Dave’s story, along with his joys, sensations (especially during lovemaking) and struggles, as his own.
Dave is a character a lot of people, gay or not, can easily relate to. His resolution to find something real and long-lasting in a world that ruthlessly prioritizes physical beauty over everything else is easy enough to understand.
Orosa-Nakpil Malate’s main strength is its ability to shake the reader just enough for him to open his eyes to the dangers of HIV-AIDS, a reality already fearsome in itself, while charming the reader with its fresh language, imagery, and energy. Though aimed at a younger (and pinker) market, the novel doesn’t alienate too much since HIV-AIDS is hardly just a gay thing.
And getting facts about the disease from this novel would definitely be more fun than getting it from some thick, heavy, hard-bound science book! Then again, maybe that’s just me.
Author: Louie Mar A Gangcuangco
Genre: Novel
Publishing Date: 2006Review by Raydon L. Reyes
How does one turn one of the most feared deadly chronic diseases ever to plague mankind into something that is intellectually, socially, and sensually engaging? Nineteen-year-old Louie Mar A. Gangcuangco gives his answer in his novel entitled, “Orosa-Nakpil Malate”.
The book tells the story of John David de Jesus (Dave, for short), a gay medical student who is exposed to the life in Malate, one of the supposed “bowels” of Manila, and a haven for urban homosexual insomniacs. It starts with Dave’s childhood, along with his early struggles as a growing gay boy, with his first love, first heartbreak, and his longing for acceptance from his family, particularly his father. The story then jumps to when Dave, who has already become a medical student in UP, struggles to find true love, hoping to exchange the “casual” things of Malate for something “serious”.
Things are never as simple though, especially where love and lust is concerned. Dave, who refuses to give up his physical standards for “the one”,
“Kailangan siya ay guwapo.”
-experiences his fair share of ups and downs. He endures the suffering inflicted upon him by the predators of his world, particularly Celso, Michael and Vincent, but he also enjoys the love given to him by Ross, the one whom he feels cherishes him the most. Ultimately, he is faced with the challenge of remaining the decent and loving person that he is while his loved one becomes plagued with the very thing he has been fighting with since he began to aspire to become a doctor.
The story, adorned with sensual poetry and art, is simple enough. Gay grows up longing for acceptance. Gay is exposed to the nightlife. Gay gets tired of nightlife. Gay looks for true love and gets a few kicks in his behind along the way. Gay finds love. Gay finds heartbreak. Gay finds a bittersweet ending.
But what distinguishes this novel from other pieces of gay literature is the fact that it serves to educate, rather explicitly, not only of the social implications of the modern gay life but also of the harsh reality that HIV-AIDS presents. Lines that give medical information and advice pertaining to the virus, which has been verified by specialists of the disease, are constantly put between the characters’ dialogues, including those of the narrator’s. This is done without compromising the flow of the novel’s storyline.
A second person point of view is used, where the narrator talks to the main character, making the reader feel as if he, himself, was Dave. This new perspective makes it so that the reader makes Dave’s story, along with his joys, sensations (especially during lovemaking) and struggles, as his own.
Dave is a character a lot of people, gay or not, can easily relate to. His resolution to find something real and long-lasting in a world that ruthlessly prioritizes physical beauty over everything else is easy enough to understand.
Orosa-Nakpil Malate’s main strength is its ability to shake the reader just enough for him to open his eyes to the dangers of HIV-AIDS, a reality already fearsome in itself, while charming the reader with its fresh language, imagery, and energy. Though aimed at a younger (and pinker) market, the novel doesn’t alienate too much since HIV-AIDS is hardly just a gay thing.
And getting facts about the disease from this novel would definitely be more fun than getting it from some thick, heavy, hard-bound science book! Then again, maybe that’s just me.
1 comment:
the novel "orosa-nakpil Malate" is one of the best novel I've ever read!! swear!! you can learn a lot things from it.. not only from the HIV-AIDS but also a love story that touched my heart deeply.. so i recommend you to read this novel so you can feel what i have felt reading this book from the beggining up to the end.. mixed emotions love, longing for sex and etc.. so i dare all of you to read this novel!!!
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