Tatlong Gabi Tatlong Araw
by John Michael Samuel
IT’S REALLY difficult to admit the fact that I am not that inclined into reading Filipino novels or books, and say that I can count with my fingers the Filipino authors that I know. It’s a shame, really.
One of those authors is Eros Atalia and I’m fortunate enough to have met him personally for a couple of times (and I didn’t even know him the first time that I met him). He has received various awards from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Pandaylipi Ink. at Gawad Doc Rodrigo for his writings and his bestselling novel, Ligo na U, Lapit na Me has already been adapted into film in the 7th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
He has a new novel, launched last Dec. 14, entitled Tatlong Gabi Tatlong Araw which was given the 2013 Grand Prize, Nobela by the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. This is, sadly, the first book I’ve ever read that was written by him, although I also have copies of his previous works, and the first thing that I noticed is the book’s size. It’s bigger than his previous books.
The novel tells the story of Raymundo “Mong” Mojica, a journalist, who volunteered on covering the scenarios that would happen to Brgy. Magapok when a super typhoon hits it.
It is a real page-turner. Honestly, I cannot put it down. I was so keen on knowing what would happen next that I just can’t help but continue reading even if I need to go the toilet or eat lunch. And even if I do pause my reading for a moment, I can’t stop thinking about it.
The book is also very timely, considering all the calamities that our country has gone through. The novel clearly reflected the issues that our country goes through during the times like that.
I’d give the novel four stars out of five, that one star being the several typographical errors that escaped the eyes of the editor and got through with the printing. Yet who the heck cares about typographical errors?! It’s still a magnificent story.
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