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A review by eepi
Bibliolepsy by Gina Apostol
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
But I did not want to pity my country. I didn’t even want to think about it.
A bibliolept is burdened by all stories she reads, by other people’s poems in her head. Dead people’s words are in her like blood and bile.
The world needs more readers, not writers.
I was really surprised how much I enjoyed and liked this book. It gave me almost the same experience and vibe when I read My Year of Rest and Relaxation.
This was published wayyy before Ottesa Moshfegh's famous book. The two books are similar to some degree with its orphaned privileged infuriating heroine and that the last act of these books ends when a national tragedy happened; in this book, EDSA Revolution. Both heroines' story is not centered around the tragedy. Their story just exist simultaneously with them. Altho with Bibliolepsy, it is more obvious it will end during edsa rev.
I was contemplating if I wanted to rate it 5 stars. I read My year of rest and relaxation without booktok or booktube. I just happen to read it without influence. Like bibliolepsy it irritates me from page 1 till halfway of the book. I know how much divided readers are about Moshfegh's books so I was doubting my ratings cuz maybe I read it wrong.
I didnt change my rating and I was aware of the reasons some readers dont like the book. I do think people would definitely have the same opinion with Bibliolepsy.
I rated it 5 stars because it is unfair that the only reason I'm hesitating to give it a full 5 because the heroine is not perfect or do not have a redemption arc. I cant give it less when i gave Moshfegh's book a 5. I enjoed this more tbh.
It also such poor review of me to compare a decade older book to a newer one. But I am not as well read as the heroine of bibliolepsy and I can only use the contemporary books I've read to form an opinion.
Readers might not like the writing in the beginning. I was confused at first cuz it's a little convoluted for me. A big wordy but after 20 pages I got the hang of Gina Apostol's writing and form of the book.
I cannot control myself but I just want to share how much the heroine to me felt like a combination of Ottessa Moshfegh, Sally Rooney and Haruki Murakami's written women, especially in the middle of the book i felt like Primi was moving like a woman written by murakami.
Apologies that I can only form a review thru comparisons from other contemporary books published later, kinda bother me too lol
I might reread this in the near future. I highly recommend. I'm glad this is my first Gina Apostol book. To all Filipino readers that think this might be "yellow leaning", it is not. It's more about the heroine being a bibliophile that sleeps with literary men during revolution.
Warning tho, youll end up with more tbr books after reading Bibliolepsy.
This was published wayyy before Ottesa Moshfegh's famous book. The two books are similar to some degree with its orphaned privileged infuriating heroine and that the last act of these books ends when a national tragedy happened; in this book, EDSA Revolution. Both heroines' story is not centered around the tragedy. Their story just exist simultaneously with them. Altho with Bibliolepsy, it is more obvious it will end during edsa rev.
I was contemplating if I wanted to rate it 5 stars. I read My year of rest and relaxation without booktok or booktube. I just happen to read it without influence. Like bibliolepsy it irritates me from page 1 till halfway of the book. I know how much divided readers are about Moshfegh's books so I was doubting my ratings cuz maybe I read it wrong.
I didnt change my rating and I was aware of the reasons some readers dont like the book. I do think people would definitely have the same opinion with Bibliolepsy.
I rated it 5 stars because it is unfair that the only reason I'm hesitating to give it a full 5 because the heroine is not perfect or do not have a redemption arc. I cant give it less when i gave Moshfegh's book a 5. I enjoed this more tbh.
It also such poor review of me to compare a decade older book to a newer one. But I am not as well read as the heroine of bibliolepsy and I can only use the contemporary books I've read to form an opinion.
Readers might not like the writing in the beginning. I was confused at first cuz it's a little convoluted for me. A big wordy but after 20 pages I got the hang of Gina Apostol's writing and form of the book.
I cannot control myself but I just want to share how much the heroine to me felt like a combination of Ottessa Moshfegh, Sally Rooney and Haruki Murakami's written women, especially in the middle of the book i felt like Primi was moving like a woman written by murakami.
Apologies that I can only form a review thru comparisons from other contemporary books published later, kinda bother me too lol
I might reread this in the near future. I highly recommend. I'm glad this is my first Gina Apostol book. To all Filipino readers that think this might be "yellow leaning", it is not. It's more about the heroine being a bibliophile that sleeps with literary men during revolution.
Warning tho, youll end up with more tbr books after reading Bibliolepsy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Sexual assault