Synopsis
Winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize
‘A masterpiece’ – Alberto Manguel, El País
‘Miguel Syjuco is his country’s most original and unflinching literary voice’ – Salman Rushdie
Murder mystery. Literary puzzle. Bildungsroman. A tightrope taut between fact and fiction. An accusation and act of contrition. A society satirized in a shattered mirror. Ilustrado is a modern classic that defies classification.
Bold, demanding, but famously rewarding to intrepid readers, the novel starts with the waterlogged corpse of the great Filipino writer Crispin Salvador — then sweeps backwards and forwards through eras, genres, and narrative threads: weaving together generations of a complex history dictated by the once and future vainglories of the Philippine ruling class.
Now part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the very best of modern literature. This edition features a new introduction by Robert Butcher.
Details
Reviews
“Bristling with comic verve, metafictional playfulness, and an undertone of expatriate nostalgia . . . an impressive, vibrant mix of Borgesian literary labyrinth and acerbic émigré comedy”The Sunday Times, The Sunday Times
“A seethingly ambitious debut . . . US critics have cited Bolaño as an obvious comparison; others may think of Midnight’s Children-era Rushdie”Independent, Independent
“Miguel Syjuco is his country’s most original and unflinching literary voice”Salman Rushdie
“Brilliantly conceived, and stylishly executed, [Ilustrado] covers a large and tumultuous historical period with seemingly effortless skill. It is also ceaselessly entertaining, frequently raunchy, and effervescent with humour”Judges of the Man Asian Literary Prize
