Sihay

I recently finished reading Sonata by Lualhati Bautista, and I still can’t shake the emotions it stirred. It’s only the second Filipiniana book I’ve read so far—an embarrassing statistic I hesitate to admit, but one that reflects a larger problem: the lack of diverse local titles in many bookstores. More often than not, I find only academic texts or comics with flashy covers that don’t quite reflect the depth I’m looking for.

So discovering Sonata felt like stumbling upon a quiet, aching song in the middle of a noisy crowd.

A Portrait of a Family in Tension

At its core, Sonata is a story about a writer and her fractured relationship with her father. But it’s not just about conflict—it’s about the love that quietly persists despite pride, misunderstandings, and silence. Lualhati Bautista does a masterful job of portraying both characters without taking sides. There’s no hero or villain here—just two people doing the best they can with what life has given them.

The father, a stern traditionalist from another time, struggles to connect with a daughter he clearly loves but doesn’t fully understand. Meanwhile, the daughter—ambitious, wounded, and yearning for validation—pushes him away in her quest for freedom, even as she longs for his approval. The result is a tender and painful exploration of what goes unsaid in so many families.

The Power of What’s Unspoken

What moved me most about Sonata wasn’t just the story itself, but how it was told. Bautista leaves so much between the lines, and in doing so, she mirrors real life. So many families operate through gestures, silence, and words left hanging. Sonata leans into that silence, trusting the reader to feel its weight. The restraint makes the emotional moments hit even harder.

There were scenes that tugged at my heart unexpectedly—not through melodrama, but through subtle truths. I found myself reflecting on my own family, the things we never say, and the love that pulses underneath even the sharpest conversations.

A First, But Not the Last

This was my first Lualhati Bautista book, but it certainly won’t be the last. Her writing is compassionate without being sentimental, sharp without being cruel. She tells deeply Filipino stories with honesty and grace.

Reading Sonata reminded me that we need more space for books like this on our shelves—and more readers willing to seek them out. If you’re looking for a story that understands the quiet struggles within a family, one that respects the complexity of our relationships without offering easy answers, then Sonata is book worth reading.