Meet New Books
Book Cover

Monstress

Book 9 in the series:Art of the Story

Save:
Find on Amazon

Monstress by Lysley Tenorio is a collection of short stories that delve deep into the Filipino culture and experiences, exploring themes of identity, assimilation, and family dynamics. The stories are filled with complex characters facing emotional challenges, all written in a simple yet beautiful prose that captivates readers and evokes strong emotions.

Characters:

The characters are diverse and compelling, each presenting their own struggles with identity, belonging, and connection, which resonates with readers.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by simple yet impactful prose that resonates emotionally, allowing for a deep connection with the characters.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot consists of interconnected stories showcasing Filipinos and Filipino Americans navigating their identities, dealing with themes of alienation and transformation through unique, often bizarre experiences.

Setting:

The setting encompasses both the Philippines and various American cultures, enhancing the narratives' exploration of the immigrant experience.

Pacing:

The pacing allows for a thorough exploration of each narrative, ensuring that stories feel substantial and meaningful rather than rushed.
In 1966, the president of CocoLoco Pictures broke the news to us in English: “As the Americanos say, it is time to listen to the music. Your movies are shit.” He unrolled a poster for The Squid Childr...

Notes:

Lysley Tenorio's debut collection has eight stories.
The collection explores the alienation felt by Filipinos in America.
Tenorio avoids emotional melodrama, focusing instead on bizarre premises.
Characters include a B-movie actress, a faith healer's grandson, and a comic book geek.
The stories are rich in themes of identity and the immigrant experience.
Characters are depicted with moral ambiguity, making them relatable.
The author balances humor with sadness in his narratives.
Many stories deal with unrequited love and familial dysfunction.
The writing style is praised for its simplicity and emotional depth.
This collection was a hit among high school students for its themes of identity and diversity.
The titular story 'Monstress' may mislead but is well-written.
The stories cover a range of Filipino and American life experiences.
The book was awarded the 2014 One Book One San Diego prize.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The content warnings for Monstress include themes of alienation, exploration of mental health challenges, and difficult familial relationships.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance present within the stories, often exploring complex emotional relationships.

From The Publisher:

"The debut of an electric literary talent. Brilliantly quirky, often moving, always gorgeously told….Bravo for this fabulous American fiction!"

-Chang-Rae Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Native Speaker

"A wonderful story collection that's as wide and rich and complex as the geography it spans."

- Ben Fountain, PEN/Hemingway award-winning author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevera

"Tenorio is a deep and original writer, and Monstress is simply a beautiful book."

-Jessica Hagedorn, author of Dogeaters

A luminous collection of heartbreaking, vivid, startling, and gloriously unique stories set amongst the Filipino-American communities of California and the Philippines, Monstress heralds the arrival of a breathtaking new talent on the literary scene: Lysley Tenorio. Already the worthy recipient of a Pushcart Prize, a Whiting Writer's Award, and a Stegner Fellowship, Tenorio brilliantly explores the need to find connections, the melancholy of isolation, and the sometimes suffocating ties of family in tales that range from a California army base to a steamy moviehouse in Manilla, to the dangerous false glitter of Hollywood.

About the Author:

Lysley Tenorio is the author of the novel The Son of Good Fortune and the story collection Monstress, named a book of the year by the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, a Whiting Award, a Stegner fellowship, and the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Bogliasco Foundation. His stories have appeared in the Atlantic, Zoetrope: All-Story, and Ploughshares, and have been adapted for the stage by The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the Ma-Yi Theater in New York City. He is a professor at Saint Mary's College of California.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.