How to Write a Critique of a Novel

April 28, 2017

Note: this article has been updated in April 2017.

When assigned to write a critique of a novel, be sure you understand the specification
of this task: writing a critique and writing a review are far from the same.

What is the difference?

 A book review = its summary aimed at telling readers about the plot.

 A book (novel) critique = its analysis aimed at critical responding and

evaluating its quality.

As far as most specialists agree on reading is the best way of gaining knowledge,
professors assign critique writings to students on the regs. Such tasks allow enhancing
 the brain functions and critical thinking, encourage youngsters to read books, and help
them shape an opinion on literary works.

A critique of a novel is a type of college papers that gives a critical assessment of

literary works. It’s a systematic analysis discussing a book’s validity and evaluating its
worth. A critique is not about information but analysis and persuasion.

Also known as a critical response, this writing argues whether a novel is worth reading
and why. In other words, your critique of a novel should discuss:

 a book’s thesis and major argument

 a book’s style

 a reviewer’s (your) comments and assumptions

How to Write a Good Critique Paper

As well as all academic papers, a critique has its structure:

 It should include:

1. An introduction with a clear thesis statement.

2. A body with your synopsis and arguments.

3. A conclusion with your points summary and thesis restatement.

Easier said than done.

One can’t simply sit and write an essay. (Okay, our writers can.) To come up with an A+
critique, be sure to consider the following steps.
 Before Writing a Critique

No matter if it was a teacher who assigned a particular novel for you to criticize or you
had a freedom of choice here, you’ll need to do research and create a detailed outline
before writing a critique itself.

Say you’ve got a book to criticize in your essay. What’s next?

1. Read the novel, taking notes of its main points.

2. While reading, write a brief summary for each section.

3. Determine the author’s core statement.

4. Read some reviews of the novel to get a better idea of its content and message.

5. Make notes from those reviews. (You can use them for arguments afterward.)

6. Formulate your thesis.

7. Make sure that you don’t plagiarize it from other reviewers.

8. Come up with 3-5 arguments for your thesis.

9. Search for relevant references to support your thesis and arguments.

10. Find evidence from the novel and write a detailed outline of your critique.

To smooth things down for you, we’ve prepared the free checklist of questions you can
use as a guide for writing a critique. Get it right now to make sure you haven’t missed
anything.

[Download the PDF checklist]

Once your research and outline are ready, it’s time to start writing the first draft of your
critique. Be sure your outline relates to the thesis, and you’ve organized each section
coherently.
 Introduction

The easiest part of writing, an introduction contains basic information about a book: its
author, title, topic, and key ideas. Also, present the essay purpose and your reaction to
the novel: the latter will be your thesis statement.

With all that said, the introduction of your critique might be as follows:

 Sentence 1: A book’s author + its title + the main idea. Be objective and use so-
called evaluative verbs to power your writing.

 Sentence 2: A book’s summary + its aim (key argument). Keep it neutral and try
avoiding specific details.

 Sentence 3: A brief statement of your evaluation. The transitional thesis is the
last sentence of your introduction, and it can be positive-positive or positive-negative.

Depending on a literary work you criticize, the essay introduction may be 1-2 sentences
or… 1-3 paragraphs.

Body

No strict rules exist for the number of paragraphs you should write in a critique’s body.
It depends on your assignment’s specifics and a novel you need to evaluate. Taking a
standard 5-paragraph essay as a basis, let’s say your critique will consist of three
paragraphs.

Points to consider while writing:

 Organization. Depending on the approach, you can arrange paragraphs by

points, strengths vs. weaknesses, or theme. Remember that the aim of your work is not
merely criticizing a book in a negative way but also point out what its author did well.
 Writing techniques and style. Evaluating a novel, don’t forget to mention these
points. Discuss how effectively (or not) the author used stylistic choices to promote
his/her ideas.

 Evidence. Describe what types of arguments the author used. Were they logical
and appropriate? Don’t forget to explain why the evidence supports your point.

 Usefulness. Discuss what the novel adds to its topic understanding. Is it overall

useful? Does it present ideas in original and engaging ways? How does it consider key
concepts in society?

 Examples. You should support each point of your critique with examples. For
instance, you can’t simply write that a novel was dull but provide a quote as evidence
and explain why it does not appeal to you.

Language patterns you use for writing a critique matter, either. Be sure to
use reporting verbs and phrases, modality, and concessive clauses.

And that’s what David Taylor, senior advisor from UMUC, determines as evaluative
criteria for writing a critique:
 Conclusion

The final part of your essay, this is a paragraph where you summarize and qualify
judgments, as well as offer your recommendations on a book.

Answer the questions:

 Do you agree with the author? Why, or why not?

 What is the overall opinion on this novel?

Be specific. Remind readers the importance of a literary work you criticized, focus on
its strengths and weaknesses, and state what you believe is its ultimate success.

Here comes the critique’s sample, kindly provided by OWLL for you to understand the
specification of such tasks.
 And don’t forget about one more detail able to turn your essay into an A+ academic
paper.

Format

A critique of a novel has clear style guidelines for students to adhere while writing,
which are:

1. Typed, double-spaced, on one side of a paper

2. One-inch margins on all sides

3. All pages numbered (except the first one)

4. Turabian or Chicago citation style

5. No first-person (except referring to your opinion)

6. Active voice

7. A new paragraph each time you change the point

Content and grammar are of equal importance here. If a reader doesn’t understand
your sentence structure, they won’t be able to follow your argument. That’s why revise
and proofread your essay but don’t rely much on spell-checkers, as they often miss
even the most obvious spelling mistakes.

Instead, ask someone to proofread your work and revise it accordingly. Or, contact our
editors for help.

REVIEWS

August 15, 2011

CANDICE MONIQUE O. BRILLON

August 15, 2011

By Candice Monique O. Brillon
“4 out of 5 ang nadedevastate dahil sa pag-ibig”. Does it mean that only one has a shot
of happy ending? A mixture of comedy, romance, and complicated situations sum up
Ricky Lee’s first novel, “Para kay B?” A more intriguing question follows. “Sino ba talaga
si B?”

Lee’s first novel revolves around 5 different stories that speak the truth about falling in
love, accepting a heart break, and falling out of love. These five situations can be
related to any person’s love story. Apart from this, the story also speaks of the writer’s
insecurities and frustrations on making the novel. It also expounds on the writer’s theory
of love.

“Para kay B” is a personal journey for Lee because it also involves his own story. The
balancing of characters greatly affects the flow of the story. Each character has her own
chapter, her own moment. Each chapter has its own situation. Some of the situations
are rarely seen in a normal context in the society.

The first chapter tells the story of Irene. Irene, a girl with a unique photographic
memory, falls in love with Jordan. But as they say, promises are meant to be broken.
The most painful heartbreak is being forgotten by the person who have made you a
promise. The reality of a broken promise will make the readers realize that only fairy
tales have a happy ending.
The second story is Sandra’s story. Her story is about falling in love with one’s sibling.
This situation is unusual especially in terms of Filipino norms but is probably happening
at present. People are afraid to tell their own “Sandra story” because it conflicts with
Philippine society’s norms.

Erica’s story follows next. The chapter relates to a fictional world that refuses to fall in
love. This chapter describes the feeling of a person who is curious about love. It tells of
people falling in love for the first time. The chapter tells that anything that happens for
the first time is always memorable and most of the time, is the happiest feeling.
Unfortunately, some may be unsure if they are really in love. Because of this, most
people resort to wrong decisions.

After Erica is another challenging story of Ester. The creativity of Lee in giving life to the
characters is a success especially in the said chapter. In the said love situation, it
tackles that even if you think that you are meant to be with that person, the situation
may not allow you to be together.

Bessie’s story is associated with a love that has not been admitted, and where mistakes
happen. When one thinks that one is now ready to confess his/her love, sadly, it is too
late. 
“Para kay B” has its own twist at the end. Lee’s imagination does not only deal with
each of the characters but also the life of a writer and his own ideologies. Quotations
expressed in the novel are encapsulated with lessons on how to survive a tragic chapter
in our life. It can also be cited as a status message in one’s facebook account.
The soul of “Para kay B” can be compared to a rollercoaster ride that we, people, mostly
choose to experience. In life, there are only two paths to take: the straight path and the
curved path. The straight path will take you to your destination fast and easy but will you
enjoy the journey? “Para Kay B” also discusses the curved path– although rough and
indefinite in shape but those rough edges of one’s journey will enable one to be strong
and to enjoy one’s existence more.

My Thoughts About Para Kay B by Ricky Lee (Book

Review #50)
It’s a book within a book.

Para Kay B is not just a normal love story. The author is a creative genius in coming up
with a story like this. It’s a breath of fresh air from the mainstream of love stories in the
Philippine book scene.

The author is a known and award-winning Filipino scriptwriter, journalist and

playwright. He has written more that 150 scripts winning him numerous awards and
citations which includes Himala (CNN’s best film of all time in Asia-Pacific), Anak, Jose
Rizal (1998) and Madrasta among others. This is his first novel.

The book has this theory that that love has a quota, that only one in five will be happy
in their love life. And in the book we follow five stories. The first is of Irene and Jordan.
They grew up together, fell in love with each other and promised themselves that they
will marry each other when they are of proper age. This is about the broken promises
and how the’re lives were changed by it.

The next story is about Erica and Jake. Erica is from a place where love is non-existent,
Maldiaga. All the people in their place, despite their efforts, can’t seem to grasp the
very concept of it. People will laugh and mock you when you utter the word. Then one
day, because of her curiosity she decided to look for the true meaning of love. An
unknown force transported her to Manila and there she met Jake who fell in love with
her. The book then follows the two as they try to search for the true meaning of love
despite all the doubts that they have.

The third is of Sandra who fell in love with the wrong person. A forbidden love. Sandra
fell in love with her brother, Lupe. They shared intimate moments together until their
family found out about it and threw his brother out of the house. Her brother bore her
a child with abnormalities. As the years past, Sandra had her own family, but despite
the years that passed, she’s still longing for her brother even just to see him for
closure. The book then follows Sandra as she tries to right her wrongs.

The fourth one is of Ester, who’s a lesbian. She fell in love with their family maid, Sara.
Ester grew up not entertaining the truth about her sexuality. She keeps on denying to
herself that she’s not a lesbian until her son, who’s a gay, made her realize the
importance of her facing the truth. Her son helped her to locate Sara again, who now
has her own family, after years of not seeing each other. The book then follow as Ester
and Sara try to understand what they really have for each other and the things that
they can do for love.

And the last story is of Bessie, or B, whom this book is dedicated to. He’s the inspiration
of Lucas, the writer of the story. It might seem confusing but like what I said previously
this book is a book within a book. I will make more sense if you read it. We follow their
love story as it intertwines with every other stories on the book. Will the book’s theory

be right that only one among five will be happy. It’s for the readers to find out. 

The book is about love. It’s about the many faces of love and the strength of love. This
book gave me a better understanding as to what love really is, that having our own
unique definitions and experiences about love makes it something that is indispensable.
The book proves that love is not all about happy endings. Not all the characters on the
book have happy endings. Some may not have a happy ending but what’s important is
they are not losing hope and continue to be optimistic. Loving makes us more
appreciate and understand the life that that we live. Like what many people say, it’s not
about the destination but about the journey.

While I was reading the book, I felt like I was watching a movie. The author has this
cinematic way of telling the story. The details are very vivid which made me more
understand and appreciate the book. I was like transported in each scene. The book
also has this poetic vibe in it. It works with the imagination well as it has fantastical
elements that I enjoyed.

Despite being a short, what’s also commendable with this book is all of it’s characters
are well-developed. The author presented realistic characters. They are layered and
compelling.

I like the book’s modern approach and concept. It veered away from the norms and
tradition. How it was delivered is totally enjoyable. The book is easy to understand and
lows smoothly.

The book has two endings, an open ended ending and an ending added by the author
where the author presented concepts and ideas which somewhat added more layer to
the book. In there, he concluded all the stories that was left hanging. The ending
satisfied me as what I expected from a master storyteller.

The book also touches social topics like Philippine political problems, poverty and
gender inequality. It also has a bit of lesson about the power or writing.

Para Kay B is written Taglish or the combination of the English and Filipino language.

Para kay B (Book Review)

JANUARY 27, 2018 SHANE PEARL
Image Source: karlcastro.com
Is this a mystery? Is this a comedy? Is this a love story? Who is B? Why is it dedicated to
him or her? These are the questions that ran through my mind the first time I saw the
book Para kay B. From the book cover to the book title itself, it’s all a mystery to me.
Reading the book is like diving head first in a pool full of mysteries. It is the kind of
novel that will make everyone look at it with curiousity just like how I looked at its front
and back cover repeatedly before reading it, as if I can see the answer by looking at the
book intently. I never knew though, that as I began reading the book, it will also start
changing my perceptions toward things.

The book Para kay B by Mr. Ricky Lee consists of five different stories from five different
characters. It tackled the different kinds of love; there’s the untimely love, the forbidden
one, the painful one. Well, one thing I’ve realized while reading the novel is that, no
matter how perfect your love is, you will get hurt in any way possible. That’s life and this
novel taught me that life is far from perfect.

Each stories and each characters are unique and distinct from each other. There are
scenes in the five stories though that are so similar to each other which I failed to notice
until it is mentioned by the near end of the book, that’s how well-written it is. All
characters are also well-written. Irene and Bessie are probably my favorite characters
out of the five; both are unique and strong characters. Both have personalities which I
found annoying at first until I found out their real stories. Erica has the most unique
storyline in the book. Ester and Sandra both have forbidden and taboo stories, although
their stories are not stories at all because it happens in real life. Can we really blame
them? As the book stated, they only fell in love. 

According to the book, there is a quota with love, only 1 out of 5 person will be truly
happy. Is this true? That’s what I asked myself. The novel is so painfully realistic that I
often found myself asking about a lot of things. Even after I finished the novel, I
questioned a lot of things, things I’ve been believing, things around my sorrounding.
That’s how good a writer Ricky Lee is, his book will make you question the things in
your life.

What I like the most in the book is the way it is written. It is hilarious and entertaining,
no part of the book is dull. It’s funny how Ricky Lee showed in the book how Filipinos
views love. Eveything in the novel is interesting, from the way it is written to its
dialogues which I found amusing more often than not. The stories, in a way or another is
relatable to people. It is relatable in a way that you don’t have to be in love or similar to
the characters to actually like the book. It’s the kind of novel the opens eyes, it’s the kind
of novel that changes how you think. 

In my opinion, the real essence of a book is on how it affect or change a person’s belief
or perception. Para kay B is one of those novels, just like what I’ve written earlier, it will
make you question things. This novel definitely changed my perspective towards a lot of
things, not just in love but in life also. 
This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think. It showed how love
can be so great yet so painful at the same time. showed how a love story can be a tragedy
in just a blink of an eye. It showed how tragedy can actually be so much greater than a
love story. As I finish reading the book, I realized how far it is from what I’m thinking
earlier. No, it’s not a mystery novel, it’s not a comedy either, and it’s definitely not a love
story. The novel is in fact a story about love.

BOOK REVIEW: RICKY LEE’S PARA

KAY B
Posted on  January 28, 2012 by JoanMae under FUDGE (Movies, Books, Songs)

Para Kay B (O kung paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa atin).

Ricky Lee. 2008. Tiprint Corporation, 249p., 17cm x 12cm
Lee’s first novel consists of the different love stories of five women; and out of
the five, one of whom is supposed to have a happy ending as the subtitle
suggests. This explores the different struggles of these women when it comes to
finding love and what makes them truly happy. Each story is carefully woven in
a tapestry of one’s ideal love versus love in its real essence.

Lee has painted his words with such lucidity that you, as readers, can concretely
imagine what Irene, Sandra, Ester, Erica at Bessie look like and even smell like.
The visuals given by the author provides stimulus to your senses and would
make you feel like you are also present in the bittersweet world where these
women exist. Because of the descriptive passages manipulated intricately by
author Ricky Lee, he was able to go beyond the boundary that is evident
between the writer and the reader.
What makes this book more interesting is Lee’s creativity in placing
philosophical yet striking moments in the book. The perfect example was when
a character in the story itself was complaining to the writer about the lines she
delivers, about the story’s main plot, and even about how hers would end.

This novel does not revolve solely on love but it also touches on social realities
like political killings, poverty, and gender inequality all bearing weight in the
current situation in our society. It would also be vital to highlight the roles of
gender being portrayed in Lee’s masterpiece. He was able to underline issues on
the women’s role at home, in the work force, and in the society in general.

Ricky Lee’s out-of-the-box presentation of love and remorse, of love and

waiting, of love and society, of love and family, and of love and happy endings
has made him a daring writer who can break the cliché and the conventional.
Lee has written more than a hundred film scripts since 1979, earning for him
more than 50 trophies from award-giving bodies. He is a writer with modern
and realistic tones. His body of works has spanned over twenty years which
include writing short stories, plays, essays, teleplays, and screenplays. A rare
achievement for a writer, two of his short stories won first prizes at the Palanca
Awards for Literature for two years in a row. Thereafter, he never joined any
literary contest believing that writers should not compete with each other.

Looking at the book, its cover already serves as a stimulus to make anybody
pick it up and discover the world of the words printed inside it. How the 3D
effect of the big letter ‘B’ can already imprint a sense of interest to its audience.
How the color rose generates a certain painful vibe when you specifically
connect it to the falling stunt of the man in the middle. How the handwritten
subtitle seems to be talking directly to you—paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang
4 out of 5 sa atin?

The use of a scribbled typeface or a handwritten font in some parts of the book
gives it a personal appeal to the readers. There is just one part where the style
played a cumbersome role. In the division titles of every part, some words
couldn’t be read clearly anymore. Also the frequent use of taglish or the
combination of the English and Filipino language depicts a more colloquial,
Pinoy over-all feel to the story. However, including both an English and a
Filipino word in one sentence can sometimes be a bit awkward to read.
Especially since Lee has used deep Filipino words in the dominant part of the
novel.
Amusingly, Para Kay B appears to be a breath of fresh air amidst the clichéd
and mainstreamed plots of love stories and romantic genres being portrayed in
the Philippine book industry—from the wedding denouement scene to the I’m-
so-stupid-to-make-the-biggest-mistake-of-falling-in-love-with-my-best-friend
setting. However, it is a bittersweet one. There is a patent scheme where Lee
tried to deviate from the accustomed romantic novel pattern where the writer’s
perspective is either playing the third-person role or the acclaimed protagonist
in the story right at the beginning of a story. It is actually interesting to find
remarkable twists towards the conclusion of the novel. But the weight that Lee
has put on this particular bend is somewhat inadequate. There seems to be a
hole in the road that leads the readers to empathize with the twist.

In general, Para Kay B has the capacity to give its readers a haunting feeling of
empathy to Irene, Sandra, Erica, Ester, and Bessie’s love stories. Most
especially, to the story within the story part of the novel. Lee’s characters
appear to be so compelling because more than their captivating personalities,
they seem to present in front of its readers’ very eyes the reality behind the
matters of the heart. That no matter how painful, sickening, and even ominous
love can be, deep inside our hearts, there is still that hope that it’s going to be
worth it. The distinctive approach of Lee on the subject serves as a reset button
for its audience. This novel is indispensible for people who are waiting for
someone to come along, for someone who has allowed herself to engage into
something that is morally wrong, for someone who is afraid to come out of the
closet, for someone who is willing to play the martyr protagonist. This novel is
for someone who loves, period.

Different

Para Kay B Quotes

Want to Read
Rate this book
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
 Para Kay B by Ricky Lee
5,911 ratings, 3.99 average rating, 329 reviews 

Para Kay B Quotes (showing 1-13 of 13)

“Me quota ang pag-ibig. Sa bawat limang umiibig, isa lang ang magiging maligaya. Ang iba, iibig sa
di sila iniibig. Iibig nang di natututo. O iibig sa wala. O di iibig kailanman.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: filipino, love

194 likes

Like

“Ang great love mo, hindi mo makakatuluyan. Ang makakatuluyan mo ay yung correct love.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: correct-love, great-love, love, pag-ibig

166 likes

Like

“Hindi mo pwedeng mahalin ang isang tao nang hindi mo minamahal ang hilaga, silangan, timog at
kanluran ng kanyang paniniwala. Kapag nagmahal ka’y dapat mong tanggapin bawat letra ng
kanyang birth certificate. Kasama na doon ang kanyang libag, utot at bad breath. Pero me limit.
Pantay-pantay ang ibinibigay na karapatan sa lahat ng tao upang lumigaya, o masaktan, o
magpakagago, pero kapag sumara na ang mga pinto, nawasak na ang mga puso, nawala na ang mga
kaluluwa at ang bilang ay umabot na sa zero, goodbye na. Pero, the memory of that one great but
broken love will still sustain you, tama nga na mas matindi ang mga alaala.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: alaala, broken-love, great-love, love, memory

137 likes

Like

“Kakabog ang dibdib mo, kikiligin ang kalamnan mo at kikirot ang puso mo. Kabog, kilig, kirot.
Kapag naramdaman mo ang tatlong K, umiibig ka.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: k, kabog, kilig, kirot, love, pag-ibig, puso

111 likes

Like
“Mas matinding nakakaalala ang puso kaysa utak.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
72 likes

Like

“Iniisip ni Lucas kung gaano kalaki ang kapangyarihan ng isang writer. Sa pamamagitan ng mga
salita ay kaya niyang patigilin ang dyip, ilabas ang lihim ng mga pasahero, pabuhusin ang ulan upang
linisin ang mga basura sa palibot, ikulong ang mga opisyal na corrupt at tuluyang i-delete sa bansa
ang kahirapan.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: manunulat, pagsusulat, writing

45 likes

Like

“Samantalang sa tunay na buhay, pag nangyari, iyon na. Walang revision.” 

― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
34 likes

Like

“Hindi mo pwedeng mahalin ang isang tao nang hindi mo minamahal ang hilaga, silangan, timog at
kanluran ng kanyang mga paniniwala. Kapag nagmahal ka'y dapat mong tanggapin bawat letra ng
kanyang birth certificate. Kasama na doon ang kanyang libag, utot at bad breath.”
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: para-kay-b, ricky-lee

34 likes

Like

“Pantay-pantay ang ibinibigay na karapatan sa lahat ng tao upang lumigaya o masaktan o

magpakagago pero kapag sumara na ang mga pinto, nawasak na ang mga puso at ang bilang ay
umabot na sa zero, goodbye na.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: para-kay-b, ricky-lee

34 likes

Like

“Alam nyo namang hindi tayo totoo. Gawa lang tayo sa mga letra!” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
28 likes
 Like

“Hindi mo pwedeng mahalin ang isang tao nang hindi mo minamahal ang hilaga, silangan, timog, at
kanluran ng kanyang mga paniniwala. Kapag nagmahal ka’y dapat mong tanggapin bawat letra ng
kanyang birth certificate. Kasama na doon ang kanyang libag, utot at bad breath. Pero me limit.
Pantay-pantay ang ibinibigay na karapatan sa lahat ng tao upang lumigaya, o masaktan, o
magpakagago, pero pag sumara na ang mga pinto, nawasak na ang mga puso, nawala na ang mga
kaluluwa at ang bilang ay umabot na sa zero, goodbye na.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: love

22 likes

Like

“Kakabog ang dibdib mo, kikilig ang kalamnan mo, at kikirot ang puso mo. Kabog, kilig, kirot. Kapag
naramdaman mo ang tatlong K, ... umiibig ka!” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: filipino-authors, filipino-novels

22 likes

Like

“Never go out of bounds. There are certain boundaries para sa bawat tao at doon lang ang lugar mo.
Kapag lumagpas ka, maaari ka nang makapanakit ng iba.” 
― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B
tags: interpersonal-relationships, personal-space

14 likes

AT THE POINT OF DEATH

“SANDATA” →

Para Kay B
DEC 26

Posted by jdlordan

I. Preliminaries
Witnessing Para Kay B staged and acted out by real people was such an exciting event for me.
Actually, I watched the play on its final showing dated February 4, 2012 at 7 pm. Due to my great
anticipation of the show, I went to the venue ahead of time so that I can be first in line. I came
across familiar people who also decided to watch the play.

The night was apparently cold and drizzly. The streets were wet and the cool breeze came pass
my face. When I got at the venue,  there were still a few people and so, I decided to buy some
food at the 7 Eleven store nearby for I still have not eaten my dinner. Mr. Ricky Lee, author of
Para Kay B, also arrived that night. It was remarkable seeing the creator of the great narrative.
Some people had their books signed and some took pictures.

Honestly, I only had a little background about Para Kay B. In fact, I just got a gist from some of my
friends who already read the book and it seemed very interesting. Basically, the theme of Para
Kay B constituted love. It summoned questions which  will make you think about love having such
‘quota’. It was a quota that for every five people who loves and experiences how to be loved, only
one of them would be happy. This essentially pertained to the theory of the author about love and
in reality, did an enormous impact to the readers who started asking if love really has the so-
called ‘quota’; and if he or she belonged to that ‘quota’.

From these suppositions, it made me more curious and more fascinated on the different stories of
love as well as, how the author would present his viewpoints through his book.

II. ABC Summary

Atypical stories of five different ladies and their unusual love adventures encompassed Para Kay
B. Beginning with the story of a call center agent with a photographic memory, Irene, at an early
age had a series of difficulties in life. Her mother died and her father married again to Aling
Siony, her wicked step mother. Through flashbacks, she fell in love with a boy in San Idelfonso
named Jordan who also had a lot of struggles in life. Coupled with love and compassion, Irene
helped him in his struggles and one day, Jordan vowed to marry Irene in the future. Since that
day, Irene held on to that promise keeping a watch as a remembrance from Jordan. Done with the
flashbacks, Irene met Jordan in the same building she’s working in and he was totally a different
man. Even though, how hard she tried to let Jordan remember his promise, Jordan couldn’t recall
anything. Finally, at the last part, Irene surrendered her virginity to Jordan even if he couldn’t
remember anything.
Getting to the second story that is about Sandra, a married woman with three children who in her
past life fell in love with his brother, Lupe was another peculiar story of love. Hiding their great
love for each other, they secretly made love in a storage room until one time that their parents
have discovered their secret which created tumult in the family and resulted for Lupe to run away
to Manila. In a long period of time that has passed, Sandra moved on and committed a relationship
with Ruben whom she’ll later on marry and then one day, she met her brother who is now a
criminal. Just as they have seen each other again, they have committed the same mistake they
did before which resulted to the birth of an abnormal child named Belinda. Keen with his love to
Sandra, Ruben accepted Belinda as his own child and they live happily but the day came when
Sandra received a call that a thief break-in their old house. Sandra went there with Belinda and
she knew it was his brother Lupe and then, memories flashed and realizations enlightened her.
Love is a forbidden word and action. This tells the third story about Erica, an orphan girl from a
place called Maldiaga where people don’t know what love is and how to love and just by a wink of
an eye, she was transported to a different world, a world full of love. There she met Mrs. Baylon
and her son Jake. Mrs. Baylon treated her like her own child and Jake fell in love with her. No
matter how hard Erica tried to love Jake, she still couldn’t feel love and she later found through a
magic mirror that she had no heart. Because of this, she declined Jake’s marriage proposal and
ran away. Over her plan to escape the issues of love, she had an opportunity of becoming an
instant celebrity host where she succeeded and again, she met Mrs. Baylon. That time, Mrs.
Baylon told her that Jake was now paralyzed after he met an accident because of his search for
Erica and after Erica have heard the story; she dedicated herself and her whole life to take care
Jake.
Part of the fourth narrative is the story that portrayed a homosexual’s love. Quite unconscious
with her feelings, Ester, a widow barong-maker with a gay son named AJ fell in love with their
family’s servant, Sara. AJ helped his mother to come out of the shell and express her feelings to
Sara and he made an effort of looking for Sara just to make them reunited again. Right then after,
AJ and Ester decided to go to Sara’s house and there they found out that she was already married
to a sick man named Pio. Sara, after Ester and AJ had visited their house came to Ester and made
her way to be with Ester every Friday helping her sew barongs. Pio, on the other hand, knew their
relationship and promised to himself that he’ll not let the two together forever.
The fifth and last story of Para Kay B is about Bessie who is known to be a playgirl. She just
wanted fun, sex, money and to join different organizations. In one of the organizational activities,
there she met a messenger named Lucas. Lucas wanted to see Bessie acting that’s why he went
with her. Undeniably, Bessie enjoyed acting in front of Lucas and as a gift; he gave Lucas a laptop
where he could type his stories for he really wanted to be a writer. But one day, a colonel’s son
named Briggs with two of his friends came to Bessie’s pad. Vitally affected by the drugs, Briggs
and his two other friends beat Lucas until he bled and become wounded and Bessie, afraid and
confused with the happenings can’t do anything but stare. From that day, Bessie didn’t see Lucas
and she searched for him.
Winding up the story, the writer tried to have a debate on the five stories; each characters
protesting for a good ending. Xenophobic as what it may seem, the characters are connected
through the five stories by the concluding ending where Jordan and Bessie met in San Idelfonso in
their search for both Irene and Lucas. Yet, one must live happily and the other, just like the first
three stories, wouldn’t have a happy ending. Zipped by fate, Jordan and Irene were able to meet
again at Fr. Zuniga’s funeral and from that time, they lived happily unlike Bessie who has fallen in
the hands of Briggs committing sex, crime, immorality and corruption and with Lucas who threw
her story of Para Kay B and never heard of again.
III. Performance elements

Staging of Para Kay B required a lot of efforts from the director, performers, production manager
and staff and of course, the committee heads. This kind of theatrical production has gone through
a long series of planning and conceptualizing. Basically, I like how the story of Para Kay B
communicated with its audience. Based from the stage design which is adapted from the view of a
playground, it wanted to seek the interest of the youth which is the common subject of the play.
It essentially has a social character that aims to reach a community.

Moreover, the performers who acted out the roles of different characters gave a maximum
emphasis on how the story must be told. It is very commendable how these actors and actresses
portrayed their roles for they have encapsulated the right emotions and character that the story
demands. Coupled with the right physical gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice, surely,
you can be carried away with their metaphorical lines as well as with their indubitable expertise
on making someone cry and these were all evident in the play. Some of the audiences were
carried away with tears flowing from their eyes.

I also like the fact that there was a live band that made the musical scoring for the play. It added
up to the objectives of conveying the exact sentiment in every scene of the act. Costumes were
also appropriate in every scene and the lighting effect was a resourceful, creative thing done as
part of the stage design. What I just thought of was the venue where the play was shown, that if it
could be a little more spacious so that there could have been more audiences accommodated but
this is without compromising the effective expression of feelings from the play. However, overall,
the staging of Para Kay B is one magnificent theatrical production.

IV. Thematic considerations

Para Kay B by Ricky Lee is one of those novels/books staged and acted out by real performers in a
theatrical production whose goal is to capture the reality through the fictional world of making
such atypical stories of love. Witnessing this drama is like riding in a roller coaster that
communicates a strong sense of immediacy where actual occurrences are experienced in a certain
level and then allocating a space of detachment from it. It actually illustrates the picture of the
society through the use of imagery while giving the insinuation of its characteristic as fiction.

Primarily, it can be inferred from how the story has been told and from its source that Para Kay B,
in one way or another, reflects the life of the author. In relation to the writer’s biographical
experience, acts from the play and/or scenes from the story become parallel to what has
happened to Ricky Lee’s life. Thus, Lee utilized his own experiences to produce an effective work.

Para Kay B also presents the society’s issues. It clearly explains the different experiences of these
five women. He used words in the modern language of the society to conjure up the reality of
poverty, immorality, and corruption. There was a successful transfer of emotions through the use
of efficient elaboration and description as he tried to connect and let the readers/audience
experience every individual’s emotions and viewpoints.

Lee obviously made use of women as his main characters for he wanted to show weaknesses of
women especially in the facet of love. In point of fact, the story is not a pro-feminist at all but
might actually raise a negative image on women that may result to their discrimination.

Also, it is clearly seen in the story that there is always an issue of class in the society that after
some time, someone will become rich and some will stay poor. Again, there is this clash of the
members of the socio-economic pyramid: the haves and have nots, the rich and the poor as well
as the culture of poverty that is widely perceived in the society.

Its appeal on different groups (race) sets the difference among them. It is seen in the story that
people from Maldiaga are very different from the people on the world full of love. They all have
these differences that become a barrier on the interconnection between the two.

These approaches truly inform us that every piece of literature/drama does great influence on our
own being. They can actually shape our beliefs and change everything as they build their own
worlds within us. Thus, they strongly communicate the power of the writer/creator.

V. Reflection

“I began questioning whether love really has its so-called quota” – Basically, this was the main
influence of Para Kay B on me. It made its bearing as the writer presents his theory that for every
five people who love and experience how to be loved; only one of them will be happy. I can say
that by some means, I might have believed his theory because I have seen proofs. Proofs that will
tell you how love made transformations and changes in someone’s life; how it made a lot of
people smile, laugh, cry and be numb.

Also, from this material I’ve watched, I have made a lot of realizations on whether stories and
characters from a fictional piece might really exist in this world and these are paired by what ifs
and whys. As I think of these great number of things, I have shifted myself and began posing this
paranoia that supposing the theory of the author of Para Kay B really applies on me. Am I part of
the ‘quota’? Would my love story end up happily? Or would it be like those that ended miserably?
And now that I’ve been making my own life, it’s for me to know and discover how my love story
would be like.
 Title: Para Kay B
Author: Ricky Lee

In our hearts and minds, we have this idea of what we think love is or how
ideally it should be. Love became one of our utmost desires. Until Ricky Lee
proposed a theory about love:

“May quota ang pag-ibig. Sa bawat limang umiibig ay

isa lang ang magiging maligaya.”

At some point, we fail to acknowledge in our loved-up thoughts, being blinded

by the happy feeling, is the raw and the real side of love. And that is what this
book is trying to grasp.

Ricky Lee was able to describe love in different

aspects.
It was written in a bold, straightforward, brave, and entertaining way. He was
able to go beyond the norms, or what other writers are afraid to do.

The book promotes a theory that love has a quota; that for every
five person who’s in love, only one will have a happy ending.

Such question arises, “Does this mean na isa lang ang may happy ending?”,
“Ano ang ibig sabihin ng Conjure?”, “Isa ka bang kapital S?”, and the much
more intriguing question is, “Sino nga ba si B?”

5 stories. 5 different characters. 5 faces of love.

This book was created to open the minds of the readers into the different
faces, mystery, stupidity, and magic of love. Love was given a different
meaning in each chapter. Even though it was different from the love that we
usually see on movies and novels, we could feel this certain force attracting
us to continually read and love the characters in the story.

Let your own imagination run wild while reading

it and figure out which character you can relate
to.

The first story is about a love that is long forgotten. Irene is a woman who’s
still clinging to the promise of marriage from someone in the past. They felt a
strong bond that eventually got disrupted by a series of unfortunate events.
Years later, they meet again, but the question is, did she really fell in love or
was she just in love with the long forgotten memory?
The second story is about falling in a romantic love with a
sibling. Sandra’s situation is unusual in terms of Filipino norms
but could be happening in our present time.

People are afraid to tell the story of this forbidden love because it is
unacceptable in the society.

The third story introduces a girl from an alternative universe called Maldiaga
where “love is non-existent.” Erica is in a fictional world that refuses to fall in
love. She finds herself breaking the rules and leaving the place to find love.

It describes a feeling of people falling in love for the first time.

The question is, will she be able to find real love?

The fourth story deals with same-sex relationship. Ester grew up not
entertaining the truth about her sexuality. It shows how in love, even if you
think that you’re destined to be with that person, the situation may
not allow you because of certain standards in the society.

Will Ester realize the importance of facing the truth?

The last story revolves around Bessie. If one word could describe her
character, it would be, “Paasa.” Will her promiscuity hinder her chances of
falling in love? Or will she be associated with a love that has not been
admitted?

We can see how spectacular Ricky Lee is. He was able to bring
the characters to life even if the setting and the circumstance is
less likely to happen (for example is Erica’s story in Maldiaga).
It was mind-boggling in a way that it leaves the readers a decision whether to
believe the writers theory about love. The connection between each chapter
makes the readers pay attention to what’s going to happen next. After
realizing and reflecting, all the ideas, emotions, feelings would be felt and the
missing puzzle piece would be complete.

The novel didn’t revolve solely on love but it was also able to
touch the concepts of different social realities.

It served as a reflection of our culture, societal views, politics, and country.

The writer was also able to use taglish language which depicts a more
colloquial, Pinoy feel in the story. We also loved how Lee brilliantly inserted
the ideology of nationalism, corruption, and poverty even if it wasn’t the main
focus of the novel. Here in the Philippines, our government and church, and
the society in general doesn’t allow same sex marriage in which this book was
able to touch.

It was also able to highlight the issues regarding the gender

roles, gender inequality, and women’s role in the society.

Through this book, we were able to capture and see the state and condition of
the Filipinos in the Philippines that most people have noticed but didn’t take
action, those Filipinos whom the government didn’t pay attention and some
societal issues that is continually spreading.

The novel was intricately written and remarkable. It is classical

in its emotional texture and unmistakably modern in various
aspects.
It is satirical, painful, weird, and a mixture of emotions. It was written with
modern and realistic tones. Apart from this, it also speaks of the writer’s point
on view, his insecurities and frustrations on creating the novel. It diverges
more into the musings of being a writer and how powerful they are. But then
again:

“Sa tunay na buhay, pag nangyari na, iyon na. Walang revision.”

Why do people choose to love truthfully, even if they know that there are risks
associated with it? Para Kay B shows the real idea of love. Even if it’s painful,
we still continue to go live with it because that’s real life. All in all, the plot,
characters, up to how things really ended, gave us a different view, a different
feeling. It was much more than a love story. It was devastating, somehow. But
it’s real. Overall, we would give this book 4.5/5.

Para Kay B proved that love stories do not have to end in a happily
ever after.

Sometimes, it just needs to end the way that it must end.

Quote from the Book:

“Hindi mo pwedeng mahalin ang isang tao nang hindi

mo minamahal ang hilaga, silangan, timog, at kanluran
ng kanyang paniniwala. Kapag nagmahal ka’y dapat
mong tanggapin bawat letra ng kanyang birth
certificate. Kasama na doon ang kanyang libag, utot
at bad breath. Pero me limit. Pantay-pantay ang
ibinibigay na karapatan sa lahat ng tao upang
lumigaya, o masaktan, o magpakagago, pero kapag
sumara na ang mga pinto, nawasak na ang mga puso,
nawala na ang mga kaluluwa at ang bilang ay umabot
na sa zero, goodbye na.”