\"MONSTRESS\" was the collection of short stories that put Filipino American writer Lysley Tenorio in the literary map. He consolidates his standing with his first novel, \"Son of God's Fortune,\" a big-hearted novel that won the New American Voices award and was a finalist for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize.<\/p>\r\r
This debut novel blends the ordinary struggles of immigrant life with elements of faith, cultural identity and personal transformation. Set in the United States, it follows the lives of a Filipino immigrant family and their son, who becomes famous, unexpectedly, as a religious healer.<\/p>\r\r
Tenorio presents a deeply layered narrative that reflects the tensions between faith, identity and the immigrant experience, particularly from the perspective of a Filipino family living in the United States. The story's protagonist, a young boy named Felix, becomes a central figure when he's suddenly believed to possess miraculous powers of healing \u2014 a belief that transforms the lives of his family and the Filipino community around them.<\/p>\r\r
The story begins by depicting the ordinary, even mundane, life of Felix's family, which has recently immigrated to the US. They live modestly, facing the typical challenges of immigrant life: financial instability, cultural dislocation and the desire to succeed in a foreign land. Felix's father, a former radio personality in the Philippines, feels emasculated by his menial job in the US, while his mother clings to her Catholic faith and hopes for a better future. These familial tensions set the stage for the miraculous event that changes everything.<\/p>\r\r
Felix's sudden fame begins when a local Filipino woman, in a desperate attempt to find healing, believes that Felix's touch has cured her illness. This miracle is the catalyst that propels Felix into the spotlight. The community, hungry for signs of hope, begins to flock to their home, seeking his healing powers. His parents, especially his mother, quickly seize this opportunity. She turns their home into a space for \"miracle healings\" where Filipino immigrants line up, seeking relief from their ailments and struggles.<\/p>\r\r
The narrative deftly explores the intersections of faith, cultural identity and exploitation. On one level, it is a story about belief: belief in miracles, belief in the power of faith and belief in one's ability to rise above difficulties. Felix himself is a reluctant miracle worker. He neither fully understands nor believes in his own powers, yet he is swept along by the expectations of his family and the community. This raises interesting questions about authenticity \u2014 whether the boy is truly a healer, or whether the community's belief in him is what gives the illusion of miracles. Think of Elsa, portrayed by National Artist Nora Aunor in the iconic film, \"Himala,\" and you get the drift.<\/p>\r\r
For the Filipino immigrant community, Felix becomes a symbol of hope in a harsh world. Many of these immigrants face challenges \u2014 alienation, poverty and the pressure to assimilate into American society. Felix's healing abilities link them to the spiritual and supernatural beliefs they've brought with them from the Philippines. His ascent to fame reflects their desire for cultural preservation in a foreign \u2014 even a faithless \u2014 country.<\/p>\r\r\rLysley Tenorioi's debut novel, 'The Son of Good Fortune,' is a sharp and funny updating of the American Dream for Filipino immigrants. PHOTO BY ECCO PRESS<\/figcaption>\r<\/figure>\r\r
Felix's parents, especially his mother, are drawn as fascinating characters. His father, initially skeptical, eventually sees the miracles as a way to restore his own lost sense of masculinity and authority. Meanwhile, his mother becomes a fervent believer and orchestrator of Felix's healing sessions, turning what begins as a single moment of faith into a cottage industry. Her character triangulates the dynamics between faith, desperation and capitalism.<\/p>\r\r
Tenorio's story also provides a sharp commentary on the immigrant experience. The family's transition from their modest but stable life in the Philippines to the difficulties of being second-class citizens in America reflect the sacrifices and identity crises many immigrants face. In the midst of these struggles, Felix's miraculous abilities become a way for the family to reclaim some sense of agency and dignity. The miracle becomes not just a spiritual experience. It also becomes a way for them to navigate and survive in the economic and social pressure cooker of American life.<\/p>\r\r
Through this lens, \"Son of God's Fortune\" also touches on exploitation. While the family benefits financially from Felix's abilities, they also exploit him, consciously or unconsciously, to improve their own lives. The story raises questions about the line between faith and manipulation, especially when those in positions of power \u2014 whether religious or familial \u2014 use that power to line their own pockets.<\/p>\r\r
Tenorio's writing is sharp and clear, balancing humor with pathos. He uses irony skillfully, particularly in the contrast between the humdrum reality of the family's daily life and the extraordinary situation they find themselves in. Felix, the central character, is both a figure of reverence and an ordinary boy thrust into a role he did not ask for. The humor comes from the absurdity of the situation, while the emotional weight lies in Felix's growing discomfort with his supposed role as a healer.<\/p>\r\r
The novelist also plays with the idea of magical realism. Felix's miracles are never explicitly explained \u2014 are they real, or is it all a matter of belief? This ambiguity allows the reader to question the nature of miracles and faith itself. In this sense, the story can be seen as part of the tradition of magical realism common in Latin American and Filipino literature, where the supernatural is just a common part of everyday life.<\/p>\r\r
The characters in \"Son of God's Fortune\" are fully realized, particularly Felix and his parents. Felix, though young, is introspective and troubled by the weight of the expectations placed on him. His parents are portrayed with a blend of sympathy and criticism. On the one hand, they are loving parents who want to provide for their son; on the other, they exploit his abilities for their own gain. Their complicated dynamic adds emotional dimension to the story.<\/p>\r\r
The Filipino community that surrounds Felix also plays an important role. They are depicted as both believers and participants in the story, each one bringing their own hopes and fears to Felix's door. Through these characters, Tenorio illustrates the collective power of belief and the way in which entire communities can invest their faith in a single person or event.<\/p>\r\r
\"Son of God's Fortune\" is a rich, multilayered story that explores the intersection of faith, identity and the immigrant experience. Lysley Tenorio's writing is both witty and poignant, offering a nuanced portrayal of a family's rise and fall in the world of religious miracles. At its heart, the story is about the human need for hope and meaning in difficult times, and the lengths to which people will go to find them.<\/p>\r\r
This novel is a worthy addition to the growing list of important Filipino American novels that now form a part of le boom in Philippine writing \u2014 both here and overseas.<\/p>\r\r
\"Son of God's Fortune\" by Lysley Tenorio (Ecco Press, 2022, USA. $17.95). Also available in Kindle and Audible versions through amazon.com.<\/em><\/p>","article_custom_fields":"{\"\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_keywords\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_description\":[\"\"],\"seo_meta_title\":[\"\"],\"sponsored_flag\":[\"\"],\"offer_flag\":[\"off\"],\"featured_article_flag\":[\"\"],\"drupal_json\":[\"{\\\"type\\\":null,\\\"properties\\\":{\\\"PUBLISHED\\\":0,\\\"PROMOTED\\\":0,\\\"STICKY\\\":0},\\\"fields\\\":[]}\"],\"wp_custom_json\":[\"{\\\"type\\\":\\\"\\\",\\\"fields\\\":[]}\"],\"article_tags\":[\"\"],\"show_image\":[\"off\"],\"Disable_Ad\":[\"off\"],\"disable_player\":[\"off\"],\"column\":[\"\"],\"kicker\":[\"\"],\"edel\":[\"\"],\"delu\":[\"\"],\"delt\":[\"Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.\"],\"premium\":[\"off\"],\"Redirect_URL\":[\"\"],\"Registration_required\":[\"off\"],\"background_image\":[\"off\"],\"page_number\":\"0\",\"initial_publication\":\"\",\"date_created\":\"2024-10-04 22:07:16\",\"date_modified\":\"2024-10-04 22:10:03\",\"last_modified_user\":\"Severino Frayna\",\"section_color\":\"\",\"target_page\":\"0\",\"cxense_metatags\":null}","cms_type":"live","author_id":2466,"section_id":13,"seo_meta_keywords":"Here,comes,the,magical,mystery,train","seo_meta_description":"","seo_meta_title":"Here comes the magical mystery train","publish_time":"2024-10-05 00:07:00","related_articles_ids":"","article_tags":"","sub_section_id":6,"visit_count":120,"sponsored_flag":0,"offer_flag":0,"featured_article_flag":0,"media_gallery_flag":0,"video_gallery_flag":0,"highlight_flag":0,"top_story_flag":0,"is_updated":0,"is_old_article":0,"old_article_id":0,"article_byline":"Danton Remoto","ts":"2024-10-07 16:22:01","last_edited":"2024-10-04 22:10:03","alt_publish_time":"2024-10-04 22:10:07","image_path":"{\\\"image_path\\\":\\\"manilatimes\\\\\/uploads\\\\\/images\\\\\/2024\\\\\/10\\\\\/04\\\\\/428197.jpg\\\",\\\"cms_type\\\":\\\"live\\\",\\\"small_image\\\":\\\"\\\",\\\"is_updated\\\":\\\"0\\\",\\\"image_cropping\\\":\\\"{\\\\\\\"original_image\\\\\\\":{\\\\\\\"image_original_width\\\\\\\":1200,\\\\\\\"image_original_height\\\\\\\":630,\\\\\\\"icd_image_type\\\\\\\":\\\\\\\"original_image\\\\\\\"},\\\\\\\"main_image\\\\\\\":{\\\\\\\"image_main_width\\\\\\\":1200,\\\\\\\"image_main_height\\\\\\\":630,\\\\\\\"icd_image_type\\\\\\\":\\\\\\\"main_image\\\\\\\"}}\\\",\\\"is_copied\\\":\\\"0\\\",\\\"media_type\\\":\\\"0\\\",\\\"image_caption\\\":\\\"\\\",\\\"image_alt_text\\\":\\\"\\\",\\\"image_count\\\":2}","author_name":"Danton Remoto","section_name":"Opinion","sub_section_name":"Columns","slide_show":0,"breaking_news":0,"visit_count_update_date":"2024-10-07 16:22:01","old_cms_article_id":null,"permalink":"2024\/10\/05\/opinion\/columns\/here-comes-the-magical-mystery-train\/1979415","show_image_in_thumb":0,"api_status":2,"a_custom_data":"{\"exclude_from_gallery\":null,\"lead_image_id\":null}","publication_id":2,"max_publish_time":"2024-10-05 00:07:00","page_number":"0","homepage_article_flag":0,"article_shortlink":null,"cropped_image":0};
"MONSTRESS" was the collection of short stories that put Filipino American writer Lysley Tenorio in the literary map. He consolidates his standing with his first novel, "Son of God's Fortune," a big-hearted novel that won the New American Voices award and was a finalist for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize.
This debut novel blends the ordinary struggles of immigrant life with elements of faith, cultural identity and personal transformation. Set in the United States, it follows the lives of a Filipino immigrant family and their son, who becomes famous, unexpectedly, as a religious healer.
