When the Darkness Creeps In: Bob Ong's "Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan" Book Review 👏👏

05/10/2021. SOLIS, Sharen Lord DS.

"Galo. Naririnig mo ba ang mga kaibigan ko, Galo?" 

― Bob Ong, Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan

Reading this book is an experience that is deeply etched in my memory. Looking back, when I came upon this particular literary work, I was staying at my Lola's house in the province. Browsing through a bookstore, I noticed this book, picked it up and was surprised that it was written by Bob Ong. I only known Bob Ong for his humorous and witty books focused on Filipino life like "ABNKKBSNPLAko?!" and "Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro and mga Pilipino?". I am a fan of the horror genre and seeing that the book cover manifests a pretty sinister vibe intrigued me so I bought it.

I started reading the book pretty late at night. The book is a diary containing the life of Gilberto P. Manansala or "Galo", a college student from Manila. He started writing the diary as compliance to his course but kept on writing after the fact. The diary began with records of Galo's thoughts and his average daily life in Manila but the diary took an interesting turn when Galo had to return to his province, Tarmanes. As I read through the book, I can still recall the chills and feels I felt in each event that transpired. The fact that I was reading this book alone in my late grandmother's room filled with religious statues of Santo Nino and Mother Mary with minimal lighting late at night certainly did not help. My experience with this book did not end after the last page. It left an aftertaste that kept me awake that night.  I can still recall how I remain still in the dark, lying on my bed, brain is running, heart is beating and my mind playing tricks on me. At one point, I even thought that I saw the head of Mother Mary statue  moved while it stared at me. When a scary story started giving you nightmares even before you sleep, that is how you know the story is good. 

Despite being his first attempt in the horror genre, Bob Ong's "Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan" is an excellent literary work that has a potential of becoming a world literature. His decision to tell Galo's story in a diary format help the readers have a clear image of the life and the environment where in Galo lives. The author used mysteries that effectively add more and more tension to the story as it progressed, hooking readers to keep on reading. He ended the story without a resolution, meaning that the audience was left with another mystery pertaining to what exactly happened to Galo at the end of his diary, a method that is commonly seen in the horror genre, showing that Bob Ong is a writer with a sense of tradition. I also liked the fact that there are numerous hidden Latin messages in the diary, adding more mystery to it.

Last thing that makes the book world literature material is that when one analyze the literary work more deeply, one will also be able to recognize some relevant issues and themes that are still experienced by people worldwide reflected in the story such as: effects of capitalism and modernization, hardships of OFWs, effects of poverty, dangers of religious fanaticism, and morality.

Overall, I would rate the book 47/50 beads on the rosary.