Shards of Time

I chose to read Shards Of Time when I spotted review copies available via Story Origin. I was intrigued to learn more about the tumultuous Martial Law period of Philippines history and thought reading the words of someone who was actually there at the time would be a good way to do so. As it turns out, Shards Of Time is not actually a memoir per se, but is described as 'creative nonfiction' i.e. there is truth in the story being told, but 'some areas have been fictionalized to heighten the story'. The end result for me was a very readable book that gives powerful insights into everyday life for the central Zara family and how that life was irreparably disrupted by the patriarch's arrest and imprisonment. It was impossible not to feel strongly for young Mita. Her bewilderment and confusion are reflected in the way Shards Of Time jumps around in time and I thought this was an effective device for illustrating the mental turmoil our narrator experiences. The book also clearly shows the long-term effects of such a childhood trauma with Mita still suffering decades later. I didn't always get on well with changes in Suson's prose style as the book progresses, however I felt I got a good sense of the events portrayed. It must have taken a lot of courage for Suson to revisit such a painful time.