The Last Time I Saw Mother immerses readers in the ancestral soil of Manila, where a daughter, Caridad, is suddenly called home by her mother to unearth long-buried truths. Her untold past sheds light to the deeply rooted struggles of Filipinos during World War II, grounding us in the Philippines’ colonial past.
Beyond Caridad’s origins, author Arlene J. Chai wanted to exhibit the burdensome truth branched into the broader reality of Philippine history. Recognizing the setting as both delicate and historically significant, the narrative and its personages were crafted with complexity and realism, especially within the context of their time. Empathy threads through the immersive prose, balanced by a straightforwardness that neither diminishes nor sugarcoats history.
Roots of the past
The struggles of Filipino women during World War II and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines are emphasized in the novel, which explores the stories of women across three generations of a family. At first, the narrative can feel convoluted due to its shifting first-person perspectives. However, over time, readers come to comprehend and sympathize with the characters as their pasts gradually fall into place. The prose, set against the heartbreaking scenery of war, sensitively tugs the heartstrings, not through forced sentiment, but with care.
The women endured strenuous loss, whether of houses, homes, or hope, yet they persevered despite the horrors of unrelenting suffering. Every day, they awoke uncertain whether they would live to see the next. Forced by their circumstances, they made difficult, life-altering decisions. Choices they wished they never had to make, but did to survive.
Branches of the present
No one could truly understand who they are until they knew how they had begun. One thing Caridad discovered about her past was that, despite their struggles, the family endured and grew into a life where they could finally say they are happy. Still, the past lurked around them, especially the mother, and now, the daughter.
As Caridad slowly uncovered the truth, she realized her world had been built on a lie that had somehow led to good. The revelation was painful at first, but this understanding would transform her. Unlike in the past, the suppressed truth, no matter how painful, was now shared without fear.
Understanding begets clarity. In Caridad's case, it was understanding the past that allowed her to make difficult choices in the future. But what comes after also matters—because todays become yesterdays. The pain of the present becomes a memory of hurt, but memories needn't define a person's being. It is said that the past is set in stone, but even stones can crumble.
The Last Time I saw Mother is available in Benilde’s CLR to be borrowed. This book can also be purchased on online stores such as Amazon, Shopee, and Lazada.
