When the Elephants Dance

When the Elephants Dance
By Tess Uriza Holthe
Crown, 2002. 368 pgs. Fiction

Set in the Philippines during WWII, this is the story of one group of Filipinos trying to survive while the Americans and Japanese battle for control of the country. The three main characters, Alejandro, his older sister Isabelle and Domingo, a guerrilla fighter, take turns narrating this story as the Karangalan family hide in their cellar with 11 other neighbors. To pass the time and to take their minds off their hunger and worry, some of the older members share stories from their childhood that teach lessons or morals for what the narrator is experiencing at the moment.

I really enjoyed the story telling parts of this novel but the descriptions of torture and death during the war were unsettling. I think I was even more sensitive to the suffering because I lived in the Philippines for awhile and I could visualize many of the places and situations in the book. I enjoyed the Tagalog phrases and the descriptions of the food and the people. For those looking for a different perspective of events during WWII, this would be a good recommendation, but be warned that some parts are really heartbreaking to read.

AL