The Filipino Group discussion

Smaller and Smaller Circles
This topic is about Smaller and Smaller Circles
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
117 views
Archives > [F2F Book Discussions] May 2013: Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan | Moderator: Charles (Flipreads)

Comments Showing 1-50 of 55 (55 new)    post a comment »
« previous 1

Tina (tinamats) | 2665 comments Opening this thread for our May 2013 discussion: Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan. Our moderator is Charles Tan, aka Flipreads.

Smaller and Smaller Circles is a Philippine detective novel. It's a short novel, so it shouldn't be a hard read. As a fan of crime procedural shows (hello, CSI), I really enjoyed this novel when I read it in college.

Copies are sort of scarce, so to those who have copies, please share! :D I think there are copies available in NBS Shang? If you spot one, please post here!

I'll stop here and let Charles post about the reading plan + discussion questions.


message 2: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments do we have Ecopies of this book? 1st time ako mga babasa ng Filipino book...


message 3: by Celina (new)

Celina (celinabac) | 67 comments Tina: I got my copy at NBS Greenbelt 1 last Friday. I think there were other copies left pa naman.


Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments Monique made some inquiry last week. According to NBS, they have plenty of copies at their Southmall and Megamall branches.


AennA (aennabanana) | 536 comments I bought my copy just last week at Powerbooks Greenbelt 3. I think they still have substantial number of copies. :)


Sophia (seekingsophie) | 19 comments If you are near the UP Diliman area, they still have a lot of copies sa UP Press :)


Biena Magbitang | 447 comments Questian, I hate to say this but please support Filipino authors by buying their books. I think, this is priced at P150 lang naman. Pretty cheap compared to other books. :D


Ranee | 1902 comments Hehe. Actually yun yung reason kung bakit ko sya nabili, 150 lang naman kasi, di na masama. Tapos detective type yung story, eh fan ako ni Conan(hindi yung barbarian), so kering-keri di sasakit ang bulsa ko, masaya pa ako. Masarap din yung amoy ng papel nya, kaya Questian, go na, bili na.


Maria (mariasm) | 2441 comments Biena, baka naman sanay lang sa Ebooks si Questian.

Anyway, I think reading the book is support enough for the author.


Angus (angusmiranda) | 4337 comments No online discussion? (I am really just leaving a comment so that I would be alerted of any new posts from this thread, hahaha.)


message 11: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments barrow n lng siguro aq sa inyo guys, mahirap kc mag tambay ng good book sa house coz my family, tends to tapon book pag hnd n gingamit. And na gagalit ang mama ko pag na kikita nila aqng nga babasa ng book n hnd textbook.

i like reading books in any form nmn, yung lng the reason why i switched to ebooks kc, hnd xa ma itatapon ng mama ko, or hnd makikita in physical form. so ayun, dont take it negatively na always look for ebooks, if my mom wasnt the kind to throw away books, i'd have brought alot of them already...

nag papaliwang lng po...sorry if i step on some of your toes...


message 12: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments kawawa ang libro sa bahay, i need to tago it para lng hnd sila mapuna...


message 13: by Gay (new) - rated it 4 stars

Gay | 58 comments Hello there! I inquired sa NBS--SM F'view and they still have 7 copies.


Ranee | 1902 comments Sayang questian, naipahiram ko a yung copy ko.


Ranee | 1902 comments Paano nga ba reading plan nito?


message 16: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments its okay sir ranee, i'l try to produce a copy nlng...hehehehe...


Ranee | 1902 comments Nya, sir ranee? Teh, certified girlaloo po aketch. Hi ke Nijel!


message 18: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments te po tulog na...ang labo po kc ng pic mo...


Kamille (theperksofbeingabookenthusiast) | 13 comments I finally got my hands on this book! Excited to read this! :)


Ranee | 1902 comments Hi peeps! Musta pagbabasa ninyo neto?

Just a question? Do you think a Pinoy serial killer may exist? I understand a Pinoy that kills out of rage after a pikon moment in a drinking spree turned sour in the kanto, or hired killers especially at times like this, election. Pero a psycho killer?


message 21: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments I think there is such people in our country, but, not as well known like in America...i mean the most dreadful killings only happens before, during and after the elections-which we guys will be doing on Monday- but i do believe that there is such a person among us, that is capable of doing such things...

hmmmm.....makagawa ng fiction story about it......


Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments The idea of a serial killing was romanticized many times, but there was no incident recorded. Study says it's not in the Filipino nature. We have to take account how we Filipinos have a different outlook in life, we can even afford a smile in the most difficult/trying times. Besides, Philippines still tops the Christian countries in Asia list.

But we are also changing; new generations are setting different priorities; and most things that motivates and disappoints people now are so far from what they were before. So, we might encounter such in the near future.

What's possible in our country is serial rape. There are hundreds of rape and sexual assaults that remain unrecorded though.

Going back to the book, (view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments This is the premise of the book, a serial killer. And take note of the setting, Payatas. Ever thought of that, when you started reading the book? Why kill in Payatas?


message 24: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments I haven’t read the book so, i just have to go on instinct...

Since Payatas, is a dumping ground for "basura", maybe the killer thought of his victim in that state. Hence he kills him in the same dumping ground, amidst the mountain of garbage. It's not about hiding the smell; it's more like demoralizing the victim...


message 25: by Monique (last edited May 09, 2013 06:44PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Monique (attymonique) | 2130 comments Ranee wrote: "This is the premise of the book, a serial killer. And take note of the setting, Payatas. Ever thought of that, when you started reading the book? Why kill in Payatas?"

Hi Doc! Finished reading this last night. Four stars. :)

Anyway, to answer your question. I did consider the setting, but I knew there was a reason for it. I can't remember now if the blurb indicates that the premise of the book is on serial killing, but I didn't raise too many questions while I was reading. I was intent first on finishing it, because I knew that the questions will come up when I close the book. :)

Now I have a question to put to you guys, but only for those who are done reading the book.

(view spoiler)


message 26: by Aaron Vincent (new)

Aaron Vincent (aaronvincent) | 2053 comments Monique:

(view spoiler)


Monique (attymonique) | 2130 comments Aaron: (view spoiler)


message 28: by Aaron Vincent (new)

Aaron Vincent (aaronvincent) | 2053 comments Monique: (view spoiler)


Monique (attymonique) | 2130 comments Aaron: (view spoiler)


Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments Hello classmates!
These are my answers to the questions

1. Ranee: This is the premise of the book, a serial killer. And take note of the setting, Payatas. Ever thought of that, when you started reading the book? Why kill in Payatas?(view spoiler)

2. Monique: (view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments There are these psycho killers and those that do them in serials. Classic ones include Hannibal and the real life serial killer, Ted Bundy.

If I remember my psychology, one theory points to the id, ego, superego model. They happen to have a poor superego, hence they fail to transcend and actualize. Question, how are you today?
Hehe.
Seriously, since we have started dissecting the killer, let us implore further.
Q1. At the start of the book, when the "work" of the killer was described in full details, how empathic were you?

Caution:Open tags if you have finished the book
Q2. (view spoiler)

Q3. (view spoiler)

Q4. (view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments Monique (view spoiler)

Louize (view spoiler)


Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments Hello classmates!

Ranee (view spoiler)

Q1: For me the empathy was instant.

Q2: (view spoiler)

Q3: (view spoiler)

Q4: (view spoiler)


message 34: by AennA (last edited May 10, 2013 11:09PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

AennA (aennabanana) | 536 comments Uhmn. Let me share my thoughts, too. :)


Q2.(view spoiler)



Q3.(view spoiler)


Q4. (view spoiler)


message 35: by Alexa (last edited May 10, 2013 09:44PM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Alexa (codenameblue) | 935 comments I finally found the book yesterday and it was short enough to finish on a study break, so yay, I can finally participate! (There are a lot of copies pa in NBS Shang, people :D)

Doc Ranee's first question, on the setting: (view spoiler)

Atty Monique's: (view spoiler)

Latest questions!

Q1 Very empathic. I was drifting to sleep when I started reading it, but I tried not to because it might reflect in my dreams (I dreamed about something entirely different, thank goodness)

Q2 (view spoiler)

Q3 (view spoiler)

Q4 (view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments Hi! Here's what I think...

Q1. Empathic, very much. But a part of me is also figuring out the technique, sorry can't help it, the guy knows his way with knives. Hehehe

Q2. (view spoiler)

Q3. (view spoiler)

Q4. (view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments Hey classmates! (As Louize puts it)

Question ulet, (view spoiler)

Question pa- The book is just about 155 pages. Short read lang talaga, pero which scene/ chapter was the most unforgettable? Yung tipong when someone mentions Smaller and smaller circles, this is the scene that first enters your mind?

(view spoiler)


And for the ultimate question... Bakit smaller and smaller circles ang title?


message 38: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments i want to join but no book... asar nmn o.... hay....


Monique (attymonique) | 2130 comments Will answer all the other questions later but for now, will try answering Doc Ranee's question regarding the title.

As far as I remember, the killer himself mentioned the phrase "smaller and smaller circles" when he realized that the priests were very close to discovering his identity. Literally, he knew that he and his pursuers were moving inside smaller and smaller circles... That they will soon catch him.


message 40: by Louize (last edited May 12, 2013 11:06PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments My answers:

(view spoiler)


Alexa (codenameblue) | 935 comments *poofs in*

(view spoiler)

*poofs out*


Ranee | 1902 comments Hey Questian, there tons of copies of Smaller and smaller in NBS Shangrila. Since it's near your area, you might want to grab a copy. also, the F2F is in Shang, so it is near you... Join in!


Ranee | 1902 comments Jamie wrote: "Guess which kid was on the cover."

Who?
Sirit na


message 44: by Angus (last edited May 13, 2013 11:50PM) (new) - rated it 2 stars

Angus (angusmiranda) | 4337 comments Hi classmates, I'm joining the fun!

(view spoiler)


Ranee | 1902 comments Nice answers Angus!

I agree with you Blue, never even bothered trying to google translate the French words, so if they were important, kebs!

Baka naman may serial killer na Pinoy talaga, we just lack the people who are there to look for patterns. Kumusta naman kasi ang database natin, most precincts typewritten pa rin ang reports, talo na tayo sa crossmatching of evidences pa lang. Scary, but think, as a society, last thing that we'll think of is a serial killer amongst us. If the usual personality of a psychokiller is antisocial, eh sa atin, branded lang yun na emo, oh di ba? Then again, how well do we know our neighbors? Praning lang, hahaha

Ok we're on the last stretch! Hope to see you this Sunday!

Q1 (view spoiler)

Q2 (view spoiler)

Q3. Do you think this can be made into a movie?


message 46: by Questian (new)

Questian (sakurastrife) | 922 comments Pahiram nlng ako ng book guys, if ok lng sa inyo...


sorry!!


Ranee | 1902 comments Also, we did have notable movies that tackled serial killers in the Philippine setting. i liked Radyo, starred by Ruffa Mae Quinto and Epi Quizon, it's an indiefilm. Epi is a serial killer who calls Ruffa Mae, a dj regarding his lovelife. He literally gets rid of the girls na binasted sya. There's Keka, starring Katya Santos but this was more of a revenge plot than a serial killing type. Pashare. If you know any good movies with this plot.

English films, medyo marami na. Of course there's silence of the lambs, Se7en, the bone collector. This one isnot thatfamous but is really good, when the bough breaks


Louize (thepagewalker) | 1831 comments Love your answers, Angus! :)

Sorry, Doc Ranee, hindi ko napanood 'yang Pinoy movies na 'yan e. Pero, yes, I think this can be turn into a movie, provided it's done by a good director.


message 49: by JL (last edited May 14, 2013 01:42PM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

JL Torres (jltorres) | 137 comments I just finished the book! the best ang answers mo Angus haha sobrang natawa ako sa sinabi mo:
Nakakaloka ang reaction ng photographer sa part na ito. Like really? NBI photographer ka?

There are some things that I don't understand near the ending:
(view spoiler)

I'm tempted to ask if this is going to be made into a film, sinong mga local na artista ang bagay na gumanap sa mga major characters, or para mas masaya, sino sa mga TFG ang bagay sa mga karakter :) haha


message 50: by Tina (new) - rated it 4 stars

Tina (tinamats) | 2665 comments I suppose I should answer, so I will. After I do some morning work.

On another note -- did anyone else have a desire to watch a CSI episode after reading this? This book revived my little dream of working in forensics...if only I wasn't too queasy. Haha.

Also, I hear the author is writing a prequel. Not sure what's it about, but maybe it's how the priests got to know each other, or how they started doing what they're doing.


« previous 1
back to top
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.