A series of deep and emotion provoking stories, themes that are timeless and universal. Tenorio gives a glimpse inside the Filipino-American experience, one that reminds that its merely a glimpse while still providing tremendous illumination. Thoroughly enjoyable, very quick and easy reading, I highly recommend.

The book is great. The stories are variety, read quickly, yet are profound. This was a hit in my high school English class as we were discussing the importance of embracing one's unique personality among a classroom full of peers from many walks of life. Though all the stories are in some manner Filipino, the diversity/identity concerns transcend. He's got a little bit of everything—religion, hero worship, physical attractiveness, social standing, wealth, and more—in him. The students in my class came to the conclusion that the overarching theme was love: showing kindness to others, being empathetic, open, and accepting.

Decent short story collection. I think Lysley Tenorio is a beautiful and talented writer. But I think I enjoyed his long narratives instead. His novel, "The Son of Good Fortune" is one of my favorite novels I've read this year. "Monstress" is a short story collection that was published years ago and is being re-released with a new forward by Tenorio. The problem I had with "Monstress" is a lot of the stories bleed into the other stories. Very interchangeable plotlines. I know this collection is close to the author's heart so that's why I am rating it 3 of 5 stars. I appreciate any author who is not afraid to write about emotional pain and dysfunctional upbringing.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Collins for the digital ARC.

I enoyed this short story collection. Tenorio weaved these humorous and heart-warming stories so well. Among my favorite stories in this collection are Monstress and L'amour CA.

A sincere thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC, a reissued collection of short stories about the Filipino immigrant experience in America by Lysley Tenorio. I’m not a big consumer of the genre, but I really enjoyed this collection of tales. As a Filipina, I’m constantly on the hunt for books about the culture or by Fil-Am authors. This did not disappoint as Tenorio’s writing is strong, and imagery vivid. He portrays heartbreaking aspects of mid-20th century Filipino immigrant life, with renderings of prejudice, economic hardship, and community exclusion best expressed in “Save the I-Hotel” and “L’amour”. I won’t reveal spoilers, but I was taken aback, and immediately drawn in, once the setting of “The View from Culion” revealed itself. The eight stories shared some common features, including a melancholy narrative undertone, even in the more overtly comical stories “Monstress” and “Help” (the latter about an Imelda Marcos-obsessed Manila airport security guard ready to stage a public assault on the Beatles for their perceived slight of his idol, at their departure gate). Another resonant thread - the presence of the cold, distant and/or unfeeling mother in at least half of the stories - while the fathers and adult male figures enjoyed a congenial, if somewhat hapless, portrayal.

Filipinos in particular - even American-born 2nd generation readers - will no doubt recognize, and be delighted by the cultural references. The religious shrines in the homes, the indigenous food dishes, the fresh-off-the-plane immigrant - “Hello. I’m Bery pleased to meet you.”

Tenorio has another book out this summer, and I’ll be in line to read it. I’m rating Monstress 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 in GR, mainly because the last story which drew me in through a beautifully crafted family relationship, broke my heart so suddenly on the very last page. (Not Tenorio’s fault, but it was a reminder as to why I’m not a fan of the short story genre - you finally start getting invested in the character arcs, only for them to disappear with 3 pages to go.)

Originally published on Goodreads July 16, 2020

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52585539

Filipinx author Lysley Tenorio’s book Monstress is a gripping collection of short stories centered on Filipinx life in both the Philippine Islands and also in such communities as San Francisco and Lemoore, California. The work reflects transnational Filipinx experiences as many of the characters are at various phases of emigrating. The stories show endearing immigrant experiences and many of Tenorio’s characters are written with biting humor. Some of the themes of the book include immigration experiences, family life, and adjustment to new American communities; however, there are also such emotional themes as loss, yearning, and conflict as well.

Tenorio seems a natural storyteller as many of the carefully crafted stories were unlike any I have ever read before. The book derives its name from the first story in the collection. The story’s narrator, Reva Gogo, is married to Filipinx filmmaker Checker Rosario who directs horror movies on a shoestring budget in which Gogo plays a variety of monster characters. The two are eventually drawn to California where an amateur filmmaker seeks to use portions of Rosario’s films in his own equally amateur films. Reva eventually plays the heroine in the American films and remains in the U.S. while Rosario returns. On the surface, the story is about amateur horror films; however, it also seems to convey love, regret, and missed opportunities. Reva finally seems to recognize her husband’s love for her after years and miles separating them.

One of my favorite stories in the collection is “Felix Starro,” which depicts a huckster disguised as a spiritual healer named Felix Starro who has journeyed to San Francisco to set up his healing business in his hotel room. His grandson also named Felix works as his assistant. Spiritual healing is common in many cultures as it often combines folk Catholicism with herbalism or massaging techniques. In this story, Starro conducts massaging and then pulls out “negative extractions” which consist of homemade blood made of corn syrup and the “extraction” (usually chicken livers) pulled from an ill person’s body. In the end of the story, it turns out that young Felix is one the one who is a pulling a sham on his grandfather the spiritual huckster, as he skims off money from the healing sessions to purchase fake documents in order to remain in the U.S. This is a shrewd story that explores the theme of fraud and trust. Becoming an American citizen or even securing a green card is not any easy process. The question raised in this story is the extent to which fraud begets fraud. To what extent will one go to secure paperwork to remain in the U.S?

This is a wonderfully quirky collection of stories. It is worth noting that Tenorio seems to write from a variety of perspectives including that of a young child ("L'Amour Californa") and a woman's perspective ("Monstress" and "The Brothers.")

This collection of short stories focuses on Filipino life in the United States, families and communities in which old beliefs and traditions make life impossible, in authentic, and futile. A brother deals with his transphobia; a faith healer is forced to make decisions about his future; men grow old together, unable to acknowledge their emotions. The stories are revealing and beautifully written. I came away with more awareness, I think, of life in the Philippines and in American Filipino enclaves, instructed through these stories.

Lysley Tenorio’s masterful short story collection, 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, with a new preface from the author, in this newly re-released in paperback edition centers on the Filipino experience, and although the stories were very different in style and topic, I enjoyed them all.

The title story features a B list actress who plays silent monsters in horror films for her boyfriend, a director. In “Felix Starro,” an against faith healer and his grandson travel to San Francisco to tap into the immigrant market, but the grandson sees bigger opportunities in the trip. One story is set in a leper colony; another recounts the adventures of a boy obsessed with the Green Lantern who believes he himself has superpowers.

Through transitions or from liminal spaces, characters possess an outsider status that while often painful provides otherwise unavailable insights. Beautiful, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, these stories powerfully convey the human desire for connection.

A rereleased group of short stories.A well written literary gem of a collection.So many ideas homeless drag queenS life ion multi cultural LA .Each story a compelling read.#netgalley #harpercollins

I received this book through NetGalley and likely would not have read it otherwise, but I'm so glad I did. It was not an easy read, as much of the subject matter is heavy, but it was so compelling and beautifully written. Monstress is a collection of short stories from the perspective of Filipino nationals or immigrants to the United States from the Phillipines. All the stories are haunting and evocative in different ways. The Brothers and The View from Culion in particular were so beautiful and touching. I highly recommend this collection to anyone up for a tough-but-touching read.

Monstress by Lysley Tenorio. Thank you to HarperCollins, Ecco, and Netgalley for the chance to review this eARC.

This is a new edition of the short story collection and will be available in July!

As a slim collection of short stories, this book really packs a punch. The writing reads effortlessly and pulls you in quickly. Each story is unique but contains the common thread of Filipino characters, mostly immigrants to the USA. But the similarities stop there. I loved all of the stories. As soon as I finished one story I'd think, "this one is my favorite" and then I'd read the next and be unable to choose.

I laughed out loud while reading Help, the story based on the true event of the Beatles being attacked in the Manila Airport in 1969. That might not sound like a comedic story but the description of the "fight" is pure awkward, comic gold. And it also shows the love of a nephew for his uncle, and his attempts at loyalty in the face of absurdity. Read it, you will not be disappointed!

Another thing I really liked was that the author uses the stories to take you somewhere or sometime in history that you may not know about (I didn't anyway). These include a leper colony in the 1940s and the demolition of the I-Hotel in the 1970s. There are also multiple stories set in San Francisco/ the Bay Area which I love.

The author writes young people quite well. The final heartbreaking story is from an 8 year old's perspective and another story is through the eyes of a bullied teen.

I highly recommend this book of unique and poignant stories.

An excellent collection of short stories in Lysley Tenorio's debut, reissued and introduced by the author. It's interesting to see the seeds of last year's The Son of Good Fortune in a few of the plot points. Great characters, well-paced. Tenorio has an eerie ability to write successfully from any perspective imaginable.

This collection is short stories is been re-released with a new introduction. The stories feature Filipino Americans living mainly in California. Some were great and some were all right. I enjoyed the title story that features pulpy horror films, one with two old lonely men who are being evicted, and the last one featuring an immigrant family. The stores are real and emotional.

Thank you to Harper Collins & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available July 7th 2020

In Lysley Tenorio's lively "Monstress", anything goes from Beatles kitsch to homeless drag queens. Each short story is filled with a flair for the dramatic and a love for the Filipino diaspora. It is often the intricate details, the slow anger of a sibling toward another or the quiet, gentle love of an older man, that give these stories their power. Admist the craziness, Tenorio manages to find sanity and rich character details.

The book, which is a collection of short stories, was a good read. The last two stories in the book, especially the one about the I-Hotel were particularly memorable. I also enjoy reading stories where I can learn more about other cultures and experiences, and in this case, I was able to learn more about Filipino culture and the experiences of Filipino people coming to America.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ecco Books, and Lysley Tenorio for allowing me to read and review Monstress.

I’ve been meaning to read this for awhile now as part of my quest to read more books written by Filipino/ Fil-Am authors. Imagine my surprise to see Monstress available on Netgalley! It was originally published in 2012, but a new edition of this short story collection is set to hit shelves this July along with The Son of Good Fortune, Lysley Tenorio’s first novel.

Tenorio explores Filipino culture in these eight short stories, but behind the layers of being Filipino/Filipino-Am, he pulls his readers into deeper realms of wanting to be seen, understood, and most importantly, loved. Over and over, his outcast protagonists fight their battles of acceptance from peers, from family, and from their own selves.

For roughly 200 pages, Tenorio left me asking for more. His writing style is beautiful and his stories are relatable across all ethnic barriers. I look forward to reading more of his work.