Gun Dealers' Daughter

A Novel

By: Gina Apostol

Narrated by: Holly Fielding

A young woman pieces together her troubled past in this story of rebellion and romance set in the Marcos-era Philippines. Soon after she leaves home for university in Manila, Soledad, Soliman (Sol) transforms herself from bookish rich girl to communist rebel. But is her allegiance to the principles of Mao or to Jed, the comrade she’s in love with? Can she really be a part of the movement or is she just a “useful fool,” a spoiled brat playing at revolution?

Far from the Philippines, in a mansion overlooking the Hudson River, Sol confesses her youthful indiscretions, unable to get past the fatal act of communist fervor that locked her memory in an endless loop.

Rich with wordplay and unforgettable imagery, Gun Dealers’ Daughter combines the momentum of an amnesiac thriller with the intellectual delights of a Borgesian puzzle. In her American debut, award-winning author Gina Apostol delivers a riveting novel that illuminates the conflicted and little-known history of the Philippines, a country deeply entwined with our own.

©2012 Gina Apostol, Copyright 2010 by Anvil Publishing, Inc., and Gina Apostol (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Exceptional book, poor pronunciation

What did you love best about Gun Dealers' Daughter?

The characters were strong and believable. Soledad, the narrator, has quickly become one of my favorite fictional characters.

What other book might you compare Gun Dealers' Daughter to and why?

It's unique.

What didn’t you like about Holly Fielding’s performance?

The Filipino language and place names were frequently mispronounced, sometimes embarrassingly so. For example, Roxas Blvd is pronounced Row-Haas, not Rocks-ass; and Tagalog is ta-GA-log, not TAG-alog. I recommend reading the book rather than listening to the audio version.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I needed to pace myself. I needed time to process the many memories and feelings this book recalled.

Beautifully written, narrated embarassingly poorly

Please read the book, rather than listen to it.

I was very confused by the narrator's pronunciation. I know that the main character is not fluent in Tagalog...but does she really think that the language of her family (Tagalog) is pronounced like the Girl Scout cookie?!