A Filipino historical novel

On June 12, 1898, Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed independence in Kawit, Cavite, ending over 300 years of Spanish colonization. Although Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States after the 1898 Treaty of Paris, June 12 remains the symbolic birth of the nation. Full independence was later granted by the United States on July 4, 1946.

However, in 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal reverted the official celebration to June 12 to emphasize the true spirit of Filipino independence. This day should serve as a celebration of Filipino identity and courage. It should honor the sacrifices of Filipino heroes who fought for freedom in the more than 300 rebellions against the Spaniards.

This enduring fight for justice and freedom can be read in our history books. Another way is by patronizing Philippine historical novels that highlight this struggle throughout the three centuries of Spanish colonization.

One such novel is “1762: A Novel” by Vin dela Serna Lopez (Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2023). This was the 2022 Palanca Special Prize for Novel and Best Novel in English at the National Book Awards.

The introductory quote from German thinker Novalis in a way prepares the reader for what to expect: “I found myself, a mere suggestion sensed in past and future ages.”

Chapter I, “From the Gut of the Archipelago,” begins:

“Don Pedro Calderón woke up fresh from a dream about death. He dreamed of his dead father armed with the blunderbuss he had not seen since he was a boy. Everything was vivid: the funereal silence, the unforgiving disappointment on his father’s face, the radiating coldness of the firearm emblazoned with their family name gazing point-blank into Don Pedro’s heart. He remembered how he accepted that absurd fate with unquestioning calmness, for in a dream no one bothers to wonder about anything, and in that dream, he did not ask why his father was going to shoot him, much less the reason he was there.”

Set in September 1762, it reconstructs the rarely explored two-year British occupation of Manila during the Seven Years’ War. The narrative centers on Cavite dockyard workers plotting revolt – not only against Spanish masters but unwittingly caught in the crossfire of a new imperial power.

Through characters like Catalina – a mestiza caught between worlds – the novel delves into power dynamics, colonial violence and the birth pangs of Filipino nationalism.

Lopez, also a poet, employs richly textured prose that evokes atmosphere with almost cinematic vividness. Early scenes of Manila’s sweltering streets under siege elicit intense moods: “They entered the walled city now sweltering in filth and wet weather… its streets now assumed a grayish visual palette….”

Readers are drawn into sensory detail – gunpowder, cholera-infested rivers, rotting canals. A Goodreads review reads, “The book is amazing … I can imagine how things per scene would smell like…blood, sweat and gunpowder.”

Lopez employs characters as symbols – Catalina embodies a colonial femme fatale while rebels embody collective frustration under both Spanish and British dominion.

The novel’s strength lies in its ambition: transcending individual lives to evoke collective memory and colonial critique. His deep and wide research is shown in his bibliography. In the Afterword, Lopez reveals, “… for the historical fictionist, often the best part of the adventure is in research, in the unearthing of new or obscure things from an ocean of forgotten materials, presenting a world that had already existed and yet is so new to us.”

At its core, “1762” interrogates history’s echoes – how rebellion, betrayal and colonial violence reverberate across time. Lopez strategically places a metaphysical “Chapter 4” (entitled “Motto Stella” – often the chapter titles are difficult to read) where figures like Amado Hernández, Nick Joaquin – and even the specter of Rizal – appear to discuss Philippine identity across centuries. This temporal layering reframes 1762 not as historical footnote, but as ideological melting pot.

Lopez himself explains that 1762 marks the collision of the monastic, insular Spanish colony and the onset of its participation in global geopolitics – ushering in modern identity and enlightened thought.

This framing signals a bold reclamation: the formation of Filipino sensibility predates the Philippine Revolution of 1872 and is rooted in experiences of multiple empires.

It is wordy in parts and there are multilingual quotes – Latin, Spanish and Rizal’s poems – that may interrupt the flow of the narration.

“1762” appears more as a scholarly, intellectual work than mass-market historical drama. It appeals for its emotional pull and narrative ease.

The novel is an impressive debut novel, described as one of the “must-read Filipino books” –  as “a historical fiction masterpiece.” It shows rich historical research, depth of themes and vivid language.

This novel will resonate most with readers who appreciate rigorous, intellectual historical fiction: those who delight in unraveling symbols, tracing thematic echoes and engaging with layered Philippine identity. For casual readers seeking character-driven narratives or lighter prose, it may feel overwhelming.

Highly recommended reading for history buffs and literary scholars, and those who enjoy books by Nick Joaquin and Gina Apostol.

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Registration for June Writefest for kids and teens which runs as a hybrid session from June 23-July 4 (MWF 3-5 p.m.) at Fully Booked, BGC & Zoom is ongoing. Invited guest authors are graphic novelist Jay Ignacio and horror fictionist Anthony Shieh. Save your spot.bit.ly/writefest2025

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