'Thank God for this masterpiece,' you'll comment.
How do I know? Well. Considering that I've read it myself, I can pretty much verify it for you."
Good afternoon, dear readers! Finally I've been able to get my ass on here and type my much appreciated post regarding the beauty that is Trese, created by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo.
Alright, so one of the reasons why I really do appreciate this creations is because of the genre. I'm a large fan of the crime fiction (if you haven't noticed already), and having the parts of the story integrated with our own Philippine history is pretty freaking great, you have to admit.
For any non-Filipino reader out there (and maybe Filipinos who have yet to check Trese out), the series tells of a young woman named Alexandra Trese, a detective who the police call for cases that have taken the supernatural route. That's the most basic thing I can practically give you.
However, when I say that the Philippine history is pretty damn rooted into this, I seriously mean it. All over the world, supernatural beings from different nations and cultures have cultivated and spread, from the Japanese Oni, the much debated Scottish Loch Ness monster, to the simple yet thrilling Bloody Mary from the United Kingdom. Hell - we humans even debate on the existence of - get this - freaking aliens!
But when it comes to the Philippine supernatural side of things, it's pretty damn unique from my own point of view. You've got the basics like the Tikbalang, Kapre, Nuno and all that, but Trese takes it to a whole new level, introducing me to different kinds of creatures that have derived from our ancestral folklore. With crime fiction heavily mixed with culture and whatnot, the series pretty much got me hooked.
Aside from that, I really do appreciate the character of Alexandra Trese. She's seriously complex and has an amazing backstory which reveals itself carefully with each story you read. Alexandra may seem stiff and cool, too cool, even, but when she cracks that rare smile (in amusement or victory, you choose), you can't help but fall in love with her character even more. She's a female detective (!!!!!!) with outstanding and limitless knowledge about the unknown. It's gotta make you admire her somehow, you know.
The thirteen different stories in this collector's edition will make you want more. The plot twists will make your eyes widen and stare in disbelief, making you go "Did that just seriously happen?". One of my favorites in particular would have to the the Baptism of Alexandra Trese chapter, where we finally get to glimpse into her childhood and what exactly made her turn out to be that way.
Overall, this series is a gem that really needs to be shown to everyone, whether or not they're interested in crime fiction. It's one of those little things that made me a little more hopeful for the future of Filipino contemporary fiction - hell, even Filipino culture in general. Trese is something that I think all will most likely enjoy, whether it's just one case that hooks you or the whole story in itself.
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