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Rating: 
Summary: Mind-blowing Prose
Review: Hypnotically beautiful... F. Sionil Jose does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the alternately fascinating and repulsive world of the turn-of-the-century Philippines. You can't help but notice the tension between illusion and reality--that while the setting could be tranquil at times, there is always this underlying anticipation of tragedy, especially with Istak's encounters with the Spanish and the Americans.
Rating: 
Summary: Yawn
Review: I just couldn't get interested in the subject of this book or any of the characters. Reading it was like swimming in molasses. Perhaps it was the foreign setting that turned me off. The language was unremarkable. Obviously, I did not find in this book what the other reviewers did.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reading on Filipino History
Review: If you are a Filipino-American, and you desire to read something of substance about Filipino history. This is it! Granted it is fiction, but the characters speak their own voices that you can't help but wonder if it really did happen that way.
Some Spanish-Filipinos may not completely like the author's representation of the Spaniards in this book (and his others). But it does speak to the heart of national pride that Filipinos have everywhere. And brings a certian dignity to native Filipinos of long ago.
Definitely worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: 10 - Stars, really....
Review: In this work, F. Sionil Jose writes a kind of folk tale, describing the long history of what could be his family. Istak, the main character is clearly styled to be the hero of the story, undergoing a development from self-centered scholar, then father of a family and barrio to becoming a true Filipino patriot who is willing to give his life for the nation. During this development, Jose shows the suffering of the poor people, from various oppressors, but much more intense than Rizal did. Where Rizal mentions an injustice that happens, Jose shows ist in all details. And he also shows the heroism of the poor people, and he makes clear that it is the poor people that matters when it comes to building a nation that deserves this name.
A must for every reader who wantsto know more about history and psychology of the Philippines, or respectively, all ex-colonized people.
Rating:
Summary: In Need of More Recognition
Review: Initially, I intended to read Dusk simply in order to finish my research concerning Filipino Literature. When I completed reading this novel, however, I found myself more deeply reflective about my own history as a Filipino-American as well as the effects of Spanish colonization. What Jose achieves in writing Dusk is a window: a window into the detrimental psychological and social effects of a people under oppression and assimilation. Within the confines of the novel itself, the characters shift and become symbols expressing the themes of loss, anger, and confusion. There is a lot to be learned from the characters and their fate: People can be forced into submission physically, but the spirit is made of an unbreakable bond. A people under oppression eventually break free. Jose reclaims his Filipino heritage by recognizing the history that is a cornerstone to most modern perceptions and attitudes. This book is a definite piece to read in re/constructing one's knowledge of the Philippines, its history, or simply as a tool to understanding the overall impact of oppression/colonization. This book is a great resource, and moving piece of literature. If you are a fan of Jose's work, share these same ideas, or curious about these issues just as much as I am then feel free to e-mail me.
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