F.H. Batacan's Smaller and Smaller Circles

Smaller and Smaller Circles was an unexpected delight.

It is a suspense- detective story which reminds me of the television series, “CSI,” only it has a local flavor in it.

The story revolves around the lives of two Jesuit priests, Father Guz Saez and Father Jerome Lucero, in search of the culprit behind th

e serial killings in the community of the Payatas dump site.

It reminded me of the tandem of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Similarly, Father Gus, the main character, is a forensic pathologist while his sidekick, Father Jerome is a clinical psychologist.

Jerome, the younger priest and a former student of his is more serious and intense with a capricious temper, especially when stuck in traffic jams and meeting with Atty. Arcinas. On the other hand, Gus is calm, relaxed and is very fond of music. Eccentric as he may appear, he likes to listen to Bach, Gregorian chants, the Doors and the Sex Pistols when examining corpses.

The murderer is seething with rage within his shy and aloof personality which was shown in the latter part of the story. All throughout the novel, it felt like I was reading the mind of a serial killer, of a psychopath.

It pushed me to dwell deeper than the glimpses of horrifying images and watching a terrifying story unfold. As the reader is brought into the mind of a psychopath he eventually understands how he thinks and his psyche.

In fact, the story begins sinisterly and the first picture the reader sees is the world through the eyes of the killer - “I feel like I’m always being watched. I hate being watched.”

In my opinion, it is the mind of the killer that is the driving force of the story and not the curiosity of what may happen next. Throughout much of the novel, the killer is a phantom whose voice haunts the reader in alternating chapters, which I think contributed to the dread and suspense, by filling the presence of a character the reader does not see until the end.

No wonder it is difficult to put down. I actually finished it in one sitting and that doesn’t happen very often. I suppose that is the best thing about the book is that it is a fast read, in spite of its careful attention to details.

Every detail was uniquely illustrated by the author that I even forgot how good a Sherlock Holmes book was. It felt so real, as if I was seeing the dead bodies myself with their faces peeled off and chests bastardized.

It was evidently well-written, with wit, good choice of words and use of clear images and other artistic elements to draw the reader towards the story.

For instance, the title “Smaller and smaller circles” was a metaphor used to illustrate the paranoia of the murderer. Similar to that of a piece of bread or a piece of cheese he feels like he is encircled by rats, scuttling around him and watching him. These rats, apparently in his mind are the two Jesuit priests, assisted by the NBI and a reporter named Joanna Bonifacio.

Furthermore, I also think that the familiar setting helped readers to appreciate the story.

Painted by the weather, the dumpsite, the kids and the streets, the story obviously took place in the Philippines, particularly in Quezon City where the actual Payatas dumpsite is located. A Filipino can instantly imagine the places, the weather, and especially the characters. Because Filipino readers are familiar with the Quezon City area and places such as Katipunan, Payatas and even Ateneo, the story becomes alive and real.

The seemingly rain-and-shine weather also contributes to the Filipino background. The setting is close to my dorm so I can easily picture each scene as if I was watching a film.

Moreover, I appreciate how the author used foreshadowing in the story. In my opinion, the side-story of Father Saenz’s impacted tooth and the scene when they saw the medical mobiles served as the keys to unraveling the mystery of the crime.

Although it was written in a comedic way, it was actually showing a possibility that the suspect is affiliated with medicine.

On the other hand, what I didn’t like about the story was the Latin phrases, French conversations and Italian musings which didn’t serve any use at all. It had no significance in the story. It could have hindered the reader from completely appreciating the book. It could have discouraged him because it creates a feeling of exclusion.

“Smaller and Smaller Circles” contains so much sentiments of rage, with characters inflicting this kind of yoke – the murderer against his former P.E. teacher and classmates whom his victims represent.

However, underneath it all is the “rage” toward poverty which is very evident in the Philippines. Atty. Arcinas, for instance, pushes himself up the ladder of fame and success because he wants to forget his roots in the notorious slums.

The murderer lives pretentiously as a middle-class dentist because it enables him to hunt down the “tweenish” boys who remind him of his past friends who like him were all abused by a P.E. teacher in Payatas. Carlos, the culprit, unfortunately also came from a poor family.

The book undoubtedly allowed the reader to become so engaged and involved - creating an illusion that he is part of the happenings.

I cannot help but feel goosebumps as the author pictures out the bodies and how the poor boys were killed.

Moreover, I also liked how the author was able to illustrate the realities of crime scene investigation in the Philippines. He was able to cite the scarce merits and numerous flaws of our investigating system.

At the same time, he was able to suggest the capabilities of the Filipino mind – whether elimination or creation of crime.

However, nonetheless, it is still a gripping detective story. The scenes appear to become so alive and real that it is captured clearly by the reader - the vivid, powerful and elaborate descriptions of people, places and situations instill the story in his mind.

Ultimately, the story is a breath of fresh air in a culture bombarded with obscure poetry and mushy and overly sentimental short stories and novels. Smaller and Smaller Circles is definitely an authentic Filipino masterpiece.