Mina V. Esguerra’s novel What Kind of Day satisfied my craving for a sexy yet substantial read. I read it on a lazy Sunday, with club music streaming in the background. I have been a fan of Mina’s writing since her Summit Books days. I even took one of her writing classes at the Ayala Museum a few years back. Her books may be in the romance department, but she always ensures that her female leads are strong, independent characters. I was not disappointed with this one as this theme still applies.
Naya is a tour guide who runs her own company See This Manila, while Ben is a political speechwriter who is facing challenges in his career. Both meet when Ben joins her tour by chance and discovers the city with brand new eyes. Naya is passionate about getting people to see the city differently and with a fresh perspective. This sounds like the perfect one-day getaway for a man who has been jaded with the perils of his job.
I especially liked how Naya discussed her academic background in media and film. She said that she focused on them because she was interested in “studying platforms…and studying how to use an evolving thing”. Meanwhile, Ben defines his speechwriting job as to “learn history, and write history”. These parallel contexts are ever-changing, which is interesting when juxtaposed with both characters’ perspective on failure.
Naya in particular was disenchanted with her previous job as a tourism vlogger, and has viewed failure as a journey which she creates for her tour guests in the form of unexpected itineraries. That way, her personal failure has evolved into a transformative experience for her guests.
Meanwhile, Ben has a more limited lens on failure as he has been a lawyer and successful political speechwriter for most of his career. His encounter with Naya turns out to be an influential journey to inspire him to use this time to regroup after visiting parts of the city which may seem familiar, yet offer more details than what is usually known about them.
It is interesting how Ben sees Naya’s touring business as a platform for change: “you give people a day like that. You give them a good day”. For Naya, she sees how Ben is more than just a fleeting guest, and realizes her own capacity for love and relationships. Both learn that relationships are about compromise, and that a beautiful sunset does not only happen by the Manila Bay.
This book is a gem because I found myself processing my own failures, and how I could also move on from this quarantine period once it is over. I am not in a relationship now, but I want to be the best person for my future date after the lockdown. While I am at home, I will find ways to build myself through books, music, and sharing my day on social media. It would not hurt to interact more with others, especially since I am used to being alone most of the time. Like Naya, I will also evolve and give relationships a chance after the virus dies down.
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