Illustrado by Miguel Syjuco
The narrative of Crispin Salvador, a well-known but struggling Filipino novelist, is told in Illustrado, a literary mystery that relies on the politics and poetry of Manila. Crispin Salvador appears to have committed suicide, which causes the narrator, Miguel, to return to the Philippines. Miguel, who was Salvador's sole friend and former pupil, must deal with the loss of his literary master while simultaneously looking for a book that has gone lost and is rumored to contain information on some of the major criminal organizations in the nation.
Syjuco's first book, Illustrado, would go on to win the 2008 Man Asian Prize. At the moment, he teaches at NYU Abu Dhabi.