[Hot Off the Press] The House by the Beach

New historical fiction novel from the Ateneo Press offers an intimate and reflective portrait of one family as they contend with familial choices and Philippine history

We are all a product of the past, of choices we’ve made and even choices that were made by our ancestors. How does one live meaningfully in the midst of this? This is a question the characters of The House by the Beach must face. A new release from the Ateneo University Press, the book by Marichelle Roque-Lutz follows one family from Cuyo Island, Palawan, as they experience the final years of Spanish rule to the aftermath of World War II.

The House by the Beach is generous with its descriptions, so much so that the reader becomes immersed into the psyches of the characters, providing a deeper comprehension of their decisions. You may not agree with their decisions but you cannot help but deeply understand them. They are flawed, imperfect, and intensely real. At the center of the story is Carlos, a man made of opposites, both charming and destructive, whose actions leave a quiet trail of pain and misery. Left to carry the consequences of his actions are his wife, his mistress, and his children. Lupe, one of his daughters, endeavors to piece together her family’s story—to make sense of her father’s complexities and how they continue to haunt her life and that of others. 

Columnist and author, Teresita Roces-Santos, praises the intricate and riveting details of the book’s world: ”We see Cuyonon as quite different—in its family tradition, in its community culture, in its take on religion: one not purely Catholic, but mixed with folklore and superstition—but a town not altogether alien, or un-native, which actually makes the reading singularly interesting. Put in that setting a story of love in all its passions, pure as well as transgressive, with all the mess that sometimes defies resolution and you have a novel that transports you to another place, yet a place that, being just an island south of our native archipelago, is not at all unknown to us. And all that makes for a novel that stirs with both familiarity and mystery.”

Linda Villamor highlights the way relationships and hierarchies are showcased in the novel: “The House by the Beach is, above all, a cautionary tale about the Filipino manhood and the culture of machismo, in which men and women are held to different sexual standards, with serious consequences.”

Teman Cooke shares that the book will not only entertain but also facilitate personal reflection:” A sprawling yet compelling historical novel spanning four generations and a world war, The House by the Beach by Marichelle Roque-Lutz highlights the way in which imperfect decisions, made by imperfect people, lead to consequences that extend far beyond what any of them could have predicted. It’s a thought-provoking read that will stick with you long after you’ve closed the back cover.”

A mix of fiction and truth, The House by the Beach will transport the reader into a not so fictional world. It is an intimate portrait of a family’s love, sacrifice, and enduring struggle to make sense of a past that refuses to be silenced, a past that haunts, a past that they carry with them wherever they go. 

The House by the Beach by Marichelle Roque-Lutz is published by the Ateneo de Manila University Press under the Bughaw imprint. The book retails at PHP 695 and is available at the Ateneo University Press Bookshop in Bellarmine Hall, and the Press’s official Lazada and Shopee stores.

Get your copy in paperback: Website│Lazada and Shopee