When the Elephants Dance: A Novel

Written by Tess Uriza Holthe

Narrated by Irene Adlaw

“Papa explains the war like this: ‘When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.’ The great beasts, as they circle one another, shaking the trees and trumpeting loudly, are the Amerikanos and the Japanese as they fight. And our Philippine Islands? We are the small chickens.”

Once in a great while comes a storyteller who can illuminate worlds large and small, magical and true to life. When the Elephants Dance   introduces us to the incandescent voice of Tess Uriza Holthe, who sets her remarkable first novel in the waning days of World War II, as the Japanese and the Americans engage in a fierce battle for possession of the Philippine Islands. The Karangalan family and their neighbors huddle for survival in the cellar of a house a few miles from Manila. Outside the safety of their little refuge the war rages on—fiery bombs torch the beautiful Filipino countryside, Japanese soldiers round up and interrogate innocent people, and from the hills guerillas wage a desperate campaign against the enemy. Inside the cellar, these men, women, and children put their hopes and dreams on hold as they wait out the war, only emerging to look for food, water, and medicine.

Through the eyes of three narrators, thirteen-year-old Alejandro Karangalan, his spirited older sister Isabelle, and Domingo, a passionate guerilla commander, we see how ordinary people must learn to live in the midst of extraordinary uncertainty, how they must find hope for survival where none seems to exist. They find this hope in the dramatic history of the Philippine Islands and the passion and bravery of its people. Crowded together in the cellar, the Karangalans and their friends and neighbors tell magical stories to one another based on Filipino myth and legend to fuel their courage, pass the time, and teach important lessons. The group is held spellbound by these stories, which feature a dazzling array of ghosts, witches, supernatural creatures, and courageous Filipinos who changed the course of history with their actions. These profoundly moving stories transport the listeners from the chaos of the war around them and give them new resolve to fight on.

With When the Elephants Dance Holthe has not only written a gripping narrative of how Alejandro, Isabelle, Domingo and their community fight for survival, but a loving tribute to the magical realism that infuses Filipino culture. The stories shared by her characters are based on the same tales handed down to Holthe from her Filipino father and lola, her grandmother. This stunning debut novel is the first to celebrate in such richness and depth the spirit of the Filipino people and their fascinating story and marks the introduction of a talented new author who will join the ranks of writers such as Arundhati Roy, Manil Suri, and Amy Tan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vibrance Press
• Release date: Apr 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781624619656

Reviews for When the Elephants Dance

[Nicci Mende · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Awful narrator. Incredibly whiny and overly dramatic. It's like having a child narrate a book. Completely ruined the book for me.

[castlelass · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When the Elephants Dance weaves together Filipino folklore, family narratives, and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. The novel follows three primary narrators — siblings Alejandro and Isabelle, along with resistance leader Domingo. In 1945, a group of neighbors hide in an abandoned cellar. They share traditional folktales and personal stories to pass the time. Holthe includes a note indicating that she heard many of these stories from her older relatives.

It is not your typical WWII story, since it takes place in the Philippines and is focused on the local people. It explores resistance, collaboration, and the moral compromises required for survival. The tales contain magical elements of Filipino culture. They occasionally feel a bit like they were “inserted” rather than flowing naturally. Parts of this novel are riveting, especially Domingo’s narrative, but I think the personal stories could have been shortened.

3.5

[snash_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Story set amongst the Philippine people during the WWII. While it is a good book, its side stories seem to long and diverting and their various morals as to the family repeated.

[bookwoman247 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a novel of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during WWII.

As a few courageous villagers leave their hiding place to forage for food, those who stay behind, hidden in a cellar in the village tell stories. The stories they tell, of legends and lore, or of their early lives strengthen their bonds, bolster their courage, and offer glimmers of hope. The stories also serve to help the reader get to know the villagers well, in a way that almost feels intimate.

I loved this book! It honestly deserves more buzz than it has gotten.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The opening of the novel references and explains the title:

Papa explains the war like this: ‘When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.’ The great beasts, as they circle one another, shaking the trees and trumpeting loudly, are the Amerikanos and the Japanese as they fight. And our Philippine Islands? We are the small chickens."

So yes, this is a story of the Philippines during World War II. And at first, I didn't think I'd like this novel much. Just before I'd read What is the What about genocide in the Sudan and then First They Killed My Father about genocide in Cambodia. I admit I found it a bit off-putting when I saw that like both of them, this was being told in first person present. God, I thought, not another story of misery wrapped in literary gauze! I've grown a bit wary (and weary) of the present tense in fiction. At first that was a technique that seemed fresh and often read lyrically--but I've seen it used so many times it now tends to strike me more as gimmicky and pretentious. But I was thoroughly won over by the end. Holthe said about the only thing she could find in the library about the Philippines were travel guides. She wanted to fill that gap and tell not only the stories she got first hand from her family about the Japanese Occupation, but interweave stories like those she was told as a child, tales of "ghosts and witches, always told with delicious darkness and magic." And though the mainline of the narrative is far from a mere frame a la Arabian Nights, interspersed throughout are several tales told by characters of ghosts and witches and dark spells and curses. Yes, there are also stories of atrocities here--graphic depictions of rape and torture and the brutal necessities of war.

But the novel always kept sight of love and family and hope. Holthe weaves in a beautiful portrait of the Philippines and its people: Filipinos, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Americans, both rich and poor, old and young, especially in those short story interludes. She gives you a sense of the landscape, the cuisine, even a flavor of the different languages. And I felt surprisingly at home--my mother's family is Puerto Rican and the Philippines Holthe described reminded me a lot of Puerto Rico. Both are tropical islands and have had centuries of Spanish and decades of American colonization influencing their culture. Holthe also enriches her tale with a lot of Filipino history. I never knew the very name of the country came from King Philip of Spain. Or that there was a war of independence fought against Americans in the early 20th century. So I felt I learned a lot and I was entertained. All good.

[maryreinert · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had great hopes for this book, but was disappointed enought that I didn't read the last third narrator. I'm not familiar with the history behind the story, but good historical fiction will put it all in perspective - this didn't. I did not like the first person narrator; at times the writing seemed very simplistic and just "too direct" as if the writer was telling me exactly what I was to be feeling. I can't comment on the accuracy of the language or customs, but did find the many foreign phrases troublesome. Overall, I think this could have been a really good story, but it just didn't deliver.

[r_tomio · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. This is by far the best book I have read in awhile. I have learned a bit about the history of the Philippines in a very entertaining way. I love the way that the author writes, she is a great storyteller.
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[rasberrykiwi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! It was beautifully written, the characters were all so lovable, and it was such a pleasure to read from beginning to the end. I was sorry when it ended.

[berylweidenbach · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was really looking forward to reading this story and learning more about the Philippines during WWII. I found it difficult to keep all the characters straight, there were so many and except for the main three, Isabelle, Alejandro, Domingo and a few others who told individual stories, the characters were not memorable or very well developed. The war was very brutal, the Japanese without mercy, and the fear was palpable, real to the extreme. I felt the story, and stories within stories were hard to follow and keep in context. I had to "work" hard to read this book and try to keep everything and everyone straight in my mind. It might have helped if there had been a page mapping the characters, names and who was connected to whom. I thought the story too choppy and disconnected, and had to push myself to finish as I really did want to know how everything ended. I really like historical fiction, and though I didn't think this was especially well done, it was redemmed by the fact that there were many characters you care to care about, and personal stories that were quite moving.

[ladycato · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful." The elephants here are the Japanese and American forces, vying for control of the Philippines in the waning days of World War II. The chickens are the Filipino people, caught in the crossfire of complete devastation. A family hides in their cellar, surrounded by their neighbors. Food supplies are low and morale is even lower as their loved ones go missing. But this is not merely a novel about the desperation of war. As they hunker in the cellar together, they tell stories - brilliant stories of the magic within the jungle, ghosts without rest, Spanish oppression, and the importance of hope.

This novel is magic. The historical elements and dark fairy tales blend together well . The suspense is intense throughout as you wonder if the family - the children in particular - will survive the brutal treatment of the Japanese and the bombings by the Americans. My knowledge of the Philippines during the war consists of Bataan, the death march, MacArthur's vow and his eventual return. The Filipino people themselves are lost and forgotten. I found this book educational and enlightening, and will keep it in my library. Holthe created a masterpiece.

[mandolin82 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WWII in the Phillipines. Some magical realism. Really great book and I enjoyed reading about that time and culture.