male dialogues
I’m always amazed at how Ate J writes male characters. Kuhang-kuha niya talaga yung way men talk and interact. Might get downvoted for this, but sometimes kasi when male characters are written, they become too emotionally expressive in a way that doesn’t feel natural. Parang you can immediately tell it was written from a female perspective.
May mga nabasa na rin ako before na sobrang cringe to the point na mapapaisip ka talaga, “May ganto ba talagang lalaki magsalita in real life?” Especially during emotional scenes na sobrang haba ng monologue or overly articulate ng feelings in a way that feels unnatural.
What I appreciate about Ate J’s writing is that the emotions are still there, but they’re delivered subtly , through short replies, banter, silence, or small actions instead of long dramatic speeches. sobrang realistic kasi ganon naman usually mga lalaki, especially with other men. Madalas tipid magsalita pero nagkakaintindihan na agad.
I remember the iconic scenes between mag BFF na Roul and Zamiel, and other scenes na magkakasama Riego cousins. Those conversations felt so authentic to me. Walang OA na dialogue, pero ramdam mo yung emotions and connection nila. Nakakaamaze lang how natural everything feels. 😭