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Love Team: Love Letters from a Broken World
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
20 people want to read
About the author
Alan Navarra
11 books25 followersNominee for 2007 Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award for "Girl Trouble" • Design Finalist in the 32nd National Book Awards for “Ang Panlimang Alas Ay Nakabaon Sa Iyong Dibdib”
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 25, 2023
Forgive me for telling this, but I believe Love Team was made to relive some of the author's vibes and his immersion in the underground indie life in Makati; way back when B-side collective was alive (and kicking) with Pinoy grunge and fliptop battles, way back before I Belong To The Zoo gets the GenZ with hugot songs, way back before Never Not Love You got glorified with a different diaspora trope. You have a feeling that he knows he isn't the teenage trashtalker in Girl Trouble anymore, because the edgy-ness and passion of the youth slowly dissipated in creating other works like Dumot, Sacada, and Lord Pls. I have a feeling that somehow, he wants to bring out that same angst and emo-phase again, although this time around, with a mature tone of a ripped-jean millenial — thirty(+something), flirty, and still surviving.
I have been there. B-side. Before Alphaland grabbed that little community and patch of land in Malugay and attempt to build a condo floating in Makati flood brought about by the poor drainage system (and high proximity to Pasig River). I felt the vibe of indie scenes, way back before Autotelic was offered by Warner Music, way back before Loonie became petite-famous in fliptop with his Tao Lang single. I also went bar-hopping: Saguijo, 20-20 (or XX/XX, depending on your social class at that night), and as far as 19-East and other mala-Gerry's grill in Alabang. And somehow, these moments, together with the reels and memes in @shoppinglibertad, encapsulates the gritty and grimy freelancing life of Jackson de Jesus and his Trashbox Confessional.
When I started reading the excerpts in his social media account @shoppinglibertad, it feels like a soft-launch of sorts. He wants to bring back the old glory days of Sev's café and the wonders of Words Anonymous, way back before Juan Miguel Severo got cancelled on twitter. Ngl, there are really lull and meh moments, and I don't know if this is intentional, especially on the second part of the book when he was doing a podcast with that girl who seemed to be typecasted as an INFP with septum earings, purple-streak on her bangs and cat's eye style of make up. Some of the spoken word seem to be a dull work, or maybe you get bored because you were really focused on the subliminal banters between the exes rather than the content of his poetry (of Jackson's or Alan's, whoever you were thinking while reading it).
In totality, Alan never ceased to circle back to the main thesis of his works: Kung paano ang bawat manlilikha ay nagpapakaalipin sa sistemang nagagawa ng pera.
Sir Alan, personal message po:
I have been there. B-side. Before Alphaland grabbed that little community and patch of land in Malugay and attempt to build a condo floating in Makati flood brought about by the poor drainage system (and high proximity to Pasig River). I felt the vibe of indie scenes, way back before Autotelic was offered by Warner Music, way back before Loonie became petite-famous in fliptop with his Tao Lang single. I also went bar-hopping: Saguijo, 20-20 (or XX/XX, depending on your social class at that night), and as far as 19-East and other mala-Gerry's grill in Alabang. And somehow, these moments, together with the reels and memes in @shoppinglibertad, encapsulates the gritty and grimy freelancing life of Jackson de Jesus and his Trashbox Confessional.
When I started reading the excerpts in his social media account @shoppinglibertad, it feels like a soft-launch of sorts. He wants to bring back the old glory days of Sev's café and the wonders of Words Anonymous, way back before Juan Miguel Severo got cancelled on twitter. Ngl, there are really lull and meh moments, and I don't know if this is intentional, especially on the second part of the book when he was doing a podcast with that girl who seemed to be typecasted as an INFP with septum earings, purple-streak on her bangs and cat's eye style of make up. Some of the spoken word seem to be a dull work, or maybe you get bored because you were really focused on the subliminal banters between the exes rather than the content of his poetry (of Jackson's or Alan's, whoever you were thinking while reading it).
In totality, Alan never ceased to circle back to the main thesis of his works: Kung paano ang bawat manlilikha ay nagpapakaalipin sa sistemang nagagawa ng pera.
Sir Alan, personal message po:
May 2, 2023
parang favorite nya bojack horseman
June 7, 2025
May pag-laro sa anyo, may pagka-witty, at komentaryo sa neoliberalismo. Parang vibes ni Tony Tulathimutte na para bang may car crash na panay tingin mo kahit na alam mong ayaw mo tingnan. Yung secondhand embarassment. Yung cringe. Galing.
Isang tagumpay ito sa pagsulat ng postmodernismo. Pwede sulatan ng thesis.
Napatawa ako nang malakas sa part na sinabihan niya na gago si Allen Jackson de Jesus Ginsberg, corny mo. Hahahaha.
Isang tagumpay ito sa pagsulat ng postmodernismo. Pwede sulatan ng thesis.
Napatawa ako nang malakas sa part na sinabihan niya na gago si Allen Jackson de Jesus Ginsberg, corny mo. Hahahaha.
February 9, 2023
I am just always sensory inclined to pick up anything red. I first pick up this book a couple of weeks ago. I was hesitant to pick this up because it’s screaming LOVE and I’m not up to be gagged and sated because of a mushy romance. However, knowing this is from Navarra assured me this would be different. Different is an understanding.
After finishing, I can totally agree with its intro by Wanggo Gallaga that this could be turned into a play of some sort. And compared it to Fleabag but to me I remember the Audition scene from La La Land in some parts of the book. I can’t put my finger on what it really is, if it’s a poetry book or a play or prose. Perhaps, it’s all of it.
The poetry got repetitive in form and technique which worked for some of the poems and for some, not so much.
The most of the poems in the Trash Box Confessionals section made me cringe, but there are some excellent poems as well, which I interpret as commentaries (more than just mere observations) on the state of the local literary scene, society, and life in general.
What I loved most would be the dialogues between Jackson and Prod Manager 😆 My theory is that Jackson probably has schizophrenia and wants to have himself go through all of this shit for attention. Such an extreme Leo. I’m not sure now if what I’ve said is offensive but does it matter? I’m an Aries and I’m petty.
I was not disappointed with choosing this book and I might even want to re-read his book, Dumot that I’ve read AGES ago.
Rating: 3.5
After finishing, I can totally agree with its intro by Wanggo Gallaga that this could be turned into a play of some sort. And compared it to Fleabag but to me I remember the Audition scene from La La Land in some parts of the book. I can’t put my finger on what it really is, if it’s a poetry book or a play or prose. Perhaps, it’s all of it.
The poetry got repetitive in form and technique which worked for some of the poems and for some, not so much.
The most of the poems in the Trash Box Confessionals section made me cringe, but there are some excellent poems as well, which I interpret as commentaries (more than just mere observations) on the state of the local literary scene, society, and life in general.
What I loved most would be the dialogues between Jackson and Prod Manager 😆 My theory is that Jackson probably has schizophrenia and wants to have himself go through all of this shit for attention. Such an extreme Leo. I’m not sure now if what I’ve said is offensive but does it matter? I’m an Aries and I’m petty.
I was not disappointed with choosing this book and I might even want to re-read his book, Dumot that I’ve read AGES ago.
Rating: 3.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2023
Solid sa storytelling, paganda nang paganda ang mga linya. Nakakaaliw ang bida, may social commentary rin sa isang banda. Maiksi lang pero malaman ang istorya. Tatak Filipino at relatable ang tema. Inirerekomenda ko rin ito sa mga nagmahal, nagmamahal, at balak magmahal. Sa mga taong mahilig magbasa ng romance. Sa mga taong mahilig sa tula. Sa mga chismosa, sa mga mulat. Hindi kayo bibiguin nitong aklat.
July 30, 2025
Anti-establishment and poetic deconstruction is the name of the game for Alan Navarra’s Love Team. Hefty, purposefully cringe, captures the voice of the abandoned-by-the-social-contract Filipino “salaryman” with a strong statement at the end. Worth the read!
December 22, 2025
Honestly, what carried this book was the things that Jackson wrote for the people that we (the readers) probably wouldn't have done. A well made postmodern story that could be a good underground indie film that only a few thousands know about, yet, loved by all.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews