Ninay was written as a response to the accusation that Filipinos possessed no distinct culture and in the tradition of costumbrismo,
a movement in Spanish literature in the nineteenth century that
celebrated specific features (e.g. flora, fauna, rituals, and rites) of
Spain's various regions. The novel's series of overlapping narratives
were thus juxtaposed against bucolic scenes and social and religious
rites. The major criticism against Pedro Paterno's novel is its use of a
non-realistic perspective. But translator Leon Ma. Guerrero has pointed
out the numerous similarities between Ninay and José Rizal's novels in terms of characters and plot structure.
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