Touch Me Not

Touch Me Not (1887) is a novel by Jose Rizal, published in Berlin. The novel was originally conceived as a collaborative project by a group of Filipino nationalist writers living in Madrid. However, disappointed by his comrades' lack of engagement, Rizal undertook the task alone, blending aspects of his own life story with a critique of Spanish imperialism in the Philippines. Banned by Spanish authorities, the novel was smuggled into the Philippines, where it quickly galvanized Rizal's fellow nationalists against the Spanish Empire.

Returning home to Laguna province after seven years in Europe, Crisstomo Ibarra, a young mestizo man, attempts to rebuild his life following the death of his father. Noticing hostility from Padre Dmaso, a local curate and former family friend, Crisstomo soon learns that his father's death might not have been accidental. Focused on building a school for local children, he aims to honour Don Rafael Ibarra's legacy. However, his efforts are overshadowed when he is informed by the groundskeeper that his father's body was moved to a local Chinese burial ground, under instruction from Padre Dmaso.

As the story unfolds, a vast conspiracy involving Spanish authorities and Filipino revolutionaries emerges, endangering Crisstomo's life and testing his loyalty to both family and nation.

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