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theliteraryteapot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, and Animal death
thebooklovingpanda's review
5.0
"Magic can't heal everything, can it?"
"No, it cannot heal everything. Like I said, it's only a temporary fix. True healing must come from within the patient themselves."
Content warnings:
Spoiler
mild bullying; internalised colorism (challenged); loss of a pet; references to past loss of a loved one; strong tropical stormThis was such a wholesome, sweet read! If you read this, prepare to be immersed in a richly written setting and lose your heart to these characters (and pets!)
You really get so invested in these characters and their lives as Villanueva has created such real and tangible people. (I really didn't expect to cry the way I did!) Jolina has a very strong character voice - the 'colonizers are weird' part made me laugh so much - and I really enjoyed her character development! She doesn't start off a bad person at all, I actually completely understand her worries for herself and her family, and she's generally kind; she just becomes wiser, more thoughtful and understanding over the course of the book. I really loved getting to know Jolina too - their budding friendship was heartwarming, and yet heartbreaking when you remember that it's under the influence of the love potion gayuma.
"Consent is what separates healing magic from self-serving magic. There are gray areas, but taking someone's right to choose usually ends up with terrible consequences."
I loved how aspects of Filipino culture were soaked into every bit of the book, from traditional food like balut and yema balls, to honorifics, polite customs and greetings. I'm definitely trying to yema ball recipe included at the back of the book!
Image: gif of BTS' SUGA in an apron presenting a dish of food
This inclusion was effortless and even though I learned so much, it didn't feel like this representation was there to be educational, it was just...the fabric of the world. While I'm a curious cat and did Google lots of things, there's enough contextual information/translations in earlier and later sentences (and the 'Acknowledgements') that makes the story completely understandable even without looking things up.
I love a book with nuanced, layered characters and society and this was no exception. It touched on issues around old vs new money, colorism and homophobia in Filipino society, had positive LGBTQ+ rep (who weren't characterised just by their sexual orientation), metro vs countryside life, colonial legacies, etc. The side characters also didn't feel flat or 'filler' at all. I think this network of identities and personal histories all coming together, conflicting and intertwining were key to making this book feel so realistic and engaging.
What a wonderful book, and I'll be sure to check out Villanueva's past and future work!
Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours and Scholastic for an eARC for an honest review.
thebookishunicorn's review
4.0
CW: pet death
charvi_not_just_fiction's review
4.0
Loved the themes of friendship and love and how topics such as class difference, socioeconomic status and such were woven into the story <3
sheilsyy's review
5.0
Our two main characters, Jolina and Claudine, initially started as the best enemies but with the help of some magic eventually became the best of friends. They are both nuanced and childish but are guaranteed to touch the hearts of young readers with their charismatic and genuine personalities. [b: Sugar and Spite|601037|Sugar and Spite (Savannah Reid, #5)|G.A. McKevett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329679878l/601037._SY75_.jpg|2109628] very well represents the Filipino warmth and culture and teaches about choices and their corresponding consequences. It’s an easy read which I know I would’ve have enjoyed as a kid but still definitely enjoyed now as an adult.
I have all the love for this book, and a thousand more extra for Jolina’s loyal pet dog, Kidlat!
smo13's review
5.0
dbguide2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I went back and forth on whether I liked Jolina or not. Sometimes I would and then she would say or think something slightly annoying and then I wouldn’t like her again. But also she’s a child! Who’s recently moved to a new place so that almost gives her right to be annoying (in my eyes). In the end I did like her so that was good. I liked Claudine more but also I’m a sucker for the mean girl turns into a friend trope. It’s one of my favourites and I don’t mind seeing it repeatedly because I’ll enjoy it every time. I liked that both of them were cat and dog people and that was cute to see.
I did like how the book let both of them be messy and that didn’t bother me. Books should have kids be messy characters more often. It won’t make them annoying, they’re kids and a lot of people want messy characters nowadays. I really like messy characters and I think kids being messy make even more sense because, well, they’re kids! Their personalities are still developing, they’re still developing, and we shouldn’t force adult expectations about their personalities just because we’re adults (or insert your age here).
I liked the low fantasy aspect of the book – I kept reading the synopsis before I picked it up because I didn’t know if it contained actual magic or like suggestive magic? But then I read and saw that it was magic – but also had that bit of suggestive magic. Or rather, your intentions and emotions influence your magic/the way you cast the spells. Which is something I like!
The other characters were sweet. I liked how close Jolina and Claudine were with their families and also might be friends with the other’s in the future.
sometimesleelynnreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lorithereadingfairy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dinibharadwaj's review against another edition
4.75