Reviews

Filipino folklore meets serial killer lit in A Tiny Upward Shove. Marina is killed by a man who has killed many women, but her body is taken over by an aswang, an inherently evil shape-shifting spirit, But this spirt has been with Marina's family for a long time, and as it gathers strength to avenge Marina, we learn of Marina's family tragedies and failures. Ultimately, the aswang gets vengeance for Marina and the other victims of the killer. The author uses a non-fictional killer, Robert Pickton, as a character in the book, and this makes me really uncomfortable. Family members of his victims are still living, and this book exploits their stories and pain. It's unclear why the author draws on Filipino culture when so many of Pickton's victims were First Nations Women. And while I appreciate the author's dedication to showing how federal and state institutions fail young people, especially people of color, but there's a strange blurring of the US and Canada. Why does Marina go to Vancouver? Finally, readers should be aware that the book contains rape, including child rape, and other forms of violence that will make it hard for some readers to deal with.

redlantern's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.5

alisonburnis's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

A Filipino spirit, an aswang, steps into Marina’s body at the site of her murder. How did she get there? Her story comes out, interspersed with the story of her murderer, and with her lola, her mother, and her best friend. Marina was a bright, sensitive child, crushed by the life she ended up living.

I regret finishing this book; I really do. For starters: the author chose to use Robert Pickton as the inspiration and name for her fictional but no less brutal version of him. This felt exploitative and also kept trying to show the beauty in characters who were cruelly murdered - and also told Pickton’s story, which frankly I don’t care about. Chadburn was trying to do some sort of work spotlighting violence against women and Filipino culture, and while parts were really well done, overall this book was just too much crammed in, never mind the Pickton character (she used his name and life story! She says so in the notes at the back even if you didn’t immediately identify it). Do not read.

weaboodreamboat's review against another edition

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4.0

horrifying

iphigenie72's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mahjongtita's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bodybeingsoulstl's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

while a book of fiction, the book is based on some real events surrounding serial rapist and murder, Robert William Pickton… and if you know anything about the terrible acts this man has committed, you will know what kind of book you are stepping into.

Please read the trigger warnings, this book discusses challenging topics around abuse of children, systemic racism, drugs, sexual assault/rape, and domestic abuse.

You might like this book, if you...
... are interested in paranormal folklore
... like a touch of realism in your thrillers
... believe in fate (but maybe not the romance kind)

As a person who enjoys the paranormal, I was intrigued by the Filipino folklore of aswang. While I did not anticipate the heaviness + seriousness this book contained, it drove me to consider and think about the larger systems at play that impact our people daily (not in an effective or supportive way) and how one entity (by chance or maybe fate) can bring some justice to the cruelties of the world.

Content Warnings

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