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joreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Received a review copy from BookSirens
General content warnings: death, violence, racism, natural disasters
General content warnings: death, violence, racism, natural disasters
I had seen this gorgeous cover floating around and was thrilled to get an opportunity to read this collection of stories that retellings and reimaginings of Filipino myths. Though I admittedly lack the proper cultural context for thorough appreciation, each of these stories left something with me, be it evocative imagery, complex relationships between humans and divine beings, and immersive narration. Cruz-Borja is clearly experimental in her presentation, so if you’re looking for imagined news articles, more straightforward accounts, or compelling tales in second person, this has something for every story itch.
Cruz-Borja drops the reader right into the thick of things when it comes to her story-telling. There is some contextualization to deftly establish tone and time period across each work. There’s a passion for the characters that appears as an emergent property. Despite some heavier topics covered, hope permeates each tale in a way that focuses on the collective and feels really fresh.
There are also illustrations accompanying each story from different Filipino artists, and this collaboration really worked for me. The range of styles, both within the prose and the art, makes this such a dynamic collection that I highly recommend.
Here are my favorites:
- “Song of the Mango”
- A grieving slave’s brothers is brought back to life as a mango true
- While it could have been about being careful what one wishes for, it really shows how the dead are never really gone, especially in the context of divine intervention
- TW: death (sibling), violence, animal violence, beating, rape (implied), abortion, mention of slavery
- “Voices in the Air”
- A servant and a princess run into a village where a kataw steals the village’s daughters
- References the opening story in a way that adds a richness of world-building
- Spooky with floating, fiery skulls, and using music and poetry as a form of magic
- TW: serial killings, death of a child, violence, physical assault, racism, lookism
- “Call of the Rimefolk”
- Interspace and inter-dimensional travel about a new species discovered on Pluto
- Compelling science fiction story of professional jealousy and anger as a form of love
- TW: animal abuse (implied), impalement, blood, terminal illness
- “A Mask for the Queen of Shards”
- An elaborate ritual means a prince’s betrothed has to create the most beautiful thing for the eponymous queen
- This story has everything: duplicity, love prevailing, murder, court intrigue
- TW: death by poisoning, execution, slapping, parental abuse, emotional abuse, gaslighting, imprisonment
- “Odd and Ugly”
- A kapre falls in love with a girl who comes to him asking for aid amidst a revolution
- I really enjoy how this collection is bookended with two very tender relationships between humans and mythological beings
- TW: falling off a cliff, execution, physical assault, gun violence, racism, slavery
clara_ward's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I could recommend this new myths collection just for “Call of the Rimefolk,” which hooked me with its focus on an ice sculptor in Manila and expanded to include psychic lifeforms on Pluto past, future, and in alternate dimensions—all in one character-driven short story. “Odd and Ugly” offered a fascinating point of view from a kapre who lives in a mango tree (along with musing on other identity words related to “kapre”), while the title story gives a memorable backstory for both mangos and mango trees.
Many of the stories deal with grief and finding new ways to live (some leading to more grief, but some more hopeful). I’m not qualified to comment on the culture or older myths underlying these stories, but I appreciated the insights the author shared and how relatable she made the characters and situations. There’s also a list of helpful content notes at the back as many of the stories, while generally affirming and hopeful by the end, deal with serious issues involving grief, loss, abuse, and violence.
skylar_cr_wolf's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
I’ve been very fortunate to be an ARC reader for this. Fortunate because it was a great read.
I cannot phrase in better words how I felt about it but I hope “It’s a fantastic read which makes you dive in into a different world, away from ours.” is suitable for how I felt about it.
I cannot phrase in better words how I felt about it but I hope “It’s a fantastic read which makes you dive in into a different world, away from ours.” is suitable for how I felt about it.
ciarazard's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Some stories were definitely a hit or a miss for me. Overall though I am ecstatic that we get to have more books like this. I, for one, have always been OBSESSED with mythology growing up (Greek, Egyptian, Japanese, etc.) but used to have zero to minimal access to Philippine-related resources.
That being said, I still had to power through Song of the Mango and Other New Myths; hence, the rating. Writing-wise, it wasn't bad. But it was nothing to write home about, either.
That being said, I still had to power through Song of the Mango and Other New Myths; hence, the rating. Writing-wise, it wasn't bad. But it was nothing to write home about, either.
berrybiaful's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
I received an ARC of this book from the author through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4 stars!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and really mad me appreciate Filipino folk-lore. I might have to do a deep-dive and research more of the culture's myths!
The blend of myths with modern elements is a great way to make these stories more engaging and I found myself totally engrossed with each tale. I found the illustrations to be a nice touch, especially as someone who visualises the books they read.
Sometimes the pacing needed to be broken up and made me want to take a break from the book at times, but overall I think the book had good pacing.
Also, as someone who isn't well-versed in Filipino myths, the terminology went over my head for most of the book. Perhaps a little index page would have helped with that.
Overall, I think this collection of stories were a really great way to present myths and folklore! I would definitely read more in this sort of style!
4 stars!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and really mad me appreciate Filipino folk-lore. I might have to do a deep-dive and research more of the culture's myths!
The blend of myths with modern elements is a great way to make these stories more engaging and I found myself totally engrossed with each tale. I found the illustrations to be a nice touch, especially as someone who visualises the books they read.
Sometimes the pacing needed to be broken up and made me want to take a break from the book at times, but overall I think the book had good pacing.
Also, as someone who isn't well-versed in Filipino myths, the terminology went over my head for most of the book. Perhaps a little index page would have helped with that.
Overall, I think this collection of stories were a really great way to present myths and folklore! I would definitely read more in this sort of style!
roshreviews's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
3.5
In a Nutshell: This anthology contains some gems, and there’s no doubt that the author has a wild imagination. As an OwnVoices work, this offers an interesting glimpse of mythical characters from the Philippines.
This collection of fifteen stories contains elements and/or characters from Filipino myths, thus lending the book an exotic charm and a novelty.
Several things made me opt for this book, but the strongest two reasons were that stunning cover (Kudos to the cover art illustrator!) and the title, especially its comment about ‘new myths’. The author explains the reason for that term in her introductory note, saying, “…the concept of having a just equitable world, which is the theme of the stories, is nothing but a modern myth.” Quite true!
The stories are taken from a decade’s writing. The page count of 400+ pages should tell you that the stories are not on the shorter side, and the writing style also doesn’t make them quick reads. However, where the stories click is in their creativity and their characters.
The writing structure of the stories is mostly like a fable. But a couple of the tales are written as a newspaper report/interview, with the “journalist” noting down an interesting event and the lead-up to it. These were my favourites, not least because of the uniqueness of the structure. The author has a vivid writing touch, making the story’s world come alive with her words.
I have never read any Filipino fiction or mythology, so this book made me aware of several new (to me) mythical characters such as a diwata and a tikbalang. However, my lack of familiarity also served as an impediment, as the book did not go on to provide any kind of character detailing for these entities. There was also no glossary that could provide a brief insight about the characters. The Kindle dictionary was of no help, and honestly, I was feeling too lazy to pick up my phone to search every new character online. Simply put, a mythological character glossary would have worked wonders for my experience.
The book also contains one B&W illustration per story, with the drawings being sketched by varied illustrators. Some worked nicely for the story and represented a key moment well, others didn’t.
At the end of the book, there is a list of detailed trigger warnings provided separately for each story. Appreciate this effort! I skipped reading two of the stories because of the triggers mentioned, so my rating average won’t include those.
The afterword is written by the author’s creative writing teacher from fifteen years ago, and it was such a delight to read! The teacher also has writing aspirations, and it was quite sporting of her to write such an honest and heartfelt note for her student’s debut anthology.
Of the thirteen stories I read, five stories reached/crossed the four star mark. My favourites were ‘To Megan, with Half My Heart’, and ‘First Play For and By Tikbalang Triggers Uproar on Opening Night’, both having a novelty to their plot and structure.
Definitely recommended to fantasy and mythological retelling lovers, as long as you are prepared to research the mythical creatures to get a better visual image and understanding of the stories.
3.6 stars, based on the average of my ratings for the stories I read.
My thanks to author Vida Cruz-Borja and BookSirens for the DRC of “Song of the Mango and Other New Myths”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
For some reason, Amazon has marked this as a children’s book, with the suggested reading age range being 10-18 years. I disagree. The themes and the dark content in some of the tales make it an appropriate read for adults, young adults included.
This collection of fifteen stories contains elements and/or characters from Filipino myths, thus lending the book an exotic charm and a novelty.
Several things made me opt for this book, but the strongest two reasons were that stunning cover (Kudos to the cover art illustrator!) and the title, especially its comment about ‘new myths’. The author explains the reason for that term in her introductory note, saying, “…the concept of having a just equitable world, which is the theme of the stories, is nothing but a modern myth.” Quite true!
The stories are taken from a decade’s writing. The page count of 400+ pages should tell you that the stories are not on the shorter side, and the writing style also doesn’t make them quick reads. However, where the stories click is in their creativity and their characters.
The writing structure of the stories is mostly like a fable. But a couple of the tales are written as a newspaper report/interview, with the “journalist” noting down an interesting event and the lead-up to it. These were my favourites, not least because of the uniqueness of the structure. The author has a vivid writing touch, making the story’s world come alive with her words.
I have never read any Filipino fiction or mythology, so this book made me aware of several new (to me) mythical characters such as a diwata and a tikbalang. However, my lack of familiarity also served as an impediment, as the book did not go on to provide any kind of character detailing for these entities. There was also no glossary that could provide a brief insight about the characters. The Kindle dictionary was of no help, and honestly, I was feeling too lazy to pick up my phone to search every new character online. Simply put, a mythological character glossary would have worked wonders for my experience.
The book also contains one B&W illustration per story, with the drawings being sketched by varied illustrators. Some worked nicely for the story and represented a key moment well, others didn’t.
At the end of the book, there is a list of detailed trigger warnings provided separately for each story. Appreciate this effort! I skipped reading two of the stories because of the triggers mentioned, so my rating average won’t include those.
The afterword is written by the author’s creative writing teacher from fifteen years ago, and it was such a delight to read! The teacher also has writing aspirations, and it was quite sporting of her to write such an honest and heartfelt note for her student’s debut anthology.
Of the thirteen stories I read, five stories reached/crossed the four star mark. My favourites were ‘To Megan, with Half My Heart’, and ‘First Play For and By Tikbalang Triggers Uproar on Opening Night’, both having a novelty to their plot and structure.
Definitely recommended to fantasy and mythological retelling lovers, as long as you are prepared to research the mythical creatures to get a better visual image and understanding of the stories.
3.6 stars, based on the average of my ratings for the stories I read.
My thanks to author Vida Cruz-Borja and BookSirens for the DRC of “Song of the Mango and Other New Myths”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
For some reason, Amazon has marked this as a children’s book, with the suggested reading age range being 10-18 years. I disagree. The themes and the dark content in some of the tales make it an appropriate read for adults, young adults included.
tanaz_masaba's review
5.0
When I picked up Song of the Mango and Other New Myths, I was expecting a collection of fantastical, whimsical stories which, rooted in Filipino folklore and mythology, that would sweep me off my feet and take me to places that could only exist in my imagination.
I got all of that and so. Much. More.
At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango is an epic anthology of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery and a lush narrative style.
Though the book is definitely written with a Filipino audience in mind, it was surprisingly easy for someone like me, who have little knowledge about the culture, to dive in and immerse myself in the stories.
Each short story is diverse in its subject matter as it is in its narration style, but several of them definitely took up a special place in my heart. To Megan With Half My Heart, Ink: A Love Story, The Museum of Incomplete Statues, Chosen Mother, A Mask For The Queen of Shards, Child Of Two Worlds, How The Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian and Odd and Ugly were in my opinion, the best of the stories in this book.
And yes I am aware I have listed what is possibly more than 70% of the book, but that's just a testament of all the wonderful, delightful stories that you can get when you pick Song Of The Mango and Other New Myths.
I also want to send a special thank you to the author for listing the trigger warnings for each story at the end of the book. Such a thoughtful but strangely uncommon gesture really made me happy, as I know that there are tons of readers who have traumas of their own and may feel disturbed by certain subject matters.
I got all of that and so. Much. More.
At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango is an epic anthology of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery and a lush narrative style.
Though the book is definitely written with a Filipino audience in mind, it was surprisingly easy for someone like me, who have little knowledge about the culture, to dive in and immerse myself in the stories.
Each short story is diverse in its subject matter as it is in its narration style, but several of them definitely took up a special place in my heart. To Megan With Half My Heart, Ink: A Love Story, The Museum of Incomplete Statues, Chosen Mother, A Mask For The Queen of Shards, Child Of Two Worlds, How The Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian and Odd and Ugly were in my opinion, the best of the stories in this book.
And yes I am aware I have listed what is possibly more than 70% of the book, but that's just a testament of all the wonderful, delightful stories that you can get when you pick Song Of The Mango and Other New Myths.
I also want to send a special thank you to the author for listing the trigger warnings for each story at the end of the book. Such a thoughtful but strangely uncommon gesture really made me happy, as I know that there are tons of readers who have traumas of their own and may feel disturbed by certain subject matters.
mezzythedragon's review
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
My favorites are the stories from Ma. Rosario P. Herrera of The Archipelago Daily, especially “In the Shadow of the Typhoon, Humans and Mahiwaga Cooperate for Survival.” Love commentary on climate change and environmentalism, as well as the story starting off on the sea. Although Maria Makiling opening the Heartbreak Cafe was very imaginative as well.
Other stories were a hit-and-miss for me (just preferences here) but I will say this collection started and ended strong. “Odd and Ugly” wrapped this book up well with its Spanish colonization take on “Beauty and the Beast.”
Other stories were a hit-and-miss for me (just preferences here) but I will say this collection started and ended strong. “Odd and Ugly” wrapped this book up well with its Spanish colonization take on “Beauty and the Beast.”