A review by joreadsbooks
Song of the Mango and Other New Myths by Vida Cruz

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

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