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A review by lilbooktopus
After Lambana by Mervin Malonzo, Eliza Victoria
4.0
When there's a magical disease spreading in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? Who indeed, in a world where magic has been banned and the ones who practice and are of magic are persecuted? Lambana has fallen and the magical folk who could once freely cross between our world and theirs are stuck here. And it seems that only they could help the ailing Conrad, aided by the mysterious Ignacio, be free of the blooming (literally) disease that has invaded heart. In this one-night adventure, we follow the two as they navigate the city landscape we know so well and its side that is hidden from our knowledge.
Apart from the supernatural disease and Conrad's quest for a cure, we also get a glimpse of the complex socio-political dynamics between the two worlds, which is a vast and interesting subject to explore. Victoria's ability to smoothly weave the mythical into the modern fibers of society is amazing, as always, and thins the divide between the what is real and what is not.
The novel's art by Malonzo brings the story to life and in itself tells the tale with brilliant contrasts and framing. The immersive art style pulls the reader into the very world Conrad and Ignacio walks.
I encountered a few setbacks along the way. First, font used for the diwata language made reading harder I had to squint to understand the words as the edges of the letters were a bit blurry. Second and last, the story, while very interesting may not be the strongest point of the novel, with some important expositions rushed towards the end.
Being a sucker for mythology, and especially thirsty for anything with Filipino mythology, I walked right into the beauty that After Lambana is. Eliza Victoria's storytelling has always captivated me and this tale of hers was no exemption. Mervin Malonzo's art is mesmerizing in its bold and bright colors, weaving magical glow into each panel, dragging the reader into trippy scenes with a flip of the page. The story felt a little bit crammed. Still, the rest of the story is well-paced and Victoria's narrative, paired with Malonzo's art style, makes After Lambana the page-turner that it is. Whether you're an old fan of a) Eliza Victoria, b) Mervin Malonzo, c) Filipino Mythology, or a newcomer on all or some of these three, you'll find yourself enjoying After Lambana.
Apart from the supernatural disease and Conrad's quest for a cure, we also get a glimpse of the complex socio-political dynamics between the two worlds, which is a vast and interesting subject to explore. Victoria's ability to smoothly weave the mythical into the modern fibers of society is amazing, as always, and thins the divide between the what is real and what is not.
The novel's art by Malonzo brings the story to life and in itself tells the tale with brilliant contrasts and framing. The immersive art style pulls the reader into the very world Conrad and Ignacio walks.
I encountered a few setbacks along the way. First, font used for the diwata language made reading harder I had to squint to understand the words as the edges of the letters were a bit blurry. Second and last, the story, while very interesting may not be the strongest point of the novel, with some important expositions rushed towards the end.
Being a sucker for mythology, and especially thirsty for anything with Filipino mythology, I walked right into the beauty that After Lambana is. Eliza Victoria's storytelling has always captivated me and this tale of hers was no exemption. Mervin Malonzo's art is mesmerizing in its bold and bright colors, weaving magical glow into each panel, dragging the reader into trippy scenes with a flip of the page. The story felt a little bit crammed. Still, the rest of the story is well-paced and Victoria's narrative, paired with Malonzo's art style, makes After Lambana the page-turner that it is. Whether you're an old fan of a) Eliza Victoria, b) Mervin Malonzo, c) Filipino Mythology, or a newcomer on all or some of these three, you'll find yourself enjoying After Lambana.