Scan barcode
A review by tourmaline_and_tomes
The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"I didn't ask you to leave. I said you shouldn't be here."
Alon, a nonbinary Filipino teenager, is hired as a translator and guide for a Hollywood film team bent on discovering the secrets of the haunted island of Kisapmata and capturing it all on camera. Although Alon consistently warns the Americans they should not be there, their warning are ignored. The Americans have no respect for this place. And soon, the death god that claims dominion over the island begins to have his way with the guilty. And people start to die.
This creepy, standalone horror YA novel was a quick read for me. The searing commentary on European colonialism and the unapologetic perspective of a person who has been directly affected by that colonialism take this book to another level: it's not just a YA horror story. It's also an examination of western hubris, of greed, and of the lingering repercussions of imperialism, cultural disrespect, and indigenous erasure. This book ends with a twist that you might have seen coming, but it was worthy.
Alon, a nonbinary Filipino teenager, is hired as a translator and guide for a Hollywood film team bent on discovering the secrets of the haunted island of Kisapmata and capturing it all on camera. Although Alon consistently warns the Americans they should not be there, their warning are ignored. The Americans have no respect for this place. And soon, the death god that claims dominion over the island begins to have his way with the guilty. And people start to die.
This creepy, standalone horror YA novel was a quick read for me. The searing commentary on European colonialism and the unapologetic perspective of a person who has been directly affected by that colonialism take this book to another level: it's not just a YA horror story. It's also an examination of western hubris, of greed, and of the lingering repercussions of imperialism, cultural disrespect, and indigenous erasure. This book ends with a twist that you might have seen coming, but it was worthy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Racism
Minor: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Rape