Scan barcode
A review by soupdumpling
Wounded Little Gods by Eliza Victoria
5.0
This is by far one of the BEST books I have ever read in my entire life (definitely the best book I have read in 2019).
I'll admit, when I picked up this book from Arkipelago Books in San Francisco, I mostly selected it for the extremely aesthetically pleasing cover. And even reading over the brief summary on the back of the book, I thought I'd be signing up for a casual "folklore" story about some Philippine myths (and being Filipino American myself, I wanted to understand more about my culture). However, within the first couple pages, I was thrown into a story that read closer to a (possible murder) mystery and thriller.
I did not notice the usage of third person writing until halfway through the novel -- I think this was to make the reader really focused on Regina's character (both her early beginnings/upbringing as well as her development throughout the story) to make it so we are learning information as she is. I feel like if I even remotely share any aspect about the story, it would give away vital plot information; and that in it of itself, the fact that every word/sentence/page was used so meaningfully, is one of the biggest reasons I love this book.
Ironically enough, I have two Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Asian American Studies. So although I was familiar with the concepts of eugenics and "civilized v uncivilized discourses, western cultures colonizing the east, etc.", it was mind-boggling to have both handed to me presented as a page-turning "fictional" story. I suppose one could read this story as a large metaphor for the thousands of years of colonization that took place in the Philippines, or in general a critique of how the PI has become industrialized/modern and forgets its indigenous traditions and beliefs...
YET one could also interpret it as a story that tests the limits of how far people would go to protect the ones they love.
I suppose for me personally as someone living in the diaspora and not directly in the Philippines, this story was a breath of fresh air -- I think I've grown tired of reading about "ah I'm Asian/Filipino in America and this is my experience of being caught between two cultures" because if I am LIVING the experience every day, I want my reading to serve as a distraction away from my reality. Therefore, reading this book makes me wonder how I would have interpreted the story (as well as myths, racism, eugenics, traditions, etc) if I were actually born and raised in the Philippines? Would I love it just as much, or more, or less?
Some questions (potential themes?) that arose for me were:
If humans created the concept of gods/spirits, can they also destroy them OR do gods/spirits truly control everything, regardless of how they were created?
Is something a lie even after you've convinced yourself and others it is the truth?
Are all lies bad?
What does forgiveness look like?
What does seeking forgiveness/feeling true remorse look like?
I'll admit, when I picked up this book from Arkipelago Books in San Francisco, I mostly selected it for the extremely aesthetically pleasing cover. And even reading over the brief summary on the back of the book, I thought I'd be signing up for a casual "folklore" story about some Philippine myths (and being Filipino American myself, I wanted to understand more about my culture). However, within the first couple pages, I was thrown into a story that read closer to a (possible murder) mystery and thriller.
I did not notice the usage of third person writing until halfway through the novel -- I think this was to make the reader really focused on Regina's character (both her early beginnings/upbringing as well as her development throughout the story) to make it so we are learning information as she is. I feel like if I even remotely share any aspect about the story, it would give away vital plot information; and that in it of itself, the fact that every word/sentence/page was used so meaningfully, is one of the biggest reasons I love this book.
Ironically enough, I have two Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Asian American Studies. So although I was familiar with the concepts of eugenics and "civilized v uncivilized discourses, western cultures colonizing the east, etc.", it was mind-boggling to have both handed to me presented as a page-turning "fictional" story. I suppose one could read this story as a large metaphor for the thousands of years of colonization that took place in the Philippines, or in general a critique of how the PI has become industrialized/modern and forgets its indigenous traditions and beliefs...
YET one could also interpret it as a story that tests the limits of how far people would go to protect the ones they love.
I suppose for me personally as someone living in the diaspora and not directly in the Philippines, this story was a breath of fresh air -- I think I've grown tired of reading about "ah I'm Asian/Filipino in America and this is my experience of being caught between two cultures" because if I am LIVING the experience every day, I want my reading to serve as a distraction away from my reality. Therefore, reading this book makes me wonder how I would have interpreted the story (as well as myths, racism, eugenics, traditions, etc) if I were actually born and raised in the Philippines? Would I love it just as much, or more, or less?
Some questions (potential themes?) that arose for me were:
If humans created the concept of gods/spirits, can they also destroy them OR do gods/spirits truly control everything, regardless of how they were created?
Is something a lie even after you've convinced yourself and others it is the truth?
Are all lies bad?
What does forgiveness look like?
What does seeking forgiveness/feeling true remorse look like?