eeviereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Deportation, Death of parent, Racism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Suicide, Medical content, Infidelity, and Addiction
alyvia_jeane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse and Blood
Minor: Toxic friendship, Drug use, Lesbophobia, and Grief
sicilyjoy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Body shaming, Drug use, Colonisation, Fatphobia, and Drug abuse
renpuspita's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Reading Arsenic and Adobo make me feel connected with our sharing cultures. Manansala provide the glossary and some of the Tagalog language is pretty much the same with Indonesia. That's why, although Manansala provide how to pronounce them in English/American way, I just said it with my Indonesian tongue because they sound the same. Like, "anak", "tito", "tita", etc. Even the food also have lumpia, which is a staple of snack in my country. I also liked that Manansala provide trigger warning and content warning in the first page, despite this is cozy mystery so sometimes things can be triggering of sort, but she's so thoughtful to provide it in the first place. Although, she made some slip regarding inappropriate diabetic jokes that she already apologize for in her website. Arsenic and Adobo feels different compared to some cozy mysteries I read this year and year before. First, of course it's diverse and also queer (Lila's close friend, Adeena is a lesbian). Two, it's point to some of millenial discourse, with Lila herself is in her twenty five, so basically she's in the same age with my sister that nine years younger than me (myself is also millenial, though). And then, it deal with some personal struggle and joked (mostly in sarcasm manner) about the family culture of Filipino folks. The last thing make me amend to that, maybe because it's Asian thingie.
I feel like the mystery, while well-written, kinda not as main focus and the focus more like in Lila's personal development and her struggle regarding her family circumstances and close friends, not to forget some of potential love interest. Also, a parade of description about Filipino dishes. From ube cookies, ginataang bilo - bilo (that the victim, Derek, eat before his death), lumpia, almondigas (like Vietnam's pho), ensaymada, coconut jam, etc. Reading this book make my mouth is watering, ngl. I also like that both of Lila's potential love interests is not the police or detective, although I'm more inclined for Lila to be Jae's girlfriend although Jae is Jonathan's little brother, the detective who pretty much gung ho to ensure Lila to go to jail. The culprit is not what I'm expected at all. Sadly, the adobo is pretty much just a pun and not a main course of this book despite its become the title of the book.
So, is Arsenic and Adobo a mystery book about food? Or a foodies book about mystery? Imho, it can be both and I'll look forward to Lila's adventure for both the mysteries and delicious foods.
Graphic: Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Infidelity, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Drug use
Minor: Toxic relationship
lulusreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Spoiler
however I think the way Derek died was kind of dumb. I liked how fast it happened which got me hooked from the beginning, but all the people involved just made it weird. Like he started messing with drugs but also ppl that don’t like him started poisoning him? So he was diabetic but that wasn’t the issue, he got nicotine poisoning, & was being secretly dosed by arsenic. Mr.Long was clever with framing the MC’s family.Moderate: Gaslighting, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Drug abuse
Minor: Death of parent and Body shaming
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Medical content, Blood, Murder, Drug abuse, Death, and Death of parent
merebear87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Addiction, Murder, and Drug abuse
ethuiliel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Moderate: Death and Confinement
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Blood, Cursing, Grief, and Death of parent
ruthiedr89's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Ableism
Minor: Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Racism, Classism, and Sexism
eemadeeberry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Medical content, Racism, Addiction, and Blood