A review by spinesinaline
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • 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? Yes

3.0

I listened to this one on audio and the narrator was great but I found many of the characters annoying. The main character acted very immature for her age and the detective performed his job so poorly. Everyone acted like he was the best detective in all the land when he missed simple things like checking alibis and having evidence against someone before charging them. 

I also had some hesitation over the non-Filipino characters, particularly the sole Black woman, as they felt they were verging on stereotypes but I would want to see other readers’ opinions on this. 

Food in books is always a win for me so the inclusion of these recipes and having a Filipino family at the heart of the story were definite positives for me but other parts needed work. 
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