A review by berrybiaful
Song of the Mango and Other New Myths by Vida Cruz

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

I received an ARC of this book from the author through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4 stars!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and really mad me appreciate Filipino folk-lore. I might have to do a deep-dive and research more of the culture's myths! 

The blend of myths with modern elements is a great way to make these stories more engaging and I found myself totally engrossed with each tale. I found the illustrations to be a nice touch, especially as someone who visualises the books they read.

Sometimes the pacing needed to be broken up and made me want to take a break from the book at times, but overall I think the book had good pacing.

Also, as someone who isn't well-versed in Filipino myths, the terminology went over my head for most of the book. Perhaps a little index page would have helped with that.

Overall, I think this collection of stories were a really great way to present myths and folklore! I would definitely read more in this sort of style!