A review by tanaz_masaba
Song of the Mango and Other New Myths by Vida Cruz
5.0
When I picked up Song of the Mango and Other New Myths, I was expecting a collection of fantastical, whimsical stories which, rooted in Filipino folklore and mythology, that would sweep me off my feet and take me to places that could only exist in my imagination.
I got all of that and so. Much. More.
At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango is an epic anthology of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery and a lush narrative style.
Though the book is definitely written with a Filipino audience in mind, it was surprisingly easy for someone like me, who have little knowledge about the culture, to dive in and immerse myself in the stories.
Each short story is diverse in its subject matter as it is in its narration style, but several of them definitely took up a special place in my heart. To Megan With Half My Heart, Ink: A Love Story, The Museum of Incomplete Statues, Chosen Mother, A Mask For The Queen of Shards, Child Of Two Worlds, How The Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian and Odd and Ugly were in my opinion, the best of the stories in this book.
And yes I am aware I have listed what is possibly more than 70% of the book, but that's just a testament of all the wonderful, delightful stories that you can get when you pick Song Of The Mango and Other New Myths.
I also want to send a special thank you to the author for listing the trigger warnings for each story at the end of the book. Such a thoughtful but strangely uncommon gesture really made me happy, as I know that there are tons of readers who have traumas of their own and may feel disturbed by certain subject matters.
I got all of that and so. Much. More.
At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango is an epic anthology of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery and a lush narrative style.
Though the book is definitely written with a Filipino audience in mind, it was surprisingly easy for someone like me, who have little knowledge about the culture, to dive in and immerse myself in the stories.
Each short story is diverse in its subject matter as it is in its narration style, but several of them definitely took up a special place in my heart. To Megan With Half My Heart, Ink: A Love Story, The Museum of Incomplete Statues, Chosen Mother, A Mask For The Queen of Shards, Child Of Two Worlds, How The Jungle Got Its Spirit Guardian and Odd and Ugly were in my opinion, the best of the stories in this book.
And yes I am aware I have listed what is possibly more than 70% of the book, but that's just a testament of all the wonderful, delightful stories that you can get when you pick Song Of The Mango and Other New Myths.
I also want to send a special thank you to the author for listing the trigger warnings for each story at the end of the book. Such a thoughtful but strangely uncommon gesture really made me happy, as I know that there are tons of readers who have traumas of their own and may feel disturbed by certain subject matters.