A review by noicky
Detective Boys of Masangkay: Ang Mangkukulam by Bernalyn Hapin Sastrillo

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I read this as an evening bedtime read-aloud for my kids to get them used to hearing Tagalog (one of the Philippine languages) and hopefully be able to grow their everyday, conversational vocabulary in this language.

We all really enjoyed this book! The language (Tagalog with some English thrown in) was relatable and very real and was a throwback to life in the 90s when kids had no gadgets and boredom was combatted with one's imagination. Sobrang sayang basahin. :) The environment described and the backstories were also very real and engaging that my kids and I found ourselves reacting out loud, making side comments, and even talking about the characters as if they were real people.

Overall, a really, really good book. 1 star deducted though for quite a number of editing mistakes (words written twice, usually) throughout the book but the story, the characters - definitely outstanding. :)