Rin Chupeco

Sacrifice

Ellie M.

Thank you to Rin Chupeco and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC last year through Netgalley! Unfortunately, I was never able to read it till now that it’s published. This doesn’t affect my review in any way.

3.75 ⭐️ 

“Huwag kakalimutang magsabi ng ‘tabi po.’” That’s what the elders always told us growing up. This was a common saying among the locals who believe in the existence of such beings and I’d never once forgot to say those words when visiting unknown places. 

This was a thrilling young adult paranormal novel that explored the rabbit hole of Filipino folklore and mythology, especially prior to Spanish colonization in the 1500s. The Philippines is rich with stories of what we call “ang mga engkanto at kakaibang nilalang” and growing up, I used to love hearing them from my now late Lola. I also grew up around the Balete trees (they are real!) and I remember how the adults used to scare children with stories surrounding such huge, enchanting trees. 

The author’s done a wonderful job creating this story and bringing to life tales from local provinces and islands wherein up to this day there are multiple accounts of the ‘engkantos’ and ‘Diwata’ being real. And on the deserted island of Kisapmata in Leyte, an entity is said to have been inhabiting for centuries and is slowly wakening upon disturbance and seeks revenge. So when a crew from Hollywood comes to visit the island in the hopes of getting footage for a documentary, a boy named Alon suddenly appears to help them from angerung the Diwata. However, not believing Alon’s warnings as they continue to tresspass, the crew suddenly starts having visions of entities lurking in the forest at night. 

The premise definitely exceeded my expectations! I knew most of the lore, but Rin Chupeco’s done such a good job with binding the threads of history and fiction. I was very surprised that she emphasized the harmful stereotypes and microaggressions by tourists towards Filipinos whenever they visit the country. Additionally, I was impressed that she used real pieces of historical events to supplement the plot such as The Battle of Mactan that took place in 1521, which delves into how the Spanish conquistador, Ferdinand Magellan died after trying to claim Cebu, which was formerly under Rajah Humabon’s rule. Also, that twist by the end left me entirely speechless. Not only does this book offer queer rep, but it also gives us sparks of young, bittersweet love. 

Overall, this was really an enthralling and fast-paced read with a poignant resolution written through beautiful and engaging prose. I really hope more Filipino authors delve into the beauty and mysteries of Philippine lore.

Sacrifice

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