This was PHENOMENAL. Standalone fantasies can sometimes feel rushed or limited, but this one just casually waved away the limitations of the page count and just blew me away. The story within the play within the dream within the book - I ate it all up and I’m already excited to reread it in the near future. (I want the gorgeous hardcover with blue sprayed edges but apparently it’s out of print??? Tragique)

I will say I was glad that I was warned of the POV shifts beforehand and how challenging it can be to get into stylistically. It’s an almost immediate DNF for me when it happens mid-scene because it’s almost always a sign of subpar storytelling and mediocre writing. But here, the mid-paragraph (!) switch-ups from first, second, third person and back are part of the folk tale narration that suits the sprawling universe. 

Please look up content warnings before reading - this is a very dark and violent book in certain moments. But also this is a love story!! To its blade-dented bone!!

Simon Jimenez is half Filipino and I’m so happy for kababayan’s success!!