I was a big fan on Cruz' previous book and while I liked this one, I found it less engaging and much more explicitly religious. I also felt like the work provided less contextual clues than the other for Filipino terms and creatures, which made it a little confusing from time to time. That being said, I would absolutely by it for my library and featuring it in various displays.

I’ve been really enjoying middle grade books lately and this was no exception! This story is about three Filipino children who must find their way through a mystical land filled with monsters and gods from Filipino lore.

The story follows Bayani, Isay, and Aaron who end up in the long-forgotten island of myth. There’s creatures and monsters and spooky things! They have to work together to find their way back home. The setting was intriguing, the characters loveable, and the plot was fantastic!