At the beginning, it seemed like part of the narrative would be the main character exploring her identity as a second generation Filipino in the US, but that didnt pan out. The last 10% in particular absolutely flew by, but throughout the book, I was constantly caught up in gorgeous food writing, hilarious banter between Lila, Adeena, the ninangs, and Lola Flor, and Lilas sleuthing, no matter how implausible it was. Our City Spies are all kids between the ages of twelve to. "In typical Filipino fashion, my aunt expressed her love not through words of encouragement or affectionate embraces, but through food. Derek just happens to be Lila's former high school boyfriend, and when he dies of food poisoning after eating "the Filipino culinary equivalent of hygge," Lila is the prime suspect. But I did grow up with many close Filipino friends whose families treated me with nothing but love and care, whether they were feeding me the most wonderful food or gently teasing me about gaining weight, and I cherished getting to recognize aspects of their beloved titas and lolas in this book. This care and attention made clear that, to our protagonist, Lila Macapagal, Filipino food is more than just sustenance. Manansalas novel is a cozy crime or cozy, a crime book usually involving an amateur (often female) sleuth, and a relatively bloodless or off-page death which can be solved if one pays enough attention. These are not topics to laugh at, but ones I hope to approach with respect, despite the humor surrounding it. SUSPENSE | That. SUSPENSE | lovely review , ahaana you definitely should!! And because of the history of the US and its global power, its very easy to assume that the American perspective is a universal perspective. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. Food was how she found her place in the world.". Its free and takes less than 10 seconds! Helping out in her Illinois familys Filipino restaurant backfires when a young woman is accused of the murder of a restaurant reviewer who happens to be her ex-boyfriend. And let me assure you, the case is nowhere near as clear-cut as it first appears! by Lilas hometown is inhabited by around 20,000 souls and it is an intriguing amalgam of families from many ethnic backgrounds. So its a surprise to everyone when she requests a two-month leave of, Whitney Whitaker is a little surprised by her cousin Bucks latest suggestion for their property-flipping business. She went away to college in Chicago while he stayed home, but it is much more sinister than that. You can also subscribe without commenting. Food is a love language. Born and raised in a Filipino immigrant family in Chicago, in a multigenerational home, she says, What I know of Filipino culture is based on the way my family operated and my experiences growing upI unfortunately wasnt part of a large Filipino community growing up, so everything Ive learned about our history, language, folklore, etc. View all 2 comments. I did feel like I had a few unanswered questions regarding side plots and characters, but I'm hoping those are addressed in future installments. Combine 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp ground ginger, tsp cinnamon, and tsp cayenne. I do, however, love making Filipino desserts! While writing, she worked as an English language instructor at an international school before the pandemic shut it down, and she now works part-time at a library and as a book coach. Yeah. Laced through it all is a buffet of food mentions that will have you running for Google if you are not familiar with Filipino cuisine and salivating if you are. i (sadly) havent read LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE yet, so i cant speak to way food is used as a metaphor in the book, but i watched the movie adaptation and can speak to the role food played in that! I was basically lured by those two things to start this book and oh boy what a mistake it was. Good work, Sarah! When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Its like the dead character dissolves instantly, like a vanquished NPC in a video game? Next week, we head southeast to investigate disaster at a murder mystery wedding (!) ARSENIC AND ADOBO was a fun listen we give 3 stars. But that disconnect between the seriousness of the events of the book (murder, assault, poisoning, planting of evidence) and the almost indifference of the characters to what had happened around them was puzzling and upsetting, because it was difficult to reconcile the events of the book with the world in which I was reading it. When Lila's ex-boyfriend drops dead during his meal with his stepfather, the restaurant's landlord, Lila becomes the prime suspect. Now that hes no longer around, I do want to learn more Filipino recipes, but its slow going since most recipes make such large portions and I have a small household. Arsenic and Adobo also exemplifies the value of Filipino American representation in new genres of literature. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Lila Macapagal has moved back to Shady Palms after a hella-bad breakup, and is trying to help her aunt with her restaurant, which is in financial trouble. At the same point she realizes how poisoned and ultimately killed Derek, Lila starts to question who killed Mr. Long, who she was also familiar with. The landlord's son, Derek, dies in the restaurant after. Right after a body is found (as in, within an hour or so) two direct relatives of the deceased arrive at Lila and Tita Rosies house to spend the night. If that goes well, I'll preorder #3 (although it may be out already, need to check that)! But Dereks not kidding around, and by the time Lila calls 911, its too late. Check the banana bread about halfway through the cook time, and if its browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil. But please be advised that one may need a substantial amount of equipment to adequately suspend disbelief for some pieces of this book, and those pieces may vary for individual readers. When Lilas ex-boyfriend drops dead during his meal with his stepfather, the restaurants landlord, Lila becomes the prime suspect. Heaving Bosoms Crossover, Part II: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, 549. I want a terrific mystery with characters I enjoy spending time with and a happy ending. Mia P. Manansala is a book coach and the author of ARSENIC AND ADOBO (Berkley 2021), the first in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series. Mix thoroughly. Just from this recipe you know where Mananasala stands on the whole standardization thing: Adobo is often considered the Philippines national dish, and is more of a style of cooking than special food.. The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishesone that might just be killer.. Ventham has big plans for the futureas soon as hes removed the nuns' bodies from the cemetery. omg this one is so high on my tbr! Were glad you found a book that interests you! The mystery itself pales in comparison to the scenes where Lila and her aunties are together. This book hits the exact right spot, in my opinion. doesnt mean that everyone else will. They charm Police Constable Donna De Freitas, who, visiting to give a talk on safety at Coopers Chase, finds the residents sharp as tacks. Lila Macapagal has moved back to Shady Palms after a hella-bad breakup, and is trying to help her aunt with her restaurant, which is in financial trouble. Once there, she meets ex-boyfriend Derek Winter, who has become a notoriously nasty food vlogger and whose stepfather, Mr. Long, is not only the restaurants landlord but wants nothing more than to kick out their establishment. Mia P. Manansala As I mentioned, Lila herself is not a very good detective, so any progress often relies on coincidence and the sharp observations of her best friend. It is a deeply complex novel about a young woman who stands up for herself by finding the person that murdered her ex-boyfriend with arsenic, a potent chemical. Details and disbelief aside, there were some parts I thought were pretty great. Insinuating that he asked for it. It also sounds delicious! The mounting evidence of ever more and ever worse skulduggery will pull Tempe deeper and deeper down what even she sees as a rabbit hole before she confronts a ringleader implicated in Drugs. Tonally, the novel is intense, violent, and mysterious. Everyone felt like a real, vibrant person with important 21st-century concerns. Arsenic and Adobo, published on May 4, 2021, is the first book in a series of mysteries by Mia P. Manansala, collectively titled "A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery". Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. When I made them in my own kitchen, I tweaked them to my particular taste, and how I remember my dads food tasting. Mix well then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Available at Fully Booked, Omniana.com.ph and Amazon. Here is an important note for prospective readers: if it will bother you to read a mystery wherein the people who are suspected of murder allow themselves to be questioned multiple times without their attorney present, even after said attorney, who is a friend of Lilas, tells them to stop doing that, you might want to skip this one. All you need to do is click this link, and sign up! Categories: Also, it will make you very hungry for Filipino foodand then it delivers with recipes in the back! Are all lolas the same?? At one point near the end, a tertiary character makes a decision that absolutely baffled me in context, to the point where I thought Id missed a chapter, but it was toward the end, so it was one more shrug in a long, long line of them. In typical Filipino fashion, my aunt expressed her love not through words of encouragement or affectionate embraces, but through food. 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