ALA Booklist (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

When an American reality-TV show sets up shop on the reportedly haunted island of Kisapmata in the Philippines, the crew enlists the help of a local nonbinary teen named Alon as a guide. Despite Alon's warnings, the crew persists in their production. Soon, a giant sinkhole opens next to the crew's encampment, revealing a corpse inside a balete tree that, according to legend, pulls the unwary into the bowels of the island, where a dreaming god sleeps. This proves too irresistible for the show's star, who insists on pursuing it, endangering the lives of the crew and Alon's own family. This thriller captures the creepiness of classic slow-burn horror movies that aim to build terror through atmosphere and characterization. Chupeco is a master of both, meticulously crafting a large cast with rich histories that are interwoven with the ancient legends surrounding the island. While not overly gory, there are some graphic depictions that may upset more-sensitive readers. Longtime horror fans, however, will relish this page-turner that is equal parts horror film and surreal fantasy.

Kirkus Reviews

A Hollywood TV crew descends upon Kisapmata, a cursed island in the Philippines, to film a show.Even though the locals will not go there, the cast and crew remain greedily determined to make a blockbuster series focused on the Godseye, a haunted cave at the center of the island where murders have been documented. Reuben Hemslock, a pompous survivalist actor, leads the effort, doggedly bent on the presumed success it will bring to his reputation, which has been tainted by abuse accusations from a number of women. Also present are two executive producers (one with his teen son in tow) and an extensive crew who impose their infrastructure and their cultural chauvinism-"This island is almost perfect….Add a Panera and I'd be all set,"-on the deserted locale. Well, almost deserted. Alon, a local teen known as a "ghost whisperer," cautiously agrees to be their tour guide in exchange for $10,000 to help his ailing father. Alon warns them that they should not be there, but the crew persists even as danger inevitably strikes. Chupeco creates an environment thick with mystery, full of haunting balete trees and eerie ghost sightings coupled with a legend that dates to Spanish colonization of the Philippines. However, the story remains frustratingly flat due to one-dimensional characterization; the story features deplorable adult characters and a forced chemistry between the two teens. Excepting Alon, all characters are presumed White; Alon is nonbinary.A strong premise that does not deliver the expected punch. (Horror. 14-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In a harrowing horror novel by Chupeco (The Girl from the Well), nonbinary Filipino Alon Budhi, 18, guides an all-white American TV crew filming a documentary through Kisapmata, a purportedly cursed island off the coast of the Philippines. When the film crew arrives on the island, intending to make a show about the prophecy of Kisapmata’s god Diwata, Alon is the only local who agrees to assist, doing so to make money and take care of their ill father. The crew—among whom are Leo Gries, who is investigating the death of his wife in a plane crash in the area four years ago, and his bisexual son Chase, a social media influencer with five million followers—believes that Diwata will grant immeasurable power to whomever provides him with eight sacrifices. As the crew begins filming, they’re endangered by strange and terrifying happenings, such as a sudden sinkhole exposing a mummified corpse entwined in a balete tree’s core. Though Chase and Alon’s budding relationship reads as stilted and expository dialogue bogs down Chupeco’s examination of colonization, the narrative’s strength lies in chilling horror elements that coalesce into a bittersweet conclusion. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rebecca Podos, Rees Literary. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Gr 8 Up— Chupeco serves up a deeply unsettling and creepy tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. A Hollywood film crew wants to investigate the stories of the beautiful island oasis Kisapmata's deadly curse—even though the Filipino locals warn them repeatedly to stay away from the domain of the Dreamer god who slumbers there, a god who will give unimaginable power in exchange for eight sacrifices. Will the crew find the proof they seek, or will they fall to the curse's power? Chupeco weaves together Filipino folklore, mythology, and history into a complex horror novel that also incorporates real-world issues, such as racist microaggressions, misgendering (of the protagonist, Alon, who is nonbinary), and the lasting effects of colonialism. The Dreamer god, referred to as the Diwata, only seeks out those who have harmed others, and He has his choice of targets among the Hollywood crew. Alon is a relatable and earnest character, even when they are giving cryptic warnings to the crew. Many of the secondary characters have dark pasts (and presents), leaving it unclear who will survive as the island's curse escalates. VERDICT A thrilling and suspenseful tale that will leave readers treading more carefully around trailing vines; a must-purchase for libraries where horror and stories steeped in mythology circulate well.— Ness Shortley