Twelve-year-old Lulu Sinagtala is back in the second volume of the fantasy series in which the gods of Tagalog mythology are real and Lulu is a salamangkero, a hero with special powers to keep the universe from chaos. After the events of the first volume, things are not settled across the three realms. Evil maligno spirits are escaping the Underworld and plaguing the Middleworld; Lulu, sister Kitty, and friend Bart are weary of trying to contain them (even though they have the help of Lulu’s duck companion Haribon, a mythical omen bird). The Upperworld of the gods is torn by factionalism.
Then Lulu finds outs that the evilest maligno, Restituto, wants to reawaken the primordial serpent god of chaos, Ulilang Kaluluwa. Restituto wants to control the god’s power with the Sacred Niyog, an ancient magical artifact that Salamangkeros of the past have broken into three parts and hidden. Lulu, Bart, and Kitty set off on a mission to find them—but they are also in a race against Bathala, the god of gods, who wants to vanquish Ulilang Kaluluwa, not caring that doing so would destroy the universe.
But trying to save the world also endangers her friends, and Lulu struggles with how much she can ask of them. Can she both save the world and protect those closest to her?
As with the first volume, the tale shines with Lulu’s energetic personality and author Gail D. Villanueva’s rich incorporation of Filipino culture and history alongside Tagalog myth and a creative blend of technology and magic. Fans of Rick Riordan’s several series (and other mythology-inspired, queer-led series like those of Cameron Battle, the Thousand Worlds, and Ring of Solomon) should find much to like here—and those of Filipino heritage may particularly appreciate it.
Lulu’s bisexuality is seamlessly accepted by her and everyone; it is not a plot point per se, although we see her navigating crushes on both a boy and a girl in this volume. Another two-man couple plays a secondary role, as does a nonbinary god and a two-girl couple.
Lulu also has epilepsy, but says, “My epilepsy is not a weakness. I won’t call it a strength, either—it’s just part of who I am.” We see her take medicine for it regularly, and at one point, she relates a story about teachers who thought she was being lazy in school when she was really just tired from the insomnia brought on by a different epilepsy medicine. It’s a small moment, but feels (unfortunately) authentic to what some people with chronic diseases may encounter.
“We’re the main characters in our own myths and legends,” Lulu asserts at the beginning of the tale, and while she has to take that literally, readers should draw more metaphorical inspiration from the sentiment. This is a story of finding strength in friends and heritage, of learning to value all lives, of having a more realistic view of our idols, and of families found, formed, and chosen. (Lulu is adopted.) Although Lulu in some ways echoes traditional “chosen one” tropes, the book’s theme of finding balance in the universe gives it originality compared to many other more binary stories of good and evil, making it a recommended tale.
Readers are advised to start with the first volume of this duology, which establishes many of the characters and their backgrounds. A glossary in the back also helps with many of the Tagalog names, places, and terms.
