Percival carries the burden of being the panganay (eldest child) and does deliveries around Portland. Marcella was the matriarch of the family, their lola (grandmother) and protector. They represent a typical Filipino family.

In terms of characters, my focus was really on our mini vampire family, which consists of Marcella, Percival, Roger, Geena and Marco. Each island group is further divided into regions, and some of them have their own set of gods and goddesses.

The Philippines is divided into three main island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. **There were only two gods mentioned in the story but the Philippines has a number of mythological gods. The mention of a few Philippine gods** is also a bonus point, weaving together their connection with the mythological creatures. I just wish that bit was more fleshed out in the story, as it is mostly part of the exposition only. There was even some sort of government conspiracy theory surrounding the idea of aswang in the Philippines, and it was a cool concept in the book. It’s very rare to see a contemporary book on Philippine mythology, and I appreciate the effort it took to integrate the idea of the aswang in a modern setting. It’s then they discover that there are other breeds of aswangs-werebeasts, witches, ghouls, and viscera-who have been residing in Portland for years.īased on Filipino folklore (aswang), “Vampires of Portlandia” is a fantastical tale of different monsters coexisting in the weirdest city in America.īOOK LINKS: Goodreads || Amazon || Book Depository || Barnes & Noble Who is behind the murders? And who is behind the broken covenant? Along with sensie Penelope Jane, Percival must find the truth. However, when the aswang covenant is broken, the murder rate in Portland rises drastically. He vows to uphold the rules set forth by Leones, allowing his family to roam freely without notice. Her only wish is to give them a peaceful life, far away from the hunters and the Filipino government that attempted to exterminate them.īefore she dies, she passes on the power to her eldest grandchild, Percival. When Marcella Leones relocates her family of aswang vampires from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon, she raises her grandchildren under strict rules so humans will not expose them.

Vampires of Portlandia by Jason Tanamor