Wild Song

by Candy Gourlay

The year is 1904. Luki has lived a tribal life in the mountains of the Philippines. Now she's growing up, she is expected to become a wife and a mother, but Luki isn't ready to give up her dream to become a warrior.
When her tribe are offered a journey to America to be part of the St. Louis World's Fair, Luki will discover that the land of opportunity does not share its possibilities equally...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Childrens, Fiction, The United States Of America

280 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2023

About the author

Candy Gourlay was born in the Philippines, grew up under a dictatorship and met her husband during a revolution. She had many adventures as a journalist in Asia, including visiting North Korea in 1987. Then she moved to the UK and found herself writing news about toilet paper, toothpaste and bleach. She pivoted to writing books for children and young adults and was published after nine years of rejection. Her books have been nominated for major prizes in Europe, including the Carnegie, the Guardian Prize, the Costa and the Nero Book Award. She has won the National Children’s Book Award of the Philippines twice and the Crystal Kite Prize for Europe twice. Her first novel Tall Story was selected as one of the ‘100 Best Books of the Last 100 Years’ and Bone Talk was listed as a White Ravens Book and is endorsed by Amnesty International.

She lives in London with her family, where she loves dogs, making comics and gardening, in that order.

Reviews

[Random Spider (on a hiatus?) · Rating 3 out of 5]

------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 7/10
Characters/POVs: 7/10
Prose/Style: 8/10
Themes/Messages: 9/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 7/10

OVERALL RATING: 7/10 (Good)

A similarly valorous, provoking sequel to Bone Talk, I think it's a smudge better than its predecessor.

"What are you going to do? Jump on a train? Go home?" I snapped. "The Americans are our hosts. Show some respect!"

"Show respect when they show us no respect —"

Synopsis and/or Premise:
Luki wanted to do more than the constraints and control of her Bontok people. So, when the opportunity arrived through Truman Hunt, she sailed to America to be a part of the World's Fair. This will be the change that's going give her freedom. To be out there. To experience the world. And she indeed experienced it.

The Good and The Bad:
This sequel continues to be one of the most thematic books I've ever read. The author was particularly fond of packing them with those relevant to its target audiences, as well as exploring rarely-touched histories. Themes such as Colonialism, Feminism, Racism/Discrimination/Prejudice, Personal Identity and Independence, Spirituality, Greed, etc., many of which were dark-toned. I mean, it's not the biggest surprise since true historical events were mostly f*cked up 😬. The narrative was particularly focused on the exploitation of various people around the globe for Westerners' entertainment, not an ounce of regard towards sensitivity just so to establish their superiority. Ever heard of the Human Zoo during the 1904 World's Fair in St. Luis? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. All of this within the perspective of a Bontok character made the collective message much more stirring.

To my pleasant surprise, this book was incredibly balanced in terms of being a plot-driven and a character-driven story ⚖️. The plot had an overarching control of the direction, but our main characters (especially Luki) had capabilities to write their own stories. They had to grapple with their everyday decisions to survive and adapt. And because of this personal agency, it was an effective Young Adult (YA) fiction. Lastly, the pacing of the narrative was more stable comparatively to its antecedent. They all just fit snuggly together.

Again, the author published something with genuine intention of educating the readers to what happened in the pages of history 🧑‍🏫. This was evident, again, through the ending pages of the book. The section called 'What Happened Next' was a historical excerpt from the author explaining her inspirations (including their legitimate references.) There was also a Discussion Guide after it, encouraging groups of readers to share their thoughts comfortably (and perhaps learn a thing or two.) Such a great, well-researched Historical Fiction that checked all my criteria for the genre (see my he review for reference.) This is why I admire Candy Gourlay, further cementing herself to be my favorite Filipino author.

But like its predecessor, it had suffered some flaws that kept me from rating it much higher:

1. Forced scenes 😒 - There were a few scenes throughout the book that was forced...and it's embarrassing how obvious it was (as if the author was struggling on transition.) They also led into some questionable/random/odd scenarios for the characters.

2. Few derivative themes 🤷- There's nothing innately wrong with the themes (I scored them highest, even), but they were those that have been explored further on other modern novels. Thus, they felt not fresh enough. Also, how some themes were pushy rather than being subtly integrated doesn't help either.

3. Telling 🗣️ - This issue was connected to the prose, which was unique by the way. Luki consistently talking to his mom? IT'S DIFFERENT YET IT WORKS WELL. However, because of this format, there were unavoidable telling incidents where Luki simply narrated the event to her mom rather than the author simply showing the occurrence.

Final Thoughts:
Wild Song by Candy Gourlay is a YA, Historical Fiction novel about the 1904 World's Fair in the perspective of a young Bontok woman and her people. It's a sequel to the author's most recent work, Bone Talk, though I'm not 100% certain if this duology would soon become a trilogy. But I'm just glad she continued her utilization of superstitions/beliefs (like in all of her novels) as it was a large part of this series. There are some parts that I would like to be written differently, but that's just me. Now, I was constantly debating on who's character to side on, since the author made sure their actions and decisions stemmed from logic. They all had a solid point, and they left me ripped apart questioning myself. THAT'S WHY I LOVED IT!!! 😍

Thank you, Miss Bea for this Christmas Book Giveaway, 😁!!!

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph

[Raissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luki was the most memorable character in Bone Talk, so I was glad she was the hero of this companion book. While it takes place after the events of Bone Talk, you don’t need to have read Bone Talk to understand this story.

Luki’s inability to fit in and her desire for freedom lead her to sign up to go to the World’s Fair in America, where she observes all the ironies of Americans’ notions of freedom at that time. She and her fellow Igorots—as the Americans insist on calling them collectively, despite coming from different tribes and ethnic groups—are treated as less than human. They end up being stared at like animals in a zoo, their movements restricted. Though Luki finds during her few forays into the world outside the fair that it’s not much better for any person of color in the Southern US early in the 20th century.

With the sharpshooter/trick rider Sadie Locket, we see that white women struggle against society’s restrictions as well. But the focus remains on the Filipinos and their suffering. Having written historical fiction myself, I am impressed with how in Candy’s narrative historical details are skillfully incorporated in a manner that never feels contrived, never resorting to info dump. We may not always see where the plot is going, but there are always engaging events and characters to keep us invested. Feisty Luki, who fights fiercely for her friends most of all. She never disappoints and through it all, she survives.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knowing that the author has been invited by my local (and favourite!) bookshop to talk about this novel, I thought I should read it beforehand. I did not know the author, maybe because she mainly writes children's books. Trusting my bookshop's ladies, I bought this book and loved it! Indeed, the writing is probably aimed at young people, but the content definitely concerns all of us, and makes a fascinating read. Identity, national identity is an important theme of the book. How deeply rooted is it?
The storyline is an emotional one. Removing people from their environment (here Philippines ' groups of individuals), in order to show their differences from Americans. A fair of human beings!!! They were paid, yes, but they couldn't really be themselves, could they? The aim also was to entertain even if it went against their beliefs.... They had to face so much strangeness, racial discrimination and segregation as they entered the (so called) civilised society... My question would be , what did we learn from their experience?
A great novel, and definitely not only for young readers! Can't wait to meet Candy tomorrow!

[Skyrific · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book randomly in the library because I saw the ph flag. Now I'm actually glad I read it.

Luki, after being fed up in her village, seeks out the thrill and excitement and freedom that awaits her in America. She learns that all this glitz and glamour is not what it seems.

I think this book hits more personal for me, as I left the Philippines at the age of 6, too young to have learned anything substantial but old enough to have established a cultural identity. I never dug deeper into my countries history besides its colonization. What I like first and foremost, is the educative aspect. I've learned so much from this fictive story and I love the fact that the author added some sources on researches or papers done on philippines' colonial history.

Besides its educational aspect, this book was hard to read, genuinely. There was a lot of racism, discrimination and dehumanization in this story and reading from the perspective of Luki, who is on the receiving end, was really hard. Although I really love Luki and how she is written as she travels from her small village to the worlds fair. I also love how she constantly talks to her mother throughout the book, somehow it fits the overall vibes and presented the story well.

Overall, I'm so happy I picked up this book. I did really enjoy this story and I love Luki, I love Sidong and her little drawings. Luki's perspective was actually quite fun to read and I absolutely enjoyed learning about my country's history. I want more

[Cecille · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wild Song” by Candy Gourlay is the story of Luki, a Bontoc girl who escapes the gender expectations of her tribe to join the 1904 World’s Fair in Missouri. Inspired by real events, Gourlay takes us on Luki’s journey from the highlands of Cordillera to the capital city Manila, then across the sea and railways into Missouri where she and other indigenous peoples become live exhibits.

This is a coming-of-age story, as Luka searches for her identity in relation to other people and other cultures, in an era where racism was still rampant. It shows us painful truths, and makes us question our beliefs. I loved the first book, “Bone Talk”, but I think I love this more.

[Hannah Rials Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75, I did very much enjoy this and learned a lot about a period of history I’d never studied or heard much about - horrifying and shameful history.
I wasn’t awed by the structure of the book. It lacked the tension and drama that I expected it to have. That’s my biggest critique. But the characters were intriguing and pulled you through the story.

[Adrienne de Beer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This book grew on me as I was reading it to assess its suitability for a YA audience. Original and gripping.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luki, a young lady from Bontoc, Mountain Province, is unable to conform to the standards of her tribe. She'd rather go out hunting boars with her best friend instead of doing what was expected of her as a young woman (cooking, cleaning, sewing, getting married, etc.). She grabbed the offer made by the Americans to travel to the United States and attend the 1904 St. Louis World Fair in the hopes of finally achieving a sense of fulfillment and freedom. However, it turns out that the land of opportunity is not what it seems.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it. I was fully invested in the story. The writer's narration is incredible and I liked how the historical details are woven thoroughly with it without info dumping. Characters are engaging, especially Luki. I just wish that there was a bit more tension though.
The ironies and ignorance of the Americans just goes to show how truly f***ed up that time was. The World Fair was a place of exploitation. I'm glad to have learned this part of history that I hadn't heard of during my Philippine history lectures back in Elementary and High School (hyperfixed on researching rn haha T_T). Would recommend this book.

Content Warning: Racism, Xenophobia, Injury, Cultural Appropriation, Death, Bullying.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in two sittings, I was so gripped with the story. It’s the story of Luki, a girl from a native tribe in the Philippines who doesn’t fit the traditional female role in her tribe and therefore is always at odds with the ancients and her contemporaries. When the opportunity arises to go to the US and be part of the 1904 St Louis World Fair, she jumps at it and becomes part of the Filipino delegation. Of course at that time, this means being an exhibit, someone to be stared at, on display and expected to behave like a savage. The rose tinted glasses come off and Luki and her friends have to make choices about their traditions, learning new ways, exploitation and where their hearts lie. It’s a story of growing up, making choices, realisation that not all is either good or bad, of when to compromise and when to make a stand. Only four stars because I don’t always find Candy Gorlay’s writing style easy. She uses such short sentences that it takes me a while to get into the flow of her book but I always persevere because she has such a lot to say.

[Camilla Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I loved Bone Talk soooo much and was really excited to read Wild Song, especially when I realised the story was to be picked up by Loki whom I favoured over Samkad because of her sunny disposition. I was not disappointed.

The light touch of this highly talented author when handling HUGE topics, such as brutal racism, is perfect. She never strayed from Loki. We experience everything through her eyes. The horror of the indigenous people being displayed as war trophies (and worse) during the St Lois Fair in 1904 is all there but softened by Loki. It’s mind boggling what happened and during a time of social revolution too. What a blind spot in the humanity of people in the Western world.

Please read this wonderful book, especially if you’ve read Bone Talk. If you haven’t read Bone Talk where have you been? Read them both. You’re in for a treat!

[Simplymegy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1904. The story begins in the Cordillera mountains of the Philippines, a tribe called Bontok. The fiercely independent and strong-willed girl Luki is now 15. She is the best hunter in their tribe, but they don’t know this because women are not allowed to hunt in the first place. When the secret is revealed, she enlists herself to go to America to participate in the World Fair. So she boards a ship and embarks on her journey..

Once again, Candy Gourlay delivers a captivating novel with “Wild Song.” Having admired Luki’s character in “Bone Talk,” I find myself even more enamored with her in this sequel. While a work of fiction, “Wild Song” sheds light on historical truths, offering a poignant portrayal of oppressed peoples. I am deeply moved by this beautifully written book. Thank you, Candy, for giving the indigenous people of the Philippines a voice.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book was so important and I’m really glad it’s been written about (as western society fails to educate us on this in history classes at school). We follow Luki, a Filipino indigenous young adult, as she chooses to head to America to the “ world fair”. As predicted, Luki is exploited by the white Americans as ‘entertainment’. This book does well to show how the stereotype of the indigenous peoples going to Central America purely because they are ‘ignorant’ is untrue. However, it did take me about half of the book to actually want to keep picking it up and reading. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but the execution just didn’t hit the mark for me.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I raced through this book - I found it incredible! It carries on the story from her pre book Bone Talk. But here it tells of how the conquered Philippinos were taken to the World Fair in America and made to perform as living exhibits. Unbelievable story and a good one to read to explain the effects of colonialism. Could’nt put it down!

[Veron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Bone Talk during the pandemic and I had been waiting for the right time to read its sequel/companion book Wild Song until I got a chance to return to Mt. Province where a portion of the story is set.

While Bone Talk dealt with Samkad’s proving his worth as a man upon the first arrival of the Americans in the Cordillera, in Wild Song we follow his companion Luki five years later, still reeling from the death of her mother who she talks to in the novel. Her arc continues the conflict she has in the first book with the community as she didn't want to conform to what she thinks were restrictive social roles reserved for women. Especially given her skill in hunting which is a job limited to men. Luki attempts to escape the life expected of her by volunteering to sail across the ocean for the St. Louis World Fair in Missouri.

Like Bone Talk, the events and some of the people in Wild Song are based on real history. The 1904 St. Louis World Fair in Missouri was the largest of many fairs and expositions that served as a platform for America to feature scientific and technological advancements and to boast their imperial reach at the time. They displayed indigenous people from around the world in human zoos, forcing them to recreate their rituals and practices, even without the necessary context, only for entertainment and profit.

Among the most visited was the Igorot Village in the Philippine Reservation, where distinct ethnolinguistic groups from the Cordillera Region were carelessly grouped as a single tribe with an exoticized representation as headhunters and dog-eaters. They presented them as uncivilized savages to justify their colonization and the “heaven-mandated” spread of the American ideal. It resulted in many deaths because of the cold climate, diseases, harsh conditions, exploitation, and unethical experimentation done.

However, Luki at the start of the story did not know any of this. The Americans have already started to implement their culture and education to the Bontok, including the teaching of “proper clothing” and the English language, resulting in a mindset Luki had where everything Americans did was with good intentions. The highlight of the novel is Luki’s unraveling of the truth from subtle signs to the tragic reality which I thought was the most appropriate direction for the novel. I thought the build-up to the climactic moment was slow, but it showed how ingrained the mentality was in her and how effective the Americans were in the disguise of benevolence. It was really interesting to see how Luki’s beliefs evolved as influenced with different perspectives in the persons of Samkad, Kimyo, Truman Hunt, Johny, and Sadie Locket while not losing her defiant and proud character.

London-based Gourlay acknowledged in a note in Bone Talk that she did not hail from the Cordillera and the basis for the novels were extensive research from the historical accounts. I thought it was impressive that from the history mainly written by the Americans, she was able to reimagine and rebuild the mountains and forests and community lifestyle from the perspective of the Bontok. I like the emphasis put on their beliefs of the afterlife and how prominent they were in the book.

Although I wondered if the scene where two characters kissed was intentional or an oversight, given that Albert Jenks, one of the references for this book, explicitly said that the Igorot didn’t kiss. Other inaccuracies would’ve flown over my head, not being an expert on the subject myself. Otherwise, I think the line between historical accuracy and creative liberty was threaded carefully.

History books available in primary and secondary schools in the country often offer a whitewashed account of the American colonial period, which is a result of their influence on shaping our education. I didn’t know of the full extent of the atrocities the Americans have done to our people before my History 1 class in college. Books like this introduce the topic with care and necessity to its young target audience and are an integral part in resisting the mentality still prevalent today, as a neo-colony of the US still.

Additional information about this book, including the context of the novel and reading notes, can be found in Gourlay’s website [https://www.candygourlay.co.uk/wild-song].

A recommended watch would be Walang Rape sa Bontoc [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHmhi...], a documentary that discusses how the West disrupted traditional values.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candy Gourlay’s Wild Song takes us back to the world and characters of Bone Talk although a few years have gone by, the war against the American invaders is over, and Luki, now a teenage hunter is struggling with the expectations her Igorot elders place on young women. Frustrated, she seizes an opportunity to travel as part of an Igorot contingent to the St Louis World’s Fair, not sure what to expect but appalled when she arrives to discover that she and her fellow Igorot go ‘on display’ as the savages of Luzon, destined to be civilized by colonial rule. This much is true.

The St Louis World’s Fair, which included the 1904 Olympic games, was a global display of colonial and imperial power, of White supremacy, and the great hierarchy of ‘man’ proved by scientific racism. It included an array of Indigenous peoples ‘on display’ from ‘savage villages’ from The Philippines and Congo to ‘Indian Schools’ and the ‘Anthropology Days’ where Olympic athletes competed against Indigenous peoples in an effort to prove white superiority. Given that most Indigenous peoples had no training in those sports, that white supremacy was upheld (except, delightfully, in women’s basketball – but that’s another story).

Through Luki’s story Gourlay tells the tale of the Igorot presence at the World’s Fair, unpacks the deeply exploitative character of the events and the US colonisation of The Philippines, and explores the commercialisation and spectacularisation of that 19th and early 20th century discourse of progress. Part of the success of the novel, and the way it is a little more satisfying the Bone Talk, is that Luki’s engagement with the colonial world, while wide eyed, is not naïve: she very quickly gets a sense of the dynamics, and works out how to manage expectations and the rules to give her space to move and ways to get a wider view.

It’s an impressive YA historical novel, opening up a little known era and set of events, blending actual events and people with a compelling coming of age tale.

[Ruth Paszkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to Bone Talk, Wild Song follows Luki, Samkad and other members on the Bontok tribe as they travel from their home in the Phillipine Mountains to St Louis, USA for the 1904 World's Fair.

The narrative is written from Luki's perspective, as she tells the story to her Mother's spirit, which she believes is accompanying her in the parallel 'invisible realm'. It is full of Luki's critical insights both of the narrow minded elders and expectations of her tribe, and of the opportunistic yet equally blind nature of the Americans who view her people as 'savages', brought for their entertainment and exploitation.

I was given this book with no prior knowledge of Phillipine History and I had not read Bone Talk, but I didn't feel this detracted from the book, everything was well explained and laid out, and I loved that the narrative evevolves as Luki's understanding of herself and the world around her evolves too. Characters who are fairly black and white at the start flesh out into complex figures of layered emotions and motivations, and the story, although historical isn't at all predictable. There is a complex clash of cultures on display here, and although the white Americans don't come out looking great, they are not charcturised, nor are they the only villains. Gourlay shows that peoples of all colours and backgrounds are equally capable of love, kindness, respect, fear, prejudice and brutality. The only slight exception, to my mind was the character of Sadie, a glamorous wild west show rider, who gives Luki a glimpse of what America could be, before the brutal reality of segregation comes into the narrative, and shatters the "American Dream". Sadie came across a bit too 'Calamity Jane' for me, and I wish her character could have been developed a bit more.

Nevertheless, I was impressed by the care the author has gone to to keep the story based in fact, as many of these characters were real people, and she includes mini biographies, explanations of events and a decent bibliography at the end of the narrative.

In all this was an absorbing and moving story which revealed a history and a people that I hadn't known before, in what I felt was a respectful and masterful manner.

[Patriz SD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at the Emirates Literature Festival and chanced upon a panel of young adult writers talking about the need for diversity in books for today's younger generation. Candy Gourlay was part of the panel - she was extremely funny and charismatic so much so that I went to her own solo session, where she talked in more detail about the Wild Song and the research that went into it. History is often written up by the winners and in 1904, the Philippines was under American occupation. This book was a great example of decolonizing Filipino history - forcing us to think about the lessons of the past that we should all remember. I was blown away by this piece of history that she has unearthed and in turn, this historical fiction that she was able to create. I picked up this book at the festival and gobbled it up in just a few days.

This is the story of a young woman from the Bontoks of Luzon who was taken (among others) to the USA for the 1904 World Fair to quite simply be displayed in the Philippines reservation as if they were animals in a zoo.

This as per Candy was a book that she originally thought was going to be about a fun story about a kid who goes and enjoys the world fair, where the world was first introduced to electricity, hotdogs and ice cream cones. It however soon turned into a much darker tone as she unearthed more and more stories.

Getting to hear her in the festival was eye opening and jumping into the book thereafter it was great how she was able to weave those into the storyline, i.e., how they were forced to sacrifice and eat dog meat every day for the visitor's entertainment or how some of the dead's skulls of the Igorots are still in display in the Smithsonian museum. I also particularly liked how she weaved in a lot of cultural references and local traditions.

This book could have been a lot darker given the context of the book but reads well given it's for YA. Nonetheless, whatever your age, it's a great book. PICK IT UP, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Haxxunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book filled with love, death and optimism, set against a little known shocking true story from Filipino and American history.

Nominated for the Nero Book Awards 2023 and the Jhalak Children's and Young Adult Prize 2024.

I knew the broad brushstrokes of the Filipino occupation by Spain and the United States, but Gourlay's visceral yet mystical telling of a specific Filipino moment on the world stage is an eye-opener. Taking characters from her previous lauded novel Bone Talk, this time we follow the fiery Luki, a young woman hemmed in by tradition and patriarchy, who makes a momentous decision to go to America in the early 1900s as part of a troupe of indigenous Filipinos to the World's Fair in St Louis.

What was so deft in the book is how cleverly and carefully Gourlay weaves in the racism and colonial condescension of the time, making it personal and immediate even as Luki grows in leaps and bounds while trying to play each of the parts she is asked: as a young woman, as an indigenous person, as a maidservant, as a sister, a mother, a survivor. Danger is on every corner, and we as the omniscient reader with generations of distance can see the branching fates from each disquieting or violent encounter. A good ending is never telegraphed easily in this novel, and the thrill is all the stronger for being uncertain until the very last page.

Five of my most heartfelt stars.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1904, it follows Luki, a young girl from a mountain tribe in the Philippines who’s at that turning point between childhood freedom and the expectations of adulthood. Her family and community want her to become a wife and mother, but Luki dreams of something else she wants to be a warrior.

When her tribe is invited to travel to America to be part of the St. Louis World’s Fair, the story shifts from lush mountain landscapes to the bewildering noise and spectacle of early 20th-century America. Like Luki, I initially felt curious and excited about what this land of opportunity might bring, only to watch that excitement curdle as she discovers how unequal, exploitative, and humiliating the experience actually is.

What struck me most was how Candy Gourlay captures the tension between hope and reality. Luki’s voice is strong and fierce, but also vulnerable, and it’s impossible not to root for her as she tries to hold on to her identity in a world intent on turning her into a curiosity. The writing feels intimate, immediate, and deeply humane; even though the book is historical fiction, its themes about representation, dignity, and self-determination feel painfully current.

⚡️Thank you Carolrhoda Lab and Candy Gourlay for sharing this book with me!

[Rebecca R · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Wild Song’ is the sequel to Candy’s previous novel, ‘Bone Talk’, but it can be read as a standalone story. Set in the Philippines in 1904, Luki wants to be a hunter but the elders in her village expect her to settle down and get married like the other girls. So when she hears about the St Louis World’s Fair, she signs up to join the Igorot contingent and travel to America. At first it is an exciting adventure but soon Luki realises that she is expected to pander and perform to the expectations of the American public, who only see the Igorot as ignorant savages. This story includes historical figures like Truman Hunt, who really did transport a large group of Igorot people to St Louis in 1904, and then continued to exhibit and exploit them long after the World’s Fair.

This is an important but brutal story - the lyrical, pared-back prose makes it a quick read, but the atrocities are even more stark and shocking by comparison. I’d highly recommend this powerful book about a little-known part of history.

[Eibhlin Tuohig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating gripping story about the Igorots and their presence at the World Fair in the USA. Told through the voice of a 16 year old girl, Luki, we learn about her home life and see why she rebels against marriage and the expectations of her village elders. However, America does not hold all the answers either, and does not respect their customs.
This is a common journey for peoples moving to another land, what to believe in, what to hold onto and what to let go, and ultimately, whether to return home.
But the story is told as an adventure of a girl and her friends, all experiencing different challenges in the New World and changing their hopes and dreams as a result.
I loved learning about the Igorots and about how the dead are respected and taken care of in their culture. The World Fair too, I have never heard about before.
Lots to learn contained within a fabulous story. Thank you Candy! Must read Bone Talk now.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Luki, Samkad, Sidong, and Johnny were my favourites and I loved following Luki’s development. It is a really interesting era of history and often overlooked but I really appreciate the research that has gone into the history of the World’s Fair. I actually didn’t realise it’s a follow up to Bone Talk (I will definitely be reading Bone Talk in the future) but Wild Song was amazing in its own right and easy to follow without the first story. I really hope there will be a third book following an older Sidong, she was so precious and I want to know what happens next. While I’m not a huge fan of using capital letters when characters shout, I think this book is an exception and contributed massively to Luki’s storytelling, as though Luki was sitting with me and telling me her story. 5/5 all day every day just because it was such an interesting, emotional and important story

[Luv2TrvlLuvBks · Rating 3 out of 5]

#WildSong #NetGalley.

A woman’s face is front and center on the cover which mirrors the viewpoint throughout the story.The greenery provides a tropical atmosphere that is also reflected in the fictional character’s travel from the lush, tropical countryside to the Spanish influence buildings in Manila to the destination in America.

This book a much needed eye opening look at a moment in a time that’s often viewed from the colonizers perspective.

My three rather than four star review is largely due to the incessant references to her Mother. Understandably, need the background story but it got annoying after awhile.

This ARC was provided by publisher, Lerner Publishing Group | Carolrhoda Lab ® via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written and heartbreaking story of the ugly and racist roots of the United States. Wild Song is the story of the Philippine people who were manipulated into coming to the US for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. This book tells their story from the view of a 16-year-old Philippine girl who was part of this group brought over and put on display. What the Asian, African, and Native populations endured during the fair was infuriating to read about.

I am glad that I read it, though, despite my anger and sadness while doing so. We don't hear about this side of the World's Fairs; typically, it is just the inventions and innovations, but it is important history to expose. Exposing the ugly is the only way that we will learn from it.

[trijnewijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinderboeken zijn heerlijk. Ze geven je manieren om je horizon te verbreden en bij te leren over moeilijke onderwerpen, zonder de gruwel die er dan bij non-fictie of boeken voor volwassenen bij komt. In dit geval ging het over de kolonisatie van de Filipijnen door de USA, het uitwissen van de oorspronkelijke cultuur en de “human zoo” op de wereldtentoonstelling in Saint Louis in 1904. Het verhaal is verre van rozengeur en maneschijn, maar wel een welkome manier om meer te weten te komen over dingen waar ik nog bijna niks van af wist.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a kind of 3.5 - 4 book. In the end, I loved it, but it took time to build up. I think that might reflect on my interests and not on the book, though. The writer made some interesting observations of how a dominant culture might act towards one that lives more closely to nature and how people like to think they are better and more civilised but how their good intentions are often not selfless but are built upon the need for others to accept they are the superior more civilised race/ culture.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the first few pages took Me months to finish because I was in a reading slump, and it didn't pique My interest at all. This June, I decided to finish it up and it took me 1 and a half days to finally finish- I must say, the last few pages was interesting. Sadie kind of pissed Me off as well as Truman Hunt. The death of Tilin was kind of expected though (50/50, was both shocked and like "I knew this was coming.") I'm curious about what happened to their fellow people though. (Sorry for the bad review, it's my first time leaving one :)

Overall, 4.5/5 Stars!

[Raheel Shaharyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much history that I didn't know before picking up this book! I had no idea that the Philippines had been colonized by the US, I didn't know anytime about the various indigenous groups of the Philippines and I'm embarrassed that I also had no real clue what happened at the St Louis world Fair in early 1900's. This is a really beautiful YA historical fiction novel with a strong female protagonist and voice.

[Simon]

This is a must read for everyone!

Wild Song tells the story of Luki of the Bontoc tribe and other indigenous people who were “invited” to the 1904 world fair in St. Louis mere years after the end of the Filipino-American war. Of course this is a bad experience.

Luki is such a headstrong narrator and her inner monologues are gripping. You go through every emotion and every new realization about their reality in the US with her.

[Dieuwke · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - interesting topic, and due to having to wait hours in a hospital corridor I read quite a bit, started skipping chapters, read towards the end.
The voice, that abstract thing in literature, didn’t work for me, characters fell flat and both undermined any feeling of a storyline/ arc.
Hooray for libraries, I will happily return it