In The Mango Bride, Marivi Soliven illustrates the beauty of the Philippines while also covering issues such as immigration, domestic abuse, and class. In this novel, Soliven uses her real life experience as a phone hotline translator and incorporates it into this book in a thoughtful yet devastating way. Told as a dual narrative between two women from different economic backgrounds, this story explores each of their journeys immigrating to the United States and the shared history that unravels between them. This novel is also a great starting point to learn more about Filipino culture and understanding the dynamics of class in their society. - Sachi Argabright