Friday, August 31, 2018

Review: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE CHILI by Philip Victor


Described as a retelling “in the tradition of Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” this is the story of an animated chili pepper named Tío Pepe, a popular mascot for a Mexican hot sauce. The character certainly has some similarities to Roger Rabbit, like the fact that they’re both dating a hot bombshell Jessica Rabbit, for instance; only Pepe’s bombshell was a live human.

Being a fan of Roger Rabbit, I dove into this novelette, anticipating humor and quirkiness. Although the story had some quirks, it really was more of an adventure tale, because it narrated a hero’s journey to el otro lado to try and save his princess.  It wasn’t as funny as I wanted it to be, but readers would surely root for the hot, little chili pepper.

Other distinctions that set this book apart were the crude, barrio dialogue and political themes, which were shrouded under the masquerade of Toon Land.  However, there were certain concepts that may have been a little far-fetched for a live-animated crossover tale. For instance, Pepe having to take a poop was a little unbelievable just because of the mere fact that he was not only a cartoon but a chili pepper. Still, Pepe would still appeal to readers.

All in all, this was a quick, little adventure story.

My rating: 3 stars

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