A must read for all YA fans
Patron Saints of Nothing is easily one of the best contemporary young adult novels I've ever read. It follows Jay, a biracial Filipino American teen who travels to the Philippines to uncover the truth about his cousin's death.
There, Jay discovers that his cousin was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs. His family is reluctant to talk about what really happened, and Jay finds himself going on a journey to understand his cousin's final days.
As a biracial Filipino-American, I related to Jay a lot. His story was very eye-opening for me. Jay knows little of Filipino culture and identity, and while he is there he learns more about the war on drugs and Duterte's volatile rule. His character arc was incredibly satisfying, compelling, and authentic.
Patron Saints of Nothing is a love letter to Filipino identity, but also a call to action. What strikes me the most is the dedication Randy Ribay included: "for the hyphenated." As one of the hyphenated, I will never forget this book.
There, Jay discovers that his cousin was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs. His family is reluctant to talk about what really happened, and Jay finds himself going on a journey to understand his cousin's final days.
As a biracial Filipino-American, I related to Jay a lot. His story was very eye-opening for me. Jay knows little of Filipino culture and identity, and while he is there he learns more about the war on drugs and Duterte's volatile rule. His character arc was incredibly satisfying, compelling, and authentic.
Patron Saints of Nothing is a love letter to Filipino identity, but also a call to action. What strikes me the most is the dedication Randy Ribay included: "for the hyphenated." As one of the hyphenated, I will never forget this book.