This book blew me away. Randy Ribay is incredibly talented and sucked me in from the first page. While I have no personal experience with the Philippines, the setting was so clearly written that I felt transported. (Ribay was born in the Philippines, so I made the assumption that his depiction of the communities were accurate.) And Jay’s emotional experience struck a chord with me. His determination and teenage soul-searching got me right in the feels. My heart broke for him - his guilt and sadness over the death of his cousin, and I admired his perseverance in trying to find the answers to what really happened. I have so many pages and quotes marked up. It’s a book I wish I could read again for the first time.