A unique exploration of grief, family, privilege, identity, and what we think we know about our loved ones.
There's so much to love about this. Ribay does a fantastic job of making the Philippines and Filipino culture a character, the country comes alive and you get a great sense of the beauty of the place, along with its struggles. I loved Jay's family, I loved the conflict between his dad and himself, and I loved Jay's relentless pursuit to find out what actually happened to his cousin. It's quite a feat, to show both grief and guilt, but Ribay accomplishes it and does it well.
I especially love that he didn't shy away from making what happened to Jun be clouded in grey. It feels more realistic that way, that we'll never truly know what happened just like we'll never truly know someone. At the end of the book, I had to stop and take a breath.
There's so much to love about this. Ribay does a fantastic job of making the Philippines and Filipino culture a character, the country comes alive and you get a great sense of the beauty of the place, along with its struggles. I loved Jay's family, I loved the conflict between his dad and himself, and I loved Jay's relentless pursuit to find out what actually happened to his cousin. It's quite a feat, to show both grief and guilt, but Ribay accomplishes it and does it well.
I especially love that he didn't shy away from making what happened to Jun be clouded in grey. It feels more realistic that way, that we'll never truly know what happened just like we'll never truly know someone. At the end of the book, I had to stop and take a breath.