It is no wonder why this book is a National Book Award finalist.
It is about Jay, a Filipino-American, who goes back to discover the events that led to his cousin’s death but in doing so he discovers a lot about himself and his extended family. Like many hyphenated teenagers that go to the motherland Jay feels like he doesn’t belong in either place. Ribay does an extraordinary job in detailing Jay’s emotions and feelings of being lost in a place that you are supposed to feel at home in.
This book is also an eye opener to many Americans on what is going on in the Philippines, which the main character discusses early on that it is not well known in the US and needs to be broadcasted more widely.
It is about Jay, a Filipino-American, who goes back to discover the events that led to his cousin’s death but in doing so he discovers a lot about himself and his extended family. Like many hyphenated teenagers that go to the motherland Jay feels like he doesn’t belong in either place. Ribay does an extraordinary job in detailing Jay’s emotions and feelings of being lost in a place that you are supposed to feel at home in.
This book is also an eye opener to many Americans on what is going on in the Philippines, which the main character discusses early on that it is not well known in the US and needs to be broadcasted more widely.