Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
I picked up this book somewhat on a whim because it was available for audiobook really quickly in my library and because I have heard some really positive things. I honestly didn't know what to expect but this book touched on so many important topics and in such a good way that I ended up enjoying it way more than expected.
I loved reading about Jay especially after finding out the death of his cousin. I just loved the dedication and determination he had with finding out what truly happened to him despite what everyone else said. It was definitely an eye-opener to read about the lack of interest his cousin, Jun's, own family had with his death because it was somehow drug related. And it was to the point that they didn't even want to mention his name or even have a funeral for him. That was just so shocking to me.
The cultural references were also done really well and I honestly felt like I was right there with him exploring the Philippines while trying to solve the mystery and the truth behind his cousin's death especially with the fact that it had something to do with the drug war. But the best part about the cultural aspect was Jay trying to reclaim that cultural identity that was essentially lost to him due to the fact that he was raised in America and for being biracial with light skin. Even though I couldn't relate to the biracial or the Filipino aspect, I was still really able to relate with cultural identity and the struggles that come with it.
However, there was one aspect that I wasn't particularly fond of and that was the romance. The romance wasn't a huge part of the book, which is great, but what was there was not done that well. There were hints of cheating and there was a major decision that Jay later makes that was influenced by the romance which I honestly didn't really like. Thankfully, like I said, the romance was a small part of the book so I still really enjoyed it.
But overall, I still think that this book had a ton of great topics and I definitely learned a lot while reading especially about the drug war. That was something I wasn't really aware of prior. If you're looking for a great cultural read with slightly heavier topics then definitely check out this book.
I loved reading about Jay especially after finding out the death of his cousin. I just loved the dedication and determination he had with finding out what truly happened to him despite what everyone else said. It was definitely an eye-opener to read about the lack of interest his cousin, Jun's, own family had with his death because it was somehow drug related. And it was to the point that they didn't even want to mention his name or even have a funeral for him. That was just so shocking to me.
The cultural references were also done really well and I honestly felt like I was right there with him exploring the Philippines while trying to solve the mystery and the truth behind his cousin's death especially with the fact that it had something to do with the drug war. But the best part about the cultural aspect was Jay trying to reclaim that cultural identity that was essentially lost to him due to the fact that he was raised in America and for being biracial with light skin. Even though I couldn't relate to the biracial or the Filipino aspect, I was still really able to relate with cultural identity and the struggles that come with it.
However, there was one aspect that I wasn't particularly fond of and that was the romance. The romance wasn't a huge part of the book, which is great, but what was there was not done that well. There were hints of cheating and there was a major decision that Jay later makes that was influenced by the romance which I honestly didn't really like. Thankfully, like I said, the romance was a small part of the book so I still really enjoyed it.
But overall, I still think that this book had a ton of great topics and I definitely learned a lot while reading especially about the drug war. That was something I wasn't really aware of prior. If you're looking for a great cultural read with slightly heavier topics then definitely check out this book.