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tofutofutofu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Trafficking, Slavery, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
sammiesshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This story follows Jay, a half Filipino teen who was born in the Philippines but raised in America. He finds out that his cousin, Jun, who he used to be pen pals with, has died at the age of seventeen under mysterious circumstances that the family doesn't want to talk about, and so he asks to spend his spring break in the Philippines to get to the bottom of what is going on.
Patron Saints of Nothing is a beautiful story that not only criticizes the drug war started by Rodrigo Duterte but also details what it is like to be an outsider in a country and a family that is supposedly your own. Jay is repeatedly criticized for his lack of knowledge of his birth country and Tagalog, and it is quite hard for him to reconnect with the family he hasn't seen in eight years. It is also hard for him to reconcile his Americanized reality with the reality in the Philippines. Seeing this already tense situation unfold on top of the fact of his family's refusal to acknowledge his cousin's death, the tension is palpable.
The writing in this book is also beautiful. There is an abundance of lyrical quotes that make you feel transported into the mind of Jay and depict his emotions in a way that no other words could.
Overall, this was a beautiful novel about what makes a person good and asks if there is any real justification for murder. With morally grey characters, it makes for a complex and riveting story.
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
azyef's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Classism, Drug use, Death, Trafficking, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Homophobia, and Sexual violence
nikkkimarrry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Speaking from my positionality as a Filipino-Canadian, I think Ribay captured the complexities of the diasporic experience and the confusion of navigating one's hyphenated identity in an engaging, realistic, and honest way. Jay mentions so many times how he feels ashamed for not knowing enough about his Filipino identity - the language, the places, the history, the food - and how his family members in the Philippines chastise him about it in a way that I think many people of the Filipino diaspora could relate to, and also be inspired by. No matter how detached Jay allowed himself to be from his Filipino identity, and even if it won't change the fact that Jun is dead, its not too late for him to start caring and start acting on the issues occurring back home. In relation to these themes, this quote really stuck out to me "It strikes me that I cannot claim this country’s serene coves and sun-soaked beaches without also claiming its poverty, its problems, its history. To say that any aspect of it is part of me is to say that all of it is part of me." (p. 227). "
I think Ribay also does a great of voicing the privileges that the diaspora in the West may have - like assuming access to due process and legal rights/freedoms (although systemic racism and failures of the justice system are whole other conversations) - and how we need to keep ourselves in check when learning about and acting on the struggles back home. In this way, I think what's most powerful about this story is the fact that, even though it is a fictionalized account about the ramifications of Duterte's war on drugs, this is the kind of reality that exists under his leadership. Even so, the story still highlights the tensions that exist amongst Filipino citizens who support Duterte's policies and the brutality, sadness, and fear that simultaneously exists within communities because of these policies. It's not as clear cut as a Western perspective might make it seem - which Jay comes to realize - but still compels readers to honour the people back home who are putting their lives at risk to act on the ground. There is so much activism occurring back home and we will not be the ones to 'save' Filipinos from their plights, as Mia, a journalism student that Jay befriends in the Philippines, says when Jay demands they seek justice for Jun. I think this is a compelling way to engage Filipino readers to think about their responsibilities to the homeland and what it means to act on those responsibilities in a way that is respectful and useful. For those who are not Filipino, I think this story demands critical thinking about the role that Western powers play in enabling human rights crises like Duterte's war on drugs, as well as the need for those abroad to advocate in ways that support the activist efforts in the Philippines.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape and Trafficking
isadreamsof's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Police brutality and Animal death
Moderate: Addiction and Trafficking
Minor: Sexism and Homophobia
The first scene starts with the death of a newborn puppy being described in detail. It was a non-violent death, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I don't think it would hurt to skip it.dlrosebyh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Drug use, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Racism
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Trafficking
racheldkidder's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, Death, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Trafficking
gabs_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Police brutality, Drug abuse, and Murder
pawprintsinthesink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Jay is shocked when he learns his childhood friend and cousin has died. But when no one wants to tell him what caused his beloved cousin’s death, Jay decides to find out for himself. His journey isn’t just about grief, or solving the mystery of what happened to Jun. His journey is about more deeply connecting the parts of himself and his life that he’s had compartmentalized and separated for most of his life. As Jay learns more about his Filipino culture and is reacquainted with family he hasn’t seen in nearly a decade, he learns more about himself, his cousin, and what he wants from life.
Every component of this novel is flawless. From the incredibly well developed characters to the heart wrenching but intriguing plot to the setting, every detail is well thought out and perfectly done. The setting, a place that should be familiar but instead feels equally foreign and familiar, is a character unto itself.
The voice and writing of this novel fit perfectly with the narrator and main character, making it easy to read even while the content challenges your heart and mind.
This is the kind of book that not only inspires you to think deeply, but reminds you that everyone you know is complex, and has sides you may have never seen.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Police brutality, and Death
Minor: Drug abuse
ariam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Police brutality, Death, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Addiction, and Trafficking