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jai_martin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
This book truly has left me speechless,it is so beautifully written and touched me in such a profound way I’m not sure anything I can say will fully convey it.So instead I urge anyone who reads this to immediately read this heartbreakingly beautiful beautiful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
_forestofpages's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I can't believe how incredible this book was. It was devastating and hopeful and painful and informative.
I picked this up just after I found out my last grandparent died and it hit me hard. So, I related to the grief, the sudden news and also not knowing how to feel about it. I related to the family dynamics of Jay's family; feeling alone in your own family, feeling disconnected.
Then there was the guilt Jay felt about Jun. How they had drifted apart and how selfish he felt.
Then we went to the Phillipines and I learned about a culture and the struggles they face that I never knew about.
This book was incredible and though-provoking. I can't wait to pick up Ribay's other novels.
I picked this up just after I found out my last grandparent died and it hit me hard. So, I related to the grief, the sudden news and also not knowing how to feel about it. I related to the family dynamics of Jay's family; feeling alone in your own family, feeling disconnected.
Then there was the guilt Jay felt about Jun. How they had drifted apart and how selfish he felt.
Then we went to the Phillipines and I learned about a culture and the struggles they face that I never knew about.
This book was incredible and though-provoking. I can't wait to pick up Ribay's other novels.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death
meow_gal's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I really loved this book. I related a lot to jay and his experience with language because omg do I have terrible tagalog skills. I really love jay as a mc because 1) he’s very relatable 2) he’s not like some other dumb mc 3) he acknowledged he was wrong when he was wrong. I liked how instead of saying jun was innocent and didn’t do drugs they accepted the fact while he had flaws and and started using and selling it doesn’t change the good he did. I think this book did well talking about the issues in the Philippines especially about the drug war and it’s effects on the people. It’s also nice to see more contemporary books with Filipino mc’s have lgbtq+ side characters and this book did shine light on homophobia in the Philippines. I saw that most with Tito Manning’s logic with jun. overall it had a nice storyline and mystery plot. Really hit home with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Rape
Minor: Colonisation and Lesbophobia
mayaccountant's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Death
pn__'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Abandonment, and Addiction
carolikesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Death
noskills's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.25
Reflecting on reporting on Palestine, writer Nathan Thrall recalls a colleague feeling “so sick of having to perform tragedies in order to be humanized.” The sentiment is familiar to many oppressed groups in the United States, but also to those around the world. Patron is the story of an American teen confronting this tension as he uncovers his familial roots.
Filipino-American Jay is in a disaffected malaise as he heads towards the end of his senior year in high school, but the unexpected death of his cousin Jun jolts him awake and drives him back to the Philippines to uncover what really happened. The story is broadly about Jay and his family’s grief, but to process this the teen must embrace both the rich connection of being a descendent of this land, as well as accept the complicity of being an American in a space colonized by the United States. Grief and cub journalism make this homecoming a deep dive with an ending well worth the ride.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, and Racism
Minor: Physical abuse and Rape
rynstagram's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Wow I’ve been lucky with books lately. Randy Ribay is the king of beautiful metaphors and complicated characters. I loved that Jay would admit when he was wrong or didn’t understand something, even if it took someone else to call him out on it. He eventually would notice these things himself much of the time. I also love that Jay’s simple view of his cousin as only good is challenged in a way that doesn’t erase the good, only adds to the many-sidedness of humans.
The language is beautiful, as well.
I docked a star mainly because it felt like a lot of things were repeated and reversed several times. I do think this adds to the story in some ways but also took a little bit away for me.
This book is about hope and the many layers of grief and how we can become closer to others when a mutual loved one dies.
The language is beautiful, as well.
I docked a star mainly because it felt like a lot of things were repeated and reversed several times. I do think this adds to the story in some ways but also took a little bit away for me.
This book is about hope and the many layers of grief and how we can become closer to others when a mutual loved one dies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Homophobia
goldenfenris's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Five stars to a book that made me ugly cry, taught me a lot, and made me feel even more. The book is beautiful and heartbreaking. It makes you examine your ideas on identity, family, drugs, and how well you ever really know someone. This is the type of book that I wish had been on the required reading list when I was in school.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
lyricalreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow. This book. Please read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Addiction, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Sexual violence
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