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A review by melodys_library
America Is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo
3.0
My favorite thing about this book was how familiar the family felt. Not necessarily in a warm and fuzzy kind of way, but in a “that’s my Filipino family” kind of way. Pol being a prominent doctor in the Philippines but reduced to a day shift employee at a computer company in California; Paz working 16 hour days and paying the debts of every family member; the economic disparities, the nicknames, the traditions (the novena and the balikbayan boxes!) the history of one country following them into the next...The author said it best: “Baggage means no matter how far you go, no matter how many times you immigrate, there are countries in you you’ll never leave.” That said, I don’t know if non-Filipinos would appreciate this book. There is also Tagalog mixed with English mixed with Ilocano sprinkled and blended throughout the novel, and while it might be confusing to a non-Filipino, we understand it because this is us.
My least favorite thing about this book was the pace. I hate to admit it, but if it weren’t for the fact that this book were written by and about Filipinos, I might have set it down and never looked back. :/ After the punch-to-the-gut prologue starring Paz, I trudged through Hero’s chapters and sadly watched Paz fade into the background. I just couldn’t come close to being interested in the sexual tension and relationship between Hero and Rosalyn. I wanted to hear more about the rest of the family dynamics.
While the pace was slow, I’m still glad I finished the book because I have been feeling really out of touch with the my Filipino-ness and this book brought back some feelings and memories. Also, Hero’s backstory of the New People’s Army prompted me to research the Filipino-American War - that often misunderstood, forgotten and glossed-over-in-your-US history book war. Appalling facts I need to learn more about.
My least favorite thing about this book was the pace. I hate to admit it, but if it weren’t for the fact that this book were written by and about Filipinos, I might have set it down and never looked back. :/ After the punch-to-the-gut prologue starring Paz, I trudged through Hero’s chapters and sadly watched Paz fade into the background. I just couldn’t come close to being interested in the sexual tension and relationship between Hero and Rosalyn. I wanted to hear more about the rest of the family dynamics.
While the pace was slow, I’m still glad I finished the book because I have been feeling really out of touch with the my Filipino-ness and this book brought back some feelings and memories. Also, Hero’s backstory of the New People’s Army prompted me to research the Filipino-American War - that often misunderstood, forgotten and glossed-over-in-your-US history book war. Appalling facts I need to learn more about.