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A review by hayjp8
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
5.0
5/5 stars
This book was just as amazing as I had hoped! It was the perfect length and I never felt bored while I was reading. The themes of family and grief really struck me; Let’s just say I had a lot of emotions while reading. The writing was a good balance of “casual” writing and great, detailed descriptions and metaphors. I also really liked how the last sentence of every chapter was also the title of the chapter—such a cool detail.
This was probably the best portrayal of a mixed race character by a non mixed author that I’ve read so far. Jay acknowledged he did not have the same experiences as monoracial Filipinos who lived in the Philippines while still having to remind his family and friends that he was both American and Filipino. While I read this book I highlighted all the quotes that talked about or related to Jay being mixed, and I think it really added to his feelings of imposter syndrome and disconnect from his culture.
I really enjoyed how unpredictable the plot was. Every time I thought I (and Jay) had figured out something about this mystery I was instantly proved wrong. Usually this was because a new side to a character was revealed. This was fascinating because (almost) every side character had depth. Even the characters we initially thought were “bad guys” were more than that, and our “good guys” still disappointed us sometimes.
While at certain points I found myself cringing at how unaware and borderline rude Jay was, I really liked how he was a flawed main character. There were moments where he would be called out for his privilege as an American, as someone who is lighter skinned and half White, and as a man, and it was really important to see. My one gripe with the book is that I didn’t really enjoy the romance plotline, both for the slight age gap and the fact that she had a boyfriend. It wasn’t anything heinous—as no cheating actually occurred—but it still made me a little uncomfortable.
Overall I 100% recommend this book! I learned lots about the Philippines and the War on Drugs that I had only vaguely heard of before reading. It was amazingly written and all the characters had lots of depth. Jay’s story was one of growth and finding himself, which, along with all the other parts of this book, make it an extremely important read.
This book was just as amazing as I had hoped! It was the perfect length and I never felt bored while I was reading. The themes of family and grief really struck me; Let’s just say I had a lot of emotions while reading. The writing was a good balance of “casual” writing and great, detailed descriptions and metaphors. I also really liked how the last sentence of every chapter was also the title of the chapter—such a cool detail.
“Fuck those people who say being born somewhere doesn’t count if half your ancestors are from somewhere else. Fuck anyone who tries to tell you who you are and where you belong.”
This was probably the best portrayal of a mixed race character by a non mixed author that I’ve read so far. Jay acknowledged he did not have the same experiences as monoracial Filipinos who lived in the Philippines while still having to remind his family and friends that he was both American and Filipino. While I read this book I highlighted all the quotes that talked about or related to Jay being mixed, and I think it really added to his feelings of imposter syndrome and disconnect from his culture.
I really enjoyed how unpredictable the plot was. Every time I thought I (and Jay) had figured out something about this mystery I was instantly proved wrong. Usually this was because a new side to a character was revealed. This was fascinating because (almost) every side character had depth. Even the characters we initially thought were “bad guys” were more than that, and our “good guys” still disappointed us sometimes.
While at certain points I found myself cringing at how unaware and borderline rude Jay was, I really liked how he was a flawed main character. There were moments where he would be called out for his privilege as an American, as someone who is lighter skinned and half White, and as a man, and it was really important to see. My one gripe with the book is that I didn’t really enjoy the romance plotline, both for the slight age gap and the fact that she had a boyfriend. It wasn’t anything heinous—as no cheating actually occurred—but it still made me a little uncomfortable.
Overall I 100% recommend this book! I learned lots about the Philippines and the War on Drugs that I had only vaguely heard of before reading. It was amazingly written and all the characters had lots of depth. Jay’s story was one of growth and finding himself, which, along with all the other parts of this book, make it an extremely important read.