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Staff Pick
A young Filipino American visits the Philippines to determine what really happened to his murdered cousin in this fantastic, moving novel about immigration, survival, family secrets, and President Duterte’s ongoing war on drugs. Once again, acclaimed author Randy Ribay gives voice to a marginalized community to riveting effect. Recommended By Matt K. , Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.
Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.
Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth — and the part he played in it.
As gripping as it is lyrical,
Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.
Review
"A singular voice in the world of literature." Jason Reynolds, author of Long Way Down
Review
"Brilliant, honest, and equal parts heartbreaking and soul-healing." Laurie Halse Anderson, author of SHOUT
Review
"Part coming-of-age story and part exposé of Duterte’s problematic policies, this powerful and courageous story offers readers a refreshingly emotional depiction of a young man of color with an earnest desire for the truth." Kirkus Review
Review
"Passionately and fearlessly, Ribay (After the Shot Drops) delves into matters of justice, grief, and identity in this glimpse into the life and death of a fictional victim of President Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines." PW Weekly
About the Author
Randy Ribay was born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest. He is the author of After the Shot Drops and An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. He earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Master's Degree in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently teaches English and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.