The Hour of Daydreams

This story is so unique, I wouldn't hesitate to label it as magical realism or urban fantasy; however, the themes are so grounded in the writing that it holds its own with the best literary authors. In short, Rutledge makes even the mundane intriguing, and this book is rich with vivid settings, tastes, smells and temperatures. This book fills me with so much Pinoy pride! Recommended By Junix S., Powells.com

At a river near his home in the Philippine countryside, respected doctor Manolo Lualhati encounters the unthinkable a young woman with wings. After several incredible visits, he coaxes her to stay behind to quit flying to the stars with her sisters each night so they can marry. Tala agrees, but soon finds herself grounded in a new life where she must negotiate Manolo's parents well-intentioned scrutiny. As Tala tries to keep long-held family secrets from her new husband, Manolo begins questioning the gaps in her stories, and his suspicions push him even further from the truth. Weaving in the perspectives of Manolo's parents, Tala's siblings, and the all-seeing housekeeper, The Hour of Daydreams delves into contemporary issues of identity and trust in marriage, while exploring how myths can take root from the seeds of our most difficult truths.

"Lyrical and compelling. You won’t forget the characters and myths Renee Macalino Rutledge brings to life in her stunning debut." Vanessa Hua, author of Deceit and Other Possibilities and San Francisco Chronicle columnist

"The Hour of Daydreams isn’t just a wonderful book — it’s a lyrical and poetic journey, one that’s simultaneously magical, surprising, and mesmerizing. It’s a love story, fable, fairy tale, and contemporary novel woven together with seamless thread, reminiscent of Isabel Allende. A brilliant start to a beautiful literary career." Erin Entrada Kelly, author of The Land of Forgotten Girls

"The Hour of Daydreams is a gorgeous read that should be relished as one would a piece of dark chocolate cake. Rich with tantalizing characters and delicious prose, this is a novel that readers, both young and old alike, won’t be able to help but savor." Leslye Walton, award-winning novelist and author of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

"With its enticing undertow of secrets and magic, The Hour of Daydreams will seduce readers with its reverence for mystery, its gentle humor, and its deep empathy for its characters’ longings and losses. Sometimes it takes a village to tell a story as extraordinary as this — and Renee Macalino Rutledge has managed to do just that." Cristina García, author of Dreaming in Cuban

Renee Macalino Rutledge was born in Manila, Philippines, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area from the age of four. A long-time local journalist, her articles and essays have appeared in ColorLines, Filipinas Magazine, Oakland and Alameda Magazine, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Literary Hub, Mutha Magazine, Ford City Anthology, Women of Color Anthology, and others. The Hour of Daydreams is her debut novel. She lives in Alameda, California, with her husband and two daughters.