Scan barcode
jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
5.0
Eight short stories and a novella. An astonishing debut collection and a welcome exploration of the Filipino diaspora. Some truly remarkable and diverse stories. Lovely writing from an exciting new voice.
washed_guapi_lee's review against another edition
3.75
Incredible Writing. Unique Stories. My favorites were "Legends of the White Lady" and "Esmeralda"; which in terms of subject and craft is a work of art.
entropyseeker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
A good array of short stories, though this isn't my preferred kind of reading there were definitely some great shorts and some okay ones.
booksrachelreads's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed reading this short story collection. Learned a lot about the Philippines and Filipino culture. I love that the author told the stories of a wide range of characters with diverse experience which showcased a lot of nuance. Each individual story was so different and the characters and their relationships were so well-written. I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys short stories or wants to learn more about the Filipino diaspora. If you were a fan of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “The Refugees” I think you’ll like this one as well
katsdaysarebooked's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
itsmeamethyst's review against another edition
5.0
Was on the hunt for books that would help
connect me to my Filipino heritage, and this short story collection felt both familiar and new. This is the first time I’ve read my mother’s name in a book, the first time I’ve read about women who worked in convents like my grandmother did in Manila.
The writing and the stories are also just very well written, and I enjoyed reading about Pinoys across the diaspora, within and outside of the Philippines and living with the effects of colonization in modern day.
connect me to my Filipino heritage, and this short story collection felt both familiar and new. This is the first time I’ve read my mother’s name in a book, the first time I’ve read about women who worked in convents like my grandmother did in Manila.
The writing and the stories are also just very well written, and I enjoyed reading about Pinoys across the diaspora, within and outside of the Philippines and living with the effects of colonization in modern day.
mothgoth's review against another edition
4.0
A really moving and interesting short story collection. Really loved the various perspectives and experiences presented in this book. They all felt very real. "The Miracle Worker" might be my favourite, but I enjoyed "Esmeralda" and "Old Girl" a lot too. So glad I picked this book up on a whim.
erin_0130's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75