Powerful and poignant. This young adult book chronicles one American Filipino teen who travels back to the island for the first time in a decade when he finds out his cousin and childhood friend had been killed. Jay has to confront the fact that while he has been living in a bit of a bubble in his middle class white suburban neighborhood and hasn't really bothered to keep up with his relatives, specifically Jun, who he used to write to frequently. Jay HAS to know what really happened to his beloved cousin Jun, or the grief may eat him alive. Everyone is saying he was shot because of drugs, but Jay can't wrap his head around that, that is the Jun he grew up with. Even though they hadn't talked in years, the island is calling to him to honor his cousin's memory by at least trying to put the pieces together. A wonderful story of identity, family, poverty, desperation, and hope. It's gripping and wonderful, the search for the truth doesn't always take us where we expect it to. A must read.
No comments:
Post a Comment