Man…I really wanted to love this more. But by the end I was frustrated at what point this novel was trying to string together. The ending is so abrupt and it feels as if we never got any sort of character development with Queenie. This book also featured harmful stereotypes that got zero pushback from the characters. 

I did like how quick the chapters are, and there are certainly some thoughtful passages on the immigrant experience - especially when it comes to the intersection of racism and misogyny. Mel might be a terrible mom, but this book did make me pause and wonder at how differently these two women experienced America. One found her freedom and one became lost. 

As a Filipino American I always want to seek out and uplift Filipino stories, but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me.