I don't want to be insensitive or talk over #ownvoices readers, and I certainly don't dispute that this is an important issue that isn't being discussed or covered anywhere near as much as it should. By all means you should seek out #ownvoices reviews, because their opinions will be much better substantiated than mine — I won't be talking much about the drug war/its role in this book because of this.

With that caveat, the angle taken in this book bothers me. It felt like it was more about Jay and his privilege bubble being forcibly punctured over and over until he finally accepts that (shockingly) he isn't always right about everything. Even towards the end, it seemed Jay was stuck in his own preconceptions instead of listening to the people around him, but at the same time Ribay seemed to trying to portray Jay as being in the wrong when doing so, which made it difficult to understand why Jay thought or said or did what he did, and why he changes his mind when he does.

The morality also seemed Westernized, simplified/binary — not to say that one side or the other is right/wrong (because although I am generally opposed to mass killings and non-systemic "solutions" to social issues, I know very little about the drug war and my family isn't from the Philippines), but it felt like little to no consideration was given to any other viewpoints than Jay's. Specifically,

Spoiler

Jun's father

is portrayed as being Completely Wrong About Everything; not a moment's thought is given to his possible motives for his actions and beliefs beyond a vague assertion that he's a Bad Person [but not unredeemable, because he's family].

The character relationships felt very flat — beyond the obligatory family ties and camaraderie between young people with shared beliefs, I just wasn't sold on any of it. Particularly the kind-of-sort-of romance, which I thought was underdeveloped and, quite frankly, unnecessary.

I also didn't quite get on with the prose. There's a bit too much play-by-play which makes scenes drag, more showing than telling of emotions ("for some reason, I start feeling really fucking sad" — direct quote). Pulling chapter/section titles from the end of said chapter/section is an interesting choice, but it was almost like every chapter/section therefore had to end on a profound philosophical note or piece of metaphor or loaded imagery to make it work. Which I found to be a bit much, particularly with

Spoiler

the penultimate chapter, the last titled section, which contains the book title tie-in

.

content warnings:

Spoiler

mentions of police brutality & violence, racism, colorism, homophobia, animal deaths (newborn puppies, goats butchered for food), underage drinking and pot use, borderline emotional infidelity

rep:

Spoiler

biracial Filipino-American MC & family, biracial Chinese/Filipino minor character, WLW Filipina major characters, bi/pan Filipina minor character, F/F established relationships, MLM Filipino minor character, mentioned M/M relationship

-----------
CONVERSION: 8.1 / 15 = 3 stars

Prose: 3 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 2 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 4 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: N/A
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5