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lisagray68's review
3.0
I got this book from the Early Reviewers program at Library Thing. I hardly know how to review it. It was helpful to read another review that there are three narrators in this book and it switches between them from chapter to chapter with little to no indication that it's doing so. Once you know that going in, the book is a lot easier. It's not a pretty book -- sexual and violent, and yet, that's probably true to the history (and maybe even current state) of the Phillipines, at least in part. So you wouldn't want an author to sugarcoat the reality of that part of the world. Still, this story about an American man who sold his two babies to Westerners - and then the two boys' lives - is a difficult read. For one thing, there isn't a likeable character among them, or one I could relate to in any way. Call me lucky. Still, the writing indicates a very talented author, even though the content and story are distasteful in many ways.
sirlancelot2021's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ksoanes's review
It's not a good sign when the reading strategy is one chapter at a time and inbetween each chapter is reading another more interesting book. It took me a long time to figure out what was going on and when I did I really didn't care all that much. All I can say is I finished it. I picked it up as part of the Book Riot's Read Harder challenge- this falls under the category of an Independent Publisher.
lisagray68's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book from the Early Reviewers program at Library Thing. I hardly know how to review it. It was helpful to read another review that there are three narrators in this book and it switches between them from chapter to chapter with little to no indication that it's doing so. Once you know that going in, the book is a lot easier. It's not a pretty book -- sexual and violent, and yet, that's probably true to the history (and maybe even current state) of the Phillipines, at least in part. So you wouldn't want an author to sugarcoat the reality of that part of the world. Still, this story about an American man who sold his two babies to Westerners - and then the two boys' lives - is a difficult read. For one thing, there isn't a likeable character among them, or one I could relate to in any way. Call me lucky. Still, the writing indicates a very talented author, even though the content and story are distasteful in many ways.
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