Although the main reason Jay journeys to the Philippines is to find out how Jun died, he also learns a lot about himself and reconnects with his Filipino heritage. He brilliantly highlights the Philippines' rich culture and history while also exposing some of the horrific issues happening in the country, such as the violent drug war, poverty, and sex trafficking. Randy Ribay has written a heartrending and powerful coming-of-age novel that explores grief, complex family relationships, and identity. Strong language includes variations of 's-t,' 'f-k,' 'ass,' 'dick,' and 'hell.' Another character is a victim of sex trafficking. There are references to San Miguel beer, marijuana, cigarettes, and 'shabu' which is a slang term for meth.

The book also mentions that journalists receive threats or are killed in the Philippines if they write any negative articles about the government. The war on drugs is a large part of the story, and there are mentions of articles and descriptions of photos that depict some of the gruesome murders happening in the Philippines. Readers will learn about the Philippines' culture and history, President Duterte's violent war on drugs, as well as words and phrases in various Filipino dialects. Compassion, communication, curiosity, and courage are important themes. Parents need to know that Randy Ribay's Patron Saints of Nothing is a powerful and heartrending coming-of-age tale about 17-year-old Filipino American Jay Reguero, who goes to the Philippines to uncover the truth about his cousin's death. The plot revolves around the war on drugs in the Philippines, and there are mentions of San Miguel beer, marijuana, cigarettes, and 'shabu' which is a slang term in the Philippines for meth.ĭid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Randy ribay patron saints of nothing