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Everything We Never Had
From the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.
Watsonville, 1930. Francisco Maghabol barely ekes out a living in the fields of California. As he spends what little money he earns at dance halls and faces increasing violence from white men in town, Francisco wonders if he should’ve never left the Philippines.
Stockton, 1965. Between school days full of prejudice from white students and teachers and night shifts working at his aunt’s restaurant, Emil refuses to follow in the footsteps of his labor organizer father, Francisco. He’s going to make it in this country no matter what or who he has to leave behind.
Denver, 1983. Chris is determined to prove that his overbearing father, Emil, can’t control him. However, when a missed assignment on “ancestral history” sends Chris off the football team and into the library, he discovers a desire to know more about Filipino history―even if his father dismisses his interest as unamerican and unimportant.
Philadelphia, 2020. Enzo struggles to keep his anxiety in check as a global pandemic breaks out and his abrasive grandfather moves in. While tensions are high between his dad and his lolo, Enzo’s daily walks with Lolo Emil have him wondering if maybe he can help bridge their decades-long rift.
Told in multiple perspectives, Everything We Never Had unfolds like a beautifully crafted nesting doll, where each Maghabol boy forges his own path amid heavy family and societal expectations, passing down his flaws, values, and virtues to the next generation, until it’s up to Enzo to see how he can braid all these strands and men together.
Watsonville, 1930. Francisco Maghabol barely ekes out a living in the fields of California. As he spends what little money he earns at dance halls and faces increasing violence from white men in town, Francisco wonders if he should’ve never left the Philippines.
Stockton, 1965. Between school days full of prejudice from white students and teachers and night shifts working at his aunt’s restaurant, Emil refuses to follow in the footsteps of his labor organizer father, Francisco. He’s going to make it in this country no matter what or who he has to leave behind.
Denver, 1983. Chris is determined to prove that his overbearing father, Emil, can’t control him. However, when a missed assignment on “ancestral history” sends Chris off the football team and into the library, he discovers a desire to know more about Filipino history―even if his father dismisses his interest as unamerican and unimportant.
Philadelphia, 2020. Enzo struggles to keep his anxiety in check as a global pandemic breaks out and his abrasive grandfather moves in. While tensions are high between his dad and his lolo, Enzo’s daily walks with Lolo Emil have him wondering if maybe he can help bridge their decades-long rift.
Told in multiple perspectives, Everything We Never Had unfolds like a beautifully crafted nesting doll, where each Maghabol boy forges his own path amid heavy family and societal expectations, passing down his flaws, values, and virtues to the next generation, until it’s up to Enzo to see how he can braid all these strands and men together.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2024
266 people are currently reading
18296 people want to read
About the author
Randy Ribay
17 books1,041 followersRandy Ribay is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. His most recent novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, earned five starred reviews, was selected as a Freeman Book Award winner, and was a finalist for the National Book Award, LA Times Book Prize, Walden Book Award, Edgar Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other works include Project Kawayan, After the Shot Drops, and An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. His next novels, The Chronicles of the Avatar: The Reckoning of Roku (Abrams) and Everything We Never Had, (Kokila/Penguin) will be out in 2024.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 597 reviews
September 8, 2024
Absolutely extraordinary.
December 8, 2024
This is not the sort of book I typically pick up, but it was so good! A beautiful multi-generational story about immigration, ideas of masculinity, how we try to do better for our children, and how painful history is often buried.
Everything We Never Had follows four generations of young men, beginning in the 1930's with Francisco who has emigrated to the United States from the Philippines and is struggling to make ends meet as an agricultural laborer.
In 1965, Emil wants nothing more than to succeed in school, despite racial prejudice he faces. And his dad might be a hero to people fighting for workers rights, but he has been an absentee father and Emil never wants to be like him.
In 1983, Chris wishes his father would listen to him and understand his interests. He's controlling and only cares that he gets good grades and studies something useful like math or engineering. And he never wants to talk about his past or being Filipino-American.
In 2020, Enzo is struggling with his mental health as the COVID pandemic hits and his mostly estranged grandfather moves in with them. He tries to build a bridge between the members of his family, but is sensitive to failure.
This novel does an incredible job of weaving together all of these stories and showing us how each of them became the men they would be, and how they tried to do better than their own fathers and yet carried on mistakes in other ways. It's a portrait of the challenges of expectations of masculinity in this context, and yet is hopeful for change and reconciliation. Highly recommend this. I received a copy for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Everything We Never Had follows four generations of young men, beginning in the 1930's with Francisco who has emigrated to the United States from the Philippines and is struggling to make ends meet as an agricultural laborer.
In 1965, Emil wants nothing more than to succeed in school, despite racial prejudice he faces. And his dad might be a hero to people fighting for workers rights, but he has been an absentee father and Emil never wants to be like him.
In 1983, Chris wishes his father would listen to him and understand his interests. He's controlling and only cares that he gets good grades and studies something useful like math or engineering. And he never wants to talk about his past or being Filipino-American.
In 2020, Enzo is struggling with his mental health as the COVID pandemic hits and his mostly estranged grandfather moves in with them. He tries to build a bridge between the members of his family, but is sensitive to failure.
This novel does an incredible job of weaving together all of these stories and showing us how each of them became the men they would be, and how they tried to do better than their own fathers and yet carried on mistakes in other ways. It's a portrait of the challenges of expectations of masculinity in this context, and yet is hopeful for change and reconciliation. Highly recommend this. I received a copy for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
May 10, 2024
Actual rating: 4.5
I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Well what do you know, Randy Ribay does it again! I truly believe he is a master of writing beautifully yet accessibly while tackling issues that are often difficult to grapple with through characters who feel larger than life because they are inspired by real people and well-researched events. Despite making me cry multiple times (again), this book healed something in me. But fair warning, don't go in expecting a heavy focus on the plot. More than anything, it's an excellent collection of character studies across four generations, unpacking something that I am aware of but haven't really read much on previously: generational trauma, how it develops, and how it manifests in different forms in different people. This story drips with so much empathy that despite presenting hard truths about identity, manhood, mental health, and social responsibility, it refuses to be prescriptive in its narrative. Rather, it helps one to understand where these individuals are coming from. I learned so much about myself and even my own family members in the process of reading this book, which is impressive in itself considering how short this is. I'm definitely revisiting and annotating this once I get my hands on a physical copy. Rush to the bookstore on release date because this is not a book you want to miss!
I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Well what do you know, Randy Ribay does it again! I truly believe he is a master of writing beautifully yet accessibly while tackling issues that are often difficult to grapple with through characters who feel larger than life because they are inspired by real people and well-researched events. Despite making me cry multiple times (again), this book healed something in me. But fair warning, don't go in expecting a heavy focus on the plot. More than anything, it's an excellent collection of character studies across four generations, unpacking something that I am aware of but haven't really read much on previously: generational trauma, how it develops, and how it manifests in different forms in different people. This story drips with so much empathy that despite presenting hard truths about identity, manhood, mental health, and social responsibility, it refuses to be prescriptive in its narrative. Rather, it helps one to understand where these individuals are coming from. I learned so much about myself and even my own family members in the process of reading this book, which is impressive in itself considering how short this is. I'm definitely revisiting and annotating this once I get my hands on a physical copy. Rush to the bookstore on release date because this is not a book you want to miss!
June 14, 2024
MASTERPIECE YET AGAIN! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I always get nervous when an author’s past book changes my life and then I’m highly anticipating their next work, but I should not have been concerned with the genius that is Ribay. Masterfully crafted generational narrative about why we inherit and how we heal across our history and ancestry. The multiple narratives is so engaging without feeling disjointed by spanning such a broad timespan. Cannot wait for this to come out.
April 24, 2025
i will always be a sucker for a multigenerational historical fiction novel
Filipino influence is so often overlooked and erased in the greater American immigrant narrative, a fact that multiple characters in the novel point out
EWNH avoids the pitfall many novels in this genre fall into where the characters slowly devolve into mouthpieces that seemingly exist just to regurgitate all the research the author has done. Ribay does a phenomenal job of weaving historical context into each storyline while still ensuring his characters remained the focus and heart of the story
i do think this book could have been a tad bit longer overall as Ribay covered four separate timelines, and each character could’ve had a few more individually focused chapters each for their stories to truly shine
in conclusion: EWNH is a moving tale of how deeply intergenerational trauma can impact father-son (and, in general, familial) relationships, and it should be required reading in U.S. high schools, particularly in California
Filipino influence is so often overlooked and erased in the greater American immigrant narrative, a fact that multiple characters in the novel point out
EWNH avoids the pitfall many novels in this genre fall into where the characters slowly devolve into mouthpieces that seemingly exist just to regurgitate all the research the author has done. Ribay does a phenomenal job of weaving historical context into each storyline while still ensuring his characters remained the focus and heart of the story
i do think this book could have been a tad bit longer overall as Ribay covered four separate timelines, and each character could’ve had a few more individually focused chapters each for their stories to truly shine
in conclusion: EWNH is a moving tale of how deeply intergenerational trauma can impact father-son (and, in general, familial) relationships, and it should be required reading in U.S. high schools, particularly in California
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November 18, 2025definitely a 2024 favorite
Read
August 24, 2024Randy Ribay’s Everything We Never Had is an intergenerational young adult novel about the conflicts of a Filipino-American family. The narrative is voiced through four generations of young men stretching across almost one hundred years, from Francisco’s 1930s immigrant story to his great-grandson Enzo’s post-pandemic struggles. Each generation wrestles with the unresolved issues of its predecessor, including the roles of education and unionization, various forms of prejudice, and the complex dynamics inherent in many father-son relationships. Young readers are most likely to connect with Enzo, but I wonder if they will be drawn into the discussions of the labor movement or the Marcos-era politics in the Philippines that affect the generations between Francisco and Enzo.
When considering a young adult novel, I always think about what reader is its perfect match. Everything We Never Had is probably kind of niche-y. Although the characters are well-developed, there isn’t much of a through-line in terms of plot. Readers who are familiar with Filipino culture or immigration narratives, or those who have an interest in 20th Century history are probably the best matches for this one as an independent reading choice. At the same time, Everything We Never Had includes many themes worth exploring, so this might be a good choice for book clubs, lit circles, or a whole-class novel.
Thanks to Libro.fm for providing early access to this title.
When considering a young adult novel, I always think about what reader is its perfect match. Everything We Never Had is probably kind of niche-y. Although the characters are well-developed, there isn’t much of a through-line in terms of plot. Readers who are familiar with Filipino culture or immigration narratives, or those who have an interest in 20th Century history are probably the best matches for this one as an independent reading choice. At the same time, Everything We Never Had includes many themes worth exploring, so this might be a good choice for book clubs, lit circles, or a whole-class novel.
Thanks to Libro.fm for providing early access to this title.
May 13, 2025
It was aight
February 2, 2025
"Doesn't every son long for his father's approval, like a plant bending toward light?"
4.5 ⭐️ - a multi-generational story of Filipino-American men, exploring the dynamics between fathers and sons and what it means to be a man. YEAH, THIS GOT ME 🥺
I also loved the historical fiction element of this novel. It made me want to know more about my people. If anything, I think incorporating the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the contemporary setting was the only minus for me.. but it set the stage well for Enzo's struggle with mental health - which I DEFINITELY identified with. So much of this novel resonated with me. Beautiful all around.
🇵🇭❤️💛💙
4.5 ⭐️ - a multi-generational story of Filipino-American men, exploring the dynamics between fathers and sons and what it means to be a man. YEAH, THIS GOT ME 🥺
I also loved the historical fiction element of this novel. It made me want to know more about my people. If anything, I think incorporating the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the contemporary setting was the only minus for me.. but it set the stage well for Enzo's struggle with mental health - which I DEFINITELY identified with. So much of this novel resonated with me. Beautiful all around.
🇵🇭❤️💛💙
August 20, 2024
LOVED. The audio was great (thanks to LibroFM educator ALC program for the advance copy) but I actually want to reread this on paper, because there were so many times I wanted to see the beauty of the sentences on paper! Compelling characters and I learned so much about Filipino history too. Definitely going to use it for our new historical fiction book club set - it will be one of the more difficult texts, because there are 4 different time frames/POV that go back and forth.
July 30, 2025
4.5. I don't think I would have picked up this book if it hadn't been for for Read for a lifetime. excellent historical fiction regarding Philipinos coming to our country.
August 31, 2024
Updated review August 2024:
In 1930 Watsonville, Francisco Maghabol struggles with violence and poverty, questioning his decision to leave the Philippines. By 2020, his great-grandson Enzo contends with family tensions and a pandemic, seeking to mend the rift between his father and grandfather while dealing with his own anxiety.
This book is still fantastic. I read a digital copy earlier this year, and once I saw the audio cast, I knew I had to check it out in that format.
The story is just as engaging via audio, with a multi-person cast selecting performances that are nuanced, heartfelt, and emotional.
I still relate to Enzo so much, and that scene toward the end with his dad on the porch makes me cry. I love how we saw multiple generations of a family and how each generation did their best with what they knew and had.
This would be a great book for book clubs, as there is a lot to discuss and learn from this story. Absolutely recommend with all of my heart.
Original review July 2024:
This book follows the Maghabol family across different eras: Francisco in 1930s Watsonville, Emil in 1965 Stockton, Chris in 1983 Denver, and Enzo in 2020 Philadelphia. Each faces unique struggles in America, from racial prejudice to family conflicts, ultimately shaping their identities and relationships across generations.
Give me more generational stories, please! This one kept me engaged, turning the pages and soaking everything in. I wanted to finish but also wanted to draw it out. The multiple POV of the men in this family had me bought in immediately. It’s eerie how similar the generations had it, but they also had some stark differences.
The authors note at the end had me in tears. The list of additional recommended reading had me looking up books to learn more. I felt like Chris. How had I never learned of these atrocities in school?
I especially loved Enzo. I could totally relate to how he felt like the world was on his shoulders and always wanting to fix things. His anxiety and how he described it - it could have been from my brain. How he retreated during the pandemic? I did the same thing. Watching him learn about his family dynamic and come together with his father and grandfather was special and enlightening.
I fully recommend reading this one. I won’t forget it. It’s a special, timely, incredible book.
*I was provided a digital copy of this book for review by the publisher - all thoughts are my own.*
In 1930 Watsonville, Francisco Maghabol struggles with violence and poverty, questioning his decision to leave the Philippines. By 2020, his great-grandson Enzo contends with family tensions and a pandemic, seeking to mend the rift between his father and grandfather while dealing with his own anxiety.
This book is still fantastic. I read a digital copy earlier this year, and once I saw the audio cast, I knew I had to check it out in that format.
The story is just as engaging via audio, with a multi-person cast selecting performances that are nuanced, heartfelt, and emotional.
I still relate to Enzo so much, and that scene toward the end with his dad on the porch makes me cry. I love how we saw multiple generations of a family and how each generation did their best with what they knew and had.
This would be a great book for book clubs, as there is a lot to discuss and learn from this story. Absolutely recommend with all of my heart.
Original review July 2024:
This book follows the Maghabol family across different eras: Francisco in 1930s Watsonville, Emil in 1965 Stockton, Chris in 1983 Denver, and Enzo in 2020 Philadelphia. Each faces unique struggles in America, from racial prejudice to family conflicts, ultimately shaping their identities and relationships across generations.
Give me more generational stories, please! This one kept me engaged, turning the pages and soaking everything in. I wanted to finish but also wanted to draw it out. The multiple POV of the men in this family had me bought in immediately. It’s eerie how similar the generations had it, but they also had some stark differences.
The authors note at the end had me in tears. The list of additional recommended reading had me looking up books to learn more. I felt like Chris. How had I never learned of these atrocities in school?
I especially loved Enzo. I could totally relate to how he felt like the world was on his shoulders and always wanting to fix things. His anxiety and how he described it - it could have been from my brain. How he retreated during the pandemic? I did the same thing. Watching him learn about his family dynamic and come together with his father and grandfather was special and enlightening.
I fully recommend reading this one. I won’t forget it. It’s a special, timely, incredible book.
*I was provided a digital copy of this book for review by the publisher - all thoughts are my own.*
Read
June 30, 2024DNF at 23%.
I thought Everything We Never Had, a multigenerational story of four Filipino boys/men, would be awesome. And then it wasn’t.
Again, I didn’t like the COVID references (especially the anxiety about it). I couldn’t get into the story, and the third-person present tense writing started to irritate me. Somehow, I think this story, primarily set in the past, would have benefited from a past tense instead of a present one.
I hope other people will like this one more than I did.
Many thanks to Rafa from Penguin Random House International for this ARC!
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March 10, 2025
4.25⭐
𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦.
Randy Ribay has become an auto-buy author for me and I think it's a given I'll be crying at the end of any book he writes 🥹
Everything We Never Had brilliantly traces four generations of Filipino-American men in the Maghabol family—from Francisco in 1930s California, to Emil rejecting his father's ways in 1960s Stockton, to Chris discovering his heritage in 1980s Denver, and finally to young Enzo mediating family tensions during the 2020 pandemic.
What makes this book exceptional is how Randy weaved together all four narratives. The way he portrayed the wounds passed down through generations was raw and heartbreaking.
One of my favorite things about this book was seeing Chris and Enzo's father and son relationship. It was so moving, and offered a glimpse of healing and hope after decades of familial discord.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘭𝘰.
Randy continues to excel at capturing the Filipino-American experience. Everything We Never Had is a powerful exploration of masculinity, identity, and inherited trauma. It's also a poignant reminder of how understanding our history can help us heal 🤍
𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦.
Randy Ribay has become an auto-buy author for me and I think it's a given I'll be crying at the end of any book he writes 🥹
Everything We Never Had brilliantly traces four generations of Filipino-American men in the Maghabol family—from Francisco in 1930s California, to Emil rejecting his father's ways in 1960s Stockton, to Chris discovering his heritage in 1980s Denver, and finally to young Enzo mediating family tensions during the 2020 pandemic.
What makes this book exceptional is how Randy weaved together all four narratives. The way he portrayed the wounds passed down through generations was raw and heartbreaking.
One of my favorite things about this book was seeing Chris and Enzo's father and son relationship. It was so moving, and offered a glimpse of healing and hope after decades of familial discord.
𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘭𝘰.
Randy continues to excel at capturing the Filipino-American experience. Everything We Never Had is a powerful exploration of masculinity, identity, and inherited trauma. It's also a poignant reminder of how understanding our history can help us heal 🤍
November 11, 2024
I connected with this book in a really personal, deep way and I'm feeling a lot of different emotions in the wake of finishing it. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on my family and our history, on the idea of wanting to give everything you never had yourself but falling short on giving the things that you didn't realize you were missing. This book both broke my heart and gave me closure in ways that I'll never really be able to achieve in my own real, personal life.
There's so much more I could say - about the pieces of Filipino history that weren't deemed important enough to be taught in school, about longing for a connection to a larger whole that you feel torn apart from, about reading about an Asian immigrant parent who actually believes in apologizing to their kid. Instead of rambling some more, I'll end this with one of many many quotes that resonated with me and made feel seen - a feeling I had almost the entire time I read this, a sense of "Oh, I feel this too. Thank you for putting it into words."
There's so much more I could say - about the pieces of Filipino history that weren't deemed important enough to be taught in school, about longing for a connection to a larger whole that you feel torn apart from, about reading about an Asian immigrant parent who actually believes in apologizing to their kid. Instead of rambling some more, I'll end this with one of many many quotes that resonated with me and made feel seen - a feeling I had almost the entire time I read this, a sense of "Oh, I feel this too. Thank you for putting it into words."
On Sunday, while men like Mang Carlos attend Mass and the less pious head to the farm to bet on pallot, Francisco and Lorenzo pile into a jalopy with the others for their weekly trip to Sunset Beach. It's a different kind of religion, much older than Catholicism, this pilgrimage to where land kisses sea like it does in so many places back home.
March 28, 2025
Four generations of Fillipino-American men tell their stories of struggle to connect with each other, their identity, and their time.
The youngest, Enzo, is living in the pandemic era and his grandfather moves out of his retirement home and into Enzo's room for safety purposes. This puts three generations under one roof to manage relationships that haven't been tended to - ever.
Loved the format - loved each character's development - loved the historical context and its parallels to today. A powerful and highly engaging read.
The youngest, Enzo, is living in the pandemic era and his grandfather moves out of his retirement home and into Enzo's room for safety purposes. This puts three generations under one roof to manage relationships that haven't been tended to - ever.
Loved the format - loved each character's development - loved the historical context and its parallels to today. A powerful and highly engaging read.
June 4, 2025
This was such a good book. Four generations of a Filipino family navigate living in America. The first of the family immigrated over at 16. The book time jumps to see all four boys around the age of 16 and how they are perceived at that time in America and how they perceive their family and their heritage. Seeing the pieces of the family puzzle click together was so interesting and seeing why the father-son relationships panned out in certain ways was super eye-opening. Wonderful novel. Lots of incredible information and a book I didn’t want to put down
I did cry at the end of this book.
I did cry at the end of this book.
November 30, 2024
Very nearly a 5. Every thing I’ve been wanting in a YA novel but haven’t been able to find lately. Inter generational storytelling, sons and fathers impacting each other, people trying to reconnect, it’s all there. Just wish there was more healing between the men at the end but maybe that’s too much to ask. Learned a lot about the Philippines and Filipino Americans too.
August 25, 2025
There are parts of this I really enjoyed: no romance, all male main characters. The idea of Generational Family Trauma is laid out clearly and without truly being defined. However, I didn't love that the conclusion felt a little lackluster - It left me feeling disappointed.
June 11, 2025
Nappasin tän ilman suurempia ennakkotietoja tuolta Goodreadsin haastelistalta. Tää kertoo tarinan neljän eri sukupolven miehistä, joista ensimmäinen muuttaa Filippiineiltä Yhdysvaltoihin. Samalla se on pienimuotoinen katsaus Filippiinien historiaan, ja maahanmuuttajien kokemuksiin Yhdysvalloissa 1930-luvulta nykypäivään.
Mulla oli välillä vaikeuksia muistaa, kuka henkilöistä oli tehnyt mitäkin, koska perspektiivi vaihtu aika usein. Nyt onneks luin tän fyysisenä, niin sukupuuhun oli helppo palata ja se autto jo jonkun verran.
Oon edelleen vähän skeptinen kaikista korona-viittauksista fiktiossa, vaikka ymmärränkin miks se näkökulma on valittu tähän tarinaan. Musta tää nuorimman kertomus jäi kuitenki aika pintapuoliseksi, vaikka sen tarkotus olikin koota kaikki aiemmat sukupolvet yhteen.
Oli kuitenki kiinnostavaa nähdä, miten samankaltaisia ajatuksia eri sukupolvien edustajilla oli, ja miten ne kuitenki sit näyttäyty heidän lapsilleen ihan eri tavalla. Annan neljä tähteä kirjalle kokonaisuudessaan, mut ehkä henkilökohtaisena lukukokemuksena antaisin vaan kolmosen.
Mulla oli välillä vaikeuksia muistaa, kuka henkilöistä oli tehnyt mitäkin, koska perspektiivi vaihtu aika usein. Nyt onneks luin tän fyysisenä, niin sukupuuhun oli helppo palata ja se autto jo jonkun verran.
Oon edelleen vähän skeptinen kaikista korona-viittauksista fiktiossa, vaikka ymmärränkin miks se näkökulma on valittu tähän tarinaan. Musta tää nuorimman kertomus jäi kuitenki aika pintapuoliseksi, vaikka sen tarkotus olikin koota kaikki aiemmat sukupolvet yhteen.
Oli kuitenki kiinnostavaa nähdä, miten samankaltaisia ajatuksia eri sukupolvien edustajilla oli, ja miten ne kuitenki sit näyttäyty heidän lapsilleen ihan eri tavalla. Annan neljä tähteä kirjalle kokonaisuudessaan, mut ehkä henkilökohtaisena lukukokemuksena antaisin vaan kolmosen.
April 6, 2025
4.5 round up. I am crying.
December 16, 2025
utang na loob
January 1, 2025
I don’t think I would’ve picked this book up had it not been for Bookstagram. I would’ve missed out on a stupendous read. Emotional, poignant, and real, EVERYTHING WE NEVER HAD is a multigenerational family saga done right.
In order for a multigenerational family saga to work for me, each member of each generation has to be fully realized, a distinct being that is nevertheless affected by and affects their predecessors and progeny. The Maghabol men all have distinct personalities, and reasons for being so.
Alone in a hostile new country, Francisco creates a fragile new family of brothers for himself, yet is radicalized when he faces terrible tragedies and his future happiness is uncertain at the hands of racist white Americans.
Francisco’s son, Emil, carves out his own path different from his labor organizing father, who is hardly ever there because he is too busy fighting for other people’s rights instead of taking care of his son. Emil was super interesting to me because, out of all the characters, his mindset is probably the most different from my own, so determined is he to denounce his Filipino-ness in order to strike the American dream. However, Ribay develops him in such a way that he is fully realized, and I understand his choices even though I don’t agree with him.
Emil’s son, Chris, is very different from his father, and struggles under his controlling rule. A school project leads him into researching the dark events of recent Filipino history and puts him on a straight course to clash viciously with Emil.
Lastly, we have Enzo, Chris’ sensitive and anxiety-prone son, whose life is upended in the quarantine months of COVID, when his grandfather, Emil, moves in with them in their townhouse in Philly.
Everything hinged for me on the way these four main characters influence and are influenced by one another, and Ribay hit this out of the ballpark. As each man’s story unfolded, I came to fully understand what made them the way they are. That made their eventual conflicts, both within their own timelines and when three out of the four end up under one roof in Enzo’s chapters, all the more believable and emotional. Ribay masterfully ramps up the emotional tension until the climax had me stopped in my tracks in my apartment, listening (to the audiobook) with bated breath to see how it would all unfold.
As a bonus, I learned quite a bit about Filipino and Filipino American history from EVERYTHING I NEVER HAD, without feeling as though I was wading through tons of history. In fact, EINH makes for a good companion to nonfiction such as Patricia Evangelista’s Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My CountrySome People Need Killing or Erika Lee’s The Making of Asian America: A History, if the latter two are a bit too heavy and dense with facts and figures for you.
EVERYTHING I NEVER HAD was the best kind of historical fiction for me, the kind where the characters are the inevitable result of the impact of history on human lives, yet who are fully realized and who have as much agency as they can all things considered and who tug at your heartstrings for the hurt and the healing they cause. If you like historical fiction, learning more about Asian American history, multigenerational family sagas, father-son relationships, and character-driven stories, don’t miss out on EINH. I almost overlooked it, and my life would have been emptier without it.
[17 Dec 2024]
This was such a good recommendation from bookstagrammers with great reading taste. 😭
Full review to come.
In order for a multigenerational family saga to work for me, each member of each generation has to be fully realized, a distinct being that is nevertheless affected by and affects their predecessors and progeny. The Maghabol men all have distinct personalities, and reasons for being so.
Alone in a hostile new country, Francisco creates a fragile new family of brothers for himself, yet is radicalized when he faces terrible tragedies and his future happiness is uncertain at the hands of racist white Americans.
Francisco’s son, Emil, carves out his own path different from his labor organizing father, who is hardly ever there because he is too busy fighting for other people’s rights instead of taking care of his son. Emil was super interesting to me because, out of all the characters, his mindset is probably the most different from my own, so determined is he to denounce his Filipino-ness in order to strike the American dream. However, Ribay develops him in such a way that he is fully realized, and I understand his choices even though I don’t agree with him.
Emil’s son, Chris, is very different from his father, and struggles under his controlling rule. A school project leads him into researching the dark events of recent Filipino history and puts him on a straight course to clash viciously with Emil.
Lastly, we have Enzo, Chris’ sensitive and anxiety-prone son, whose life is upended in the quarantine months of COVID, when his grandfather, Emil, moves in with them in their townhouse in Philly.
Everything hinged for me on the way these four main characters influence and are influenced by one another, and Ribay hit this out of the ballpark. As each man’s story unfolded, I came to fully understand what made them the way they are. That made their eventual conflicts, both within their own timelines and when three out of the four end up under one roof in Enzo’s chapters, all the more believable and emotional. Ribay masterfully ramps up the emotional tension until the climax had me stopped in my tracks in my apartment, listening (to the audiobook) with bated breath to see how it would all unfold.
As a bonus, I learned quite a bit about Filipino and Filipino American history from EVERYTHING I NEVER HAD, without feeling as though I was wading through tons of history. In fact, EINH makes for a good companion to nonfiction such as Patricia Evangelista’s Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My CountrySome People Need Killing or Erika Lee’s The Making of Asian America: A History, if the latter two are a bit too heavy and dense with facts and figures for you.
EVERYTHING I NEVER HAD was the best kind of historical fiction for me, the kind where the characters are the inevitable result of the impact of history on human lives, yet who are fully realized and who have as much agency as they can all things considered and who tug at your heartstrings for the hurt and the healing they cause. If you like historical fiction, learning more about Asian American history, multigenerational family sagas, father-son relationships, and character-driven stories, don’t miss out on EINH. I almost overlooked it, and my life would have been emptier without it.
[17 Dec 2024]
This was such a good recommendation from bookstagrammers with great reading taste. 😭
Full review to come.
November 9, 2024
relatable, absolutely loved jt
November 1, 2024
Thanks to @PenguinTeen for this ARC #PenguinTeenPartner
I took a long break reading this because I anticipated heartache. There are heartbreaking events moments but also space for healing and light to come through. How does Ribay write father figures that pierce right through me? This could have been a 500 page family saga and I would have devoured it.
I took a long break reading this because I anticipated heartache. There are heartbreaking events moments but also space for healing and light to come through. How does Ribay write father figures that pierce right through me? This could have been a 500 page family saga and I would have devoured it.
November 22, 2024
I’m often not a big fan of multigenerational novels. The historical parts were more interesting to me than the contemporary story.
July 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. My summer TBR is complete! This is another of last year’s ALA YMA winners, and I can see why. It is a moving portrait of father-son relationship, set from 1930 through 2020. Francisco immigrates to the U.S. in 1930 with his sights on a promised better life, only to be met with hardship and racism. His son Emil grows up seeing his dad fight for Filipino workers’ rights at the cost of being there for his own family. That, in turn, causes Emil to parent his son Chris in the 1980s in a way that provides a stable home but not the emotional connection Chris craves. Finally, in 2020, Chris and his son Enzo have a good relationship, but when the Covid pandemic hits and they bring Emil to live with them, it threatens their happy bubble, but also opens Enzo up to a history he didn’t know of previously. This is one of those stories that kept me intrigued, and I grew to love the characters. Recommended for mature 8th grade readers and up. #yalit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian #alayma
September 11, 2025
“When it comes to repairing relationships, you can keep the door open, but you can’t make the other person walk through it.”
This book hit me hard. It’s a powerful multi-generational story about Filipino-American men, and as a Filipino-American myself, I felt so seen. Some of those sacrifices came at the cost of being emotionally present for their kids, a reality many immigrant families can recognize. You grow up not fully understanding the struggles your parents and grandparents endured, yet still feel the pressure to “make their sacrifice worth it.” Along with that comes the guilt of having more freedom and opportunity than the generations before you. Still, this story reminds us that there is hope, that future generations can heal, reframe, and carry their family’s story forward.
I wanted to give this 5 stars because it moved me, but parts of it felt a bit rushed. I wished each character’s story had more room to breathe. Still, the sprinkles of Filipino history were such a beautiful touch, adding depth and grounding this family’s journey.
This book hit me hard. It’s a powerful multi-generational story about Filipino-American men, and as a Filipino-American myself, I felt so seen. Some of those sacrifices came at the cost of being emotionally present for their kids, a reality many immigrant families can recognize. You grow up not fully understanding the struggles your parents and grandparents endured, yet still feel the pressure to “make their sacrifice worth it.” Along with that comes the guilt of having more freedom and opportunity than the generations before you. Still, this story reminds us that there is hope, that future generations can heal, reframe, and carry their family’s story forward.
I wanted to give this 5 stars because it moved me, but parts of it felt a bit rushed. I wished each character’s story had more room to breathe. Still, the sprinkles of Filipino history were such a beautiful touch, adding depth and grounding this family’s journey.
May 3, 2025
This story was a powerful message of resilience, hope, and healing. Scattered throughout the pages were moments of joy and love, even in the worst times and a hope so strong that it survives on to each son. In the most present timeline, Enzo’s timeline, three generations of Maghabol sons are still alive. Enzo and Emil’s nighttime routine of walking the dog together becomes the first crucial step in repairing relationships. The healing isn’t linear and seem far from happening, but the possibility is there, and that hope for a different future is what this book sees for this family and for anyone’s family.
Thank you to #netgalley , #kolkila and #penguingroup for the #free ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Thank you to #netgalley , #kolkila and #penguingroup for the #free ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
January 4, 2025
What a great read. It took me awhile to get "in" to it--and if I put the book down for awhile, I had to keep going back to the family tree--but I loved the characters, I loved what I learned about Filipino history in the US. It also was a mirror as to some of the generational relationships in my own family although my ancestors had been here for a lot longer. A lot of the family issues I saw in the relationships of my dad and his dad; of my mother and her family were similar to those in the book. (Now this would make a good dissertation topic for someone in sociology or history.) What a good pick for my second book of the year. I can see why it was honored as a NBA finalist.
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