The Last Time I Saw Mother

by Arlene J. Chai

"AN OFTEN LYRICAL AND ALWAYS TOUGH-MINDED DEBUT . . . Provides rare insight into the three cultures--Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino--that coexist in the Philippines."
--The New York Times Book Review

Caridad's mother never writes. So when a letter arrives for her in Sydney from Manila, Caridad doesn't even recognize her mother's handwriting. There is more distance than just miles between the two women. And that is why Caridad is called home. Her mother needs to talk. And to reveal a secret that has been weighing heavily on her for years.

As Caridad hears at last the unspoken stories, and the never forgotten tragedy of the war years, she will learn a startling truth that will change her life forever. For Caridad is not who she thinks she is. . . .

"Beautifully written . . . Reading each chapter is like having a conversation with a close friend."
--Chicago Tribune

"A sensitive . . . portrait of a family of Filipina women . . . The novel illuminates much modern Philippine history."
--The Boston Globe

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Read For School, War, Historical, School, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 1996

About the author

Arlene J. Chai (b. 1955) is a Filipino-Chinese-Australian who migrated to Australia with her parents and sisters in 1982 because of the political upheaval. She became an advertising copywriter at George Patterson's advertising agency in 1972 and has been working there since. It is there that she met her mentor Bryce Courtney, who continuously inspires her to improve her work.

She won the Louis Braille Adult Audio Book of the year for her novel "On the Goddess Rock" in 1999.

Reviews

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way better than I thought it would be. =))

[Teri Pardue · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The word itself creates an empty sensation. Try saying it now. "Why?" Notice how your tongue touches nothing when you form the word with your mouth. Feel the gap, the space inside your mouth, that it created. The air. It is a place that needs filling. It is missing an answer" (p. 56).

I'm giving this book five stars, not because it's the most profound book I've ever read. It's not the most well written or poetic. But wow, it will stay with me for a long time! There were points, while reading about Manila during and after the war - and the Japanese occupation - that I was in tears. The effects of WWII on Manila never struck me as powerfully as when I read this novel. Not in history class, or visiting places like Corregidor and Intramuros, or reading historical books. Maybe I was open to it in a different way, or maybe something in her words just brought it all alive for me, but I am grateful.
I recommend this book to everyone who has a love for the Philippines and its resilient, compassionate, beautiful people.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A conversation between a mother and her teenage daughter:


Daughter: "Mom, am I adopted?"

Mother: "Of course not. What made you think that?"

D: "Aunt Lucy said that I don't look like you or Dad."

M: "That's because you take after both of us. Our features are thoroughly mixed in you that if you smile, your lips spread thinly like mine, but when you're serious, your lips purse like Dad's."

D: "You're really sure I'm not adopted?"

M: "A hundred percent sure. Even a million. I gave birth to you, or have you forgotten that? Why are you thinking of those things anyway? Have you been watching too much telenovelas lately?"

D: "No. But I read a book, The Last Time I Saw Mother by Arlene J. Chai. Caridad learns that she was just adopted, and the circumstances surrounding her birth are told to her by three different women: her mother Thelma, her aunt Emma, and her cousin Ligaya, which also touches upon the history of their families before the Japanese occupation and then further afterward."

M: "And because of that, you thought you might be adopted? Was the book any good?"

D: "Well, in my opinion, the plot is interesting. I mean, it shows four sides of the story. However, although the author wanted to do four voices, to me it felt like their voices are one and they same."

M: "So it was not that good?"

D: "Ideally, it is very good, Mom, since the author wanted to touch on the lives of four women with the history of the Philippines as a backdrop. It's just that because the characters sounded the same, and they also sounded a bit uncertain with respect to their reflections on the past, the whole book became more like a narrative lesson in history, than a compelling story of family and relationships."

M: "I see. Well at least it made you learn a bit of history, which you're not very good in. But if you said that the characters almost sound the same, how were you able to distinguish them from each other?"

D: "Well the book is divided into four parts, each dedicated for a single character. And they also have a bit of distinction in the tone in that Thelma is resolute, Caridad is confused, then contemplative, then understanding, Emma is regretful, and Ligaya is bitter. But that's just the difference as far as this story goes."

M: "So from what you've told me, you didn't seem to have enjoyed the story."

D: "As I was telling you Mom, I enjoyed the premise. I just felt that it could have been written better. There was too much drama going on but I guess that's understandable, since the premise is intended to be dramatic. But the characters are too digressing in their personal stories, and quite frankly, it's reminiscent of typical Filipino telenovelas where a child is adopted early on and only learns of the truth when they are older, though this one does not have all the pathetic complications as those on television. And the ending could have been better, but I guess it would suffice."

M: "Well that explains your question about being adopted. You read something that is like a telenovela! You mean I gave you your allowance and you spent it on an unsatisfying book?"

D: "It was cheap Mom, so I didn't really lose that much."

M: "So what happened in the ending? Why were you not satisfied?"

D: "Why don't you just read the book, Mom? I can't stand here all day and talk to you about that book."

M: "And why can't you stay and talk to me? I told you you're not going out to that party."

D: "You're never this strict with my brother! Maybe I am adopted!"

M: "Go to your room. And give me that book."

[Allwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It is the way life is. Like a wheel that turns, sometimes it misses you,sometimes it crushes you. At times life gives and at times it takes away. And each day you wake up and breathe and live is but another day's reprieve from death."-pg.153

"In the evenings, the dark hides the ugliness, but daylight forces us to live in a nightmare."-pg.154


These are just two of the quotes that make up this beautifully written debut, a tale told through the perspectives of a few different female relatives effected by war,kept secrets, and the meaning of family. It began a bit on the slow side,and I found not all the character chapters always kept me interested; but worked its way towards a fantastic middle and end with some superb characters all the same. Well worth the read!!

[ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable, but not as excellent as i had initially hoped it would be.

it's so rare for me to read a book with so many familiar places and names mentioned. the history, superstitions, culture, etc. were so comforting to read about, and i would have given this a higher rating solely because of my bias, but i found the overall execution a bit weak. the plot was interesting of course, but the narrative voices lacked strength.

the main conflict of Caridad's past was the least compelling to be honest, while the historical events mentioned were definitely the stronger points of the book, though i found them a bit distant and textbook-like. they lacked a bit of personal touch, a bit of heart.

anyway, i still like this book and i do think it is good! i would recommend it to a lot of people.

[Carla Cabs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am once again reunited with my favorite book of all time, “The Last Time I Saw Mother” by Arlene Chai. This is a very good book. It’s like having an intimate talk with a friend, as she slowly unveils the story of the four most powerful female characters she has ever met in her entire life. Something about this book never ceases to appeal to me. Perhaps it’s because of the fact that the author didn’t fail to capture the humanity and heroism of women from so many generations, upholding family tradition and creating their own. Everyone should grab a copy of this. It’s a real treasure to have on top of your bedside table or in your bookshelf.

Anyway, there were a lot of quotations that I now find very much applicable to who I am now. I guess this is also a reason why I keep reading it over and over; I find my words lost in its pages and reading them brings them to life… at least, for me.

“Every unhappy person thinks her unhappiness is unique.” (p. 14)
Absolutely true. There are people you will meet in your lifetime who will share their lamentations with you and end it with “you don’t understand what I am going through.” Maybe some time in our lifetime we have said this line already. I find the selfishness of human emotion quite outstanding; they talk about their pain, but they don’t want consolation. They speak of their burden and how the world is on their backs, but they don’t want to share the load. It is almost quite insensitive of them to actually assume that the person they are talking to is apathetic of their grief. In doing so, they do not realize that with that assumption, they leave that person wondering how in the world can they help this friend when they “don’t understand what they’re going through.”

“Migrants, I think, are people who are never whole, never completely in one place.” (p.17)
My cousin got married just this July. In preparation for her wedding, she came home some time in April. Although I can see how much she had missed the Philippines, I guess it has always lingered in my mind that she also missed New Jersey. They migrated there about 10 years ago, and only come to the Philippines after every two or four years. So she was born here and became a lady there, graduated high school here and college there, had her first kiss here and her last first kiss there. I guess in a way she does have two homes. Sad part is, she can’t be home at the same time.

“The poor are not far from sight. They live in little pockets on the periphery of these affluent subdivisions. A constant reminder to the rich that there is another side to life [sic].” (pgs. 30-31)
Just this February, I accompanied a friend to paint a mural on the 29th floor of the RCBC Plaza in Makati City. From there, the view was amazing. There was a big glass window opposite the wall she was painting on, so when the sun begins to set, you can definitely see the colors. Slightly tilting my head, I can also see (in spite of my great fear for heights) one of the premiere hospitals in the Metro – the Makati Medical Hospital. Right behind the wall of that hospital is about 60 families living on someone else’s land – squatters. When the other side of the wall gets cured of the gravest illnesses, the other side dies from some of the simplest.

“There is something I have learned about the dead. They live on. They turn into dust and they become part of the earth and the wind blows them up. They are in the very air we breathe. And their words live on with our minds, returning without being called.” (p. 50)
Need I say more?

This book has proven to be one of the most compelling dramas in Philippine literature. Not only does it highlight the suffering and hardship of the Filipina, it also gives you a clearer picture of what the past was like. Somehow, that picture gets to you and reeducates you to be a more critical member of the society we live in today.

There are a lot more lines from this book that has proven its worth in my life. I am sure that when you read Arlene Chai’s The Last Time I Saw Mother, you too will say the same thing. I believe that the most compelling part of the book, the line that sums everything up, is this:

“Right and wrong are judgments we make on hindsight. But at that moment of choice, we make our decisions the best way we know how.” (p.328)

It’s a comforting statement for those who regret something they have said or done in the past. Relieving even, if I might add. I know now for a fact that people, after reading this book, become more critical of their life experiences, find that it’s better to listen than to talk, and have a new found respect for the Filipina that they never knew.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars for "it's okay, but not very good." This novel had potential, but the storyline feels half-baked, bogged down in the life stories of several different characters with identical voices.

Caridad is 40 years old and living as an immigrant in Australia when her mother summons her home to the Philippines to tell her the truth about her parentage. The novel is told in the first person by four narrators: Caridad, her mother Thelma, her aunt Emma, and her cousin Ligaya. [It’s always weird when I encounter a character with my name. Doesn’t happen too often though, possibly because it sounds like the name of a boring aunt.] Multiple narrators are too common a pretension of debut authors; unfortunately, even experienced authors struggle to distinguish them, and Chai fails to do so here. Had the book been written in third person, more personality might have shone through, though across the board there's little to make these characters stand out. For the most part they're subdued; I enjoyed Ligaya's story most because her emotions are closest to the surface, but the others are quite passive.

Meanwhile, their stories have potential but fail to come to life. If Chai had chosen to focus on one or two aspects of the story rather than covering everything that's ever happened to everyone, it likely would have had more resonance. The most vivid sections discuss the family's experiences during the Japanese occupation and the difficult recovery afterwards; I say "the family's experiences" because too often Chai drifts into textbook-like overviews rather than sticking to the characters' own lives. "The glow could be seen as far as fifty miles away," that kind of thing. As for the big secret about Caridad's origins, it's rather anticlimactic, though the moral dilemma is handled well enough, without idealizing or vilifying any of the women involved. But I found it impossible to believe that in a large and fairly close-knit family, Caridad wouldn't have discovered the secret decades before. It also seemed a little too tidy for the fact of the secret to be the root of Caridad's current marital troubles.

Anyway, there's nothing offensively bad about this book: the writing is adequate, the imagery mostly works, there's a decent sense of place. The secret is a weak framing device, however, and the story and characters on the bland side. Not recommended unless you have a strong interest in the Philippines.

[Estelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

for all the right reasons, i will give this book a solid five.

i especially loved the fact that aside from highlighting the inter-generational experiences and realities of what a contemporary ought to be, and what she is actually represented, arlene chai also beautifully weaved the colonial amd post-colonial narratives that these women experienced during their time. it was such a wonderful tribute to philippine history that the story structure with which it was told would have nothing but perfect.

i daresay, however, that ending of the novel has emitted (or at least, subtly tried to) embody a perhaps too elitist, too ideastic and even bourgeoisie ending, for my taste—i personally felt like the post-colonial endings for most middle-class filipinos is not thoroughly a representative of it.

but overall, i would still consider this novel a classic. in all its flaws and imperfectness, i still think that arlene chai's sentimentalism was just right.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling and touching. It made me tear up more than a few times.

I started reading this before, when I was way younger because I got curious why my sister bought it, and I stopped reading after a few pages because I got bored but thinking about it now, it's mainly because I'm drawn into a different kind of book or genre way back then. And this afternoon, without anything to do, I decided to start reading it again. I got hooked that I finished front to back in one seating.

I like the way the truth was told in three voices. Because I believe that the absolute truth cannot be given by just one person, it can be known by collecting all of the truths of everyone involved. And that's what happened here. I noticed that the way we decide in our lives are greatly affected by our experiences. We don't do the things we do just because, we do it always for a reason. I find the women; Caridad, Thelma, Emma, and Ligaya, all strong in their own right. I wouldn't have known what to do if I was in any of their shoes.

This is one of my favorite books from now on. There are books you read that's good, that made you pass the time and made you learn a lesson or two. And there are books that changes you, that touches your soul with the words written on it or by making you wonder about your life or your whole being. This book is the latter that's why it's so precious. Amazing.

[Cassie Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on one of my sister's shelves, and I'm surprised at the rate that I find books with this genre. I've just finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha and this one pops up.

Honestly, I read most of this in one day, but I couldn't help but admit that I couldn't read smoothly for I had to stop and take deep breaths and look at the way my life is today. Also, some of the emotions that they felt in the story might have had a bit of similarity to the few hardships that I've been through (or at least, conjured up in my head) so it was as if I was reading something written especially for me.

I love this even more because of the era. I find war eras really interesting especially when it involved the Japanese. Although I've been fascinated by them for a long time, I can't help but commend Arlene Chai for helping me see how I shouldn't be taking Philippine History for granted. They way Emma narrated the return of Gen. Douglas McArthur sent a wave of happiness through me that I wouldn't get from years and years of reading Araling Panlipunan textbooks.

<3 All hearts.

[Zeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating of this book is definitely influenced of my appreciation for the content, but it is very well written too. My Auntie Gay gave me this book for Christmas in 1999! I JUST finished reading it and have a new perspective on what it was like for my parents and aunts and uncles to grow up in the Philippines. This is a "must read" for filipino females of my generation.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite a good read. I did enjoy it

[Sofía Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una descripción muy íntima de la cultura filipina y sus matices, contada desde la perspectiva de 4 mujeres. Nos habla de cómo distintas culturas interactuan al interior del mismo país como producto de una historia reiterada de ocupaciones violentas y abusivas por parte de distintas potencias. Me encantó porque me ayudó a entender muchas cosas sobre la historia de este país desde una perspectiva muy personal.

[Sofie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is nice and the story flows well. The problem's with the characters and the plot. If this was meant to introduce non-Filipinos to Filipino culture and history, sure, but maybe for most Filipinos, it would be too reminiscent of the typical soap aired on TV. The characters too are rather bland or one-dimensional, maybe except for Thelma and Ligaya, but Ligaya was annoying and told a lot of stuff not really relevant to the story.
Also, I especially disliked how the author tried to insert random historical facts into the story, they just looked really awkward with the really nice writing style.
But I did love the writing style Arlene Chai is marvellous at creating and describing settings. The book made me feel nostalgic.

[Kwe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had a hard time putting this book down! I didn't expect a detailed depiction from the time of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. Just. Wow. ✨

[ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

5

skl na napanaginipan kong ni-rate ko siya ng 4 stars dito hahah. but yeah, i really loved the story. this book was given to me by my professor in SHS back in 2016 or 2017 yata and i can't believe na she traded this for my paper towns book. di deserve hahaha charice. but since then i just put it on my shelf and added in my long list of tbr pile. i never paid attention to this book din because it looks old and ancient and syempre as a teen i was gearing more towards YA kaya di ko talaga to masyado napagtuonan ng pansin.

everytime i would pick this up hanggang dun lang ako sa first part na umuwi si caridad ng pinas. tas matatambak ulit sa shelf then babasahin then same routine. but i guess it's an intuition na i can feel that this book is good. and finally, tama ako. not only that this book was good, but this also felt important. reading it felt like no matter how you listen to stories about the war from your lola/lolo you know na you're safe kasi they are with you. and that we have already achieved freedom from the previous historical opression. na dahil kinekwento na lang siya ng nga nakatatanda sa atin, di na ulit yun mangyayari kahit na it was such a cruel past. ganun yung epekto niya sa akin.

at first, parang bagot pa ako kasi di talaga ako aware na historical fiction to at iniisip ko na bakit kailangan pang banggitin yung giyera at marcos regime eh gusto lang naman malaman ni caridad yung totoo? pero now i understand na there's a reason why the war was mentioned.

i have no bad things to say except sa manugang ni thelma na talaga nga namang... ay nako. anyway, ang ganda ng pacing ng story kasi kahit historical fiction parang nakikinig lang ako sa kwento ng lola/lolo ko. even the ending, it was well-wrapped up na para lang akong nanood ng movie. i would definitely reread this everytime i have a different perspective. i also feel na this is something that will stick to me and will often think about every once in a while.

P.S
sana required reading to sa mga high school ngayon kasi ganun siya ka-importante and relevant.

[annapi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caridad is called home to the Philippines by her mother, who has finally decided to tell her the personal history she has kept to herself. The present time is in the 1980's just after the People Power revolution that toppled the Marcoses from power, and the story of the past that unfolds is mostly set around WWII, before, during and just after the Japanese occupation.

This was an almost eerie read for me, because the characters' stories here are similar to stories I have heard about other people of the time. My father was 13 during the war, and he had told us a few things that made this book very vivid to me. I myself was in college and volunteered as a poll worker during the election that led to the 1986 revolution, and was at EDSA myself for a day. The Philippines comes alive in these pages which bring back a lot of memories for me. It's difficult to rate the story itself because the history and the places are so personally familiar, but at times the pace was a bit slow. Still, this is a solid 4-star read with engaging characters and lots of family dynamics to explore.

[Augustin Ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this feels like having an intimate conversation with your family. The story was told by special characters of great significance who unveiled the truth slowly to let the main character understand how everything happened. It was also nice to read a book in which the setting was the Philippines during the Marcos Sr. regime. It pictured what was life back then for families of different classes.

This book also shows how a mother's love is so unconditional and won't let any child suffer if the opportunity is presented. Regardless, of whether being a mother is based on blood or not, the character of the mothers here didn't become less of a mother and as a person. They just wanted what was good for the child and in the end, they also give it to her by telling her the truth.

[Tris · Rating 3 out of 5]

the last time i saw mother tells four women's stories starting from the 1940s to what i think is 1990. through the perspectives of two generations of women, we learn about the japanese occupation of the Philippines from 42 to 46 and later the people power revolution that ended the 21-year marcos regime in 86. given that the women had of course some very similar struggles (as a woman, daughter, mother, wife), it's hard to tell apart their voices. in the middle it just reads like a history lesson instead of a story about family. my initial guess about caridad's parentage was much more dramatic, but we get the confirmation not even a quarter through and then comes the history lesson. we do need to hear more of these voices but i just wish it was done in a way that's less "information overload"—as caridad herself says.

[Dan Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that warms one’s heart.

[carmela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never thought I'd be rating a school novel 5 stars. It was chilling, unconventional and intriguing. I'd reread in the future, with caution as the story gets dark at some points. But this is a beautiful novel with spectacular writing, would recommend to all looking for a good family-centered drama.

PS. I write shorter reviews for novels I read for school.

[Basic Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Time I Saw Mother is a powerful story of what it means to be a woman in love, riches, poverty, war, and secrecy. Caridad goes home from Sydney to the Philippines when her mother writes her a letter admonishing her to do so. During this trip, she uncovers the life of three women: Mama Thelma, Tia Emma, and cousin Ligaya, the culmination of which was her adoption into her mother's family.

These three women had powerful stories to tell and strong motives for their actions, which didn't always make them the hero from the perspective of others.

There were moments that made me stop to contemplate the weight of their experiences. I also cried in some scenes, because they're just that powerful and sincere. You know where the three women are coming from, and you want the best for each of them, but it's not always possible.

The writing style is simple, and I believe that's what made the narrative so effective. She didn't over-emphasize the grief of war, but let their actions and dialogue relay them to the readers.

There's also the educational aspect of the book. You get to learn the Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese cultures that came together in Philippine society. Their experiences of WWII was also superbly written.

You should read this book at least once in your life. I truly believe this is the kind of storytelling and heart we need right now.

[Sondang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I found when I tried to go to the second-hand bookshop.
Actually, I choose this book (which only cost me 10.000 rupiahs at 2000) because its condition was still good.
The cover still looked smooth, it looked just as a new book.
But after reading it, I really really thankful for decision to buy that book :D (10 rebu jaman kuliah gethuw)
The story is about a Philipine Woman – I think she was Chinese most of the time-, who moved to Australia with her husband. She always fell something wrong with her relationship with her mother, but didn’t exactly know what–or maybe deep in her heart she knew it but deny it-.
When her marriage starting to fell apart, she tried to look into her heart to find the emptiness she fell all this time –which is also affected all her relationship with others-, and at the same time her mother asked her to come to Philipinne because she wanted to tell her something she’s been hiding all along.
I love the way Arlene wrote about the relationship, and the background.
Well somehow –again- the cultural background made it such an interesting story.
The story also described the situation in the war, and in Imelda Marcos era, and the way Philippine people think about that.
Toko Buku Kecil di Jurangmangu : 10.000 *grin*

[Kassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.5

This book is one of favorites now. The story is a purely great one about a family told by a generation of Filipino women and each of their unique stories. Emma's tells the story of the Philippines during WWII, Ligaya's story is about the struggles she faced in her early teenage years, and Thelma's story is about a married woman's life. Caridad is the woman who brings all these stories together.

I rated it a 3.5 because it's a book I wouldn't normally read and that lowered a little of my rating. The Last Time I Saw Mother was the book I read to get me into reading more books that are out of my comfort zone, and it didn't disappoint.

This book is such an underrated one that isn't getting as much praise as it should and that really saddens me. Filipinos, especially, should be reading this.

[Judy Grace Legaspi · Rating 2 out of 5]

skipped many parts; I guess too much beating around the bush, which is alright if the climax of the story is really to die for. But I don't remember reading any climatic part at all. Sorry. 3 This also illustrates one cliche of the Philippine drama industry.

[Samantha Oledan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many twists.
Touching.
Heart-breakinng.

[Elaiza Ayap · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book so much and it is now one of my favorite books!

"For the past defines us as much as the present. By never knowing my past, I was never sure of who I was. Because mine was missing, I never felt whole." - Caridad

With just this line, the author was able to touch not just Caridad's experience as a person but our experience as a people belonging to the same history. Because indeed it is true, we our shaped by our past and to be unaware of it is to be incomplete.

This book was so compelling and heart-touching, made me tear up at some parts. I especially liked how the family's intergenerational history was strongly interwoven with Philippine history. It showed that our lives, whether we like it or not, is shaped by our history and society so we must learn to be critical of it and not live in naivety.

It also made me realize how much I still did not know of my own country's history and made me so ashamed of myself. I realized that even though history was a part of lessons when I was in school, there are still many things about it that I did not know of or understood properly. These things, this book was able to teach and remind me. It was like having a quick review of Philippine history with light Filipino family drama on the side. There were parts of during the Japanese occupation that really broke my heart. I never really understood the degree of suffering our ancestors experienced until I read this book. Way back in elementary and high school, I was immature and saw history as boring and just dates and events for me to memorize which I hated doing. Thank God I grew up and realized how wrong I was. Thank God I found this book who all the more taught me how naive I was!

I also liked that the story was told in different perspectives. It showed how the truth can be different depending on who experienced it. Loved the line "After all, do we not all belong in each other's stories" in the prologue. It introduced the mode of narration of the book which is perfect for its theme, especially as this one circles around an intergenerational Filipino family.

"But what is the truth, I ask you. Is it not different for everyone? Do we not all look at the one thing, and each see it differently, so what is right to one may be wrong to another? Does it not mean that no one person holds the truth for it is arrived at when we all tell our part? Raoul, Emma, Ligaya, and I, we all own a part of the truth."

Your truth can be different from someone else's truth which is the reality of life. Sometimes, misunderstandings happen in the family because these truths are not voiced out. It is only when we speak of these truths, no matter how ugly they are, that we get to see things in the eyes of the other and better understand them. This novel showed that you can try to run and hide, but ultimately, it is the the truth that will set you free.

The author was also able to touch some common Filipino family realities that are ever-present up to this day.

"She has done so much for me. Utang na loob. My debt of honor. I must show her I am grateful, even if at times I have felt resentful. It is what those who have needed help must suffer: to receive with gratitude and resent having to receive at all."

"It is like a curse, being the firstborn; though I was loved first and best, I suffered most, I carried the heaviest load."

These are just some of the lines that really hit me as they were very personal being someone who is a firstborn from a not well-off family who needed to show "utang na loob" all my life. The author, in these words was able to depict the bittersweet feeling of being a firstborn and being the receiving end of help all the time. And these lines will forever stay with me. As they perfectly represented what I felt but failed to describe in words for a long time. Oh how they pricked my heart and yet comforted me. For now I really know and have deeply realized that I am not alone in this plight.

Arlene J. Chai, thank you for this literary work of art! Will definitely recommend this to every hist fic bookworm I know!

[Reymark Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up this book with a great discount from a local bookshop, I was drawn to the title as if it were calling me, waiting for me to pick it up. Without hesitation, I bought it, never expecting that it would alter my mind and both build and shatter my heart at the same time.

Written by a woman with a Filipino first name and a Chinese last name (Arlene Chai), The Last Time I Saw Mother tells the story of a woman named Caridad who is summoned by her mother—a mother who never writes, to the point that Caridad doesn’t even recognize her mother’s handwriting. Their distance is filled with resonance and miles, filled with answers to questions never asked. As secrets begin to unfold and unspoken stories are revealed, Caridad starts to learn the truth—one that would change her life forever.

In her biography, Chai is said to have migrated to Australia, just like Caridad, who also lives there with her husband. Much of the content of the book reveals various Filipino and Chinese cultures. Through this, readers catch a glimpse of who Chai is as a person.

This book tells different stories and is narrated through various voices: a story of a mother fighting for her family’s survival despite the grieving life under Japanese colonization; a mother whose faith in God is slowly fading due to life’s circumstances; a story of a firstborn child whose dreams were snatched away from her hands for the sake of her family’s practicality; a story of a daughter yearning for the truth and discovering a past that defines her; and a granddaughter learning that truth, as it is a part of her, too.

Chai’s way of writing is very comprehensive, with a narrative that explains, details that capture the senses, and words that aren’t too deep and are easy to absorb. Emotions just flow out of this novel, along with historical context, and it provides heartwarming insights into the cultures of the Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino. Reading the points of view of four different women, all rooted in the same culture and the same story, I can see where they connect—as individuals, as a family, and as parts of each other’s stories. Everything is written beautifully with words that compel the heart, worth taking its truth and bringing it within:

It is the way life is. Like a wheel that turns, sometimes it misses you, sometimes it crushes you. At times life gives, and at times it takes away. And each day you wake up and breathe and live is but another day's reprieve from death.”

"In the evenings, the dark hides the ugliness, but daylight forces us to live in a nightmare."

“Every unhappy person thinks her unhappiness is unique.”

"The word itself creates an empty sensation. Try saying it now. "Why?" Notice how your tongue touches nothing when you form the word with your mouth. Feel the gap, the space inside your mouth, that it created. The air. It is a place that needs filling. It is missing an answer."

First novel written by a Filipino author that I have ever read. It radiates what it means to be a Filipino. Breathtaking, sensitive, and relatable.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of The Last Time I Saw Mother
By: Arlene J. Chai
Caridad doesn’t have the greatest relationship with her mom Thelma and since she had moved to Australia with her husband and teenage daughter her mom never writes her. One day Caridad receives an actual letter written by her mom, asking her to come home. Thelma has a secret about her daughter’s origins that only her sister Emma and niece Ligaya know about, and it’s time Caridad knew what it was.
This is a story about mothers and daughters and what a mother will do to protect her daughter and survive. Having a multi-perspective story helped give the whole picture and reveal everyone’s point of view that is important to the events. We get not only Thelma and Caridad’s POVs, but we also hear from Emma and Ligaya. We understand how everyone felt and how they interpreted their experiences with only certain amounts of information altering how they responded emotionally. There is a focus on WWII as we are told what happened during the war and what happened to the family afterwards. We learn of the struggle and how they had to rebuild not just their home but also the relationships. The way it’s told gives a sense of hope because we know the characters are okay. The characters are telling the story after the events have happened so we know they survive, but how Caridad will respond to the story creates the tension in the plot. Throughout, they are trying to justify their actions and explain how different things were for them compared to the present. Seeing where the characters were and knowing where they are shows how they developed and grow as characters. There are a lot of different types of mother/daughter relationships that are explored, and not just biological ones but also relationships between in-laws. One of the characters has to adjust to the different ways her mother in-law runs the house and it shapes how she becomes as a parent and caretaker of the home. The novel is an emotional journey that explores a family bond that is just as complicated as fathers and sons.

[Tess Blanch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to finish this book on the last day of the month, just in time to be in the included in the akdang pinoy celebration this month.

I got this book two years ago in a book sale and realized it was written by Filipino author and a signed copy too. I remembered I have this copy and started to read it right away.

After living in Sydney for ten years, Caridad receives a letter from her mother in Manila telling to come home and needs to talk to her. Without her knowing what it is about, she comes home, unprepared for what she is about to discover. The stories start to unravel, on their families struggle to live on poverty, on wars, on secrets that will change her life forever.


I’m sure nobody is familiar with this book or even the author. This was written in 1995 and it was set in Manila during the late 80s a few years after the People Power.

This is such an atmospheric read. This book was written in the 90s, I can feel the life described in the 80s, it’s like relieving those moments, the streets of Manila, the old houses, the shops, the food, the traditions, the attitudes towards family, marriage and children, are so very Filipino in so many ways. And it’s something I can relate to.

The story is a bit predictable. From the start, you will know now what it is all about but I’m just curios as to how iit will played out. And at the same time, I’m captivated with the author’s writing. Even if there are some stories that I think are a bit irrelevant to the whole story, I didn’t mind a bit and was actually captivated. The ending is also something I expected it to be but somehow it also gives me peace and closure I needed for the book.

As we celebrate the closing of the month, we read Filipino books not just this month but the whole year round.