Through four generations of Maghabol men’s experiences in the United States, spanning from a teenage Filipino migrant worker in 1929 to a millenial in 2020, Everything We Never Had is a fictional journey of generational trauma punctuated with twentieth and twentyfirst century history. Randy Ribay’s poeticly descriptive writing adds depth to the dramatic irony as each Maghabol gives his child(ren) everything he never had. The pendular pattern continues with too much history and too many mistakes from one generation to the next until the COVID pandemic enables nonadjacent generations an opportunity to connect and see “We’re like mirrors infinitely reflecting each other”. Can that knowlege create a different future?
The book is a quick read, evenly paced, and a pleasant balance of fiction freckled with history that will instill readers with greater empathy and appreciation for the immigrant experience. While there is nothing lacking in the book, additional descriptions to add fullness to the characters and an appendage with the history of President Ferdinand Marcos would have enhanced the reading experience.
