SuitabookNest of Tongues
Randy Ribay
- Reading
- Check in after the opening threat and again near the climax, especially if supernatural pursuit feels intense. Discuss how the story presents folklore, secrecy and belonging without assuming every represented belief is endorsed.
- Themes
- Sibling protection: Lily sees herself as Caleb’s protector, while Caleb feels uncomfortable with their supernatural side and confronts his insecurities. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Secrecy and survival: The book addresses secrecy and survival; the detail of how it is developed remains unclear. The premise invites discussion of whether concealment can preserve safety when rules and public fears do not prevent persecution.
- Folklore and belonging: The novel places Filipino American siblings in a fictional San Francisco Bay Area town and draws on manananggal and Bayani folklore. Folklore is presented as part of the characters’ world and community, offering a basis for discussing how inherited stories shape identity and fear.
- Worth knowing
- The book includes supernatural threat, hunting and a fellow manananggal being killed.