Everything We Never Had By Randy Ribay

In Everything We Never Had, the complexities of identity, masculinity, and father-son dynamics unfold through four generations of Filipino American men. The novel begins in 1930s Watsonville, where Francisco Maghabol, a laborer struggling to make ends meet, faces prejudice and violence. His aspirations are marred by his isolation and the harsh realities of his immigrant life, leaving him to question his decision to leave the Philippines.

By 1965 in Stockton, Francisco’s son, Emil, grapples with racial discrimination and works tirelessly in his aunt’s restaurant, determined to succeed in America without adhering to his father's ideals. Emil’s resolve to forge his own path strains his relationship with Francisco and sets him on a collision course with his own son.

In 1983 Denver, Chris, Emil’s son, rebels against his father’s domineering presence and becomes intrigued by Filipino history after an assignment on “ancestral history” derails his football career. This newfound interest drives a wedge between him and Emil, who dismisses Chris’s pursuits as irrelevant.

Fast forward to Philadelphia in 2020, Enzo, Chris’s son, faces his own struggles amid a global pandemic and strained family relations. As his grandfather, Lolo Emil, moves in, Enzo’s attempts to bridge the generational rift reveal the deep-seated issues that have shaped his family’s past.

Everything We Never Had weaves these narratives into a poignant exploration of family legacies and personal identity, with Enzo tasked with understanding and reconciling the fragmented stories of his forebears.