Leche

A young man’s returns to the Philippines becomes a whirlwind tour of Manila’s perplexing postcolonial culture in a “sardonically funny and vibrant novel” (Booklist). After thirteen years of living in the United States, Vince returns to his birthplace, the Philippines. In the heat and chaos of the city, he encounters a motley cast of characters, including a renegade nun, a political film director, arrogant hustlers, and the country’s spotlight-driven First Daughter. Haunted by his childhood memories and a troubled family history, Vince unravels the turmoil, beauty, and despair of a life caught between a fractured past and a precarious future. Witty and mesmerizing, this novel explores the complex colonial and cultural history of the Philippines and the paradoxes inherent in the search for both personal and national identities. “Interspersed are ‘Tourist Tips’ for Manila, as well as postcards with photos that Vince writes to his friends back home. In short, Leche is all we’ve anticipated from Linmark” (Honolulu Weekly), “as quirky and funny as its oddball characters” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).