Halina Filipina
A New Yorker in Manila
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
When two cultures collide, the results are explosive—a graphic novel rom-com like no other!
Halina Mitchell is half-Filipino, half-American. She's also a native New Yorker—sophisticated, beautiful and confident. On her first visit to the Philippines, she arrives in Manila to reconnect with relatives only to encounter a world of surprises that turn all her assumptions on their head. With the intrepid film critic Cris as her guide, she discovers a Manila that few others get to see!
Cris's wry takes on bad movies offer Halina a new lens on the modern world as he whisks her through his hometown at breakneck speed—including a crash course in Manila street life and the thrills and perils of midnight driving. In turn, Halina gives the struggling writer a newfound appreciation for his city.
Perfect for fans of "opposites attract" romances like Fangs and The Prince and the Dressmaker, this book offers a rom-com take on modern life and a touching story of friendship, love and crosscultural (mis)understanding from a renowned graphic novel pioneer.
Captured in Arre's distinctive style, Halina Filipina is about finding one's place in the world—or in two worlds at once!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Is it still culture shock when the culture is supposed to be your own? That's the question at the heart of this charming fish-in-new-waters love story from Arre (The Mythology Class). Halina Mitchell, a mixed-race Filipino American, takes a trip to Manila, where she meets Crisostomo, a snarky but sweet movie critic who is native to the Philippine capital city. He opens her to new experiences, but meanwhile, her connection to home grows ever more tenuous. Her boyfriend in New York City doesn't return her calls—while her Filipino family embraces her as one of their own. Still, Halina's "foreignness" shows in her limited familiarity with Tagalog and Filipino food and customs, and it's literally put on display when she appears on a hyperactive television game show. (Tagalog is sprinkled throughout the book without translation, though some is understandable from context.) The black-and-white art brings Manila to life with uniquely Filipino settings such as crowded jeepneys and sari-sari convenience stores. The graceful linework makes for appealing and expressive characters in both broad comedic scenes and quietly dramatic moments. While the story relies heavily on the trope of pairing a regular schlub with a beautiful woman, in this rare case it proves a winning formula for readers looking for a fresh twist on romantic comedy.
