Date started: 05 August 2026
Date finished: 07 August 2026

A queer YA debut novel written in modern Filipino setting sprayed with Studio Ghibli references? Sign me up!

When Life Gives You Paper is a tale of an eighteen-year-old protagonist trapped in a tricky situation and is compelled to juggle between his studies, crumbling family finances, and part-time work while processing his grief amidst the gap his eldest brother left after getting estranged from the family. The cover art also explains the general message of the book- the tendency to escape from Earth and set aside our problems momentarily while sitting at the moon to get some relief.

In this moving YA novel, Paul must face living a life under a broken family, fight to survive and eventually fulfill his dreams. We could also see how following a life-changing tragedy, the author thrusts readers into Paul’s raw journey of identity, how family and friendship dynamics were tested and how love becomes a lifeline.

If you are looking for a story beautifully written from a first-person point of view, with elements of rhetoric, as well as capturing the complex strings of resolving conflicts and would want to feel inspired afterwards, this is a must-read. Especially for young Filipino adults, the cultural references, dialogues, and social dynamics were captured in this novel.

Ultimately, this novel proceeded with balancing the crushing weight of grief with the healing power of unexpected love (more of the protagonist not expecting that he deserved such love and things would work out eventually for the most part).

What I liked about this novel is the choice of not expanding the set of characters and simply focusing on the protagonist’s nuclear family and immediate friends. The choice of not taking a heavy approach towards depression and grief is also another intentional decision which, for me, worked out really well because it complemented the author’s intention of lifting the readers’ spirits after finishing this book. I would also commend how the characters are likeable and how I was rooting for all of them. Each of the characters have their own distinct voices and the dialogues are realistic that’s why it wasn’t hard to root for them.

Overall, I felt inspired after reading this book and I am hoping that this will serve as a motivational literary piece for young adults undergoing the same tricky situation same with Paul’s.