The Son of Good Fortune

A Novel

By: Lysley Tenorio

Narrated by: Reuben Uy

A Recommended Book From:
USA Today * The Chicago Tribune * Book Riot * Refinery 29 * InStyle * The Minneapolis Star-Tribune * Publishers Weekly * Baltimore Outloud * Omnivoracious * Lambda Literary * Goodreads * Lit Hub * The Millions

FINALIST FOR THE JOYCE CAROL OATES PRIZE
WINNER OF THE NEW AMERICAN VOICES AWARD

From award-winning author Lysley Tenorio, comes a big hearted debut novel following an undocumented Filipino son as he navigates his relationship with his mother, an uncertain future, and the place he calls home

Excel spends his days trying to seem like an unremarkable American teenager. When he’s not working at The Pie Who Loved Me (a spy-themed pizza shop) or passing the time with his girlfriend Sab (occasionally in one of their town’s seventeen cemeteries), he carefully avoids the spotlight.

But Excel knows that his family is far from normal. His mother, Maxima, was once a Filipina B-movie action star who now makes her living scamming men online. The old man they live with is not his grandfather, but Maxima’s lifelong martial arts trainer. And years ago, on Excel’s tenth birthday, Maxima revealed a secret that he must keep forever. “We are ‘TNT’—tago ng tago,” she told him, “hiding and hiding.” Excel is undocumented—and one accidental slip could uproot his entire life.

Casting aside the paranoia and secrecy of his childhood, Excel takes a leap, joining Sab on a journey south to a ramshackle desert town called Hello City. Populated by drifters, old hippies, and washed-up techies—and existing outside the normal constructs of American society—Hello City offers Excel a chance to forge his own path for the first time. But after so many years of trying to be invisible, who does he want to become? And is it possible to put down roots in a country that has always considered you an outsider?

Thrumming with energy and at once critical and hopeful, The Son of Good Fortune is a luminous story of a mother and son testing the strength of their bond to their country—and to each other.

TNT

A friend of mine recommended that I should read “The Son of Good Fortune.” I wasn’t too sure why because it sounded like a con artist plot, but the story is pretty deep. Tago Ng Tago means undocumented in Filipino language. The story is about a mom, trying to get money from men on the internet to try to help her teenage son. Her son is undocumented and goes on a journey to find himself.

Their story goes deeper than the cover. The humor from the characters is typical Asian, sarcasm. It’s not the best book that I’ve read, but it was worth the read.

I loved this book!

I loved this book so much! The story of Excel, an undocumented Filipino immigrant, who was born on a plane between Manilla and US and his former B action-movie actress mother Maxima was so engaging and rich. We need more books like this, both in terms of depth and representation. The narrator is wonderful! One of the best I've encountered with my audible subscription!

Great characters!

I loved the characters that Lysley created. The story was great and I was always looking forward to hearing what would happen next. I also liked how I was able to relate to the Filipino jokes and sayings from the characters.

Narration by Reuben was awesome. I loved that he was able to change his voice and accent to better represent each character.

When a simple minded teenager writes a book

I was disappointed bc the storyline had such potential. But when told by a bored, unambiguous teenager, it’s not just an annoying read, but there is no story. Until the last 2 chapters, the book is nihilistic - about nothing but his days doing the bare minimum. If you are into fleshed out characters and an interning story, save your credits. Also, the narrator is pretty bad imitating Asian voices.

Horrible

Only read Because joined a monthly book club but did not like this at all