Book excerpt: In The Typhoon’s Eye is a story of childhood and growing up amidst struggle, sacrifice, and concession to a stringent reality while keeping the dreams of youth alive. The imagery of Sandig hill with its vast greenery and lush ambiance shaped the perspective of the author as a young artist. Readers will share her personal journey in nostalgic local colors that are rendered by the sound of the church bells tolling, waking up the lazy town of Ocampo, the solemn procession on Easter, the crowded Sunday market, and the seductive scents of native delicacies sold on the streets. Alcohol and post-traumatic stress disorder clouded the expression of parental love, resulting in the severe upbringing of the author and her siblings. Chavez-Bernstein has crafted her coming-of-age tale in a profoundly insightful prose. This story is rich in pathos that can grip your heart with truthful tales of human interest. Love at first sight was as real as the disrupted lives in her parents’ generation during the Second World War, which blossomed again among those born in the following generation. In The Typhoon’s Eye is a memoir portraying the author’s young life and her courageous treatment of life’s adversities. Her perseverance, passion, relentless faith, and unbreakable love of family highlight this poignant story.