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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Finished this compelling, quick tale of a Colombian family separated by physical land and impossible choices. The oral history feel of this was easy to fall into, even if witnessing the harsh realities of emigration and immigration created unease. Loved!
I’d give this 3.5 stars. I listened to this one and it was pretty confusing when it went back and forth from the past and present. This book definitely had me thinking about family and immigration. It can be challenging to read but it is an important book. TW: animal abuse and sexual assault
I haven’t read a lot of literary fiction this year and Columbia is a country I’ll admit I know very little about.
But it is these kinds of books that opens the mind and heart by giving the opportunity to learn about the human condition today.
This book deals with difficult subject matter with unflinching honesty. This is a story about Mauro and Elena, the beginnings of a beautiful family, and the difficult decisions they make that unfortunately have dire consequences. Unable to stay together, the family becomes split between the United States and Columbia.
It’s a beautifully written character driven novel, laced with Andean myths that I wish to explore further.
But it is these kinds of books that opens the mind and heart by giving the opportunity to learn about the human condition today.
This book deals with difficult subject matter with unflinching honesty. This is a story about Mauro and Elena, the beginnings of a beautiful family, and the difficult decisions they make that unfortunately have dire consequences. Unable to stay together, the family becomes split between the United States and Columbia.
It’s a beautifully written character driven novel, laced with Andean myths that I wish to explore further.
Perfect story that explains the challenges, risks, difficuties, rewards and life long friends made when you flee you're home country insearch of a better life!!!
I became invested in this story immediately and read it in less than a day. I imagine I will reflect on these stories for years to come.
This is a story about family, love, identity, and emigration. It is told by five different narrators in the same family. It’s a story about the fluidity of home(s). It’s about belonging and not belonging to two countries, the United States and Columbia.
I learned a lot about the feelings of in-betweenness people may feel when their homes, hearts, and identities are split between countries. The Colombian myths and legends woven throughout the book were breathtaking.
I will recommend this to everyone and wish I read it as a book club story so I could talk about it with others. If you read it, please let me know!
“People say drugs and alcohol are the greatest and most persuasive narcotics—the elements most likely to ruin a life. They’re wrong. It’s love.”
“And maybe there is no nation or citizenry; they’re just territories mapped in place of family, in place of love, the infinite country.”
This is a story about family, love, identity, and emigration. It is told by five different narrators in the same family. It’s a story about the fluidity of home(s). It’s about belonging and not belonging to two countries, the United States and Columbia.
I learned a lot about the feelings of in-betweenness people may feel when their homes, hearts, and identities are split between countries. The Colombian myths and legends woven throughout the book were breathtaking.
I will recommend this to everyone and wish I read it as a book club story so I could talk about it with others. If you read it, please let me know!
“People say drugs and alcohol are the greatest and most persuasive narcotics—the elements most likely to ruin a life. They’re wrong. It’s love.”
“And maybe there is no nation or citizenry; they’re just territories mapped in place of family, in place of love, the infinite country.”
Mixed emotions on this. A nice short read which is always nice after reading a bigger, heavy going book but it just didn’t reach me how I’d hoped.
Certainly emotional and different to what I’d normally choose. Some great characters and development and very well written but looking back, I don’t remember much about it.
Certainly emotional and different to what I’d normally choose. Some great characters and development and very well written but looking back, I don’t remember much about it.
I struggled through this book. I found the narrator hard to identify and wasn’t sure why Engel felt the need to write it from that point of view. While the themes of immigration, emigration, and deportation are all similar, I think I would’ve liked the story better if it focused on just one of these instead of blending all three.
beautifully written, captivating, and enchanting. an immigrant tale from a different side, always good to look at situations from a different point of view.
I enjoyed this book but didn't completely connect with it. You could feel how this story was one that many people have lived. I can't imagine living in that type if fear, always wondering when your world was going to be torn apart and your family separated
