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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
This book has evoked many emotions in me.
Despite my family’s story being quite different than that of the family in the book, it had many similarities and many things that hit close to home. Livinv as an immigrant in a foreign country is a strange and at times cruel experience, especially when it feels like the authorities might act like you have more of a right to belong than your parents, even though at the end you will stay a stranger. Moving from place to place, at times it raises the question whether there is such a place as home. Whether you truly belong anywhere when you feel torn between nations and people, friends and family. Once your migrate it always feels like a part of you is missing and sometimes maybe as if this part can never be found, the gaping hole never filled.
Despite my family’s story being quite different than that of the family in the book, it had many similarities and many things that hit close to home. Livinv as an immigrant in a foreign country is a strange and at times cruel experience, especially when it feels like the authorities might act like you have more of a right to belong than your parents, even though at the end you will stay a stranger. Moving from place to place, at times it raises the question whether there is such a place as home. Whether you truly belong anywhere when you feel torn between nations and people, friends and family. Once your migrate it always feels like a part of you is missing and sometimes maybe as if this part can never be found, the gaping hole never filled.
Excellent read, with some good thought. Some places it skipped narrator and was confusing but overall well written and something to get you thinking.
Wow, this book was painfully beautiful. ✨ I was instantly sucked into the lives of a five person mixed-status Colombian family. It’s an impactful story about the complicated nature of finding your true identity and how borders define the journey.
When reading this book I was often reminded of my own family. I’m daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. Recently, my parents and I started to discuss their migration family and how we identify. Now, they’ve lived more years in America than their native country. But they still identify with their patria.
I definitely recommend this to others. The author was able to pack so much nuance into this short read.
When reading this book I was often reminded of my own family. I’m daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. Recently, my parents and I started to discuss their migration family and how we identify. Now, they’ve lived more years in America than their native country. But they still identify with their patria.
I definitely recommend this to others. The author was able to pack so much nuance into this short read.
This is one of the most beautifully written stories I’ve read. The writing style reminded me of Migrations, although the story is quite different. It’s such a timely, relevant story that enables the reader to better understand the experience of undocumented immigrants - their hopes, fears and how hard they’re willing to work in order to have a chance.
Why’d I pick this read? Books with Taylor and Reese’s Book Club
Why’d I pick this read? Books with Taylor and Reese’s Book Club
A short but powerful novel about a Colombian family fractured as a result of borders and American immigration policies. The alternating narrators and timeline jumps help paint a full picture of each characters experience as they search for a sense of home, identity, and family connection.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Xenophobia
I found this book to be incredibly well written.
Engel made this relatable, so that any audience could feel what the characters are feeling and going through, even if you’ve never been through the same experience.
I was impressed by the desire to finish this book. I found myself wanting to keep reading even when exhausted and in need of sleep!
While this is a work of fiction, it seems that there was enough understanding by the author to make it feel extremely real.
This is one work of fiction I’m likely to keep on my shelf and pay it forward by buying new.
Engel made this relatable, so that any audience could feel what the characters are feeling and going through, even if you’ve never been through the same experience.
I was impressed by the desire to finish this book. I found myself wanting to keep reading even when exhausted and in need of sleep!
While this is a work of fiction, it seems that there was enough understanding by the author to make it feel extremely real.
This is one work of fiction I’m likely to keep on my shelf and pay it forward by buying new.
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE should read this book. To the children of immigrants, to immigrants, to the people against immigration. Read this story. A story that carefully and poetically tells the story of an immigrant family. A story that countless immigrant families have lived through and are living through. Such an important and powerful book written in only 191 pages. Just wow.