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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'd rate it a 3.5, for substance, but not a 4, due to the disjointed way that the sibling's stories came in at the end. I thought, there must be a smoother way of integrating those characters, who had essentially been entirely peripheral up to that point. It was almost as if there was a set word count for the book and the author sensed as it was getting closer there were all these things left unexplored, unsaid, unexplained, and tried to fit them in without really making them part of the story. It was too pat an ending, in a way - and I could not help thinking that they left the boy, Lance, hanging, as well. He's sitting in the window as Talia arrives from Columbia, another biological child of the caregiver he has attached himself to; what emotional upheaval must he be going through? He who has known Talia's mother more intimately than she has herself? I knew just enough about him to wish his character had been more adequately developed and played a slightly bigger role in Elena's emotional travails. In short, I felt like Lance, and the supportive family, were a convenient device, but little more.
Funny, until I started writing all of that I hadn't realized I was so dissatisfied. There was much to enjoy in the characters of Talia, Perla, and Mauro - even the soft-hearted Aguja, who carries Talia back to her home in Bogata on his motorbike, stopping to light a candle at the basilica for his mother, and lighting one for Talia as well. All of the stories of the creation and the powerful, resilient people the early inhabitants of Columbia had been, the bits and pieces of what it had become, the insights into what it means to be an immigrant - never welcomed into the new culture but unable or unwilling to return to the old. All of this felt very authentic and steeped in understanding, of the real loss of identity and the keenly experienced pain of being neither of one place nor another.
Hence, the wishy washy 3+. Definitely worth reading, with valuable insights to someone who - while they may have felt an outsider in different ways in the course of growing up and living their life - cannot compare any of that to this family's experience. And this is one family only, out of thousands, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands or more. And so many of those facing even greater trials and losses and with no happy endings. It's a sobering thought.
Funny, until I started writing all of that I hadn't realized I was so dissatisfied. There was much to enjoy in the characters of Talia, Perla, and Mauro - even the soft-hearted Aguja, who carries Talia back to her home in Bogata on his motorbike, stopping to light a candle at the basilica for his mother, and lighting one for Talia as well. All of the stories of the creation and the powerful, resilient people the early inhabitants of Columbia had been, the bits and pieces of what it had become, the insights into what it means to be an immigrant - never welcomed into the new culture but unable or unwilling to return to the old. All of this felt very authentic and steeped in understanding, of the real loss of identity and the keenly experienced pain of being neither of one place nor another.
Hence, the wishy washy 3+. Definitely worth reading, with valuable insights to someone who - while they may have felt an outsider in different ways in the course of growing up and living their life - cannot compare any of that to this family's experience. And this is one family only, out of thousands, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands or more. And so many of those facing even greater trials and losses and with no happy endings. It's a sobering thought.
Full of heart and overflowing with lyrical, honest prose this book beautifully and painfully captures the lives of a Columbian family torn apart through US immigration.
In Bogotá, Mauro and his daughter Talia fight through abandonment and injustice, longing for the family they can only know through facetime. Meanwhile in the US, the other half of the family fight for the basic rights and respect that only citizens can achieve.
The story that unfolds is a poignant and devastating exploration of belonging, family, and what it really means to call somewhere home. It’s a powerful backstory to the undocumented. The before, the why, the how that’s often missing from headlines and political agendas.
I was captivated by Talia’s escape across rural Columbia. Boldly and bravely she strives to be reunited with her father while her mother clings to a hope for a better life. Talia’s journey is cleverly interspersed with generational jumps to the early days of Elena and Mauro’s relationship, adding a depth you rarely find in books under 200 pages long.
A moving story of love and sacrifice, separation and togetherness, this book carries all the emotions. And not to mention it has the most fantastic opening line - “It was her idea to tie up the nun.”
In Bogotá, Mauro and his daughter Talia fight through abandonment and injustice, longing for the family they can only know through facetime. Meanwhile in the US, the other half of the family fight for the basic rights and respect that only citizens can achieve.
The story that unfolds is a poignant and devastating exploration of belonging, family, and what it really means to call somewhere home. It’s a powerful backstory to the undocumented. The before, the why, the how that’s often missing from headlines and political agendas.
I was captivated by Talia’s escape across rural Columbia. Boldly and bravely she strives to be reunited with her father while her mother clings to a hope for a better life. Talia’s journey is cleverly interspersed with generational jumps to the early days of Elena and Mauro’s relationship, adding a depth you rarely find in books under 200 pages long.
A moving story of love and sacrifice, separation and togetherness, this book carries all the emotions. And not to mention it has the most fantastic opening line - “It was her idea to tie up the nun.”
A beautiful, heartbreaking yet uplifting book. There are so many good lines such as “we are all migrants on Earth.” The last line of the book, which I won’t quote for spoiler reasons, hit me the hardest and I ended the book with tears in my eyes and a swelling in my throat.
This is my first book by a Colombian author and I need to read more, but wow what an introduction.
For anyone who wants to read about the immigration experience without sensationalizing it (*coughs American D*rt coughs*) read this book. This is Own Voices and a reason why OV for culture and ethnicity is so important in storytelling.
This book at its heart is about love and family - it is not meant to entertain readers with the shocking dangers of immigration. This book shows the human experience in a world and a time in which we allow imaginary borders and territories to alienate and punish others not born on “American” soil who wish to make a life here for opportunity.
I love the family in this book, and I support the people this book represents.
I am so glad I got to buddy read this book with an Instagram friend. This book is under 200 pages long and I strongly recommend it to everyone.
CWs: graphic sexual assault, xenophobia, animal cruelty
This is my first book by a Colombian author and I need to read more, but wow what an introduction.
For anyone who wants to read about the immigration experience without sensationalizing it (*coughs American D*rt coughs*) read this book. This is Own Voices and a reason why OV for culture and ethnicity is so important in storytelling.
This book at its heart is about love and family - it is not meant to entertain readers with the shocking dangers of immigration. This book shows the human experience in a world and a time in which we allow imaginary borders and territories to alienate and punish others not born on “American” soil who wish to make a life here for opportunity.
I love the family in this book, and I support the people this book represents.
I am so glad I got to buddy read this book with an Instagram friend. This book is under 200 pages long and I strongly recommend it to everyone.
CWs: graphic sexual assault, xenophobia, animal cruelty
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel is a sharply written novel about one family across two countries, Colombia and the United States. It is a dual timeline story, with the first being the journey of Mauro and Elena as a young couple from Colombia to the United States; the second is of their daughter, Talia, in present-day Colombia, traveling to the United States on her own. The story is tightly constructed and moves swiftly, without wasting words. I was immediately drawn into this novel despite the many difficult circumstances they faced. Juxtaposed in the story is Andean mythology with the backdrop of real-life events in both countries that directly and indirectly affect the family. We’re shown the exploitation and constant fear the family faces as Elena remains undocumented. Even though 2 of 3 of their children were born in the US, they face harassment from classmates for not being white enough or American enough. Elena suffers exploitation but can’t speak up for fear of being separated from her US-born children. I found it fascinating to ponder about belonging and what loyalty we owe our family and mother country. Infinite Country is an illuminating and powerful read.
Thank you Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.
Thank you Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.
I really enjoyed this story. The writing is thought provoking, and in many moments, made me feel as though I was living through those hardships. Very emotional story, in some of the best ways.
A very moving own voices novel. The quote that gripped me the most:
“What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.”
This read be a great conversational read for anyone who has never read or talked to someone’s first hand experience with the immigration laws of America.
“What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.”
This read be a great conversational read for anyone who has never read or talked to someone’s first hand experience with the immigration laws of America.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Dementia
Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent
Another stunning piece of work by Engel. I always find myself in bittersweet sighs every time I finish one of her books. For a novel clocking in at just under 200 pages, there is so much depth here. I marveled at how each family member added their own piece to the story and then how Indigenous stories and wisdom were woven in on top of it all.