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qnawal97's review
4.0
Actual Rating: 4/5
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Indivisible by Daniel Aleman is a great novel following the story of Matt who lives with his parents and little sister in NYC and is impacted by the unexpected deportation of his parents who were undocumented and came to the US as teenagers. It is a heart-wrenching account of something many young people have been experiencing for the last decade, especially within the last few years with the increasing restrictions on immigration. I really enjoyed reading this as I know of many people who have experienced this exact reality and have never seen it contextualized in a story in this way. I think its definitely a timely read for right now and should be something that teens are reading in school as I think its both affirming for young folks who may be undocumented or children of undocumented parents and also contributes towards their peers developing critical skills in developing empathy and understanding of this social crisis.
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Indivisible by Daniel Aleman is a great novel following the story of Matt who lives with his parents and little sister in NYC and is impacted by the unexpected deportation of his parents who were undocumented and came to the US as teenagers. It is a heart-wrenching account of something many young people have been experiencing for the last decade, especially within the last few years with the increasing restrictions on immigration. I really enjoyed reading this as I know of many people who have experienced this exact reality and have never seen it contextualized in a story in this way. I think its definitely a timely read for right now and should be something that teens are reading in school as I think its both affirming for young folks who may be undocumented or children of undocumented parents and also contributes towards their peers developing critical skills in developing empathy and understanding of this social crisis.
sparker94's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mbhoppe13's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
froghag's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
justforqueerbooks's review
5.0
Deportation. It’s a scary word. And an even scarier reality.
I just finished Indivisible by Daniel Aleman and I cried. Not once, not twice, but three times. The whole time I kept thinking about my family and how difficult it is to deal with something like that. I’m Indian, my family immigrated from Punjab to California, and they did it legally, but I know countless people, good people, who are undocumented. My friends parents, uncles, cousins, and so many more. I know how it feels when someone goes through this, I’ve been through it. That’s why my heart absolutely broke for Mateo and his family.
Anyway, onto the book: Mateo is a 16-year-old-broadway-loving teenager. His dream is to go to Tisch and eventually end up on Broadway. His parents own a little corner shop, they live in an apartment and they’re happy. The only thing: his parents are undocumented immigrants. But things have been perfectly normal for 20+ years, so why would they change now?
Like I said, I sobbed while reading this book. My heart broke over and over again, thinking about losing family and thinking that your whole life is over. I genuinely do not know what to say. This book is heart touching, heart breaking and honest. It’s not sugar coated, there’s no sunshine and rainbows everywhere: it shows you the truth. What actually happens and what families go through.
My point is, if you haven’t read it, read it, and don’t forget to take a box of tissues with you.
I just finished Indivisible by Daniel Aleman and I cried. Not once, not twice, but three times. The whole time I kept thinking about my family and how difficult it is to deal with something like that. I’m Indian, my family immigrated from Punjab to California, and they did it legally, but I know countless people, good people, who are undocumented. My friends parents, uncles, cousins, and so many more. I know how it feels when someone goes through this, I’ve been through it. That’s why my heart absolutely broke for Mateo and his family.
Anyway, onto the book: Mateo is a 16-year-old-broadway-loving teenager. His dream is to go to Tisch and eventually end up on Broadway. His parents own a little corner shop, they live in an apartment and they’re happy. The only thing: his parents are undocumented immigrants. But things have been perfectly normal for 20+ years, so why would they change now?
Like I said, I sobbed while reading this book. My heart broke over and over again, thinking about losing family and thinking that your whole life is over. I genuinely do not know what to say. This book is heart touching, heart breaking and honest. It’s not sugar coated, there’s no sunshine and rainbows everywhere: it shows you the truth. What actually happens and what families go through.
My point is, if you haven’t read it, read it, and don’t forget to take a box of tissues with you.
adambwriter's review
5.0
4.5 but I'm rounding up for this website because I think it deserves the read and the attention.
katiez0314's review
4.0
Oh, Mateo and Sophie will stay with me for a long time. Navigating their parents deportation and left alone in NYC broke my heart. I’ve had students who fear this very possibility, so to have Mateo attempt to care for his little sister all the while studying for the SAT’s and discover a crush on his best friend was all to real. Definitely recommend for anyone wanting a better understanding of the pain and fear that is very real for so many.
readwithpassion's review against another edition
5.0
I was absolutely blown away by this book. It is an absolutely gut-wrenching story, and it parallels the stories that many children in our country would tell. In this story, ICE comes to take 16-year-old Mateo and 7-year-old Sophie's mom and dad. They've lived in the country for decades, and they are put in a detention center. If you haven't read this book, I recommend it highly. Every time I put the book down, I couldn't stop thinking about Mateo and Sophie.
readsewknit's review against another edition
3.0
Indivisible is a debut novel from Daniel Aleman with relevant, timely themes. Mateo, a junior in high school, and his elementary-aged sister Sophia must quickly adapt when their parents are picked up by immigration and then sent back to Mexico.
While Mateo had previously been consumed with theatre and college aspirations, he must rethink his goals and chooses to keep his two friends in the dark as to his struggles. He recognizes that their temporary living arrangements are putting strain on family friends, and his sister especially is struggling to accept the family separation as the parents plead from afar that the United States is where the children must remain, to make worthwhile the parents' sacrifices.
The book is around 400 pages, covering perhaps too many themes throughout. When considering the target age, but for some of the situations, I would be prepared to hand it off to upper elementary students, but I think it's better suited to middle school and older, due to references to losing virginity, a possible pregnancy, and language.
(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)
While Mateo had previously been consumed with theatre and college aspirations, he must rethink his goals and chooses to keep his two friends in the dark as to his struggles. He recognizes that their temporary living arrangements are putting strain on family friends, and his sister especially is struggling to accept the family separation as the parents plead from afar that the United States is where the children must remain, to make worthwhile the parents' sacrifices.
The book is around 400 pages, covering perhaps too many themes throughout. When considering the target age, but for some of the situations, I would be prepared to hand it off to upper elementary students, but I think it's better suited to middle school and older, due to references to losing virginity, a possible pregnancy, and language.
(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)