Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

85 reviews

embakem's review against another edition

emotional

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault

emilyeehaw's review against another edition

emotional reflective

4.0

even though it felt like it took me far too long to finish this book, i’m also glad i got to spend so much time with the story.

i really enjoyed the perspectives from all the family members and their experiences with immigration and being separated from one another. definitely a very heavy book but also so important in its content. even heavier to think that this is what millions of people have gone through and continue to go through trying to live in the u.s.

i didn’t expect to cry at the end but i sure did. the relationship between talia and mauro, her dad, really got to me, what can i say! 

the author had a great writing style and managed to pack a lot in less than 200 pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault

jennikreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Confinement

essie__reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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? No

5.0

This book follows the members of one undocumented Colombian family, as they navigate the experience of family members deportation from the United States and the hardships they face while trying to reunite and build a better life for their whole family in the United States. The book describes each of the family members experiences in Colombia and/or the United States, as they go through life facing the challenges of living as a family separated between Colombia and America. Mauro and Talia, father and the youngest daughter, living in Colombia together. While Elena, Karina, and Nando live in America- waiting for their sister and husband to join them. It describes Mauro and Elena's love story and how they were able to move to Texas and all of the events leading up to Mauro's deportation and the decision to send Talia to Colombia with her father. Elena, Mauro, and Talia have to make difficult decisions to leave the country they have known and loved in order to seek new and safer oppurtunities in America and reunite as a family, all while risking deportation. Their journeys depict challenges of living undocumented including struggles to find affordable and safe housing, racism, sexual assault, and the daily fears of deportation. 

I would definitely recommend this book. It opened my eyes to a lot of the challenges undocumented immigrants may go through. I listened to the audiobook and did not enjoy the narrator, so I'd recommend reading a print or ebook copy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Racism, War, Grief, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Dementia, and Animal death

julied's review against another edition

informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Animal death, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Animal cruelty

ashleycmms's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Racism, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

libbyhb's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

This was so gorgeous and emotional and well-rounded while still using simple and straightforward writing, which I loved. I was impressed by how much story and backstory Patricia Engel could fit in such a short novel without it feeling rushed or too crammed. Each member of the family was developed so well, and I liked how they both felt like real people and like representations of larger issues, like the tension but also unconditional love between Talia and her siblings that grew up in the US. I loved Mauro and his story, and the way he brought in old folk tales. Just loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, and Violence

jojo_'s review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Rape

Moderate: War, Alcoholism, and Dementia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death

decklededgess's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

trigger warnings: injury and injury detail, animal abuse and death, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, alcohol and alcoholism, racism and bigotry, confinement, deportation, death of parent

This book is such an important read. It's heartbreaking yet hopeful and forces you to see the struggle of immigration from the eyes of people who have to deal with public vitriol for being immigrants during a time where xenophobia was at its worst. This book focuses on the struggles of one family as they immigrate, get broken apart due to deportation and their struggle to reunite. The timeline hops all over the place as it gives context and fills you in on the questions of how, why, where, and so on.

Beautifully done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Bullying, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Racism, Hate crime, and Grief

cozjetez's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Animal cruelty