Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

33 reviews

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

valntino's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Excellent.
Humanizing the journeys of so many families searching for their place in the world. Torn between countries. Stuck and stalled by laws and rules and man-made borders.

A family seeking a better life in the US. They arrive with visas and a baby and later grapple with indecision of whether to return to Colombia or continue to eek out a life in the shadows with expired visas.  There is mixed status within the family. Deportation. And reunification.  But in between - struggle, regret, fear, longing, poor choices, self sufficiency, independence, and redemption. 

I can’t imagine the desperation that causes one to feel separating from your child is the best and only option to make ends meet. I can’t imagine being countries away from your partner/spouse.  I can’t imagine the feeling of not belonging in your newfound country but moving forward.

This book weaves together so many intricate stories, feelings and complications.  It is brilliant.  And all the while you learn indigenous legends of the Sun, Moon, creation, condors….it’s fascinating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Death of parent

greatu's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Dementia, Gun violence, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent

exmareadastra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, Child abuse, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Violence

Minor: Mass/school shootings, War, Violence, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Bullying

caseythereader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Police brutality, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

trailmixraisins's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

Again, not a huge crier, but this one was a tear jerker. The story of one family's immigration to the States and trying to create a life for themselves will resonate to some degree with any member of a diasporic and immigrant family seeking something better (or just different) in another country.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Grief, Death of parent, and Dementia

Minor: Sexual assault, Police brutality, Misogyny, Bullying, and Abandonment

amressing's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Pregnancy, Death, and Death of parent

lorinew1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Police brutality

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

sfbookgirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I…wow…I have no words for Infinite Country. This short, yet beautiful tale tells the story of a family split between the United States and Colombia. We learn about each member of the family and what it means to be a citizen of a country. Engel’s exquisitely-written story gives readers a perspective on immigration and what makes a person a citizen of a country. Infinite country held my attention for an entire weekend and is a book I recommend picking up if you haven’t already had the chance to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia

birdbrainbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Well I did not expect to cry my way through the entire last quarter of this book! What a powerful story. The first pages hooked me immediately; after that, the meandering nature of switching narrators and timeframes started to frustrate me a bit; and then it all just suddenly gelled and really packed an emotional punch. I fell in love with our protagonist Talia from page one, and later on with both of her parents as well (what a beautifully imperfect love story). Some elements of hard choices and family separations hit sensitive personal notes. Highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Confinement

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, and Police brutality