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suebrownreads's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this audiobook, and the first half, I was thinking I would probably be giving it four stars, but the last half was riveting, raw, and emotional. So I have to give five stars, perhaps because the author (besides writing well) was painfully honest in revealing his thoughts and anxiety, and I would even say his possible mental illness. Maybe all of us have times in our lives when we are mentally ill. Most people probably recover from these times. Some never do. Bravo Marcelo, on this wonderful book! Be well, and be happy.
girl_in_glasses's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
radikaliseradgroda's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant, lyrical, and absolutely horrific. I can't wait to read more of Castillo's work.
naisinkoi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.0
I love memoirs. Listening to someone's life story as told by themselves fascinates me and I use it for the equivalent of self-help books which I generally struggled with.
The tale of a family going through migration challenges in what is famously known as the land of the free was very eye opening. It's sad to see how much the day-to-day process of evading getting caught ends up engraining into people's lives to a point of almost crippling them to enjoy the said life even when they are no longer facing immigration challenges. It was quite a heart-breaking yet hopeful story and to imagine that it's someone's real life and real experiences makes you look at your life of free living with a fresh new appreciation.
I however did struggle with the narrator.. I am not sure if this is an specific issue tied to me. However, it is definitely a book you should read or listen to in order to get a clear understanding of how being undocumented can shape someone's life and how they can overcome the challenges associated with their experience.
The tale of a family going through migration challenges in what is famously known as the land of the free was very eye opening. It's sad to see how much the day-to-day process of evading getting caught ends up engraining into people's lives to a point of almost crippling them to enjoy the said life even when they are no longer facing immigration challenges. It was quite a heart-breaking yet hopeful story and to imagine that it's someone's real life and real experiences makes you look at your life of free living with a fresh new appreciation.
I however did struggle with the narrator.. I am not sure if this is an specific issue tied to me. However, it is definitely a book you should read or listen to in order to get a clear understanding of how being undocumented can shape someone's life and how they can overcome the challenges associated with their experience.
nacho_lvn's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very important story. By narrating parts of his family’s struggle to be/remain/come together MHC perfectly illustrates the challenges migrants face when their human experience comes face to face with bureaucracies, not necessarily concerned with human suffering but checking boxes.
Throughout the nearly 400 pages of the book the reader comes face to face with the emotional and human cost of shortsighted and brutal migration policies focused on palliating racist fears not developing options for an organized and humane migration process.
Finally, MHC’s writing is powerful . He minces no words and does not shy away from even the most intimate moments to tell his story. But most importantly, he makes the reader a part of his story- one cannot read this book and not feel the urge to take action, to do something to change this system bent on dehumanizing and “unpersoning” persons.
Throughout the nearly 400 pages of the book the reader comes face to face with the emotional and human cost of shortsighted and brutal migration policies focused on palliating racist fears not developing options for an organized and humane migration process.
Finally, MHC’s writing is powerful . He minces no words and does not shy away from even the most intimate moments to tell his story. But most importantly, he makes the reader a part of his story- one cannot read this book and not feel the urge to take action, to do something to change this system bent on dehumanizing and “unpersoning” persons.
adambwriter's review against another edition
5.0
Suggestion: Read this instead of American Dirt.
Thoughts: https://roofbeamreader.com/2020/03/15/children-of-the-land-by-marcelo-hernandez-castillo/
Thoughts: https://roofbeamreader.com/2020/03/15/children-of-the-land-by-marcelo-hernandez-castillo/