Scan barcode
aleenabeth's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
maryamrafeeah's review
3.0
3.7 stars
This is a heart-wrenching and upsetting story that needs to be told.
Ana, an undocumented Peruvian mama will go through all ends of the Earth to keep her family safe and together to build a better life in New York City. Please don't go into this story thinking it will be a light read.
Throughout the book, I just wanted to hug and hold Ana and invite her and her family to my home and just tell her that "everything will be okay." But unfortunately, how many undocumented immigrants have no one to turn to? Nowhere to go? This book shows this particular reality and doesn't sugarcoat anything. I appreciated that, despite how gut-wrenching some scenes were. This book showed the interpersonal conflicts and devastating effects each difficulty Ana endured had on those around her and especially on herself. I am left wondering what the future holds for the family as those difficulties continue to come to fruition.
This is a heart-wrenching and upsetting story that needs to be told.
Ana, an undocumented Peruvian mama will go through all ends of the Earth to keep her family safe and together to build a better life in New York City. Please don't go into this story thinking it will be a light read.
Throughout the book, I just wanted to hug and hold Ana and invite her and her family to my home and just tell her that "everything will be okay." But unfortunately, how many undocumented immigrants have no one to turn to? Nowhere to go? This book shows this particular reality and doesn't sugarcoat anything. I appreciated that, despite how gut-wrenching some scenes were. This book showed the interpersonal conflicts and devastating effects each difficulty Ana endured had on those around her and especially on herself. I am left wondering what the future holds for the family as those difficulties continue to come to fruition.
johannawithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
A story of immigration, displacement, and sacrifice to find belonging, love, and home. Ana Falcon is an undocumented Peruvian woman living in NYC in the 1990s with her husband and two children.
This book gives us a complex and emotional story of one undocumented immigrant’s experience that has parts that may mirror so many others. Ana is indebted to loan shark, living in a home she feels unwelcome in, and receiving unwanted attention from a man who could help solve some financial struggles. We get a glimpse into Ana’s life and the decisions she makes trying to survive and create a home for her family. She struggles with Lucho, who wants to return to Peru where he can use his degree and get a better job. But, he does not understand that the same Peru that awaits him with his lighter skin tone, “proper” accent, and family privilege does not accept her. She struggles living in the home of Lucho’s cousin, who has made it clear she doesn’t want her there or trust her. She struggles with decisions that can destroy her marriage, but is convinced could save her family and her vision of her life in NYC.
Each chapter kept unraveling a new secret, a betrayal, a chisme. You may hate each character for a time, root for them at other times. There is a deep look at infidelity, marriage, motherhood, colorism, home, and labor.
The book ends unsettled, and as much as I want to know what happens next, it makes it kind of the perfect ending. So many immigrant stories are untold, individuals lost in headlines and numbers, forgotten.
Lately, I have been frustrated with all of the headlines narrowing the Latinx immigrant communities’ value to labor and the economy. I get it. And, in that let’s not lose sight of the friends, family, mentors and more being violently displaced. Let’s not replace their humanity with monetary loss. We have rich and complex stories.
“This country’s made it so bad that we can’t stay in Peru, but they don’t want us here either”
Format: Audiobook
Libby Loan
This book gives us a complex and emotional story of one undocumented immigrant’s experience that has parts that may mirror so many others. Ana is indebted to loan shark, living in a home she feels unwelcome in, and receiving unwanted attention from a man who could help solve some financial struggles. We get a glimpse into Ana’s life and the decisions she makes trying to survive and create a home for her family. She struggles with Lucho, who wants to return to Peru where he can use his degree and get a better job. But, he does not understand that the same Peru that awaits him with his lighter skin tone, “proper” accent, and family privilege does not accept her. She struggles living in the home of Lucho’s cousin, who has made it clear she doesn’t want her there or trust her. She struggles with decisions that can destroy her marriage, but is convinced could save her family and her vision of her life in NYC.
Each chapter kept unraveling a new secret, a betrayal, a chisme. You may hate each character for a time, root for them at other times. There is a deep look at infidelity, marriage, motherhood, colorism, home, and labor.
The book ends unsettled, and as much as I want to know what happens next, it makes it kind of the perfect ending. So many immigrant stories are untold, individuals lost in headlines and numbers, forgotten.
Lately, I have been frustrated with all of the headlines narrowing the Latinx immigrant communities’ value to labor and the economy. I get it. And, in that let’s not lose sight of the friends, family, mentors and more being violently displaced. Let’s not replace their humanity with monetary loss. We have rich and complex stories.
“This country’s made it so bad that we can’t stay in Peru, but they don’t want us here either”
Format: Audiobook
Libby Loan
whatismollyreading's review
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
THE AFFAIRS OF THE FALCÓNS is the story of one woman who will do anything to ensure that her family stays together. Ana Falcón, her husband Lucho, and her two children Victoria and Pedro, are undocumented immigrants from Peru. They recently relocated to New York City and live with Lucho’s cousin Valeria, yet Valeria has made it abundantly clear that Ana and her family have overstayed their welcome. To make matters worse, there is tension at Ana’s employment as most women who work there are undocumented, as well as Ana’s short payments to a loan shark called Mama.
This story had many moving pieces to it, adding layers of complexity and uncertainty as the story unfolded. However, I found the characters one sided and without a true personality. The author does have a unique writing style, but it didn’t work for me. Oftentimes, the writing just described moments without really revealing too much of what a character is thinking or feeling. It is definitely a passive way of writing that did not work for me.
However, the dialogue between characters was what redeemed this book: the conversations between Ana and her husband towards the end of the novel made me feel the anxiety and desperation of the Falcóns’ situation. It almost read like a telenovela at times just within the dialogue.
In all, I found the characters dull and the writing unaffected, but it was the realistic dialogue that saved this book for me. I would definitely watch a telenovela of this story or a movie, but overall the book was just underwhelming. However the topic of immigration and those who live in the US undocumented is a story and a perspective that we need more of. I appreciate that the author drew upon her own experiences to write this novel. It is, unfortunately, a timely piece of literature that is just as relevant now as it was twenty years ago.
THE AFFAIRS OF THE FALCÓNS is the story of one woman who will do anything to ensure that her family stays together. Ana Falcón, her husband Lucho, and her two children Victoria and Pedro, are undocumented immigrants from Peru. They recently relocated to New York City and live with Lucho’s cousin Valeria, yet Valeria has made it abundantly clear that Ana and her family have overstayed their welcome. To make matters worse, there is tension at Ana’s employment as most women who work there are undocumented, as well as Ana’s short payments to a loan shark called Mama.
This story had many moving pieces to it, adding layers of complexity and uncertainty as the story unfolded. However, I found the characters one sided and without a true personality. The author does have a unique writing style, but it didn’t work for me. Oftentimes, the writing just described moments without really revealing too much of what a character is thinking or feeling. It is definitely a passive way of writing that did not work for me.
However, the dialogue between characters was what redeemed this book: the conversations between Ana and her husband towards the end of the novel made me feel the anxiety and desperation of the Falcóns’ situation. It almost read like a telenovela at times just within the dialogue.
In all, I found the characters dull and the writing unaffected, but it was the realistic dialogue that saved this book for me. I would definitely watch a telenovela of this story or a movie, but overall the book was just underwhelming. However the topic of immigration and those who live in the US undocumented is a story and a perspective that we need more of. I appreciate that the author drew upon her own experiences to write this novel. It is, unfortunately, a timely piece of literature that is just as relevant now as it was twenty years ago.
jazzyj's review
challenging
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
thelexingtonbookie's review
2.0
I’ll give fair warning- I think I’ll be giving an unpopular opinion on this novel, but please bear with me and hear me out.
The Affairs of the Falcóns was a difficult read for me to review, in the sense that I felt I understood what the author was trying to relay to readers, however the message didn’t impact me the way I think was intended.
In the novel, the Falcóns are illegal Peruvian immigrants who are trying to provide a better future for their children. Main character Ana is a wife with a full time factory worker job, who also executes a multitude of tasks for their loan shark sponsor/cousin, who calls herself Mama. Her husband is a cab driver in NYC, trying to support his family and ideally be able to afford an apartment of their own.
Ana takes things with a grin-and-bear-it attitude, knowing that despite difficulties and discomfort, she is providing opportunities for her children that they wouldn’t have gotten in Peru, while also keeping the family together. However, this also means taking risks for the sake of her family. When Mama’s husband proves to be a seedy, greedy player who likes to trade debt repayment with personal favors, Ana finds herself conflicted- can she really turn down money that could provide for her family?
In my opinion, I think Rivero is trying to show the desperation for safety and security in undocumented immigrants, and how dire their situation can be- at any moment their families can be ripped apart. I will never be able to understand that kind of terror, and I would never assume to. I think that sharing these stories is vitally important for everyone’s understanding and compassion for those in these situations. Yet, I also think that The Falcóns only scratches the surface of this topic. The emotional conflict didn’t resonate with me, and often I felt the writing leaned towards melodramatic. In the heated moments, I did feel terrified for Ana and her children, but then I lost compassion when Ana relayed what happened to her friend, as it came across to me as embellishment. I also thought the whole story arc was a little flat- the ending was a good punch, but it was almost abrupt after such a slow, dramatic pace. I also felt that if Rivero had added more backstory, it would have clarified some vague recollections from Ana’s dark past in Peru, and added more depth to the plot.
In the end, I hate to say, I didn’t enjoy this read. I won’t go out of my way to recommend it to anyone, however I know that it could spark some much needed conversation, so I wouldn’t discourage anyone who wishes to read it from actually reading it, but it just fell so flat for me. In the end, I just didn’t connect emotionally with the story and was left wanting more.
The Affairs of the Falcóns was a difficult read for me to review, in the sense that I felt I understood what the author was trying to relay to readers, however the message didn’t impact me the way I think was intended.
In the novel, the Falcóns are illegal Peruvian immigrants who are trying to provide a better future for their children. Main character Ana is a wife with a full time factory worker job, who also executes a multitude of tasks for their loan shark sponsor/cousin, who calls herself Mama. Her husband is a cab driver in NYC, trying to support his family and ideally be able to afford an apartment of their own.
Ana takes things with a grin-and-bear-it attitude, knowing that despite difficulties and discomfort, she is providing opportunities for her children that they wouldn’t have gotten in Peru, while also keeping the family together. However, this also means taking risks for the sake of her family. When Mama’s husband proves to be a seedy, greedy player who likes to trade debt repayment with personal favors, Ana finds herself conflicted- can she really turn down money that could provide for her family?
In my opinion, I think Rivero is trying to show the desperation for safety and security in undocumented immigrants, and how dire their situation can be- at any moment their families can be ripped apart. I will never be able to understand that kind of terror, and I would never assume to. I think that sharing these stories is vitally important for everyone’s understanding and compassion for those in these situations. Yet, I also think that The Falcóns only scratches the surface of this topic. The emotional conflict didn’t resonate with me, and often I felt the writing leaned towards melodramatic. In the heated moments, I did feel terrified for Ana and her children, but then I lost compassion when Ana relayed what happened to her friend, as it came across to me as embellishment. I also thought the whole story arc was a little flat- the ending was a good punch, but it was almost abrupt after such a slow, dramatic pace. I also felt that if Rivero had added more backstory, it would have clarified some vague recollections from Ana’s dark past in Peru, and added more depth to the plot.
In the end, I hate to say, I didn’t enjoy this read. I won’t go out of my way to recommend it to anyone, however I know that it could spark some much needed conversation, so I wouldn’t discourage anyone who wishes to read it from actually reading it, but it just fell so flat for me. In the end, I just didn’t connect emotionally with the story and was left wanting more.
audreysova's review
3.0
This book was tough to rate. While I didn’t feel compelled throughout a lot of it, the ending completely blew me away. The miscommunications, assumptions and hardships of immigration seep into all things. Reverberating out in ways both big and small, which is demonstrated throughout the lives of the Falcóns.
whamydid's review
3.0
I’ve been reading books that centre on race, culture and immigration as part of a goal I set myself in 2019. I have wanted to read this for ages but sadly, there was just something missing for me. I enjoyed Ana’s story but I felt like it started out well and then for me, got boring.
nqcliteracy's review against another edition
4.0
There were times when I felt annoyed by the protagonist and all the odds stacked against her, but it feels blasphemous to even admit that. The writing was light and direct, honest and easy; the story was compelling, sad, and important. About an undocumented Peruvian mama’s journey to keep her family together and build a better life in NYC, I finished it in a day. Very reminiscent of Lisa Ko’s writing. Recommend.
3thingsaboutthisbook's review
4.0
📕What would a mother do? ... when home country is not safe enough, immigration of the new country she moves wouldn’t let her be, money is tight and those golden opportunities never come her way. She fights for it, fights for her kids; but she might failed to see there is more to her family than her children
-
📗This story is largely about a family and their struggle with immigration: their status back home vs. in the US, jobs they could do back home vs. in the US, etc... but it has more to it. It also gives hints about the “caste” system in Peru: how some families from the capital city with lighter skin are consider themselves more powerful and more important than families from other cities with darker skin. The mother in point 1 also fights against her husband’s family and their belittling acts
-
📘It was very real, observable story that you can find in all parts New York as you walk on the streets. You will find these faces on the very same streets. Now, go and read!
-
📗This story is largely about a family and their struggle with immigration: their status back home vs. in the US, jobs they could do back home vs. in the US, etc... but it has more to it. It also gives hints about the “caste” system in Peru: how some families from the capital city with lighter skin are consider themselves more powerful and more important than families from other cities with darker skin. The mother in point 1 also fights against her husband’s family and their belittling acts
-
📘It was very real, observable story that you can find in all parts New York as you walk on the streets. You will find these faces on the very same streets. Now, go and read!