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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. It is a sad topic; but an incredibly important one. Diane's style of writing was very casual, but that seems true to who she is as a person. I really appreciate how honest and vulnerable she was about her struggles, her relationship with her parents, and the anger she had.
I actually read this one in early 2016, but as we're using it for some classes I teach I took another look at how Guerrero, well-known for her role on 'Orange is the New Black' and other television shows, depicts a real-life nightmare for many children of undocumented immigrants in the US. Guerrero was fourteen when one day she left for school and returned to a home empty of her parents. They'd been deported while she was at school. She'd often worried this scenario would happen as her parents warned her it was possible. Amazingly, she continues on in her schooling through many kind acts and discovers her passion for the arts. I hope Guerrero writes a follow-up detailing more about her considerable philanthropy.
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- diane really treats everyone in her story with lots of depth and respect, but does less so when she regards herself. i'm sorry babe i can't take you seriously when you talk about your mental health issues and self esteem issues and end the paragraph with #selfsabotage. #mood. #awkward. #LOL.
- she came off as extremely vapid, cringy cheugy millennial and petit-bourgeois/middle-class liberal american who believes simply in the power of #voting and #reform. but i don't expect a sound class analysis from a memoir like this. i knew what i was getting into!!! even though she grew up working class, you can tell that the upward mobility she experienced made her america-pilled. if i can succeed despite my circumstances, so can you!!!! we are the real american dream!!!!!!!!! ugh...
- she believes too highly in the american dream and identifies too closely with america as a whole, referring to the founding fathers as “our forefathers” - not admirable or more convincing to join her cause. the very same country you love is the very same country that wants to deport you. immigration reform cannot come from a place of "this isn't us!!!!" or "this isn't what our forefathers wanted!!!!!!!" they don't know you, they don't care for you, they probably would've oppressed you. but that's the folly of reform in general... we cannot reform our way out of fascism, which is what this ultimately is. in the short term sure, but long term? you can't just tell us to vote... at least by now in 2025, we all know it's bullshit.
- im not undermining her personal experiences tho, i am simply critical of how she is externalizing them and the conclusions she's come to. it’s important for stories like hers to be out there, especially when her experience is one out of hundreds of thousands of stories just like hers. it's not told perfectly, and doesn't promote ideologically sound ideas. but it’s a real look into a highly traumatic yet common injustice in america that is systematically set up and has so many incentives for the american people to maintain… the war on immigration is yet another symptom of fascism… and fascism can be felt in all corners of our daily lives. let this serve as a reminder
- the call to action section at the end was a great addition and reading that and the afterword a couple weeks before trump is inaugurated again was a great reminder of how high the stakes will be for undocumented immigrants these next 4 years
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Deportation
Wow. I liked this book so much more than I thought I would. The first quarter? Of the book is written very simply and like a teenage girl. I was very interested in her story so I continued on. But then the written voice changed I ended up loving this memoir. Diane’s story is one of utter heartbreak and resilience. I highlighted so many gems. I 100% recommend this to everyone. Especially folks in the USA
I thought that the story was very interesting. I found it compelling about how many children are abandoned after their parents are deported, and no one in the U.S. even notices. It must be so scary for these immigrant children, to grow up and no know when their parents would be deported. I thought that her writing was pretty weak, and that she was often repetitive. The part of the story when she was facing depression and suicidal thoughts was the most honest part of the story. It took a lot of bravery to tell her story, and I appreciate her unique point of view.
I loved everything about this book. From the frank, honest writing style to the sprinkles of humor throughout, the author has such a strong voice and natural writing style, she made me laugh and broke my heart. Often on the same page. Bonus that I also love her in OITNB, so it was nice to read about the process of landing that role and how it developed.
A brave and honest book that sheds needed light on the issue of immigration. This book made me FEEL. Definitely worth checking out.
Truly heartbreaking what she went through. I knew the immigration system was broken, but didn't know the half of it.
"There's no point in going through anything difficult if, on the other side of it, very little shifts."
Diane Guerrero was 14 when her parents were deported to Colombia, left without family or support from the government in this country, where she's a birthright citizen.
Her memoir tells of her life before and after that horrifying event and what led her back to acting and becoming an advocate for immigration reform so that no other child should face what she did.
It's a super fast read and a powerful call to action for those who believe families should be kept together and immigrants given a chance.
Diane Guerrero was 14 when her parents were deported to Colombia, left without family or support from the government in this country, where she's a birthright citizen.
Her memoir tells of her life before and after that horrifying event and what led her back to acting and becoming an advocate for immigration reform so that no other child should face what she did.
It's a super fast read and a powerful call to action for those who believe families should be kept together and immigrants given a chance.