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A review by emilyatmidnight
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
5.0
This is one of those books that stick with you. Young Qian Julie wiggles her way into your heart as she travels across the ocean from the place she calls home.
It's a coming of age tale that shows the struggles, insecurities, and fear that come with starting a life in a new country. This book shows the ways that children adapt to find their place in a new environment but adds on the constant fear that their home will be ripped away from them if a police officer stops them.
I love the voice that Qian Julie uses, she perfectly encapsulates the style of a child, and the narration matures as her younger self grows up. I especially appriciate her depiction of the ways both being an immigrant and being undocumented affect her and her parents daily life.
It's such a compelling tale as we see her father, full of hope and the American Dream, make life-altering plans to bring his family to America, and then follow them through the journey as they learn that reality isn't quite what they expected. I think it's an important mirror that American citizens like me need to hold up to ourselves. She shows us what the American Dream for immigrants actually looks like and it's up to us to choose what to do with that I formation.
I think everyone should read this book; not only is it important but it's also joyful, tragic, and heartwarming.
It's a coming of age tale that shows the struggles, insecurities, and fear that come with starting a life in a new country. This book shows the ways that children adapt to find their place in a new environment but adds on the constant fear that their home will be ripped away from them if a police officer stops them.
I love the voice that Qian Julie uses, she perfectly encapsulates the style of a child, and the narration matures as her younger self grows up. I especially appriciate her depiction of the ways both being an immigrant and being undocumented affect her and her parents daily life.
It's such a compelling tale as we see her father, full of hope and the American Dream, make life-altering plans to bring his family to America, and then follow them through the journey as they learn that reality isn't quite what they expected. I think it's an important mirror that American citizens like me need to hold up to ourselves. She shows us what the American Dream for immigrants actually looks like and it's up to us to choose what to do with that I formation.
I think everyone should read this book; not only is it important but it's also joyful, tragic, and heartwarming.