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A review by zena_ryder
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
5.0
There aren't many books that have made me both happy-teary and sad-teary. This is one of them. Fantastic characters and story.
It's told in the first person, from different characters' points of view. I often find first person writing awkward, but this is well done. One of the problems I find with first person is that there are scenes that the reader needs to see but the 'I' character wouldn't witness them. Having multiple perspectives addresses this problem.
The book tackles serious issues around immigration in the U.S., but you never feel that the story is a political 'vehicle'. It's a darn good story, well told, with well-drawn characters — that also happens to open the reader's eyes to real life issues.
It's told in the first person, from different characters' points of view. I often find first person writing awkward, but this is well done. One of the problems I find with first person is that there are scenes that the reader needs to see but the 'I' character wouldn't witness them. Having multiple perspectives addresses this problem.
The book tackles serious issues around immigration in the U.S., but you never feel that the story is a political 'vehicle'. It's a darn good story, well told, with well-drawn characters — that also happens to open the reader's eyes to real life issues.