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A review by literaryk
Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi
3.0
I will admit that I struggled with this memoir, but did enjoy the unique perspecitve.
At first, I found it refreshing to read an immigration story that wasn't fraught with immense danger and a perilous journey. I was invested in learning about the paperwork side of things.
However, the bulk of this memoir was vapid stories of teenage hood that I wouldn't normally give the time of day. Like most teens, Sara was obsessed with boys, looks, and making things appear worse than they were. On occasion she mentioned her fear of being deported, but it was only in passing. Often times I felt like I could forget her status. Many critics described this as a very "human" story, and I slowly began to understand that observation. The fact that her journey from "illegal" to American citizen takes 24 years made me realized that I couldn't expect every chapter to give me an update on her immigration story.
Despite this, I was ready to rank this a 2 star story until the final chapters. I appreciated the information the author provided on the citizenship process, and her observations on life became more interesting. I suppose this makes sense-- we're fully out of her teen years by the end.
Overall, a decent story, but ultimately forgettable.
At first, I found it refreshing to read an immigration story that wasn't fraught with immense danger and a perilous journey. I was invested in learning about the paperwork side of things.
However, the bulk of this memoir was vapid stories of teenage hood that I wouldn't normally give the time of day. Like most teens, Sara was obsessed with boys, looks, and making things appear worse than they were. On occasion she mentioned her fear of being deported, but it was only in passing. Often times I felt like I could forget her status. Many critics described this as a very "human" story, and I slowly began to understand that observation. The fact that her journey from "illegal" to American citizen takes 24 years made me realized that I couldn't expect every chapter to give me an update on her immigration story.
Despite this, I was ready to rank this a 2 star story until the final chapters. I appreciated the information the author provided on the citizenship process, and her observations on life became more interesting. I suppose this makes sense-- we're fully out of her teen years by the end.
Overall, a decent story, but ultimately forgettable.