Search This Blog
2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa (2)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (2)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)
2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge
2025 52 Club Reading Challenge
2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Wednesday, October 03, 2018
Immigrant Tale Poignant, Thoughtful
5:30 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
"We're the unknown Americans, the ones no one even wants to know, because they've been told they're supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realize that we're not that bad, maybe even that we're a lot like them. And who would they hate then?" (237)
After falling off a ladder in her native Mexico, 15-year-old Maribel Rivera is left with a traumatic brain injury that changes everything for her and her family. Desperate to get their daughter the medical care she needs, the Riveras start driving across the border. They end up in Delaware, where Arturo finds work at a nearby mushroom farm and Alma tries to make sense of a new language and culture. When beautiful, vulnerable Maribel catches the eye of Mayor Toro—a bullied Panamanian-American high schooler who lives in their apartment building—the Riveras worry about their budding romance. Mayor only wants to prove to their parents that his intentions toward Maribel are honorable, but when he unwittingly causes a panic in their neighborhood, Mayor sets in motion a chain of events that will have terrible, tragic consequences.
The Book of Unknown Americans, a slim but poignant novel by Cristina Henriquez, takes a sharp and affecting look at what it means to be an immigrant in The United States. While it doesn't offer a lot in the way of plot, the story features strong prose, interesting characters, and enough conflict to keep the tale chugging along. While the novel is definitely thought-provoking, it's also sad and depressing. Overall, I didn't love The Book of Unknown Americans. I didn't dislike it either. In the end, I just feel ambivalent about what turned out to be only a so-so read.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for strong language, violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
8 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
Listening
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
Heartwood by Amity Gaige7 minutes ago
-
-
-
34. Dead Happy5 hours ago
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Foolish Books7 hours ago
-
Bookish Travel: March 20257 hours ago
-
Fear Stalks The Village by Ethel Lina White10 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Randomness...14 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
State Of The ARC #4916 hours ago
-
-
-
Monthly Round-Up: March 20251 day ago
-
Lethal Prey by John Sandford1 day ago
-
What I Wore in Australia1 day ago
-
Sunday Salon: March 30 20251 day ago
-
Nonfiction Books on BookTV3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
I have been reading...1 week ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up3 weeks ago
-
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery5 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October4 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I7 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus8 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ▼ 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
It sounds very depressing indeed. I’m not sure I’d seek it out but at least it wasn’t awful.
ReplyDeleteOh, I really liked this one and thought it told an important story. But, that's the beauty of literature--it's something different to each one of us.
ReplyDeleteSorry this one wasn't better. I've run into a lot of so-so reads this year, too.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this one around for so long. Not sure if it sounds worth picking up.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound really sad.
ReplyDeleteI think it might be one I'll keep on my list, but maybe not a good choice for me right now. It's been very popular in my area of the world - not surprising. LOL
ReplyDeleteI’ve seen this book on lists, but I didn’t know much about it. Thanks for the review! I read a lot of depressing immigrant stories, so I’d probably like it.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
I could kind of tell this would be a sad one based on a boy catching the eye of a girl with a traumatic brain injury. At least I think I read that right. If so, I can only imagine the worst.
ReplyDelete