The narrative follows Elena and Mauro, a Colombian couple who overstay their visas in the United States, and the three children they raise across two nations. After Mauro is deported to Bogotá, the family fractures, leaving their youngest daughter, Talia, to grow up in Colombia while her siblings remain undocumented in New Jersey. The plot centers on Talia’s escape from a juvenile correctional facility in the mountains to catch a flight to the North, paralleled by her parents' history of navigating low-wage labor, eviction, and the constant threat of state surveillance.
Readers interested in the legal and physical mechanics of migration find a depiction of how borders dictate family structure. Those who study the tension between national identity and kinship read this to understand the logistical hurdles of the deportation system and the psychological cost of living without papers. The book provides a technical look at the bureaucratic traps that keep families separated and the specific geography of the Andean landscape compared to the American suburbs. Upon finishing, the reader recognizes the specific internal conflicts faced by mixed-status families.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
