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getlitty's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
3.5
The story is worth telling and learning from but the book itself felt like it was trying to hit word count the entire time. There is a lot of repetition and long duplicative descriptions of death. There is also alot of descriptive language likening humans to meat or food, which can be a powerful tool when used sparingly but here one too many "BBQ" descriptions lost their punch. In the end, it was a worthwhile read though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death and Deportation
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual assault
kalijarrard's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I’m not typically a nonfiction reader, but this book was fantastic. Urrea’s narrative structure is gripping and informative in a way that does not feel overly-academic. Oftentimes, immigration is viewed as a rather amorphous and political concept, but this book cuts to the heart and humanity of the process. It has definitely inspired me to explore more literature in this genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
melanders_07's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
very beautiful writing on an important topic that is rarely talked about
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Torture, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Blood