Reviews

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

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marissax22's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars • I think a lot of things in this book have good meaning. I think a lot of the concepts such as treating people like people regardless of their skin tone or a language barrier is a good thing and much needed in today’s world. That really spoke to my heart. But the underlying story wasn’t super solid for me. The theme itself was well received though.

600bars's review against another edition

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3.0

-dam that was sad, 3.5 stars. i had fun reading it and it pulled at my heartstrings enough to make me cry, but i had a couple issues w it.
-appropriate to read on the 4th of july ha ha. america is fucked up
-i teared up
-mirabel and mayor relationship seemed murky wrt consent. i don't wanna strip her of her agency over her sexuality just bc she has a brain injury but she couldn't communicate in many scenes and the sexy scenes were from mayor's POV so ... hm.
-loved alma, poor woman :(
-overall v similar to kira kira tbh
-i got what henriquez was trying to do w the vignettes but i did not feel like they really had different enough voices
-where would the story be if they didn't make the brain injury character devastatingly beautiful of course :/
-one major thing: doesn't filling out forms and papers and shit require YEARS of wading thru bureaucracy? how did they legally get to come so quickly? how did mayor's family all get citizenship right away? there are who have been here since they were toddlers and are my age and still haven't gotten citizenship? the riveras aren't a wealthy family and had no connections in the states and had no knowledge of english so how tf would they get all this paperwork done? i know its a book and not realistic but still

anneb42's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was really well written, and I liked it quite a bit - three stars doesn't seem high enough, but the plot didn't grab me enough to make it four or five. I really enjoyed the perspectives of the family; I hadn't really been so immersed in the experience of living in a foreign country before, and it was expressed really well here. The characters and their stories are what made this book great for me - it was the love story I had a bit of trouble with.

If we were rating this on our ten-point book club scale, I'd probably have given it a 7 or 7.5. So don't let my three star rating deter you from reading it!

mariagarnett's review against another edition

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5.0

There could be no better time than the present to let this book steal your heart. Immigrants -- regardless of their status, their papers, their pasts -- are people, full stop.

awishman's review against another edition

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4.0

This was beautifully written, and the multiple perspectives were used well. This is a quiet book (until it's not) and the themes of guilt, hope, and connection were powerful.

maddness22's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was an incredible, heart-wrenching read. The love for family and community was so apparent in this book and it was such a great journey to partake in. There's so many hardships presented so naturally in this book from the perspective of Latinx immigration and my heart was breaking every other chapter over what these characters were forced to endure. The ending had me sobbing. What a tremendous job capturing each character and creating such an emotional arc for them!

andrearbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez is a story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. It focuses on immigrant stories, primarily through the stories of Maribel and Mayor. Maribel has come to Delaware from Mexico with her parents after a serious accident. They believe the relocation will provide Maribel with needed support and are committed to getting this for her. Mayor crosses paths with Maribel when she moves into the same apartment complex. He's drawn to her. While others have come to know Maribel through her accident and limitations, Mayor sees Maribel as someone who he wants to know for her. Through their stories and those of others in their complex, this book tells the stories of those who come to America wanting more. They have to make difficult decisions and leave much behind, but they come here with the hope to find their place. The end of this one is one that didn't just break, but shattered my heart.