A review by missprint_
The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu
2.0
M. T. should be living a fairy tale story of a life. To everyone else it probably seems like she is with her good grades that can make her Valedictorian, the trip she is organizing for the National Honor Society, and her picture perfect best friend with her good looks and fancy house.
M. T. even looks the part with her blonde hair and light complexion.
The only problem is that the story is a lie.
M. T. is an undocumented immigrant--the same as her mother and father. It was easy to blend in before. But now the future is uncertain. M. T. isn't sure what happens next except that it probably won't include college or anything resembling a happy family.
With everything starting to unravel M. T. is lost and unsure how to find her way back in The Secret Side of Empty (2014) by Maria E. Andreu.
The Secret Side of Empty is Andreu's first novel. It draws on her own experiences growing up as an undocumented immigrant in America.
This debut is an important novel that shines a light on an aspect of American life that few people rarely see. M. T. is in a desperate position caught between the country where she legally belongs and the country that has been home for most of her life.
Andreu expertly captures the push and pull M. T. feels between thinking of herself as an American and the underlying reason she knows she is nothing like her American friends. This already multi-layered story is further complicated with M. T.'s troubled home life and her own drastic plan for coping.
The Secret Side of Empty is a compelling and timely read as well as a much needed addition to the larger conversation about the immigrant experience.
Possible Pairings: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Drown by Junot Diaz, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga, Stealing Henry by Carolyn MacCullough, Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, A Step From Heaven by An Na, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
*This book was acquired for review from the publisher*
M. T. even looks the part with her blonde hair and light complexion.
The only problem is that the story is a lie.
M. T. is an undocumented immigrant--the same as her mother and father. It was easy to blend in before. But now the future is uncertain. M. T. isn't sure what happens next except that it probably won't include college or anything resembling a happy family.
With everything starting to unravel M. T. is lost and unsure how to find her way back in The Secret Side of Empty (2014) by Maria E. Andreu.
The Secret Side of Empty is Andreu's first novel. It draws on her own experiences growing up as an undocumented immigrant in America.
This debut is an important novel that shines a light on an aspect of American life that few people rarely see. M. T. is in a desperate position caught between the country where she legally belongs and the country that has been home for most of her life.
Andreu expertly captures the push and pull M. T. feels between thinking of herself as an American and the underlying reason she knows she is nothing like her American friends. This already multi-layered story is further complicated with M. T.'s troubled home life and her own drastic plan for coping.
The Secret Side of Empty is a compelling and timely read as well as a much needed addition to the larger conversation about the immigrant experience.
Possible Pairings: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Drown by Junot Diaz, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga, Stealing Henry by Carolyn MacCullough, Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, A Step From Heaven by An Na, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
*This book was acquired for review from the publisher*