A review by jiyoung
Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck

4.0

A thoughtful treatment of the refugee crisis in Germany. Starting with the most basic questions (e.g., where are you from, what do you eat), Erpenbeck methodically de-otherizes the African refugees Richard befriends while criticizing the absurd institutional and cultural hurdles that hinder asylum. While Richard is kind, he is no white savior; his self-conscious thoughts and uncensored learning process hold a mirror to the ignorance and moral complacency of rich countries.