A review by ivi_reads_books
Solito by Javier Zamora

adventurous emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

3.25

The story is being told from the point of view of 9 year-old Javier who grows up with his grandparents because his parents emigrated to the US early in his life. The author describes the harrowing story of how he immigrated illegally to the US to be united with his parents. 

I felt for the characters and loved to see that Javier found people he could rely on while being at the mercy of coyotes. At the same time I would have preferred to hear this story from adult Javier and his point of view. The coming of age awkwardness and bathroom stories were a little much for me.

If a reader doesn't understand basic Spanish they might not get every situation or nuance as there is quite a bit of untranslated Spanish in this book.

I think it's an important story for anyone to hear to understand how terrible the cirumstances in their home countries must be to decide to get on this journey to the US not knowing if they will survive it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hogarth for a copy of this book!
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