I finishedTell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions by Valeria Luiselli last week and it completely broke my heart.
Luiselli works as a translator for undocumented children coming up to the United States. Her job is to ask them questions that will determine whether or not the children will be able to get a lawyer in order to help them stay in the states.
Most of these children do not know the answers to the questions or they are too nervous about what might happen if they are being honest. Luiselli, during this job, is not able to tell the children that the likeness that they will get a lawyer is not very high and it all comes down to the answers to the questions.
Luiselli has an insider’s perspective to the immigration process and how hard it truly is and even breaks it down into the laws of immigration and what must be done in order to stay, and once you get to stay that it isn’t always the best transition.
This book really tore at my heartstrings as we read actual answers to the forty questions, and follow one story decently far through the immigration process. It really shows just how hard it is to come legally in, and how hard it is to stay in if you come without the proper documentation.
This deep look into immigration shows a side of America that does not have much light on. Immigration is a touchy subject that people tend to stay away from, but nothing will ever get better or change if we avoid the conversation. Luiselli’s book is such a great way to open the conversation as it dives deeper into immigration, laws, and the inhumane situations these little kids are put through, all while they don’t have any of the tools in order to understand what is happening to them.
This book is incredibly eye opening and also just so emotional in the powerful narrative and information that the author utilizes to further the discussion of immigration.
Read It and Weep with MGD 