Atelophobia

hi, i'm back to hit you with a spicy book review over here.

this is the second memoir that i have read, my first being matthew perry's, which i rated 4/5 stars on goodreads. i don't have a huge opinion or a specific taste on memoirs in general, considering i've just begun reading them. however, i have a bone to pick with this book and it's the fact that i just wasn't feeling it.

if you know and have read solito, you'd know it follows the story of a nine-year-old boy traveling with a group of people to illegally immigrate to the united states to live with his parents, who also illegally immigrated years prior. if you haven't read it, well, there you go.

it is a true story, so i suppose that's why some parts bored me half to death.

i'm also not a children kinda person, so i have very little tolerance for the behavior of kids in general, and maybe that's another reason as to why i didn't have much patience for the back and forth of this kid's thoughts.

he was constantly worried about where he was going to use the washroom. this was amusing at first, but by the end i was like c'mon man, pick a new subject. please, i'm dying over here.

moving on past the fact that he was just a child with child-like worries, i did really enjoy the cover. the art was gorgeous and that was the reason why i chose to pick up the book in the first place.

The recollections of javiercito, the worries of him. Including the bathroom, the showers, the soap are part of the American dream he desired. The innocence of just wanting a hot shower and a comfy bed. Even in a live or death situation he was being a kid. It paints a picture of the reality of such a journey.

The frustrating part is seeing all these reviews of people saying they didn’t really understand it or got frustrated by the author point of view as a kid. Javier turns the reader into him. He placed us right there. With the 6 then the 4. I could feel the heat of the dessert and the hunger and thirst he felt during his journey. You can’t help it but question yourself, am i the traveler or im i the migra. Figuratively, of course.

I know is not for everyone, but as an immigrant myself this was special. I’ve been waiting for a book like this for the longest time and im happy its here, that exists.

Javiercito reminds you of the best part of humanity and also the worst. In the beauty of hardship and healing. I truly truly loved it sm and i hope the 4 get reunited some day.