‘Expensive things are better than cheaper ones’
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Published: September 6, 2022
Pages: 384
Rate: 4 stars
Goodreads Synopsis
Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago–“one day, you’ll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure.”
Javier’s adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone except for a group of strangers and a coyote hired to lead them to safety, Javier’s trip is supposed to last two short weeks.
At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents’ arms, snuggling in bed between them, living under the same roof again. He does not see the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside a group of strangers who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family.
Disclaimer: A copy of the book was sent to me for review by the publisher but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
My Take
I have read many difficult books in my life but Solito takes the top place as it stands. Solito is a memoir told from a voice of 9 year old Javier Zamora and we get to see the harrowing horrors of migrating from El Salvador to the USA.
There is a childlike innocence throughout the writing which makes the storytelling more potent. The writing is vulnerable and some parts tender. There are things I would read with baited breath because when I say they go through it? They go through it!!!!
‘Numbers is easy’
Solito is a memoir and I find it difficult to talk about the characters/people mentioned. These are real people, who went through this and I think it’s a disservice commenting on their lived experience. There is little I can say about Solito without spoiling it but all I can say is that it’s a necessary book. It gives you a look into a reality different than what is yours which I find important.
That being said, I highly recommend this book!
Have you read Solito? What did you think about it?
16/10/2023 at 1:28 pm
Wow, this passage really touches the heart. It’s incredible to see how ‘Solito’ captures the journey of young Javier from El Salvador to the USA, and the innocent perspective he brings to the harrowing experiences of migration. The childlike innocence in the writing adds a unique potency to the storytelling, making it all the more emotional and relatable. It sounds like a powerful memoir, and I’m eager to read the entire book to fully understand the challenges and experiences faced by Javier and the group of strangers he embarks on this life-altering journey with.”