"We wait, all of us, for the beast to wake up again. We watch as it sleeps, unbothered, unhurried. It doesn't care that my heart is racing. That my mind feels dizzy from the heat and hunger. That my body is prickly with sweat and readiness. It doesn't care that we're dying, literally dying, to get as far away as possible from the places we love but that have turned on us."
-Pequena, from the novel
I am very familiar with this author who writes for a young adult audience; I know her personally and have read 3 of her novels previously. This book, however, is SO timely and so intense, I think it would be an important read for everyone, from age 15 up to all adults. We read and hear of the plight of immigrants in our country and see images that make us wonder what happened to the America who invited "your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (from The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus) Through the eyes of three Guatemalan teens, we are drawn into the struggles and emotions of these refugees.
These young people are living in fear of violent gangs that run rampant. Danger seems to be around every corner. Pulga, Chico, close enough to be his brother, and Pequena, Pulga's female cousin, have family who love them in Puerto Barrios but they decide they must run to save themselves. They set out on an extremely perilous journey through Guatemala and Mexico, mostly via La Bestia, the train called "the Beast" because of the number of people who have lost life or limbs to its ferocity. These muchachos must survive so much cruelty along the way but occasionally are met by compassionate people running shelters. It takes real desperation and determination to keep them going.
The author uses what I would call lyrical prose. Pulga and Pequena alternate telling their very emotional stories, expressing themselves in a powerful, sometimes poetic way. I became totally involved with the characters, almost wishing I could help them on their way somehow. Ms. Sanchez also uses magical realism, especially in Pequena's mind, to lift the narrative to another plane.
The novel, of course, is written in English but in a number of places there is Spanish dialogue. This was interesting because I could challenge my mediocre knowledge of Spanish in trying to translate. More often than not, the author helps out with the context.
This is a captivating story of survival, although it is difficult to read in parts---sad and scary, at times. Short chapters and great intensity made it a page-turner and I can easily rate it a 5.
Updated October, 2021
Our Page Turners finally met to discuss a selection we had planned for spring. It was postponed because of our reading of American Dirt. We felt the subject matter was too similar to read so soon after it. Much of our discussion centered around a comparison to that other novel. We also talked about the appropriateness of this book for youth. (We thought it was and that young people would find it readable and engaging.) We agreed We Are Not From Here elicited intense emotions and that the author's use of figurative language is very compelling. Our leader even read an excerpt to illustrate the lyrical quality of the writing.
The group's average rating was 3.9.
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