Review of Undocumented
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Nabiha Qureshi
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Review of Undocumented
[Following is a volunteer review of "Undocumented" by Anderson Gomes.]
Undocumented: Journey of Resilience: The Struggles and Triumphs of Undocumented Immigrants by Anderson Gomes is a powerful and groundbreaking memoir. It features the struggles of a young Brazilian man who immigrated to the United States at age eighteen and spent years living as an undocumented immigrant.
Many, if not all, immigrants and children of immigrants can understand the struggles posed in Undocumented, and Gomes does an excellent job of bringing those struggles to light. First, there's the toxic home life, which all immigrants and children of immigrants know. Children of immigrants can put themselves in Gomes's shoes, even if they don't share many of his struggles. Still, it's something many children can relate to, especially individuals of color, allowing them to connect with Gomes's plight.
Gomes clinging to the American life/the American dream was excellent; third-world countries often see America as a country where they can reach all of their goals, compelling them to move to the States to make something of themselves. It's also their way of pushing themselves to do better, something we see Gomes doing repeatedly. Furthermore, Gomes has clear motivations, some of which include not wanting to see his father fail, as well as proving things to himself. Much of Gomes's determination stems from wanting to make a name for himself, which can be incredibly inspiring.
I believe reading the book and seeing Gomes's struggles and his attempt at giving himself a better life can motivate people in his position to do better. This book gives them hope and the determination to see their goals through. After all, if one can do it with hard work and unwavering faith, so can the average person. It doesn't matter if you become a millionaire; what matters is you find comfort in your life.
Although the book's message was brilliant, its writing style was juvenile. It pulled me out of the mood with its abruptness and monotony, impacting my reading experience. Furthermore, the timeline in the beginning was confusing; we jumped from one age to another without a clear pattern. One moment, we had an eleven-year-old Gomes, then an eighteen-year-old, then a sixteen-year-old. In certain scenes, he forwent mentioning his age entirely. I think it could have been better if he chronologically wrote his experiences so readers could empathize with him better upon understanding how old he was.
The book had excellent editing, but I did catch one error. Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I recommend Undocumented to immigrants and children of immigrants so they can understand their dreams aren't out of reach!
******
Undocumented
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Undocumented: Journey of Resilience: The Struggles and Triumphs of Undocumented Immigrants by Anderson Gomes is a powerful and groundbreaking memoir. It features the struggles of a young Brazilian man who immigrated to the United States at age eighteen and spent years living as an undocumented immigrant.
Many, if not all, immigrants and children of immigrants can understand the struggles posed in Undocumented, and Gomes does an excellent job of bringing those struggles to light. First, there's the toxic home life, which all immigrants and children of immigrants know. Children of immigrants can put themselves in Gomes's shoes, even if they don't share many of his struggles. Still, it's something many children can relate to, especially individuals of color, allowing them to connect with Gomes's plight.
Gomes clinging to the American life/the American dream was excellent; third-world countries often see America as a country where they can reach all of their goals, compelling them to move to the States to make something of themselves. It's also their way of pushing themselves to do better, something we see Gomes doing repeatedly. Furthermore, Gomes has clear motivations, some of which include not wanting to see his father fail, as well as proving things to himself. Much of Gomes's determination stems from wanting to make a name for himself, which can be incredibly inspiring.
I believe reading the book and seeing Gomes's struggles and his attempt at giving himself a better life can motivate people in his position to do better. This book gives them hope and the determination to see their goals through. After all, if one can do it with hard work and unwavering faith, so can the average person. It doesn't matter if you become a millionaire; what matters is you find comfort in your life.
Although the book's message was brilliant, its writing style was juvenile. It pulled me out of the mood with its abruptness and monotony, impacting my reading experience. Furthermore, the timeline in the beginning was confusing; we jumped from one age to another without a clear pattern. One moment, we had an eleven-year-old Gomes, then an eighteen-year-old, then a sixteen-year-old. In certain scenes, he forwent mentioning his age entirely. I think it could have been better if he chronologically wrote his experiences so readers could empathize with him better upon understanding how old he was.
The book had excellent editing, but I did catch one error. Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
I recommend Undocumented to immigrants and children of immigrants so they can understand their dreams aren't out of reach!
******
Undocumented
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
