Children of the Land (Review)

Poetry made prose, Children of the Land is the memoir of a Mexican man growing up undocumented in America. 

Metaphor-rich and vivid, the writing comes to life with themes of movement and belonging as the story discusses the impacts of being undocumented in the U.S., from the natural distrust it builds into your personality to the separation of families for life. 

 “So much of my energy was spent trying to avoid getting caught. I wonder how much more I could have done with my life if I’d been spared the energy it took to survive.”

Taking on an unconventional narrative style that is more verse than novel, the story weaves together the events of Marcello’s upbringing, his father deportment, and his mother’s search for citizenship into the fabric of his own life story. Like a tapestry, the people of Marcello’s life feature just as prominently, if not more so, than himself  in a stroke of creative brilliance the quietly ties together themes of identity with ancestry.

However, despite being a beautiful and striking memoir that matches the power of poetic ambiance with heart-wrenching true stories, the often nonlinear timeline may deter some readers and cause confusion at times regarding the order of events. And, although a standard length, the style makes the story feel almost endless, which works towards its overall lasting impression while also being difficult to get through. 

“I tried to remain seen for those whom I desired to be seen by, and I wanted to be invisible to everyone else. Or maybe I was trying to control who remembered me and who forgot me.” 

An astounding story that may only appeal to those who already have a taste for poetry and/or literary fiction and who are ok with meandering through Marcello’s life in the slow flow of the novel’s pace. Highly recommended for fans of How we Fight for Our Lives, I rated Children of the Land 4.5 out of 5.

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