A Lazy Reader's Review of "Solito" by Javier Zamora

Synopsis

    Javier Zamora's adventure is a 3,000-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 amid a group of strangers and a "coyote" hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.

    At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents' arms, snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He cannot forsee 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 fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family. 

    A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora's story, but it's also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.

Review

    I always struggle with reviewing memoirs. How can I possibly give a review of someone's life? Of their own experiences? What is there to review? To me, it just seems almost disrespectful to do so.

    This memoir was gut wrenching, to say the least. For someone as young as Javier was when he made this incredibly dangerous journey is truly inspiring.

    There were several moments throughout this book where I was holding my breath because of how tense it was. One moment that comes to mind is when the group that Javier is traveling with get apprehended in Mexico and are forced to lay on the ground while soldiers with guns question them. It's really nerve-racking and definitely not something a child should ever go through. But, that the thing, children do go through these things in order to make it to the United States. It's not uncommon for their parents to leave them in their home country to be looked after by family members before they are able to save enough money to arrange transportation for them to come to the US. It's heartbreaking to see how much of Javier's childhood innocence was taken from him during his journey. He was basically forced to grow up in order to survive and make to his parents. 

    I thought that Zamora's writing style is super descriptive and poetic. However, at times, the story did seem to drag on just a bit.

    Overall, I really enjoyed reading this.

Nov. 24, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2024

★★★★☆

Favorite Quote: “My hope for this book is that somehow it will reunite me with Chino, Patricia, and Carla, that I will find out what happened to them after we separated and learn what their lives have been like in this country. I don't believe I ever thanked them. I want to thank them now, as an adult, for risking their lives for a nine-year-old they did not know.” ~ pg. 381