Even though her name is Fabiola, her American friends and family begin to call the protagonist, Fabulous. She reluctantly takes on that alias, just as she reluctantly makes her way through Detroit's west side, a far cry away from her home in Haiti.
The reader meets Fabiola on her trip to see family in America, and her mother is detained by U.S. Immigration in New Jersey. Assured that her family in Detroit are "taking care of things," Fabiola finds herself fully engaged in life as an American teen, a life complicated by her well known cousins, the so called Three Bees. Her reaction to this unexpected immersion is genuine, and her character is relatable. Ibi Zoboi also takes a chapter here and there to offer the perspective of the other characters in the novel, making the lives of those that live on the corner of American and Joy all the more relevant to the reader.
What exactly does it mean to be labeled a resident alien? If you are curious, read American Street and Fabiola's story.
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ReplyDeleteAs of now, I have not read this book, but, how you have brought the story to my attention makes me want to binge read the book in one sitting. Based on how you presented the plot of “American Street”, it feels believable in how it is written and how it is shown. The characters seem to be well written, as easy to relate to and having realistic motives and actions. Definitely looks like a good book to read and get invested in if they made a sequel. Thank you for introducing me to this book. -Anders Buckhorn
ReplyDeleteThis book is interesting in the way its is presented to the reader. It packs a lot of topics. To read from the view of a 15 year old girl coming from Hades to America is a eye opener on experiences that immigrants go through. In all this book has great quality and can hit hard.
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ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read the first paragraph I got really intrigued and it made me want to read the book right away. The way the book is presented makes me curious in how the book will be when I’m reading it. Like I said in my other comment, I love books that are in teens perspective because you have those moments in the book that really puts you in the main characters shoes. As I was reading it a quote popped in my head and it was “Never judge another until you have walked a mile in his moccasins.” -Mary T. Lathrap