American Street is an evocative and powerful coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Everything, Everything; Bone Gap; and All American Boys. In this stunning debut novel, Pushcart-nominated author Ibi Zoboi draws on her own experience as a young Haitian immigrant, infusing this lyrical exploration of America with magical realism and vodou culture. On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie-a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola's mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit's west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?
“This is the beginning of the good life. Une belle vie.”
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Rating: 3/5 stars (June 19th 2020)
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So, I've been going back and forth on what to say about this novel and how to rate it. On the one hand it showed a heartbreaking view of immigration and families being split apart due the immigration system the United States has, but on the other hand a lot of what happened seemed unnecessary for the type of story it was trying to tell.
Throughout the novel I never really became connected to any of the characters, which made me contemplate if I should dnf the book. I loved the intertwining of cultures that Fabiola has, but the book seemed to forget somewhat about her mission of reuniting her and her mother and only brought it up when it was relevant, and the addition of selling drugs completely changed the tone of the book to something more obscure. I still think it is a solid book, but some parts were questionable.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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19 June, 2020:
Finished reading
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19 June, 2020:
Reviewed