A review by ambershelf
Solito by Javier Zamora

5.0

In this raw and intimate memoir, Zamora recounts the harrowing experience of his migration from El Salvador to the US border. At nine, Zamora is finally ready for this trip his family has been preparing for a year. He will leave his grandparents behind and travel with a group of strangers to finally reunite with his parents. However, the trip that is only supposed to last two weeks turns into two months because of unexpected route changes. Javier finds himself embarking on boat trips and desert treks, getting a glimpse of deception, and receiving incredible kindness from the companions traveling with him.

Ooh wee this book is a cry fest, especially listening to the audiobook. It is at times challenging to hear Zamora’s account describing the treacherous journey, where he couldn't use the bathroom or shower, went through an entire day without food, etc. The most grueling part is that he endured all this alone without his family.

Zamora recounts his journey with child-like innocence and hope, which is perhaps what really broke my heart; to imagine going through a physically- and psychologically-challenging experience alone with the singular focus of seeing your parents again. Zamora leverages his masterful writing to craft a memoir with the tension of a novel and the rhythm of poetry. In narrating the audiobook, Zamora expertly preserves the poem-like rhythm to tell a captivating and unforgettable story.

It is one thing to hear about the dangers of migrating through the borders and a completely different experience to see it through the lens of a nine-year-old boy alone on this journey. SOLITO is an incredible book that will stay with me for a long time, and I highly recommend everyone give this a read.

In the epilogue, Zamora writes, "This book is for them, and for every immigrant who has crossed, who has tried to, who is crossing right now, and who will keep trying."