American Street

I loved reading this story. This was my first time reading Ibi Zoboi's work and I am now a fan for life. Loved this! Very heart-warming, funny and eye opening. A story that needed to be told.

American Street is a story about a young Haitian girl called Fabiola, who goes to lives in America. On arrival in America Fabiola's mother is held by immigration officers and placed in a detention center leaving Fabiola lost and alone in the Airport. Fabiola goes to live with her wacky cousins and tries to adapt to her new life while desperately trying to come up with a scheme to be reunited with her mother.This story was unique as it incorporated lots of Haitian cultural references such as folklore and religious beliefs; the culture clash frequently made Fabiola question her ingrained beliefs and morals.The was a quick read with some emotional plotlines and a dash of magical realism. If you liked the book  The Hate U Give  you will definitely enjoy this story as some of the characters and storylines have similarities.

American Street is a poignant, character-driven novel. Fabiola's fight for her mother is central to the novel. My favourite part was the family dynamics. It's clear from the start that Fab has an undying devotion to her mother, but we also get to see Fab's blossoming relationship with her Aunt and her cousins that she's only ever spoken to on the phone. This was my favourite aspect of American Street.As Fab settled into her new life at Detroit, she finds it's not much different than Haiti - through all of this she holds onto her cultural roots, remains who she is, and holds tight to her Vodou faith. Her first and foremost task is to get her mother back, and because of this she makes some difficult decisions and relies on the Iwa, specifically Papa Legba, to guide her.American Street tackles a lot of issues, and I think it does it well. Whilst getting her mother out of detainment was the focal point of the book, there are lots of other themes and issues that will most likely satisfy a lot of different types readers. There's even a bit of romance in there.Overall, this is definitely a book I'd recommend for contemporary fans looking for a gritty, honest and powerful story. It's a strong debut, #ownvoices, and rich in culture and tradition. American Street is unquestionably a book you should check out.

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.) “We will get my Manman. I exhale deep as we leave the airport. It feels like I’m leaving part of me behind – a leg, an arm. My whole heart.”This was a YA contemporary story about a girl newly arrived in America from Haiti.Fabiola was an okay character, and I felt sorry for her the way her mother was detained by customs and she was left to start her life in America without her.The storyline in this was about Fabiola starting her new life in America with her cousins, and learning more about what their lives were really like, and where their money came from. I don’t want to say too much, but Fabiola never stopped fighting for her mother to be released into the states, and did everything she could to make that happen. I did find that the story didn’t hold my interest very well though.The ending to this was okay, and there were realistic consequences for Fabiola’s actions.6 out of 10