<b>A story that needs to be heard. Moving, beautiful, heartbreaking and even funny . . . I never wanted it to end</b>
- Philippa Perry,
Now a successful lawyer, Qian is working through her trauma in this book, but it's joyous too, with <b>moments of brightness breaking through even the most trying times</b>
Sunday Times, Books of the Year
<b>Elegantly affecting . . . </b>Qian Julie Wang tells <b>a remarkable story of displacement, heartache and resilience</b>
Guardian, Best Biographies and Memoirs of 2021
<b>Deeply compelling</b> <b>. . .</b> <b>I was moved by the love and resilience of this family thrust into darkness</b>. <b>The book casts an urgent light on a reality that extends way beyond America's borders</b>
- Hisham Matar, author of The Return,
A powerful, gripping insight into the world of an undocumented migrant in New York . . . <b>beautifully written, with vivid scenes that linger in the mind long after finishing it</b>
- Helena Merriman,
<b>Sharply observed</b> . . . Wang's story leaves the reader wishing that wanting a better future, and working hard for it, wasn't illegal in a country that has been built on the back of immigrants
FT
<b>Astonishing . . . In</b> <b>restrained but beautiful prose</b>, <b>Wang honours her family's sacrifices, but alerts us to the urgent realisation that they should not be necessary</b>
- Nesrine Malik,
<b>Intricate and penetrating</b> . . . <b>a beautiful and hopeful read that also underlines what can truly happen to people who are simply seeking refuge</b>
Stylist, an Unmissable Memoir for Summer 2021
<b>The must-read book of 2021</b>
Marie Claire
This <b>beautifully expressed memoir of the immigrant experience </b>charts her parents' struggles to survive as "illegals" in New York while their daughter battles hunger and loneliness at school, and is <b>all the more moving for being related from a child's point of view</b>
The Bookseller, Editor's Choice
<b>A vital and unforgettable read</b>
Refinery29
A<b> heart-wrenching and intimate</b> account of life under the ever-present threat of deportation
Woman's Own Magazine
Heart-wrenching . . . A memoir about resilience and overcoming the odds, about finding the small moments of joys which punctuate even the grimmest of childhoods
Bad Form
Consider this remarkable memoir a new classic
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
<b>A potent testament to the love, curiosity, grit, and hope</b> of a courageous and resourceful immigrant child. Engaging readers through all five senses and the heart, Wang's debut memoir is <b>a critical addition to the literature on immigration as well as the timeless category of childhood memoir</b>
Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
<b>Heartrending, unvarnished, and powerfully courageous</b>, this account of growing up undocumented in America will never leave you
- Gish Jen, author of The Resisters,
<i>Beautiful Country</i> rings with <b>power and authenticity. </b>Wang's searing exploration reveals how she and her family were forced to navigate the yawning cracks in the American Dream. An <b>eloquent, thought-provoking and touching</b> memoir
- Jean Kwok, author of Girl in Translation and Searching for Sylvie Lee,
<b>Powerful </b>. . . A haunting memoir of people and places that will stay with readers long after the last page
Library Journal