Review: When I Walk Through That Door, I Am

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Rating: ★★★★

I received this book for free through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very powerful narrative poem that deals with immigration into the U.S. from South America.

I love narrative poems. I think they are such a creative way to tell a story and it worked well for this particular story and message The author really put you into the main character’s head and you got to know her thoughts and feelings in an intimate way. There are just some things you can do in poetry that you can’t necessarily do with prose, so this was a successful way of telling this story. 

I do have a few minor critiques of the book. One being that it felt a tad bit over the top and dramatic which made parts of it unbelievable. The second critique is that I wanted more. I was super into the story and then it just kind of ended. Certain parts could have been fleshed out more to give it even more depth.

Lastly, I loved the author’s note at the end where he talks about his experience with a Burmese refugee. It was a very touching story. I kind of wish that he had written the book about him instead of creating a something new. There was something very special about their friendship. 

Overall, this is an important and beautifully written read that highlights the difficulties that many South American immigrants face when trying to come into the U.S.