Book Review: My Side of the River: A Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez/ Memoir

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of My Side of the River: A Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez.

Title: My Side of the River: A Memoir

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2024

Language: English

Hardcover: 272 pages
Meet the Author: Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

“My Side of the River is both fierce and poetic. It brilliantly reframes border writing while embracing nature and familial history. There are moments when one sees greatness appear. This is one of those moments.” ―Luis Alberto Urrea, New York Times bestselling author of Good Night, Irene

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez reveals her experience as the U.S.-born daughter of immigrants and what happened when, at fifteen, her parents were forced back to Mexico in this galvanizing yet tender memoir.

Born to Mexican immigrants south of the Rillito River in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth had the world at her fingertips. She was preparing to enter her freshman year of high school as the number one student when suddenly, her own country took away the most important right a child has: the right to have a family.

When her parents’ visas expired and they were forced to return to Mexico, Elizabeth was left responsible for her younger brother, as well as her education. Determined to break the cycle of being a “statistic,” she knew that even though her parents couldn’t stay, there was no way she could let go of the opportunities the U.S. could provide. Armed with only her passport and sheer teenage determination, Elizabeth became what her school would eventually describe as an unaccompanied homeless youth, one of thousands of underage victims affected by family separation due to broken immigration laws.

For fans of Educated by Tara Westover and The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande, My Side of the River explores separation, generational trauma, and the toll of the American dream. It’s also, at its core, a love story between a brother and a sister who, no matter the cost, is determined to make the pursuit of her brother’s dreams easier than it was for her.

My Thoughts

Another great memoir. I just love reading these types of stories. I don't think I will ever get tired of submerging myself in other people's life stories, especially those of immigrants, trying to make a better life here in the USA. 

I will always be grateful to those authors who share their stories. With each one, I always learn something and I always feel like there should be more and more. I am an immigrant in this country as well. Granted, my story is much different from the ones on the pages of these books but in a way that makes me appreciate living in this country, which I called my second home more. 

Elizabeth's story is one of resilience, of being brave, and wanting not only the best for her but for her parents and her brother. Despite all the difficulties, she aspired to do more, to be better, and to in some way give back some of what she received, just for being able to live in this country. I can't only imagine what was for her to be without her parents, especially in the hardest moments. 

Thank you St.Martin's Press and Netgalley for the free advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy