The Border by Steve Schafer

TITLE– The Border

AUTHOR– Steve Schafer

RATING– 4/5

BLURB– “Welcome to United State, amigos” he says, pointing to a low fence in the distance. We’ve walked no more than ten minutes.

“That’s it?” Arbo asks

It stands no more than a shoulder high, with posts several body lengths apart and thin strands of barbed wire running between them. I wasn’t expecting a wall, but I was expecting something more than this. This fence looks like it would barely keep cattle from crossing. The cacti will slow us down more than this fence.

It feels underwhelming. The more I stare at it, the smaller it seems. Its puny frame is engulfed by the desert. It’s inconsequential. It’s nothing.

Then I get it.

The fence is insignificant because it can be. It’s a warning. I can almost hear those who built it say, “we don’t need a barricade here. Look around you. You don’t know what you are up against.”

CATEGORY- Young Adults, above 14 years of age

NUMBER OF PAGES-351

GENRE– realistic fiction, adventure

ISBN– 9781492646839

To be honest, my mind has some attraction to the topic of illegal migrants. 🤷! I just don’t know why? Maybe it’s because of my advocate personality? I feel bad living a good life when there are many others in need, and that’s exactly why I picked this book up in the Big Bad Wolf sale. I wanted to be able to relate to these people’s sufferings before I judged them, but little did I know that I will never be able to put myself in their dilapidated shoes. 😟! PS- this book really made me feel grateful for little things, like drinking water (I had a whole bottle next to me and was continuously sucking on it😰), because Steve Schafer did a wonderful job of making me feel their misfortunes.

As Pato is entering his friends’ birthday party (quinceanera), he cites a black car outside on the driveway, and suspicion arouses within him, nevertheless, he decides not to raise alarm, as he is swayed by his father’s talk of a surprise. Later on in the day, gunmen enter and shoot everyone at the party down, except Marcos, Pato, Arbo and Marcus’s sister Gladys. With nothing left around them, family gone, they decide that they need to flee Mexico, if the gunmen do get hold of them, they can expect to never breathe again.

A reward is offered for the four teens, and fleeing Mexico became a compulsory. It becomes a whirlwind of a journey afterwards where they stay at Sir. Ortiz’s place and contact people to illegally migrate, it might seem simple but is certainly complicated. Will all of them make it our alive or die with the challenges that the desert presents?

One thing I want to address, is that Allhamdulliah (all praise to God), I have passed a HUNDRED followers, and I am truly honored. 🎆🎉! THANK YOU to all my followers who have undertaken this journey with me, everyone one of you mean A LOT! I have checked out most your blogs and they are simply amazing! Keep up the good work!❤

Hope everyone is keeping safe!

-Nabeeha💛