“Borderless” by Jennifer DeLeon is a young adult book that explores life in her Central American homeland of Guatemala. The book follows the day to day life of Maya, our main character. Maya, a young woman of 17 years old is an aspiring fashion designer who creates unusual fashion out of the unexpected. Maya is using her talent to make her dreams a reality.
Coming from immigrant parents, I felt that I was going to be able to relate to the story that DeLeon was telling, however I was unprepared for the twists and turns that Maya and her mother experienced. The mix of characters within Maya’s retelling of the events gives the story more interesting layers. The major points in the story are alluded to, but are only revealed when necessary and leaves the reader wishing to know more.
Maya is attending a prestigious design school. The school is sponsoring a contest that Maya is entered into which could change her life forever if only she could win. To complicate matters, her best friend doesn’t make it into the contest. He meets a boy through her friends and this should be an exciting time for Maya though it is anything but that. So much happens in this story in such a short span of time. Moments like when the characters cross the Rio Grande, or the period where Maya is trying to find out what happened to her mother, all this time jumping adds to the story that the reader is left wondering what is next with each turn of a page. Borderless will have readers running alongside Maya and her mother who are just trying to find a place that will provide them an escape from gang infested Guatemala.
As I said, the story is fast-paced in that it takes little time for events to unfold, however DeLeon has the character of Maya and her supporting characters share some very authentic moments that builds the story up to its climatic events. The reader watches Maya’s simple life turn upside down. She is no longer able to hide behind her youth or naivete and is forced to age quickly. First crush, first kiss and first time witnessing a murder are only some of the rights of passage and life altering events that Maya experiences.
Readers are able to see and perhaps understand why so many people seek asylum in the United States. There are moments that are heart wrenching and emotional. I was at the edge of my seat as the immigrants tried to cross the Rio Grande, especially the pregnant woman that Maya encountered. While reading this you might certainly feel the pain that Maya experienced. The events of the book give us a glimpse of the treatment that many people experience day to day when entering the U.S. and why these people endure such dehumanizing situations.
The story of Maya and the other characters lead us through the events of her week, fleeing from her home with nothing but the clothes on her back, crossing the Rio Grande, a detention center and finally to the next chapter of her new life without her mama.
Readers may find solace in this book especially if you can relate to the way Maya migrated to the U.S. Or perhaps you have heard the tales of others who have migrated whether they succeeded or not. Finally, readers might see why risking it all in the hopes of being granted asylum in the U.S. is worth the struggle. The book will allow readers to have an intimate connection with Maya and will leave them cheering for her and the new road she must now travel.
