An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann

In An American Immigrant, twenty-five year old Melanie makes a pilgrimage to Colombia and discovers more about both herself and her mother, who came to American from Colombia when she was a young woman.

An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann. WaterBrook, 2023. 352 pages.

• Reading Level: Adults
• Recommended For: Teens and adults, ages 15 and up

Melanie was thrilled to land her job at the Miami Herald, but despite her hard work, she feels like she’s failing. Her boss isn’t much comfort either, always asking her for more or different work than she’s turning in. In a desperate attempt to boost her career, Melanie rashly volunteers to take on a reporting gig in Colombia. Melanie’s mother is originally from Colombia, and Melanie, while not fluent, can get along in Spanish. She can even visit her grandmother as part of the trip. She’s a perfect fit for the job. Her mother, whom Melanie has been ignoring because of her work load, jumps at the chance to accompany Melanie.

Once they arrive in Colombia, Melanie is whisked into a different culture. Some is familiar (her grandmother’s food!), and some is new to her (such as a dance she goes to with her cousin). Over the weekend, both circumstances and people help Melanie begin to understand things about herself and her mother. Is her new relationship with Sebastian going somewhere? Is working in journalism the best way to use her God-given writing talents?

An American Immigrant is an absorbing read. Chapters alternate between Melanie’s story (third person) and her mother’s journals (first person). Melanie has never heard the “why” behind her mother’s desperate border crossing before Melanie was born, and she can’t tear herself away from reading the journal. This format worked well to help establish some of the emotional connection between the two as well as make Melanie’s mom’s story a personal one. Border crossings, particularly illegal ones, are big news politically; the journal format helps keep this story to one person and her family without getting bogged down in politics. A little romance, a lot of food, and some great characters make this novel fun even as it’s thought-provoking.

Books like An American Immigrant help us learn about new cultures, but they also help us build empathy for the real human individuals caught up in news headlines and political events. Whatever our personal opinions are about how to manage national borders and people groups, may we always have compassion on humans who are suffering. May a book like this help you see immigrants in your own community with fresh and compassionate eyes, regardless of how they arrived in your area. After all, as Christians, we are sojourners ourselves, not in our “home country.”

Finally, while Melanie refers to her Christian faith, it’s very much in the background. This is not a “preachy” book. It would make a great book club choice for older teens and young women (as well as for women of any age). The book won the Christy Award for best debut novel.

Considerations:

• Violence: Actual violence is minimal, but the threat is very real for Melanie’s mom during her long border crossing. She undergoes some very invasive searches at border stations and submits to humiliation at the hands of those running the show. Perceptive readers will pick up on the extent of these threats, but there are no graphic details.

Bottom Line: An engaging read that older teens (and their mothers) will enjoy reading and talking about.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• Reviews: A few of the Christian romance novels we’ve reviewed include Becoming Me by Melody Carlson, An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund, or The Arrow and the Crown by Emma Fox.
• Reviews: We’ve reviewed several books about Latino culture and heritage: The Pecan Sheller (Mexican American), Mañanaland, and Mexikid are all fun (and for a younger audience than An American Immigrant).
• A Resource: We have a booklist for that! Check out our Strangers and Sojourners Booklist (all about refugees and immigrants).

You may purchase An American Immigrant from Amazon