Border Child - by Michel Stone (Paperback)

About the Book

"Years ago, young lovers Hâector and Lilia dreamed of a brighter future for their family in the United States. Hâector left Mexico first, to secure work and housing, but when Lilia, desperate to be with Hâector, impetuously crossed the border with their infant daughter Alejandra, mother and child were separated, and Alejandra was never returned to her parents. Now, four years later, the family finally has a chance for reunion, but the damage wreaked by their traumatic separation may well be irreparable"--

Book Synopsis

Young lovers Héctor and Lilia dream of a brighter future in the United States, but their dream turns to a nightmare when their infant daughter vanishes during the crossing from Mexico. Four years later, back in their hometown of Oaxaca, the couple have a toddler son and another baby on the way when they receive a tip that might lead to their long-lost daughter. Héctor works illegal jobs to earn money for the journey north, and a bedridden Lilia awaits the birth of their third child while obsessively reliving the worst mistakes of her past. Michel Stone gives us a raw and heart-wrenching portrait of a family strained to the breaking point by the unexpected consequences of their hopes for a better life.

Review Quotes

"Reminiscent of Steinbeck. . . . Stone shows us the inner lives of characters who are the victims of an unjust world, spun and redirected by fates beyond their control." --San Francisco Chronicle

"A poignant, action-packed read. . . . Stone deftly draws readers into the heart of her characters' hopes and despairs, shining a humanizing light on the divisive subject of immigration." --Charleston Magazine

"A gripping and politically savvy look at the human impact of current immigration policy and an honest examination of the perils facing desperate immigrants." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A compassionate, beautiful novel. . . . Michel Stone has written a deeply moving tale that delivers a hefty emotional punch." --Ron Rash, author of Serena

"Stone is a great storyteller. . . . There is never a dull moment in this lyrical, engrossing novel. . . . Particularly important reading in our current political climate." --Library Journal

About the Author

MICHEL STONE is the author of The Iguana Tree, and has published more than a dozen stories and essays in various journals and magazines. Her work has appeared numerous times in the Raleigh News & Observer's Emerging Southern Writers series. Stone is a 2011 recipient of the South Carolina Fiction Project Award. She lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina.