Border Child

February 20, 2017
Life in the tiny Mexican village of Puerto Isadore has always been difficult, but ever since Hector and Lilia returned from crossing the border into the U.S., their hardships have increased. After the disappearance of their baby, Alejandra, whom Lilia was separated from while traveling north three years earlier, the town itself—as well as their own futures—looks bleak. When Hector happens upon Emanuel, the only person who can connect them to the human smuggler they used for their crossing, they begin to hope—either for a happy reunion with their daughter or the closure they need. Hector travels to Acapulco to hopefully find the coyote who can explain what happened to Alejandra. Lilia, who is now expecting their third child, stays in Puerto Isadore with their two-year-old son. As Hector, desperate to earn the money to search for Alejandra, works dangerous jobs for questionable characters, Lilia struggles not only with her guilt but also with a difficult pregnancy. Chapters of alternating narratives allow Lilia and Hector’s voices to come through. Although their story depends too heavily on stereotypes of people and circumstances from both sides of the border, it is a poignant portrayal of the struggles and choices faced by those in difficult conditions.