Official Review: The Immigrants by Emmanuel O.V. Pawa

mchao · Post by **mchao** » 14 May 2020, 10:20

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Immigrants" by Emmanuel O.V. Pawa.]

2 out of 4 stars

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Beginning as an enchanting story about the ice cream trucking business in Chicago and transforming into a moving tribute to the challenges faced by immigrants, The Immigrants by Emmanuel O.V. Pawa is well worth the read. As this story dives into the lives of the men who drive these musical trucks for a living, it exposes a grittier side of America.

The men in this story come from different walks of life but all of them have found themselves renting trucks from the same wealthy Greek ice cream truck tycoon and selling frozen treats to children. Tony is one of these men, kind-hearted and hard-working, he lives with his girlfriend Cindy and tries not to step on any toes. When he hears about the U.S. Department of State’s diversity visa lottery, he spreads the word, handing out application forms and encouraging others to apply.

The lucky winner of this diversity lottery is a Nigerian named Sam. His brother-in-law is established in the Chicago ice cream truck business and helps him move to America. As a foreigner, Sam is overjoyed to be moving to America. He believes that this step is his first step towards achieving the American dream. However, when he is set up with an ice-cream truck route through Chicago neighborhoods, he is horrified at the poverty he encounters.

We follow Sam as he adjusts to life in America and begins to be taken advantage of by his brother-in-law. After Sam refuses to bend to his unnecessary demands, his brother-in-law resorts to violence and fear. This feud ultimately escalates to a brutal attack.

What I enjoyed most about this book was its refreshing and authentic viewpoint. It did a wonderful job exploring and discussing the difficulties immigrants have in America and the importance of their support systems. I think it did a wonderful job of making these struggles relatable and relevant, no matter your background. The story also expertly portrayed the extremes of human morality.

One aspect of this book that I had difficulties with was the overall story arc. I felt that the story arc started out beautifully but fell flat near the end. The story built and built but then with just a few chapters left, it hastily wrapped up a few loose ends and skipped to the epilogue. I wish it had taken a few more chapters to tie up a few more loose ends and flesh out the ending. I was also disappointed to find a few grammatical errors sprinkled throughout the book. Finally, it should be noted that there were a few parts of the story that I would not recommend to young children, but overall it was very mild.

Taking into account the aspects of this book that I enjoyed and those I disliked, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to adults and young adults interested in an inspiring story about human strength and resilience.

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The Immigrants
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Zoe Luh · Post by **Zoe Luh** » 15 May 2020, 10:49

I'm disappointed that the story arc fell flat near the end because it sounds like such an interesting story! I still might read it, but I won't get my hopes up

Harty · Post by **Harty** » 16 May 2020, 10:24

I like the reference to the American dream. I hope Sam achieves it. Nice review.

Deborah kalu · Post by **Deborah kalu** » 16 May 2020, 19:12

It's very difficult to get your balance in a new environment. hope Sam make it at last.wonderful review

booksandmagicshop · Post by **booksandmagicshop** » 17 May 2020, 22:50

The book sounds like it gives a voice to underrepresented groups like immigrants. I find that admirable, but that's disappointing to hear the ending was wrapped up hastily.

tjportugal · Post by **tjportugal** » 18 May 2020, 06:33

It's really sad when you've got a plot with such a potential but then the author has trouble wrapping it up. The issues that you mention in the second to last paragraph seem to have played a strong impact in the book.
I've been having less and less patient for misconstructed narratives lately, so I think I'll pass this one.
Thank you for your honest review.

Sheila_Jay · Post by **Sheila_Jay** » 19 May 2020, 15:17

Unfortunately, it appears that the author has a lot to do if the book is to be great. For me, until then, I have to skip this book. Thanks for the honest review.