Friday, May 05, 2017

Jaguar's Children

The Jaguar's Children / John Vaillant
Toronto: Knopf, c2015.
280 p.

Vaillant, better known for his award-winning nonfiction like The Tiger or The Golden Spruce, turned to fiction with this debut novel. And it is a stunner. 

Hector has decided to illegally cross the border into the US (this is obviously set a few years ago when that would still be a desirable destination). He gathers up enough money to pay the 'coyotes' to take him across with a group of other desperate wishful immigrants. The coyotes, though, are usually gang-related and not entirely trustworthy.

Hector climbs into a water tanker with a group of others, and the hole is welded shut after them. This is a brilliant subterfuge, as no-one could fit into the tanker's opening, thus making it highly unlikely to be suspect. But it also makes for a terrifying trip, especially once the truck stops in the desert, abandoned by their drivers. 

It's a difficult read, as Hector finds an American name on his friend Cesar's phone, and begins sending messages calling for help. The book is structured as a modern epistolary novel; rather than letters, this is made up of one-way phone messages, but with the same effect. 

Vaillant is able to compress a long backstory into a cohesive narrative, one that compels attention and highlights the many reasons why someone might feel desperate enough to attempt this border crossing. He shows a variety of personalities in the group Hector is travelling with, and enlarges upon the vivid culture of Oaxaca - both its strengths and the reasons people might want to leave it. I felt that it powerfully humanized the immigrants who are often demonized instead, giving them a full existence and demanding understanding and empathy from the reader. 

While it's a bit of a terrifying and breathless reading experience, I also think it's a very strong novel. The writing suits the story, and it moves along very quickly, with the reader rushing to find out the conclusion. But at the same time, there is a focus on developing the characters and their lives and longings. It's a striking combination. 


6 comments:

  1. Melwyk, thanks for another wonderful, well-written review. This sounds like a powerful book.

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    1. Yes - powerful indeed. And terrifying, and claustrophic, but important.

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  2. Oh, I'm so glad to hear you like this! I've had it for a while now, but keep putting it off, feeling uncertain.

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    1. It's kind of terrible and traumatic, so don't read it if you're having a bad day already. But it is also a strong statement and a humanizing read.

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  3. I loved this one too if only because it is timely and so powerful. It is not a happy story by any means, but it really opened my eyes to the degree of risk people take to get to our country. It makes me view the entire topic of immigration in an entirely different light.

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    1. I agree - it makes the risks so clear.

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