My Brilliant Friend

One down, three to go in the Neapolitan novels from this enigmatic author.  Loved this book, love the characters, love the writing.....but I have a few other books to read before I continue with this saga

The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez

I really enjoyed this book and it was very timely, given the political climate here now, with Donald Trump wanting to send all illegal immigrants home.

In this book, however, the immigrants are here legally, but they are still not really considered Americans and live lives that are extremely difficult.

“We’re the unknown Americans,” says a character, “the ones no one even wants to know, because they’ve been told they’re supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realize that we’re not that bad, maybe even that we’re a lot like them.”

Here's a shortened version of the synopsis, from Wikipedia:

Alma Rivera, her husband Arturo, and daughter, Maribel, emigrate from Pátzcuaro, Mexico to Delaware on a visa Arturo obtained through work. Though the couple had a rich life in Mexico, they emigrated in order to send their daughter Maribel to a special needs school after she sustained a head injury. The family find it difficult to adjust as they know no English and Arturo's work picking mushrooms, which was the only work he could obtain legally, is monotonous and degrading. Their lives become easier when they meet the Toro family, who occupies the same tenement building as they do. The Toro parents are immigrants from Panama who have become legal citizens but struggle to get by on one meager income. Celia Toro and Alma Rivera become fast friends. Meanwhile, Mayor Toro develops a crush on Maribel and, after she is sexually assaulted by Garett Miller, a boy at Mayor's school, Mayor becomes protective of her.