Red Glass

by Laura Resau

Sophie's life is forever changed by a six-year-old Mexican boy named Pablo. Pablo was on the run across the Mexican-American boarder with his mother, father, and five others. Pablo was the only survivor, found near death with Sophie's stepfather's business card in his pocket as the only clue to his identity. Sophie's family, her British mother, Mexican stepfather, and Bosnian refugee great aunt, take Pablo in as a foster child. It is a full year before they can get Pablo to talk enough to tell them about where he came from. Sophie, her great aunt Dika, her great aunt's boyfriend Mr. Lorenzo, and his son, Angel set off to reunite Pablo with his family--though Sophie hopes that Pablo will choose to return to live with her in Arizona. Mr. Lorenzo and Angel have their own mission, to return to their home country, Guatemala, and retrieve the buried jewels Angel's (possibly) dead mother left behind. For Sophie, embarking on this journey without her parents and so far from home is a huge feat. She has spent much of her life living in fear--fear of being left an orphan, fear of illness, germs, and disease, fear of other people, fear of the unknown. Traveling with people who have been through hell and back, ravaged by war, brutality, and death, helps Sophie see her own life and herself in a different way, and teaches her the age-old adage that is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.

This book was a really amazing, well-written tale; in a few parts I was close to tears. Sophie is equal parts sophisticated and immature. Her mind has created a lot of road blocks that she needs to overcome before she can truly begin to live her life. Angel is a great balance for Sophie. He is outgoing and fun-loving, helping Sophie let loose and drawing Pablo from his closed shell, but Angel has his own demons that Sophie helps him fight. Dika and Mr. Lorenzo are a cute couple. Dika is one of those larger than life personalities. Despite her large girth, she won over Mr. Lorenzo by parading around in a turquoise bikini and lifting her fat rolls to check her tan lines at the pool where he works. Both Dika and Mr. Lorenzo have been through violence and war, and, though opposite personalities, understand each other at an essential core built on similar pasts. Though the story is mainly about Sophie and her personal growth, each character is touch and changed by the journey they share.