Five Grounds

by Scott Rempell

From distant corners of the globe, three strangers risk everything to reach the shores of the United States. In Ethiopia, Tesfaye abandons his post at the Ministry of Defense and attempts to escape the country while a crazed rebel commander hunts him down for reasons he will spend years trying to fully understand. Lin’s mother forces her to leave China to protect her from the same fate that led to her father’s disappearance. In Mexico, Sofia’s health rapidly deteriorates, so she leaves behind her two young children and the memory of a murdered husband. These three do not realize just how perilous their journeys will be, nor do they know that reaching U.S. soil will just be the beginning. The dire circumstances that cause them to flee their homelands follow them across oceans and deserts. As Tesfaye, Lin, and Sofia confront their pasts, a federal immigration agent seeks to unravel their new lives. In the process, their once divergent paths ultimately draw closer together. Although Five Grounds is a novel, the story lines are grounded in true historical and contemporary events.

346 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 2012

Reviews

[Laurentara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down! One of the best books I've ever read.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent novel. I can't believe I let it sit in my to-be-read folder for so long. It told of a man from Ethiopia, a young woman from China and a woman from Mexico and their attempts to enter the U.S.A. illegally. It was well written and objective and showed the flaws in their requests to seek asylum in the U.S. I liked that it was told with separate chapters for each person, usually just a couple of chapters before moving to the next person. I thought that would make the book seem choppy but the author did a great job of transitioning from one person to the next. I would recommend this novel to everyone. Their is some violence but this is a violent world.

[Kelsey Dumoulin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stories about immigrants - how and why. While it was an intriguing book - and at times very difficult to read, I never felt fully engaged with the characters. In other words - stories to keep me reading, but I felt the writing itself was pretty run of the mill. There were some details that piqued my interest and shed light on a topic I do not know much about. However, I wished the writing were slightly more emotional to make me want to care a lot more than I did.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought provoking, provocative read designed to entice the reader to consider the true costs of immigration for both immigrants and natural-born citizens. This story follows the lives of three individuals seeking asylum in the United States following tragic events in their home countries.

Read more here http://www.theeloquentlyspoken.blogsp.... No spoilers!!!

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title refers to the five "grounds" or benchmarks that U.S. Immigration uses to determine if a person qualifies for legal refugee status in the U.S. The book tracks 3 illegal immigrants from China, Mexico and Ethiopia on their journeys to the U.S. Compelling good read but the ending was a bit of a "fizzler" for me.

[Lisa Beebe]

Pretty good insight on the whole immigration process.

[Alison]

kindle 352 mystery/action