'Welcome to the New World' book review: Hope and despair

Based on a true story of the Aldabaans, a refugee family that fled civil war in Syria, the book began as a serialised comic strip for The New York Times and was later developed into a book.
Syrian refugees prepare to cross into Syria by bus at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. Image used for representational purposes (Photo | AP)
Syrian refugees prepare to cross into Syria by bus at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. Image used for representational purposes (Photo | AP)

This poignant graphic narrative chronicles the arrival and experience of a single refugee family from Syria to the US.

Based on a true story of the Aldabaans—a refugee family that escaped the destruction and persecutions of Syria’s civil war to seek protection in America—the book began as a serialised comic strip for The New York Times, and was later developed into a book.

In 2016, seven members of the Aldabaan family were approved to travel to the US. With no future in their own country, they made the hard decision to leave behind their homeland—as well as some of their family members whose permits weren’t yet approved—amidst fear and uncertainty, and nothing to hold onto except the dream of a promising future. They landed in Connecticut on Election Day—November 8—the day Donald Trump became President.

All of a sudden, the family hears of sporadic incidents such as the burning down of mosques and shooting of Muslims in various US cities. The family even receives an anonymous call threatening to kill them unless they leave America. Grappling with the many cultural differences as well as racial discrimination, the family undergoes many hardships in their new abode. The children, who were earlier excited to move to the US, realise that the reality is very different from what they had imagined or seen in films.

When 60,000 visas are revoked after Trump’s travel ban, the family is scared that they may be sent back to their country, which may not take them back. Moreover, with their larger family stranded in Syria, they have no money, friends or jobs in the US. With no documentation, medical history or fluency in English, they struggle to rebuild their lives. Despite help from volunteer agencies, they are under pressure to support themselves financially. While the family ran its own businesses back in Syria, the only jobs in the US involve manual labour—washing dishes and cleaning toilets.

Jake Halpern is the author of Bad Paper and the co-author of Nightfall, while Michael Sloan is a printmaker, illustrator and award-winning editorial cartoonist. Starting in the fall of 2016, the authors spent more than three years with the Aldabaan family, understanding their lives and issues. After completing their research, they created a ‘script’ describing scenes for the comic format. For this process, they relied mostly on transcripts from taped conversations, handwritten notes or personal observations. In 2018, Halpern and Sloan won a Pulitzer Prize for the original comic strip.

The authors powerfully capture the heartbreaking immigrant experience. The book makes an important point about how difficult it is for people in exile to build sustainable lives in America, even with the help of supporters. It also brings out a classical American theme—the first generation sacrifices everything to make the move, while the second generation reaps the benefits and realises the dream. Moreover, it hammers home the sentiment that all refugees ultimately want is freedom, security and a bright future for their children.

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