When we sat down with Alvarez, we started by asking her this question: Why start the story at the end?

I didn't want just a, a traditional, you know, growing up chronological, uh, you know, coming of age, leaving, uh, becoming an adult.

I wanted the structure of the novel to reflect the thinking of someone that has come to another country as a refugee.

You're always going back.

You're always going back.

You're always thinking back.

Um, you know, I remember when we first arrived, I would say, "I wonder what my cousins are doing right now.

So I, I think it's very important to read something like that, but I'm wondering t- for you, like, what is your reaction when you hear, you know, the scene being pulled out of context, or even hear that your, your book is being banned?