My motivation about the book
I have been thinking several days to choose between two books; ‘Herman’ of Lars Saabye Christensen and ‘Ulovlig Norsk’ of Maria Amelie in order to write a ‘review’. Actually, I choose ‘Ulovlig Norsk’ of Maria Amelie. I am really inspired by her book because of two factors to write a review; first, I have common life with what she wrote about the life situation of asylum seekers in Norway. Second, the book itself is strong both as literary works and to bring public debate about asylum seekers in Norway.
I read Maria Amelie’s book ‘Ulovlig Norsk’ two times. The first was winter 2010 before she deported back to Russia, and Second when I decided to write a review last week. Of course many people in Norway have probably heard about her book if they read newspapers or if they have either television or radio since the book was published in the beginning of September 2010.
Introduction to the book
Maria Amelie tells in her book about her life as paperless. She uses the bulk of the book to tell her story. She tells about her childhood somewhere in the Caucasus, Chechnya, and fragmentary childhood memories that evoke affection. After that the parents must send her to Moscow for her to be safe.
Latterly, the parents brought Maria to Finland, where they seek asylum. When Finland decided to send them back to Russia, they escaped to Norway by using illegal papers. In Norway their asylum application was rejected; because they could not tell the full story to the UDI. The final rejection came in November 2003 and UDI decided to return them back to Russia. The author began to live something resembling a normal life and she got the opportunity to start high school, learned the language, began to study in Norwegian university and got lots of friends. She was happy by getting secret black cleaning jobs, and she did not bear her own name, her own bank account and her own tax or other identity papers. At the same time for long periods she was worried of being thrown out of Norway. But her family started to hide themselves from the police after March 2004. At the end of the book, Maria focused more and more to argue about her asylum application; came with the considerations and arguments for why she should stay in Norway.
My analysis about the book
In my analysis of this book I will focus on what I feel as human being and what I respect based on laws and regulations, Based on what I feel, as asylum granted person and as a human being with a heart, Maria had clearly shown that she had managed to integrate in a very constructive way, and she had contributed more experiences to society than many ethnic Norwegian young adults of the same age have done. So what I feel is; Maria should be left in Norway rather than deported to Russia in January 2011.
Based on laws and regulations, I agree with what UDI writes in its website, the residence permit in Norway will be given to Asylum, a residence for reasons of protection or residence based on compassionate grounds. Of course Maria, like all asylum seekers, should only be in Norway if she truly met the requirements for asylum.
The story from the Caucasus via Finland to Norway was wonderfully well written in diary form. She wrote vivid, compelling and attractive way. The best thing that I like in the book, she did not exaggerate. The book of Maria gives the real picture of life inside asylum centers in Norway. It tells also how it is difficult to be a child and live in Norway as paperless. The book of Maria might force someone in Norway to see himself/herself in the mirror and think about what if he/she was paperless.
In her book, the author did not explain well in details about her parents what it would happen to them if they turn back to Caucasus. She wrote that they had only increasingly vulnerable position in their home country. In fact, Maria’s book is not detailed enough about the background of threats against her family. After reading the book, someone just think why they were in immediate danger if they return to the Caucasus or somewhere in Russia. As result of this Maria deported back to Russia in January 2011 and she has gotten work permit from Norwegian authority since April 2011.