American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

[gilda_elise]

Lydia lives in Acapulco. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while cracks are beginning to show in Acapulco because of the cartels, Lydia’s life is, by and large, fairly comfortable. But after her husband’s tell-all profile of the newest drug lord is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and Luca find themselves joining the countless people trying to reach the United States. Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

This is such an inspiring, yet heartbreaking book. As we see the harrowing trip north through their eyes, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the hopes and fears of the characters: Lydia and Luca, Rebeca and Soledad, the girls who they meet and befriend along the way, Beto, the young boy who helps them navigate their way through Nogales, and even El Chacal (The Jackel,) the coyote who leads them north.

I think what made the book so compelling, is that, as I progressed through it, I wondered, given the vagaries of life, how easily it could have been my story. If I had been born three hundred miles south. If, a hundred odd years ago, my own ancestors hadn’t decided to make the move north.

This is a book I know I’ll return to, and I look forward to reading more of the author’s books.

Recommended by justjo2u. And while maybe not the most emphatic recommendation, I can't thank her enough for bringing this book to my attention.




Mount TBR 2024 Book Links


Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.

1. Bone Walker (Anasazi Mysteries #3) by Kathleen O'Neal Gear, W. Michael Gear
2. Holly by Stephen King
3. Inferno (Inferno#1) by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle
4. Fallout (Lois Lane #1) by Gwenda Bond
5. The Secret People by John Wyndham
6. Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
7. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
8. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins