AMERICAN DIRT
Author: Jeanine Cummins
Year: 2019
Edition: 2022 Paperback
Pages: 378
Genre: Thriller
Additional info: Oprah’s Book Club
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Summary
Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.
Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy – two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride La Bestia – trains that make their way north towards the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?
Why I chose to read this book
An old friend from high school had posted a picture of this book on her social media (Véro, if you’re reading this, it’s you!). Out of curiosity, and because I’m always looking for new books to read, I looked it up and it seemed interesting and eye-opening in regards to the migrant crisis in America.
Thoughts & Opinions
This was a tough read. It has a rough start, and the heaviness carries throughout the entire book. This is not a light summer reading. It’s an important story about resilience and courage. It’s heartbreaking, stressful, and intense. This story will leave you moved and it will open your eyes to the struggles of people who are seeking a better life, escaping from their harsh reality. For many, the United States promises a dream life, but the journey there is a nightmare. Cummins does a great job emphasizing that migrants are not just migrants, they are real, human people, just like you and me.
“También de este lado hay sueños. On this side, too, there are dreams.”- Jeanine Cummins, American Dirt
In this book, we are shown the dangers of being a journalist in a cartel-ridden city. It also exposes the reach that cartels can have. Although American Dirt is a work of fiction, it’s not hard to believe that this story can be very real. It took me a bit of time to read because as I mentioned, it’s a heavy read so sometimes I needed a break from the darkness. The characters are on a very long journey and you feel that length and I just couldn’t wait for it to be over, for the sake of the characters. I felt hopeful for them and was holding onto that to make it through to the end. I have to mention that if you don’t know any Spanish, you might want to have Google translate nearby because the author inserts many Spanish words, which adds to the authenticity of the story.
Check out my other Thriller reviews:
Discussion Points
- Have you read this book? If so, what did you think?
- Have you read or heard about real-life migrant stories and how does they compare to this one?
- I’d love to discuss this book with you in the comments below, looking forward to reading you!
- Which book should I review next?