Title: American Dirt
Author: Jeanine Cummins
First published January 21, 2020
459 pages, Hardcover
Rating: 4.37
Overview
Discover the compelling story of Lydia and her son Luca as they flee their home in Acapulco in Jeanine Cummins’s heart-wrenching novel, American Dirt. Lydia and her family were living a comfortable life until her husband’s article about a notorious drug lord puts them all in danger.
With no other choice, Lydia and Luca embark on a perilous journey to the United States, where they hope to find safety and a better life. As they join the countless others trying to cross the border, Lydia realizes that everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone will make it to their destination.
American Dirt is a poignant tale of survival, hope, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
About the Author
Meet Jeanine Cummins, an accomplished author with an impressive collection of four books. Among her works are the bestseller memoir A Rip in Heaven, as well as the novels The Outside Boy, The Crooked Branch, and American Dirt.
When she’s not writing, Jeanine resides in New York with her husband and two children.
Editoral Review
In her latest novel, American Dirt, author Jeanine Cummins delivers a powerful story of the migrant experience, one that has been met with both critical acclaim and controversy since its release in January 2020. The book has quickly risen to become a bestseller, finding a place on numerous must-read lists and sparking important debates about representation and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry.
Set in Mexico, American Dirt follows the harrowing journey of Lydia Quixano Prez, a bookshop owner who witnesses the brutal murder of her husband and sixteen other members of her family by a local drug cartel. Forced to flee for her life with her eight-year-old son, Luca, Lydia embarks on an impossible journey to reach the safety of the United States, the only place where she believes they can seek refuge.
Along the way, Lydia and Luca face unimaginable danger and hardship, navigating treacherous terrain and dodging ruthless gangs and corrupt officials. Their journey is at once breathtaking and heartbreaking, and Cummins writes with raw emotion, conveying the complex emotions of fear, desperation, and hope that permeate the entire novel.
As a white author writing about the migrant experience, Cummins has faced criticism for cultural appropriation and for perpetuating harmful stereotypes about Mexico and its people. However, it is important to note that Cummins spent years researching and working on this novel, and her efforts are evident in the depth and authenticity of her characters and their experiences.
Indeed, what makes American Dirt so remarkable is Cummins’ ability to bring the migrant experience to life in such vivid detail, painting a nuanced and complex portrait of those who risk everything in pursuit of hope and freedom. Lydia is a fully realized character, one that readers cannot help but root for as she struggles to keep herself and her son alive in an unforgiving world.
Through her eyes, we see the realities of life as a migrant: the constant fear of violence and persecution, the uncertainty of not knowing whether one will ever truly be safe or free. Cummins’ writing is both elegant and accessible, seamlessly blending heart-pounding action with moments of quiet introspection.
The pacing of the novel is expertly handled, with each chapter building upon the last, ratcheting up the tension and leaving readers on the edge of their seats. The descriptions of the Mexican landscape are particularly stunning, evoking a sense of place and atmosphere that transports the reader directly into Lydia and Luca’s world.
Ultimately, American Dirt is a novel that demands to be read. It is a story of courage and resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity, a testimony to the power of the human spirit to endure and overcome.
It is a work of fiction that has the power to move hearts and minds, to challenge our assumptions and our prejudices, and to remind us of the fundamental humanity that binds us all together. With this book, Jeanine Cummins has crafted an unforgettable masterpiece that will be remembered for years to come.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
