American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins 

ARC from Flatiron Books for an honest review.

Book Blurb:

Lydia Quixano Perez 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 four 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.

My Review: 5 stars

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American Dirt was the most buzzed about book at Book Expo last May. The ARCs they gave out were limited so it was like an organized rush on sale wedding dresses at Filene’s Basement to get your hands on this book. I was in the line, but alas, came out empty-handed. Shortly after the mob subsided, I checked with the rep and they still had a few hidden away. Yippee! Honestly though, I was a bit worried as sometimes the most hyped up books tend to be disappointments; this was not the case with this book.

With the Steven King blurb, “I defy anyone to read the first seven pages of this book and not finish it.”, and Don Winslow calling this “A Grapes of Wrath” for our times, I had huge expectations as will most readers. Fortunately, the author came through with a well-told story with character’s that stayed with me for some time. I fell head over heels for Lydia, the main protagonist, and her young son Luca. Any person with a beating heart will sympathize for these two and the harrowing trek they went on. Nothing about migration is as it seems and this book reminds us that everyone may wear similar shoes, but we’re all on different paths.

This book starts with a bang, literally, and abruptly gets the reader to understand the power of the Cartels in Mexico. Their wide display of violence and bloodshed is to make sure everyone knows their overall and massive control. It’s horrific as so many innocent people become their victims. It was hard to wrap my head around such evil.

The book goes back and forth in time, so we get to know about the Perez family’s past, as well as Javier’s background. It also worked well because their time on ‘La Bestia’ made me so anxious that I needed relief breaks from the present. I shared in all of Lydia’s fears as her journey ensued. I’ve read books about the dreadful ‘La Bestia’ and am well aware of its danger, who to trust, when to get off, how to get on, etc., yet this story came from a completely different point of view, that of a mother, one I could resonate with. Lydia and her young son could never have imagined, nor suspected, that they’d be “inmigrantes” and be traveling atop a train. Lydia’s maternal love for Luca was proven time and time again. He always came first and when Lydia partners with two young girls she meets on the train, her mami-bear heart pulls them under her wings.

The relationship between Lydia and Javier is unique. She had no idea who he was, yet I sensed their connection immediately. The peaceful book store setting led to the intimacy of talking to a stranger. It felt like a harmless secret; something just for Lydia to hold onto that she didn’t have to share. Mothers give so much of themselves to everyone else, I understood her wanting to protect their sacrosanct friendship. Little did we know how that would implode upon her and her family.

There was so much depth to this book, of both character and plot. Each face could be drawn in my mind’s eye and Cummins’s description of place and situation was  impeccable. What jumps into my head at this moment is sweet Beto’s fast talking and empty inhaler, the sickle-tattooed rat Lorenzo, the unexpected kindnesses, the steadfast rules from the coyote, beauty being a curse for the sisters and what one would do to protect his or her child.

The title is remarkably apt. There are several meanings open for interpretation, however when you read the title in the book, it all becomes clear. I learned a lot from this book. Although I don’t think it would completely change someone’s stance on immigration, I’m hoping it will at least show a different side in which to ponder on. I’d call this a relevant, powerful and well-written ode to the times. Well done!

Quotes I liked:

Lydia thinks about how adaptable migrants mut be. They must change their minds every day, every hour. They must be stubborn about one thing only: survival.

“ …like a thunderclap, Lydia understands that it’s not a disguise at all. She and Luca are actual migrants. That is what they are. And that simple fact, among all the other severe new realities of her life, knocks the breath clean out of her lungs.” 

“Less than two weeks ago, dirt on the floor in her hallway was a thing that could annoy her. It’s unimaginable. The reality of what’s happened is so much worse than the very worst of her imaginary fears had ever been.”