American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins

American Dirt is the story of 8-year-old Luca and his mother, Lydia. Fleeing Acapulco, after their entire family is killed by a dangerous and powerful cartel, we follow them on their journey to freedom and a better life in the United States.

The thing that struck me the most about American Dirt was its powerfully compact prose. Not a single word felt superfluous; as such, the story moved at a steady pace, from its harrowing start, through the trials and tribulations the mother and son face along their perilous journey.⁣

I don’t want this review to be political, despite this being what I, at least, considered to be a political novel. The migrant story is one that we hear so much about, so much so that we may have perhaps become somewhat anaesthetised to it - a problem happening somewhere else, to someone else, that we cannot affect.

American Dirt drives the reality of the migrant situation home in such a personal and affecting way that it’s hard to not be profoundly impacted by the lengths these characters are willing to go to escape their dangerous and potentially fatal, homes. Migrants aren’t just chasing the American Dream, they’re chasing survival.

For me, Luca was the beating heart of this ultimately hopeful novel. He is a wonderfully smart, wise and loveable young man; I hope that his story reaches as many people as possible, helping them find some heart for those who want to build a simple and safe life for themselves in a country that was founded by immigrants. Congratulations, @jeaninecummins, and thank you to Flatiron Books for the advanced reading copy. ⁣

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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Buy American Dirt from Apple Books or Amazon.