It was Lydia's niece's birthday and the whole family had gathered at her mother's house for a celebration. That's when the cartel came. Sixteen members of her family were shot and killed. Only Lydia and her ten year old son, Luca, survived as they had been in the house and were able to hide. Lydia's husband was a journalist in Mexico, the country most dangerous to journalists. He had written an expose of the local cartel's leader. Lydia, who knew the man, thought he would not take revenge due to their friendship but she was wrong.

Now the only thing to do is run. Lydia and Luca take off with only what they are able to pack or find at her mother's house. They plan to go to the United States where Lydia has an uncle who might be willing to help them. Their journey is long and full of danger. They must ride on top of trains, find housing at night that is safe and they are never sure where their next meal will come. Lydia must be ever vigilant as the cartel leader has sent his gang across Mexico with her picture and a message that he wants her returned.

But there are some kind people along the route also. The migrants help each other as much as they can. They meet two sisters who have journeyed from another country, also fleeing violence and form a relationship with them. Another young boy fleeing from a life that started in a garbage dump joins their group as does an educated woman who lived in the United States for years and was deported, leaving behind her two daughters.

I have to admit that I had made assumptions about this book that were wrong. I assumed it was more about the actual crossing into the United States and what happened then. Instead, almost the entire book is set in Mexico and details the journey and the dangers encountered along the way. The author has no experience in immigration but did marry an undocumented immigrant. Her family also suffered the murder of family members when the author was a girl. Regardless, this book is stunning and no reader can be unaffected by Lydia and Luca's journey and strength. This book is recommended for literary fiction readers.

This was one of those hard but important books. The story made me so sad and discouraged but also made me think and want to find ways to do better in the future.

This book lived in my "to be read' pile for a long time. I admit to being bothered by a lot of the controversy surrounding it in Houston where I was living at the time. Houston is a city of Latino immigrants and a lot of people were offended that a non-immigrant told this story. A bookstore I know and love was even pressured to cancel an appearance by the author. That said, when I read the book, I was not focused on the color of the skin of the person who was telling it but on the story itself. Cummins wrote beautifully but didn't sugar coat or water down the migrant experience. Her words allowed me to walk in the shoes of all of the characters; the mother and son, the beautiful sisters, the sicario, the coyote. I applaud Cummins for tackling this story and for doing right by it. It is sad she met with so much opposition. I am grateful I received an advance copy to review. And even more grateful that I had a chance to experience a story that I am so fortunate not to have to ever live and steps I will never have to take.

First of all thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy. Also, my apologies for not putting out this review earlier. I swore that I did, but with the last two years, who knows what is real! One thing that we know is for real is the divisiveness within the good ol USofA. In case you have been hiding under a rock, much like the mother and child in this novel, the topic of immigration is usually at the top of the list when it comes to the divisiveness of the United States. So like everything else there are a percentage of people that will not read this novel, and there are a group of people that will look forward to the book. My hope is that some people will cross the border... and actually give this novel a chance. A story of survival, against the odds, the danger that women and children face, it is all here. I would say, if you do want to criticize the book, the one thing that I would ask is that you read the book! If you do not want to purchase and support the author, you can pick up a copy at your local library! My point is there is a good novel behind all the drama and politics. There are characters that you will care for. The purpose of the novel is not to convert people, or change their point of view. It is a story, a pretty darn good one. Give it a chance. Thanks for reading!

This has such bad press and with good reason. I can't feel good about suggesting that people read it.

I was so excited to read this one, but then by the time I got the advanced copy for review, I lost interest due to the controversy. Fortunately, two of my book groups decided to read it this month. The controversy centered around whether or not this book should have been written by a white person rather than someone with a diverse background or someone who had immigrated. Personally, I think authors write outside of their own experience all the time, so it didn’t bother me. She did her research, and the important part for me was that she presented what the immigration experience is like for so many in a very real way. She was smart in making the main character an educated and successful woman. I think that makes the story hit closer to home for her readers. Cummins is a gifted writer as well. Her prose is superb, and the story she told was compelling. I felt on the edge of my seat the whole time worried about what would happen next. Because of the title, I did expect more of the book to be about what happened after arriving to America, but that wasn’t the case. As a result, I felt that the ending was a little rushed. I would have liked it if she had spent a little more time telling about their experience after arriving in America. I highly recommend this book, though, and hope more people will read it and possibly gain more insight into and empathy for the immigrant experience.

Late to the game on reading and reviewing this one...and by now, everyone is familiar with the controversy. But I'm going to set that aside, and frame my review around this being a work of fiction. As such, it is not required that the author be an expert, nor is it required that the author has experienced the things they write about. Therefore, we have science fiction and fantasy, men authors writing women characters, authors with healthy body images writing about eating disorders, and yes, non-migrants writing about migrants.

Having said that, this novel is gripping and intense. It makes you consider all that you take for granted. It makes you consider what seeking asylum might mean. It makes you think about the human experience. For these reasons, this is well worth your time. It's not perfect, and it may not be enough, but it is solid read that will stay with you. Highly recommended.

I decided to wait until all the controversy had died down before reading this book, so I could approach it with an open mind and form my own unbiased opinion. Do I think this was an accurate, authentic depiction of Mexico and/or an immigrant’s journey? I don’t know. Do I think this was a moving, well written, interesting piece of fiction? Absolutely. While I did enjoy this book very much, I do understand the root of the criticism surrounding it and I sincerely hope to see much more own voices/authentic representation in the books/authors published going forward.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for allowing me to read this egalley.

dnf 1%
It took me ONE chapter, FIVE minutes to understand why so many people dislike this book
I can’t believe Oprah endorses it
I really disliked the stereotypes

A real page turner which I thought shined a light on an important issue. I cannot speak with any authority about the topics in this book that are making it polarizing, but I felt connected to the characters and their plight. I think it would be a good book to recommend reading to start some important conversations.

I think this book would've been better if it had been written by an ownvoices author or even co-authored by someone who has experienced this firsthand. There was a lot of conflict around this book and there is validity in what POC readers/reviewers brought to the table.

The intentions in the story were there, but this wasn't it for me.

I had mixed feelings about this book. It was deep and thought provoking. It follows a mother and son duo as they escape their dangerous village in Mexico that is over run by drug cartels and head for a new life in America. It details the struggle they go through traveling and hiding during their journey. It also focuses on the people that they meet along their journey. I would have enjoyed learning more about their life once they arrived in America. Overall, it was an interesting book that truly makes you stop and think and focus on immigration.

American Dirt was always going to be controversial. With illegal immigration being a hot topic on the political front, how could a book about a mother and child making the arduous journey across the Mexican landscape to enter the United States undocumented not be? Add on the fact that American Dirt has recently been rejected by many in the literary world because author Jeanine Cummins is not considered to be "brown enough" to write a novel about Mexican immigrants, never having experienced it firsthand, and you know that you have a book on your hands that is going to debated. I happen to fall into the camp of readers who loved this captivating, thought-provoking story of survival and strife.

Lydia Quixano Pérez, a bookstore owner in Acapulco, has just lost nearly her entire family at the hands of a violent and vicious Mexican cartel. Now she and her son Luca must make a run for it, fleeing the home they have always known and leaving behind the ghosts of the people they loved, in an attempt to find safety beyond the border of Mexico in the arms of the United States. But the trek across Mexico to the United States was never going to be easy, as Lydia and Luca are soon to find out. Hiding from the cartels, hopping on trains, and simply surviving in unforgiving elements is sure to test their mettle, yet at the same time, strengthen their bond as mother and son. Will they make it to el norte, The North? Only time will tell.

Whether you support or oppose illegal immigration, Jeanine Cummins' American Dirt will still captivate you and give you much to think about. This is truly a novel of the times and strives to show the other side of the immigration issue; to put a face, a name, and a story to the "undocumented immigrant." People often ask why immigrants cross the United States border illegally - Cummins attempts to answer why, Cummins goes straight to the heart of the immigration issue, telling the story of a mother who will do anything to ensure that her child survives his circumstances, that he is given a chance at life. So yes, above everything else, this is a heartfelt, heartbreaking story of love between mother and child. American Dirt is both raw and gritty, yet at the same time beautiful and nuanced. Its descriptive writing is peppered with Spanish words and phrases, and readers will find themselves immersed in this story, trekking across Mexico in all its beauty and brutality alongside Lydia and Luca in search of the promises held within American dirt.

I listened to an audio production of this novel, which was an excellent choice for me, as I am not familiar with the Spanish language, and was able to experience and hear the many names, words, and phrases as Cummins intended. Listening to this book as opposed to reading it allowed me to really engage with the story and hear it as if it were coming forth from the mouths of Lydia and Luca. If you enjoy audiobooks, then I recommend listening to this one if you think you would appreciate a similar experience.

American Dirt will appeal to lovers of literary fiction, as well as those who enjoy stories of survival and heartbreak. As nearly this entire book is focused on Lydia and Luca's journey across Mexico, it is a true survival tale without much attention given to side stories or characters. The novel stays focused on its mission - seeing Lydia and Luca to the border - so readers who appreciate books that do not veer off on many tangents will like that this one keeps Lydia and Luca as its focal point.

Note - For readers who feel strongly against illegal immigration, it should be noted that Cummins is an obvious supporter of the immigrant plight, and I did feel that her work occasionally veered the way of propaganda, ensuring that nearly all the immigrants in her story were painted in a positive light; however, this is her story to tell and she chose to share the tale of a family attempting to cross the border in the hope of finding a better life in America. If you are sensitive to this type of story line or are expecting to see the other side of the immigration issue, this is not the book for you. However, if you keep an open mind, this does not mean that you cannot enjoy this story, as there are many layers to this complex novel.

I know that there is a lot of controversy with this book. My book club decided to read this one for the month of March. I loved this book. Even though it is fiction, I have heard many stories similar to this one so it was real to me. I am very glad I was able to read this book through netgalley. I think that everyone should read this book.

What a terrific book!
The book opens with a horrific massacre of Lydia Perez's family in their hometown of Acapulco, Mexico. Her husband was a journalist who reported on the cartels there which forced his wife and son to make their way illegally to "el norte," the United States.
The author writes with such skill. The empathy that you felt with the plight of Lydia, her son, and the numerous other people attempting to leave untenable siutations, was so beautifully transcribed. The plight of the characters brings to mind so skillfully the present-day situation and the dangers encountered in attempting to be safe. It's a must read!

I would like to thank #netgalley and #FlatironBooks for the early copy to review. I initially intended to finish this for the publication date and had started it. The beginning immediately drew me into the story and the characters. I was engrossed by the narrow escape for Lydia, a mother and her 8-year-old son Luca from a brutal, mass murder by a cartel who executed their entire family. It is a brutal beginning to a novel.
I was about one-third of the way into it when all the criticism became so insistent and attacks on reviewers, like me were happening. I started to relook at what I was reading and if I was really fully grasping it as I should. Was the right person telling the story? Was the author taking liberties with exploiting Mexican and Central American Heritage that she didn't have the right to do? Was her story accurate? There are many "truths" that could be questioned about this book. Some of these were addressed by the author herself in the notes at the end and some are not. All valid points of view but maybe not all answerable within this story.
I think for me, it initially caused me to put the book down for awhile and give it a little space. My first conclusion is that I think we are holding this to too high a standard for a work that is marketed as fiction, not historical fiction or a memoir. It doesn't mean that it shouldn’t be respectful or try to be factual but certainly that buys the author some license to miss some details. Also, based on the author's notes, I felt that she was intending to use the US-Mexican border as the backdrop to her story but that it was really more loosely a story about immigration in general, from all regions of the world. And in the reading of the book I felt that the characters were the main event. The humanity or lack of humanity in their trip and their love for each other were some of the themes that are universal and spoke loudest within the pages of this story. The journey was the backdrop to tell of the love and resilience of the human spirit after suffering the greatest of losses. I don't think getting lost in the weeds changes the overall message.
I personally have never been further into Mexico than across the border, walking into a border town. I don't know anything about Mexico culturally outside of that and the people that I know personally who are from there. I think I cannot speak to the accuracies of the voices in terms of character portrayal or respect for the heritage. I have other, own voices books next up that are not fictional, about immigration stories. One is about a immigration story about a woman from Guatemala who crosses into the USA and the other is short stories from immigrants from several different countries around the world. I think this will offer the alternate perspective to balance this fictional story and hopefully show me inaccuracies if they are there.
Thanks for the early release.
Overall, I loved the writing and the characters. The story is gripping and page-turning. Loved it!

I requested a copy of this book before all the controversy sparked.
This story is truly a testament to a mother's love and what lengths she would go through for her son. I learned so much about the migration journey Mexicans must endure to get away from the danger in their country and get to America. It is awful and both mentally, physically and emotionally draining.
I don't feel like I am educated enough on the subject of Latinx or Mexican culture to know if this story was accurate. But the reaction overall has been one of extreme offensive.
I am disappointed that such a beautiful story has received such harsh criticism. I don't feel that I know enough to remark on the cultural aspect represented in this story.
I personally thought the author did a remarkable job of building these characters and educating us on the circumstances they came from and the horrors they faced to get to freedom. The story doesn't presume to provide a solution to a worldwide dilemma, but it has opened by eyes to a topic that I haven't given much consideration in the past.
I fell in love with all of these characters and nearly cried when Beto perishes just as they were reaching the end of the trek through the dessert. It has opened my eyes very much, and I will be doing my share of research to understand why this story is found so offensive. But the overall message of the book was one of a family and the price of survival.

Although I read this book, I will not be posting a review at this time. But here are my thoughts. I felt Cummins was extremely stereotypical and way over the top. I have read other books about the migrant experience and it is nothing like American Dirt. I feel there are many (many) more qualified writers, who have done a much better job of telling the migrant experience in a respectable and realistic manner.

DNF at 22%. I've been reading for 5 days and I'm only 22% in? That's insane! I've realized that this just isn't the book for me and I got tired of making myself pick this up.

AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins is my favorite book of this young year. A harrowing story of flight that I could not put down, Cummins' title has also received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Yet, this tale of a young Mexican mother, Lydia, trying to flee the cartel with her eight-year-old son, Luca, has also produced quite a bit of controversy. One side (how can someone who is not Mexican tell this story?) appeared in The New York Times. Lauren Groff acknowledges feeling "deeply ambivalent" in her recent review. Whereas Kathleen Parker (herself no stranger to controversy) argues that critics are censoring the author based on her background in today's Washington Post. I agree and wish that we were focused instead on Cummins' beautiful writing and on the dangers and violence South of the US border. Interest in and requests for AMERICAN DIRT are high and we will need multiple copies, allowing our readers to make their own evaluations, and hopefully changing perspectives as Cummins wishes, saying, "We seldom think of them [migrants and refugees] as our fellow human beings. ... people who can contribute to their own bright futures, and to ours, as so many generations of oft-reviled immigrants have done before them."

AMERICAN DIRT should be considered as a possible addition to the curriculum (perhaps replacing La Linea or Enrique's Journey for some classes), especially given our work on equity issues this year. Cummins is relentless in describing the fear that Lydia and Luca experience: "Lydia's worried about so many things she can't pin one down to examine it. She's worried about being out in the open like this, about being recognized. Whenever someone looks at her and then looks at their cell phone, there's a little racehorse of adrenaline that clobbers through her body." Pairing this new work with novels by Latinx writers*, perhaps including the non-fiction text My Time Among The Whites by Jennine Capó Crucet, has the potential to build empathy and to generate some amazing conversations. In her author's note, Cummins explains that she "hoped to present one of those unique personal stories – a work of fiction – as a way to honor the hundreds of thousands of stories we may never get to hear."

*Cummins acknowledges and recommends reading the works of Luis Alberto Urrea, Oscar Martinez, Sonia Nazario, Jennifer Clement, Valeria Luiselli, and Reyna Grande, all of whom are in our collection.

Links in live post:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/opinion/american-dirt-book.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/19/books/review/american-dirt-jeanine-cummins.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/american-dirt-critics-are-censoring-the-author-based-on-her-genetic-background/2020/01/31/3eb85526-4471-11ea-aa6a-083d01b3ed18_story.html
https://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2019/09/my-time-among-whites-by-jennine-capo.html