Reminds me a lot of TOWN OF BABYLON. If you like more vignettes autofiction infused with humor, sarcasm, and political commentary (sometimes at the expense of plot), then you’d love this!

I really love the discussions of how the MC’s gender, class, and adjacency to whiteness seems to protect him from white supremacy initially, until it doesn’t.

Lots of Spanish too! I had no idea what those dialogues are about on audio but it didn’t affect my reading experience at all. If anything, it made me want to pick up a physical copy and Google translate them. Based on the context I think there will be a lot of Easter eggs

This was a unique memoir that engaged issues like immigration and identity while sharing the story finding one’s place.

At some point, around 20% in, I was ready to give up on this novel - too fragmentary, too many intellectual musings, too little glue to hold it all together. But I am very glad I didn't!

Once I got used to the structure, the story coalesced into what the spectacular cover art promises: a caleidoscopic view of Mexican-American relations from the historical to the political to the personal level.

The first person narrator, Sebastián, is an 'Austro-Hungarian', i.e. part of the Mexican elite that has more or less uninterruptedly remained close to power the short reign of Emperor Maximilian in the 1860s. But whilst in Mexico the austro-hungaros may be upper class, their status radically changes as soon as they cross the border - in particular after Trump takes office.

After graduating from Yale, Sebastián decides to become a writer and enrols in an Iowa writer's programme, where he meets his fiancee Lee, but it's increasingly difficult for him to accept the worsening position of Mexican immigrants and the fact that he is seen as one...

This novel is full of great quotes and astute observations, and I wish I had an e-copy to paste from. I listened to it on audio and whilst the narrator is excellent and has a beautiful voice, I believe this book is best read in physical form, because many sentences require re-reading before fully grasping them.

It's ambitious and very self-assured, and, ultimately, also convincing.

This was a really good, interesting book that really hit home for me. As someone who works in ESL, a lot of my students deal with the same situations Sebastian does and I know from them I rarely hear the extent of how bad it can get. Seeing him navigate not only political red tape, education, and family health problems was painfully real in a way that makes me wish I were more able to help others in similar situations. The differences Sebastian faces in the two countries he calls home were beautifully done and this is one of those books I wish everyone who uses "illegal" as a noun would read to have a shred of insight into how difficult it is to be in that position.

I also had to laugh at the line that was something like white people needing subtitles, because Spanish is not a language in which I'm fluent so all the Spanish in the book went over my head. No subtitles needed--I'll just suffer with the knowledge that there are MANY people out there smarter than me who don't need a dictionary open to understand those bits.

That said, it was very hard for me, personally, to get through the cancer bits. My mother passed from cancer and listening to it brought back some very difficult memories. It was insanely well-written, but ouch.

Definitely recommending this book because of its relevancy, the history worked in throughout, and the narrative style.

This book is very informative on Mexican culture, status, and race. There are some parts that completely engulf me in the story and there are other parts that are so slow, and I find myself struggling to focus. The narration is ok; I wish there was more emotion in the narration. Overall good story telling and informative novel.

In América del Norte Medina Mora weaves Mexican history into the story of Sebastián who is the son of a Mexican politician and Yale graduate who embarks on an MFA program at Iowa in a post Trump America, while also dealing with his father’s hand in the drug war in Mexico, his mother’s battle with cancer, and the realization of his own whiteness . Set in the U.S and Mexico Sebastián is faced with the dichotomy between his two countries and how he is perceived in both. Medina Mora did a great job with his exploration of colonialism, class, politics, Mexican & U.S history , and immigration. There was something powerful reading about recent U.S history in a novel I don't quite have the words for it at the moment, but wow. Such a great debut. Many thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for ARC of this audiobook.

First the audiobook sounded great. This was such an expansive story wound in academia. I can’t believe this is a debut novel. I will be recommending this to many people.

Really loved the history that the author weaved through this novel. Writing was great, and narrator was good as well. Loved how the author left you questioning on who is Mexican and who isn’t Mexican.

America del Norte by Nicolas Medina Mora was a such a fantastic and entertaining read. I enjoyed the audiobook immensely. It truly felt like a unique story which I find so hard to find nowadays. It was well written, the characters felt very real and I was hooked right from the start. I cannot wait to listen to this audiobook again!

Fascinating story of Sebastián who lived a life with one foot in DF (Mexico City) and the US. Growing up a child of extreme privilege, Sebas worked hard and made his way though Yale and the Iowa MFA program. Folded between the story of Sebas's life is the history of Mexico - 17 century and on. This story will reel you in and grab you by the shoulders. Through Sebastián, Medina Mora covers politics (both US and Mex), his ability to get a passport, his inability to pass in the US, his mother's illness and life as a graduate student.

The story is lyrical and incredible, and I am about to start listening to it all over again! Andre Bellido has a wonderful voice that clearly move between nations. Love history, love Latin American or all of America, this is a new and amazing author for you! #highbridgeaudio #andrebellido #nicolásmdeinamora #américadelnorte