American Dirt is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. While the book has received its share of criticism for being stereotypical, opportunistic and lacking authenticity, I found it to be eye-opening and entertaining. Jeanine Cummins relates the story of Lydia and her son who are in a desperate race to get away from a vengeful cartel leader and cross the border from Mexico into the States. The cartel leader has already killed sixteen of Lydia’s family members, including her reporter husband. It leads to a compelling read that alternates between fear and hope while offering the reader some timely insight into the plight of migrants. The writing style is imaginative and interesting. American Dirt is an entertaining work of fiction that tells a story that needs to be told. I highly recommend it.
