American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins was the first book in my 23 in 2023 reading project and I'm pleased it was.
I knew I needed a firecracker of a book - a real page-turner - to start my odyssey, but I was also looking for something of substance that would make me think about it after. I'm still thinking of this controversial book almost six months later.
I recognize the book is not written by a Mexican writer who directly experienced the ordeals of undocumented migrants from Mexico, but I think Cummins paid extra attention to her research in part because she isn't a Mexican migrant. People are divided on this still, but I believe the book is phenomenally good.
The thriller element of American Dirt focuses on an Acapulco, Mexico mother who flees her life with her young son after a drug cartel leader assassinates her journalist husband and their entire family.
I've always been drawn to fiction/non-fiction books and films about Mexican cartels, but what fascinated me was how this well-traveled plot was so carefully woven with the stories of undocumented migrants and their epic journeys on train and foot to leave Mexico for the United States and Canada.
The main protagonist, Lydia Quixano Pérez, and her son Luca and their forced exodus are captivating. Not only are they formidable and clever in their escape, but they also reflect the hardships their new traveling companions share traveling on La Bestia, freight trains used by migrants, through dangerous territories teeming with sicarios, corrupt police, cartels their informants.
Each character Cummins created adds a different dimension to the tale, and none are black and white. The cartel leader, Javier Crespo Fuentes; the sicario, Lorenzo; the sisters Soledad and Rebeca who travel with them; and the "coyote" named El Chacal; all make this a rich read.
Equally captivating are Cummins' acknowledgments, all of which underscore how authentic she tried to make this work of fiction. Not only did Cummins consult with a plethora of people including immigration sources and migrants, but she also had a "dog in the fight," her husband being a migrant himself at one time. I encourage you to read the acknowledgments. They are most insightful.
Again, I can't stress enough how important this book was in launching my reading project, and more importantly, to help me fall in love with books again. "Must-read" is an understatement.
Visit this spot next week for my review of the Number 2 book in my 23 in 2023 project, the science fiction novel Dark Matter.
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