Book 37/30.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
American Dirt has the most riveting first chapter I have ever read!! It harrowingly sets the tone on what to expect from this fast-paced book about a mother and son forced to flee to America from the Mexican cartel. Unable to use any of the conventional methods of transport because of the cartel, they are forced to ride La Bestia – trains that make their way north towards the United States. On their journey they meet a number of people, who in one way or another help them along their journey. My fave were the sisters; I LOVED them and how their story intertwined with that of Lydia and Luca. Their journey is fraught with danger, from boarding the trains, to people they meet on their journey both on and off the trains, to la migra who might be working for the cartel. Or la migra who even if they aren’t crooked, can still deport Lydia and Luca to Mexico.
American Dirt is a riveting, informative, suspenseful, heartbreaking read and there were some really tense moments that made this hard to put down. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this book and some of the criticisms may certainly be valid, but they did not diminish the importance or relevance of the story, at least not for me.
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** A guide to ratings **
1 star – did not like it
2 stars – it was okay
3 stars – liked it
4 stars – really liked it
5 stars – it was amazing
Lwile the Leo 