American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (#114 in 2019)
*Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan for my advanced copy. Another thanks goes to Patty for hosting this giveaway so I could enter 58 times to win.*
I have seen a LOT of opinions about this book. I've seen everything rave reviews to heated opinions on the political appropriateness of this novel. Some bookstagrammers have suggested that this book purports a negative impression of undocumented immigrants and of Mexico because of the prevalence of drug cartels and violence, while others feel that this book contains more than those very basic tropes.
The premise to the story is this: Lydia, a Mexican woman from Acapulco, and her son, Luca, survive a violent raid of their family's gathering. During the raid, sixteen family members, including Lydia's husband, Sebastian, are murdered by members of a powerful drug cartel because of their association to the news outlet that has published an article exposing the jefe, Javier. American Dirt is the story of Lydia's quest to protect her son, her only remaining family member, from a world she fears, even if that means illegally venturing into a new country for both safety and a better future.
It's no secret that our current political climate projects negative feelings towards immigrants, both documented and undocumented. While our current president has repeatedly portrayed the country of Mexico and its citizens as dangerous for his own political gain, Mexico is certainly not the only country that the presidency has sought to vilify. Many of us (I hope many of us) recognize the inhumanity of that projected view, and we seek ways to counteract the assumptions and stereotypes.
Jeanine Cummins likely used Mexico as her setting because of its proximity to the United States and because of the prevalence of its mention in the media. What is important to note is that Jeanine Cummins may have used a Mexican woman and child as protagonists, but the migrants they meet along the way come from other countries such as native indian Honduran tribes. These other migrants' backstories reveal life-altering experiences, which are not identical but just as traumatic, to that of Lydia and Luca. Including the stories of migrants from other countries, Cummins demonstrates the multitude of reasons why people of other nations might seek refuge in the United States.
I've noticed a few bookstagrammers suggesting that Cummins' novel builds upon the common negative stereotypes that we all have heard too often. These same book reviewers have suggested that Lydia's story paints immigrants in a negative light. I don't feel American Dirt intends to perpetuate those negative stereotypes or misconceptions, but rather I feel that it seeks to provide an emotional backstory that could help to explain the reasons for undocumented immigrants' migration to the United States and could, in turn, help American citizens to develop a sense of empathy that would otherwise not exist.
While I cannot begin to personally relate to plights such as these, I can provide some insight as the wife of an immigrant. My husband, a Coptic-Egyptian, came to this country as a two-year old seeking religious freedom. My in-laws followed all immigration laws and came to the United States as documented immigrants, and they were lucky enough to be able to do so for the safety of their immediate family. Just as Lydia had done, my in-laws made a drastic geographical change to provide their child with a more promising future and a chance to be free from the constraints of religious discrimination.
Regardless of how an immigrant comes into this country, the circumstances and motivations behind their migration remain consistent-- people who come to the United States seek better lives and, in most cases, do not have a “home” to return to. Lydia and Luca prove that. The sisters from Honduras prove that. The boys and men and women they meet along the way prove that. American Dirt is about moving forward, and that's a theme we can all relate to.
The value of a writer does not rest in the adversity he or she has personally experienced; it rests in his or her ability to convey a story that sparks emotion or that reveals a perspective that otherwise would have gone unheard. Lydia's story is not uncommon and while it's difficult to read, it's important for us to learn about tragedy and adversity. One of the biggest criticisms of American Dirt is that it sheds too much of a light on the negative aspects of Mexico. American Dirt does that, but what impactful story doesn't? It should be noted that Cummins also uses her literary technique to paint such beautiful portraits of the Mexican landscape and of the resilient, courageous, and persistent characters who protect one another in the face of danger. The writing style is eloquent and raw, and the story is impactful and resonant.
FIVE. BIG. STARS. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you're the kind of person who needs an emotional quote to entice you to read a book, look no further. This snippet from American Dirt comes from the middle of the book and requires no context:
“If it’s only a better life you seek, seek it elsewhere. This path is only for people who have no choice, no other option, only violence and misery behind you. And your journey will grow even more treacherous from here. Everything is working against you, to thwart you. Some of you will fall from the trains. Many will be maimed or injured. Many will die. Many many of you will be kidnapped, tortured, traffic, or ransomed. Some will be lucky enough to survive all of that and make it as far as Estados Unidos only to experience a privilege of dying alone in the desert beneath the sun, abandoned by a crooked coyote, or shot by a narco who doesn’t like the look of you.”
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