TRIGGER WARNING: gang violence, sexual violence
Lydia sees her whole family killed by a drugs gang except for her eight year old son Luca. Their only hope for survival is to travel to the United States where she has an uncle. But the drugs cartel boss won’t rest until she is found and she faces a momentous and possibly deadly journey across the border…
American Dirt is a gritty and tragic book about a woman’s journey across Mexico to escape a drugs cartel boss.
This book was my bookclub’s choice for October last year but I really didn’t fancy it from the blurb. However, everyone was overwhelmingly positive so I decided to give it a try and I’m glad I did.
The majority of the book is written to show Lydia and Luca’s journey but also includes some flashback or reflections about the past. The characters are vividly portrayed and their emotion is raw. Danger looms constantly and the fear was palpable. This was particularly effective in conveying the mother’s love and determination to save her son at any cost.
Initially I found the book very powerful and was immersed in Lydia’s journey. However, I felt the middle of the book was a little dull and repetitive. The misery and danger were quite unrelenting which was not enjoyable. I would have liked more from the epilogue, to know how the pair fared (no spoilers!)
American Dirt is a vivid portrayal of a desperate journey. I am glad I changed my mind and read it.
Book blurb
An extraordinary story of the lengths a mother will go to to save her son, AMERICAN DIRT has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. It’s time to read what you’ve been missing.
Lydia Perez owns a bookshop in Acapulco, Mexico, and is married to a fearless journalist. Luca, their eight-year-old son, completes the picture. But it only takes a bullet to rip them apart.
In a city in the grip of a drug cartel, friends become enemies overnight, and Lydia has no choice but to flee with Luca at her side. North for the border… whatever it takes to stay alive. The journey is dangerous – not only for them, but for those they encounter along the way. Who can be trusted? And what sacrifices is Lydia prepared to make?
