The emotions I experienced while reading this novel were a rollercoaster of sadness, relief, suspense and thrill, and just a general strong sense of hope that they would make it past each of their numerous hurdles.Īt the end of the novel, I was so glad that I had read it. The journey that Lydia and Luca embark on is an arduous one, and I felt like I was right next to them every step of the way. Cummings does a great job of using vivid descriptions and figurative language throughout the novel, so you really experience the pain, loss, anger, relief, and numbness along with the characters. I really loved this book because I felt like I was there with the characters. Trigger warning, there are instances of sexual assault and sexual violence in this novel. The novel follows Lydia and Luca’s journey as they venture North and try to escape the miserable violence and danger that awaits them in Acapulco. When Lydia first met Javier in her bookstore, little did she know that he was the notorious drug lord responsible for the state of their town. Lydia and Luca hide in the bathtub, breathless and not moving, while they hear and later, see their family members being murdered. After this piece is written, Javier orders for Lydia’s family, including Sebastian, to be killed. Sebastian, Lydia’s husband, is a journalist who has just published a piece exposing the drug cartel, Los Jardineros, and their leader Javier, also known as La Lechuza. Lydia and Luca are a mother and son duo trying to escape the dangerous gang violence that has slowly but surely overtaken Acapulco.

While there is a unique satisfaction that comes with holding a book (kindle) in your hands while reading, I enjoyed being able to listen to the book while coloring to ground myself. This was also my first time listening to a book on Audible, and I really enjoyed the experience.

I excitedly started reading Chapter 1 of American Dirt and already felt like I was hiding in the bathtub along with Lydia and Luca from the gang members in Acapulco. The story of how Lydia and Luca escape a dangerous drug cartel and venture North reminded me a lot of the 2007 film La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon), in which a mother and son separate in Mexico and eventually re-unite in the United States. When I first read the description of this book online, I was immediately drawn to the suspense and adventure alluded to in the description.

Jeanine cummings