Book Review | American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
“The worst will either happen or not happen, and there’s no worry that will make a difference in either direction.”
Unfortunately, it is not the latter for small-town bookstore owner Lydia ,our heroic protagonist in Jeanine Cummin’s blockbuster novel, American Dirt. The very first page sets the tone with an unimaginable massacre, leaving sixteen of Lydia’s family members dead on the front porch. With Lydia and her 8-year-old son Luca hiding in the bathroom, the two by way of a miracle are the only ones in the right place at the worst time.
Lydia does not need to second guess when understanding the perpetrator behind the unspeakable attack, and worst of all she can feel it in her bones that she and Luca are still in grave danger. While the shock and terror begins to settle in, Lydia must work at the speed of light to pack a bag for her and Luca and ultimately ,get the hell out.
What follows is an unbelievable tale of bravery, fear and the lengths one can go to reach safety. Lydia and Luca set off for El Norte- American soil. A destination which requires them to cross over 2000 miles from their home in Acapulco, Mexico. They must risk their lives as the journey can only be made by riding atop the famous La Bestia train. Each waking minute atop the train grows the distance between their eagerly awaited freedom and the dangerous Los Jardineros cartel.
American Dirt had me hook, line, and sinker from the first page; the first sentence, in fact. The story which holds high acclaim really rings true as Cummins strikes the powerful balance between sheer terror and the remarkable beauty of humanity. I am usually quite a fast reader, but I took a solid 10 days to get through this book, partly just to savour the stunning prose and rich, complex storyline, and equally because I was terrified of what the future had in store for Lydia and Luca.
My heart was continually racing as I followed Lydia and Luca’s brave and unimaginable journey. Cummins creates no opportunity for the reader to have even the slightest inkling of what could happen next.
I was rooting for Lydia and Luca from start to finish. I loved the bond the pair created with the two sisters also riding La Bestia, Soledad and Rebeca. An unspoken promise to look out for each other, a silent solitude. It was heart-warming to read about the acts of kindness and encouragement displayed by strangers along the way. Strangers offering much-needed water and shelter, even if only for one night. These moments restore your faith in humanity, albeit in a fictional world. But with the good, can also come the bad, and it was equally as heart-breaking following Cummins musings on the crueler, less humane characters Lydia and Luca should pray not to encounter.
A tale of loss, grief, pain, terror, and all the unthinkable fears you could muster, equally shared with the pleasure of gratitude, joy, compassion, and humanity. It’s a whirlwind of emotions packed tight within less than 400 pages. A true testament to the talent of Jeanine Cummins.