American Dirt

I got this book as a gift and went in completely blind. I didn't even read the back cover and I had no idea of the controversy surrounding it until I added it to my “reading” list and noticed a huge split in reviews. As I read the reviews, I went into the first few chapters with caution and felt guilty for enjoying the story - I kept waiting for the controversy to become apparent... but that never happened.

So, I'm going to star this PURELY on the writing and story itself. And frankly, it's a damn good book.

I was immediately taken into the story, I could not stop reading. This is a thriller from beginning to end and I was on the edge of my seat for the characters. It's obviously a tough read, a lot of trauma and awful things happen to these characters on their journey. I do feel like the author did a decent job of giving vivid descriptions to invoke emotions without it feeling gross and over-the-top.

As for the criticism, please keep in mind this is A WORK OF FICTION, and at no point does it try to pose as something else. The story is engaging, the characters are interesting and the threat feels real and urgent. It's good writing and it deserves attention for that. If you don't like the politics surrounding the novel, don't read it and pick up something else.

To say a book shouldn't be written because you don't like the content is censorship and just plain silly. If you're on the fence about this one because of the reviews, read it and form your own opinion.


Also, because I haven't seen actual recommendations in the sea of 1-star reviews, if you want true stories about immigration to the US, I've heard the following are decent options:
The Devil's Highway: A True Story
Enrique's Journey
The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail