American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins *****

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins opens when La Lechuza (a cartel Jefe) murders Lydia’s family in Acapulco.  Only she and her eight-year-old son survive. She expects to also be murdered and begins her horrific journey to escape to El Norte (America).  On this illegal journey, she meets good people, and bad people, and other migrants. A gripping novel about the reasons people move to the United States and the difficulties they encounter. A novel in the tradition of Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

An emotional roller coaster.

Note to sensitive readers: The narrative alternates between (1) the terrifying experiences of Lydia and Luca’s journey, (2) their heart-warming encounters with helpful people, and (3) “research reports” told by fellow travelers. I found that if I didn’t stop during the terrors, I wouldn’t get as many nightmares.

This novel is surrounded by controversy. Cultural appropriation. Demonization of Mexico and Mexicans. Unrealistic characterization of migrants.

I compare this book with The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri which follows another illegal migrant from Syria to England. Both books make similar decisions about how to present the plight of these desperate people. Both books recount the story of people with adequate resources and a successful journey, including the detail that both protagonists speak excellent English. The plight of the less fortunate is told, but not experienced by the protagonists.

Before the murders, Lydia owns a bookstore in Acapulco and Luca is a successful student. He is an eight-year-old geography savant.

Incidental to the odyssey of Lydia and Luca, we learn of other people running from violent cartels, young girls escaping forced prostitution, men regularly visiting El Norte for unskilled labor to support their families, a deported mother who initially entered legally, has a middle-class life, and U.S. citizen children, and a Ph.D. student who also entered legally, but got deported in a bureaucratic mix-up.

The heroes are the migrants and the people who support them: churches, sympathetic railroad workers, regular people, and the best coyote in Nogales. The villains are the cartels who drive people to migrate north and the official and unofficial predators who prey on the migrants during their journeys.

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Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult ****

SPOILERS SPOILERS

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. Two books for the price of one. First, this is a well-researched book about the plight of elephants from poaching and exploitation. Second, 13-year-old Jenna is searching for her mother who disappeared 10 years ago. With the help of a psychic and a PI she eventually uncovers the events around her mother’s disappearance. This is a murder mystery with many twists and turns. Some may be dissatisfied with the conclusions.

A great read until the end.

This book is worth reading just for the elephant research.

Let's declare a moratorium on books ending with "and they were dead the whole time!”

CHARACTERS (SPOILERS)

Alice (Mother of Jenna, wife of Thomas, lover of Gideon) Alive at the Msali Elephant Orphanage in South Africa. Dr. Alice is an animal behavior researcher.

Thomas (Father of Jenna, husband to Alice, schizophrenic) Alive in a psychiatric care facility-Hartwick House. Out of touch with reality.

Jenna (Daughter of Alice and Thomas, murdered by Nevvie ten years ago. Buried by elephant Maura) 13-year-old spirit searching for her mother.

Gideon (Husband of Grace, had affair with Alice and Alice became pregnant. Died in Iraq.) Spirit living in Tennessee.

Grace (Wife of Gideon, Committed suicide by drowning)

Nevvie (Mother of Grace, murderer of Jenna, trampled to death by elephant Maura) Spirit living in Tennessee.

Virgil (Investigated the death of Nevvie, committed suicide by automobile) Spirit helping spirit Jenna find her mother.

Serenity (legitimate psychic) Live person assisting spirits Jenna and Virgil.

Maura (Elephant who lost her baby) She avenged Jenna’s murder and buried Jenna with her own child.

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The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club #2/2) ****

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman is the second novel in the Thursday Murder Club series. The club includes four pensioners (all in their 70s): Elizabeth Best, spy; Ron Ritchie, trade unionist; Joyce Meadowcroft, nurse; and Ibrahim Arif, psychiatrist. This plot involved 20 million pounds of stolen diamonds; a drug dealer, Connie Johnson, who is smarter than the local police; and a young man, Ryan Baird, who, unfortunately (for him), mugs Ibrahim. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, but the fun is the absurd situations and overly clever dialogue. I found this British author reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen.

An enjoyable read, full of non-sequiturs, comedic observations, and absurd humor.

Examples of the humor

In an answer to how Elizabeth became a spy:  “I had a professor… Well, he was desperate to sleep with me, this professor—people were in those days. So I knew he wanted to sleep with me, and I knew he wanted me to interview for the Service. And I honestly felt I should probably do one or the other—you know how men can be with rejection. So I had to either sleep with him or interview with the Service, and I chose the lesser of two evils.”

When Connie Johnson is arrested: Connie leans forward again, getting as close to Ron as she possibly can. She hisses, “When I get out, you’re a dead man.” Ron looks back at her. “Well, I’m seventy-five, and you’ll be doing thirty years so, yeah, agreed.”

Friends: “So no one’s dancing anymore?” “If they are, they’re not dancing with me,” says Donna. “Who are my closest friends? Chris, who’s sleeping with my mum. My mum, who’s sleeping with Chris. You lot, and, back me up here, my best friends shouldn’t be in their seventies.” Ibrahim nods. “Agreed. Maybe one would be okay, but four of us seems a bit much.” “The only person my age I’ve met down here who I actually like is Connie Johnson, and she’s a drug dealer. I bet she dances, though.” “And she certainly does drugs, I imagine,” says Ibrahim.

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