American DirtAmerican Dirt
Score Modern
What it's about
Lydia Quixano Pérez runs a bookstore in Acapulco and lives a comfortable life with her journalist husband and her son, Luca. Then a cartel massacres her family, and Lydia and eight-year-old Luca are forced to flee north toward the United States, riding atop freight trains among other migrants, never sure whom they can trust.
Why it's worth reading
It spent three weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a gripping, emotional thriller about a mother and son, and it sparked a national debate about who gets to tell migrants' stories.
You'll love it if you liked
The Great Alone
The Nightingale
Where the Crawdads SingGood to know
It opens with an act of violence and stays tense throughout. The controversy over its portrayal of Mexico is worth reading about afterward.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller74 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #75 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #326 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #649 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is American Dirt worth reading?
Yes. It spent three weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #649 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is American Dirt about?
Lydia Quixano Pérez runs a bookstore in Acapulco and lives a comfortable life with her journalist husband and her son, Luca. Then a cartel massacres her family, and Lydia and eight-year-old Luca are forced to flee north toward the United States, riding atop freight trains among other migrants, never sure whom they can trust.
How long does it take to read American Dirt?
About 10 hours (408 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after American Dirt?
If you liked it, try The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.