by Jeanine Cummins
The story of a mother and son as they try to escape Mexico following the slaughter of 16 members of their family by a drug cartel. The story tells the tale of migrants heading North. It is harrowing in places and relentless in terms of pressure of the plot progression. I felt this was a well told story and would class is at one of the best reads so far this year.
The author has been castigated for writing this story because she is not Mexican and not a migrant. I have never heard such horseshit in my life. (Well actually I have, but to make a point etc lalala). This is a novel. The author spent 4 years researching and is married to somebody who was undocumented until their marriage. Yes, it may not be 100% reality and flaws can be found I am sure, but it is a novel. By definition, not real. If authors have to have lived a situation to write about it the novel will be reduced to memoir and the creativity of some of our great authors is lost. I say well done Jeanine for shining a light on a dreadful mam-made suffering and if it causes us to think about these issues then it has been a force for good. 9/10
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