Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

94 reviews

montana_cole's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Heart wrenching and eye opening to the struggles and plight of those seeking a safer and better life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Deportation

ngoodenb's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Violence, Trafficking, Stalking, and War

bvanness428's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Lydia and her son Luca are the heart of this story of love, loss, and the brutal reality of drug cartel violence in Mexico. By centering a middle class family,  Cummins makes it clear no one is safe when a community is taken over and draws the stark contrast between their previous lives and their new ones traveling to the United States border alongside other migrants. The journey is more harrowing than most of us are aware of, and we get to know other stories through the people they meet along the way. 
A heart-pounding look at the fact that the people anxious to cross the border are individuals with complex histories,  not a mob of faceless "invaders" as some political leaders have claimed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Deportation

meggyflemreads's review

inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

My first 5 star read for 2024! An incredible and heartbreaking story of determination, grit, and endurance. Highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Grief, Death of parent, and Deportation

strawberrypinch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Deportation

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Abandonment, and Alcohol

abbywj's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Deportation

jennifer_carroll's review against another edition

challenging informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death of parent

soph_mills's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

lindsey_bear's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

This book was super challenging but well done. I found it hard to get through because of the violence and drawn out plot, but I think that was what Cummins was ultimately going for. I feel like I learned a lot about migration through this book, even if it was a fictional story. Understanding why people end up in such desperate situations is such a huge part of this novel to me. I would recommend to anyone who is interested in learning more about migrants’ experiences and the lengths people go to flee violence and seek refuge. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation