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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Extreme opening violence — a cartel massacre — and sustained violent threat throughout the journey north
Language
A lot
Strong language throughout
Sexual Content
Some
Some sexual content including references to violence against women
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological cost of watching your family be murdered and fleeing with your child through dangerous territory creates intense sustained tension
What this book is about
Jeanine Cummins's controversial novel opens with a brutal cartel massacre at a quinceañera and follows Lydia and her son Luca as they join the migrant trail north to the US border. The novel was a Oprah Book Club pick that generated enormous debate about who has the authority to tell immigration stories and whether the depiction of Mexican and migrant characters was authentic or exploitative. As a thriller, it is propulsive and effective; as a political object, its reception is complex. Violence and cartel threat are pervasive.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Graphic opening cartel massacre
Sustained violent threat throughout
Controversy around representation
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