American Dirt received mixed reviews. Some critics praised it as the next great American novel, while others denounced it for fetishizing trauma and reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Discuss the controversy of the book’s title, non-Mexican author, and plot in relation to major trends in commercial publishing.

Is American Dirt a successful romantic thriller or a failed literary novel? Was marketing a factor in the book’s critical fortunes? Explain.

Who is Cummins’s intended audience? How is this articulated in her writing?