Diego's Crossing - Robert Hough*
Seventeen-year-old Diego dreams of a brighter future. His small town near the Mexican-United States border has been ravaged by the drug war, and the newspaper headlines are filled with body counts. Diego worries about his parents, particularly his tenderhearted father. Their road trips in his dad's beloved, rusty Datsun are the only times the family can truly be carefree.One day, Diego's older brother Ernesto--the town's golden boy-- shows up in a tricked-out Chevy Silverado. Diego is fully aware of what no one is willing to openly admit: Ernesto is a gangster. Diego manages to avoid his brother, until he discovers Ernesto badly beaten and unable to finish a drug run for a brutal gang. Then Diego does what he swore he would never do--deliver drugs across the border.
With danger closing in from all sides--from the drug cartel threatening his family to the vigilant border officers suspicious of everyone who looks Mexican to the volatile buyers waiting for their goods--Diego desperately tries to finish his journey.
Once he successfully delivers the drugs, Diego is faced with yet another choice. He has proven to be a valuable asset to the drug cartel who wants him to become one of their own. Does he risk everything for their big but risky paydays, or does he walk away back to his small town of little opportunity?
Hough's writing is sophisticated and vibrant. With all the suspense of a fast-paced movie, this gripping novel about Diego's treacherous journey across borders is also a moving story about a boy's crossing into manhood.
First off, I was really excited to read this book because I really enjoy books about Mexican characters and themes. For 150 pages I myself would not call this a novel, but maybe a novella?
It just did not thoroughly describe in enough details the characters in the story for the amount of pages it was. I liked the details that the author used to describe the type of pueblo that the characters lived in, and I found that his description of that was very accurate.
I felt that the story itself dragged and lacked the pull to keep me reading. It was all very expected for the outcome of the main character and the family. I felt that the author could've gone into more detail with the drug boss "El Tranquillo" and the serious amount of trouble that Diego's brother was in. I felt that it was too mellow of a scenario for a drug lord who's main method of smuggling had just gone under.
The book was described above as a fast paced, suspense filled book which it was the complete OPPOSITE.
Overall I am rating this book 1.5 stars since I liked the authenticity of the description of the town and the details of Mexico.
I am not even including any gifs in this review to emphasize the boredom I felt while reading this "novel".
* I received a copy of this through NetGalley for free, in return for an honest review.
