A review by kenderwolf
The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle, T.C. Boyle

4.0

I've had this book on my shelf for some time but kept not picking it up because I live in the Southwest and figured, "yeah, I know this story". Yet still I kept it on the shelf, for reasons not totally clear. Finally, after several friends recommended Boyle's work, I started in on it. To my surprise, I was caught up very quickly in the story. Yes, a lot of the concepts and subject matter (not to mention characters) are very familiar to me, but I found that a comfort. I was reading about home (while on vacation out-of-state no less) and Boyle really captured the American Southwest and the often unpleasant interaction of whites and illegal Mexican immigrants. The immigrants run into what should be an unbelieveable string of bad luck; event after horrible event, one crisis after another, all the way up to the end. I was able to suspend my disbelief, though, because I know such horrid things can happen and who's to say they couldn't all overwhelm one family? In all, a powerful book that really captures the immigrant situation. Not lighthearted at all, but an important and sympathetic read.