Valeria Luiselli (b. 1983 Mexico) is a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction earning critical acclaim and literary awards in both fields. "The Story of My Teeth" (2013) was a finalist for the Nat'l Book Award and "Tell Me How it Ends" An Essay in 40 Questions was a finalist for the Nat'l Book Critic Award (2013). "Lost Children Archive" (2020) has earned the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. I have the utmost esteem for her body of work and for her most recent novel. I bestow consummate praise by suggesting you not finish reading my review but go instead to read this profound novel which addresses human issues intrinsic to illegal immigration, the treatment of Native American Indians; the Navajo Indian Tribe in particular, and the collateral fallout to children and their families stemming from our immigration crisis. Social commentary about immigration and Native American history is entombed in the novel as it's being driven by a married couple and their two young children during the course of a cross country road trip from NY to AZ. The couple, a journalists and sound archivist are in a marriage that is unraveling as the journey sputters forward. The sister and brother are step-siblings. This fact is immaterial to them as they view each other with love, commitment and sibling annoyance. The "boy" as he's referred is ten; twice as old and worldly wise as his younger sis. The "girl," as she's called, is utterly trusting of her big brother. Their familial bond follows a dangerous course as the boy maps out a clandestine journey to aid the lost children and maintain the family unit in tact. The political messaging does not condemn treatment of illegal immigrants or Native Americans, nor proffer solutions. It serves to magnify the human toll exacted at or our southern border, our past genocide on American soil and beyond. Luiselli's intelligent writing and artful prose brandish a novel that I consider a literary masterpiece. Angst inherent in loving relationships and the gut wrenching pain of families torn apart is viscerally felt. Not yet 40, Luiselli's writes with an assured mastery of adult relationships while maintaining the innocence, joy and seriousness of youth. Furthermore, Luiselli explores the perfidy of recording, documenting and excluding history and its omnipotent impact. In addition to presenting prescient social awareness, the art of great storytelling in "Lost Children Archive" is not lost in the least.
