My New American Life

By: Francine Prose
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-171376-7
Review By: Amy Lignor
Review Date: April 2011

Francine Prose has been a writer of many incredible stories from fiction to nonfiction, to Young Adult novels. With this newest project, this fantastic author offers a dark comic novel that covers everything from immigration to all facets of American culture.

The lead character is Lula, a twenty-six-year-old Albanian woman who lies in order to obtain her visa to come to New York City, leaving behind her birthplace - Post-Communist Albania. Lula is fortunate enough to become a caretaker for a teenage boy, which allows her to relocate to a New Jersey suburb. Moving in with Mister Stanley - a college professor who has turned into an investment banker - and his child, Zeke, Lula takes on the role of helper and watcher to the young man. Mister Stanley works with his friend - a hotshot lawyer named Don Settebello - as they try to help Lula with her legal status and win her a work permit so that she can stay in America.

Lula, although bored a bit with her job of full-time caretaker, finds herself face-to-face with her own countrymen, as they pull up outside her door in a brand new Lexus SUV. They identify themselves as friends of Lula’s cousin and ask that she take care of a handgun for them. Which she does - not only to back up her Albanian “friends” but also because she finds herself unbelievably attracted to Alvo - an Albanian who leads this band of men.

As Lula begins to find herself being stalked - and hoping immensely that her stalker is Alvo - Lula tries her best to soak up as much American knowledge as she can. This novel not only addresses the subjects of immigration and the politics that came from the first post 9/11 years, but also offers an in-depth look into the passion of Lula, a person who wishes to live a life that involves humor, a bit of danger, and a way to grab on to her American dream.

This story shows how a person wishes desperately to become an American and goes through the struggle of becoming a stranger in a strange world. Not only does this author do a wonderful job of explaining life with just the right amount of humor and drama combined, but she also offers a true study of post 9/11 America.

Quill Says: Although a little slow in places, many readers will find this an interesting book and a wonderful overview of achieving the ‘American dream.’