America del Norte

In Mora’s incisive and witty debut, a Mexican writer reckons with his cultural identity in the wake of Trump’s draconian immigration policies. In fall 2016, Sebastián Arteaga y Salazar, a 20-something Yale grad, returns to the U.S. from his home in Mexico City to enroll in the University of Iowa’s MFA program for nonfiction. There, classmates are ignorant of his criollo heritage and dismiss his interest in Western philosophy (“All this theory and history and stuff—why don’t you give us a character we can identify with.... Tell us about Mexico”). The next semester, Sebastian hires a lawyer to help him secure a “specialized-alien” visa, but even with his accomplishments, the application is denied. Meanwhile, he’s started dating fellow Yalie Lee, who visits Iowa to evaluate the musicology graduate program and shares with him an interest in literature. As their relationship intensifies, the couple sees only one way forward—a marriage that neither is ready for. The author casts a wry look at the absurdities of American writing programs and of Trump’s immigration policies, but what makes this special are his insights on the inner drive of aspiring artists and thinkers. It’s an arresting novel of ideas. Agent: Elias Altman, Massie & McQuilkin Literary. (May)