The Tortilla Curtain

T. C. Boyle’s 1995 novel traces the intersecting lives of two couples in the San Gabriel Valley: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher, a wealthy, liberal couple who have recently moved into a sprawling estate, and Candido and America Rincon, a Mexican couple living in a tent in the desert, struggling to survive as undocumented immigrants. The narrative shifts between their perspectives, highlighting the stark contrast between their worlds. As the Mossbachers attempt to assimilate into their new community and the Rincóns seek work and safety, their paths converge in a series of escalating, often darkly comic, and ultimately tragic events. Boyle uses this collision to explore themes of privilege, cultural misunderstanding, and the harsh realities of the American dream for those on the margins of society.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.