Name: Dry Foot Tpb
ISBN: 9781952303050

Jarred Lujan

Set in Miami during its most dangerous and decadent decade, the 1980s, this coming-of-age tale follows four teens desperate to escape the drugs and violence of the city. Together, they plot a heist to steal large sums of cash from the most dangerous gang on Calle Ocho, Los Marielitos. Dry Foot is a fearless story infused with Hispanic culture that deals with friendship, family, and sacrifice.

Dry Foot Tpb

Frida Kahlo

I received an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review from Diamond Book Distributors and Mad Cave Studios via NetGalley.

Firstly, what many readers might find confusing is the title. I sincerely hope I was not the only one confused by it. There were no dry feet mentioned in this short but sweet (and beautifully illustrated) graphic novel, FYI. 

So, what does dry foot mean? I found these two explanations to be useful:

"U.S. immigration policy played a major role in the Cuban exodus and the rise of the chugs. In 1994, after then-President Fidel Castro announced it was no longer a crime for Cubans to flee their country, the number of annual Coast Guard interceptions at sea jumped from a few thousand to more than 37,000. In response to the rafter crisis, the U.S. government revised the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, creating a new policy that became known as "wet-foot, dryfoot." The program more or less granted Cubans who made it to shore the legal right to stay."


Dry´foot

n.	1.	The scent of the game, as far as it can be traced.


Secondly, I wish that the story was more developed; it was way too short for my liking and understanding of the plot. Had it been longer, it would have had more space and time to develop the story and form the characters, ending gracefully.

The graphic novel represents the Hispanic culture of 1980s Miami, giving us the bilingual vibe, the fast-paced action of four teenagers trying to escape the city of violence, crime, and drugs. The short description I read gave me a great vibe; it was a fire burning between pages. The only reason I found it fell short was the length of it; shame it was rushed. 

The length of this graphic novel, thus rushed and undeveloped story/characters are the only reason I gave it three stars. But I would like to share a few words of praise to the illustrators, Orlando Caicedo and Warnia Sahadewa - I loved every single detail in the novel. The powerful Mariana with her bat, the swollen Angel's face; your attention to detail came through.