2021 Winner of the Mary Frances Hobson Prize for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters
Winner of the Patricia Winn Award for Southern Literature
“Stone tells the story through multiple perspectives, but the narrative cuts deepest with Lilia, who blames herself for the loss of their child.”
“A gripping and politically savvy look at the human impact of current immigration policy and an honest examination of the perils facing desperate immigrants as they travel north”
“Poignant...perceptive”
“A compelling and topical story!”
“...a surprising and lovely end, showing a poet’s gift for choosing the perfect image to subtly convey meaning...It’s social realism, reminiscent of Steinbeck.”
“Stone makes palpable the vulnerabilities and exploitation of... hard-working parents seeking a better future for their family.”
Michel Stone's second novel Border Child (April 2017, Nan A. Talese/Doubleday) received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and was the lead title on BBC.com's list of 10 recommended books published in April 2017. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Border Child “surprising and lovely...It's social realism, reminiscent of Steinbeck.”
Stone’s debut novel The Iguana Tree, which Library Journal says "recalls the work of John Steinbeck," received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was named a finalist for Foreword Reviews Book of the Year in the multicultural fiction category. This novel has been a popular choice of universities' and colleges' "Common Read" programs.
Stone is the 2021 winner of the Hobson Prize for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters, the 2018 winner of the Patricia Winn Award for Southern Literature, and a recipient of the South Carolina Fiction Award. She’s at work on her third novel.
Purchase Border Child
“Stone’s realistic tone avoids simplistic hero/villain dichotomies. Her economical writing style is... well suited for this contemporary and highly relevant story.”
“Stone delivers an often-poignant portrayal of Mexicans who dream of crossing to a better life”
“Stone is a great storyteller... never a dull moment in this lyrical, engrossing novel...Particularly important reading in our current political climate.”
“A poignant portrayal of the struggles and choices faced by those in difficult conditions”
“A poignant, action-packed read...Stone deftly draws readers into the heart of her characters’ hopes and despairs, shining a humanizing light on the divisive subject of immigration.”
“Gripping, visceral and beautifully written, Border Child carries the potential to stir awareness and trigger debate about an increasingly controversial issue.”
“Border Child is a big-hearted novel, probing the reasons so many illegals have sought safety and success in the United States. It’s full of suspense and concern for desperate people who believe that their lives will be better if they can enter our country. How ironic that so many Americans no longer believe in the American dream; yet people from the rest of the world will put themselves at terrible risk to prove to us that the dream still exists.”
“... sustains an effective and relentless level of suspense...simultaneously creating a wholly convincing landscape in the city and the country. And she brings the mystery of the missing child to an extraordinary but realistic conclusion.”
“Extremely relevant and also insightful.”
“... full-blooded characters miles removed from callow stereotypes”