T.C. Boyle writes like a house afire; so this book can be read as pure entertainment. The plot builds effectively and provides plenty of twists and compelling action. However, it is so much more than just a good read. Boyle is able to condense our present dilemma of illegal immigration to the personal. He tells the story from two main view points...the legal Californian and the illegal Mexican. Both are believable and flawed. Each is presented in a context which presents the effects of illegal immigration. I can't think of one element of the debate that is not confronted in this book. From the names of the characters to the meaning of coyote, there is plenty to discuss in this book.