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Made in the U.S.A
The bestselling author of WHERE THE HEART IS returns with a heartrending tale of two children in search of a place to call home.
Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.
MADE IN THE U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.
MADE IN THE U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2008
138 people are currently reading
3509 people want to read
About the author
Billie Letts
9 books913 followersBillie Dean Letts was an American novelist and educator. She was a professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
June 18, 2022
I can't, I just can't!!! Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts had a lump in my throat, had my heart in knots. This story will never be forgotten, to whoever reads this book, or has read it already please tell me this story will remain in your heart forever. I knew nothing going into this story which made it all the more emotional. If you decide to read this book, please please be aware there is a chapter where one of our main characters gets raped. This books gives me all the summer vibes with the cover, with a jar filled with fireflies. I remember as a kid just wanting to go outside during a summer night and catching fireflies. Made in the U.S.A. is a book expressing heartfelt emotion, pain, sorrow, and love. This story has unforgettable characters who steal their way right into your heart. Please do yourself a favor a pick up a copy of this amazing, heart wrenching story!!!
In Made in the U.S.A we follow the journey of Lutie McFee who is fifteen years old, and her brother Fate McFee who is eleven years old. Lutie and Fate have seen their fair share of misery in their short lives. Fate and Lutie live in Spearfish, South Dakota with their father's ex-girlfriend, Floy. Their mother had died when they were very young, and their father is an alcoholic who has skipped town heading for Las Vegas. One night Lutie, Fate, and Floy are at Wal-Mart when Floy is over by the cash registers and falls over having a heart attack and dies. Lutie and Fate take Floy's car and hightails it to Las Vegas in search of their father, who they have not had contact with in over a year. Fate and Lutie take the car because they don't want to be in the state's foster care system. The only problem is Lutie doesn't have a drivers license and doesn't know how to drive!
When Lutie and Fate arrive in Las Vegas they learn their father has died in prison and now they are on their own. Lutie's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. Lutie and Fate have very little money when they arrive in Vegas from spending money on gas, and food. As a big sister, Lutie knows she has to be bale to provide for her little brother. These two kids are living out of Floy's car. Lutie starts a shift at a Denny's, but doesn't make enough money for an apartment, so Lutie gets a secret job where she gets paid money so they can stay a local motel, but this motel is so dangerous, so many people have been killed there. As Lutie and Fate wake up every morning they notice an angel has been leaving them food, even filled up their car when it was empty, but they have no clue who is doing these good deeds for them.
One night, as Lutie is getting off work and she's in her car, these two men come up and rob her, one of the men rapes Lutie. The basically beat her and leave her to die, but Lutie is so strong she screams and she tries to fight back. But what Lutie doesn't know is that their secret angel has heard her and came to her rescue along with her brother, Fate. This good person who has been leaving Fate and Lutie food on their car takes Lutie to the doctor, where she finds out she has a concussion, and needs a bunch of stitches. This person, we learn his name is Juan, takes Lutie and Fate on another trip across the country to Oklahoma where we meet his family who takes care of Fate and Lutie. Fate and Lutie don't know what it means to have a good family who care for them. The ending of this book was everything I could ask for in a story.
I'm going to end this review right here because I don't want to spoil the whole story. I was hooked from the very first page, I was on the edge of my seat screaming throughout the book. If you do decide to read this book please just please read at your own caution because it does get heavy at times. These two siblings will forever remain in my heart along with story for a while to come. Although the ending was amazing, my heart still hurts a bit. Please don't come at me when your heart hurts from reading this, because mine hurts just as much💔.
In Made in the U.S.A we follow the journey of Lutie McFee who is fifteen years old, and her brother Fate McFee who is eleven years old. Lutie and Fate have seen their fair share of misery in their short lives. Fate and Lutie live in Spearfish, South Dakota with their father's ex-girlfriend, Floy. Their mother had died when they were very young, and their father is an alcoholic who has skipped town heading for Las Vegas. One night Lutie, Fate, and Floy are at Wal-Mart when Floy is over by the cash registers and falls over having a heart attack and dies. Lutie and Fate take Floy's car and hightails it to Las Vegas in search of their father, who they have not had contact with in over a year. Fate and Lutie take the car because they don't want to be in the state's foster care system. The only problem is Lutie doesn't have a drivers license and doesn't know how to drive!
When Lutie and Fate arrive in Las Vegas they learn their father has died in prison and now they are on their own. Lutie's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. Lutie and Fate have very little money when they arrive in Vegas from spending money on gas, and food. As a big sister, Lutie knows she has to be bale to provide for her little brother. These two kids are living out of Floy's car. Lutie starts a shift at a Denny's, but doesn't make enough money for an apartment, so Lutie gets a secret job where she gets paid money so they can stay a local motel, but this motel is so dangerous, so many people have been killed there. As Lutie and Fate wake up every morning they notice an angel has been leaving them food, even filled up their car when it was empty, but they have no clue who is doing these good deeds for them.
One night, as Lutie is getting off work and she's in her car, these two men come up and rob her, one of the men rapes Lutie. The basically beat her and leave her to die, but Lutie is so strong she screams and she tries to fight back. But what Lutie doesn't know is that their secret angel has heard her and came to her rescue along with her brother, Fate. This good person who has been leaving Fate and Lutie food on their car takes Lutie to the doctor, where she finds out she has a concussion, and needs a bunch of stitches. This person, we learn his name is Juan, takes Lutie and Fate on another trip across the country to Oklahoma where we meet his family who takes care of Fate and Lutie. Fate and Lutie don't know what it means to have a good family who care for them. The ending of this book was everything I could ask for in a story.
I'm going to end this review right here because I don't want to spoil the whole story. I was hooked from the very first page, I was on the edge of my seat screaming throughout the book. If you do decide to read this book please just please read at your own caution because it does get heavy at times. These two siblings will forever remain in my heart along with story for a while to come. Although the ending was amazing, my heart still hurts a bit. Please don't come at me when your heart hurts from reading this, because mine hurts just as much💔.
July 2, 2016
When I really like a book, I tend to read everything by that author, with mixed results. (John Irving, usually great. Augusten Burroughs, not so much so.) I loved The Honk and Holler Opening Soon, and liked Where the Heart Is. But Made in the USA was a disappointment, with an extremely unlikeable main character and an implausible (given the characters' previous behaviors) and rushed ending.
June 1, 2017
"Made in the USA" is a story of how two children who need a family find a home in an unlikely place. Fifteen-year-old Lutie and eleven-year-old Fate live in South Dakota with their father's ex-girlfriend, Floy. Their mother had died when they were young, and their alcoholic father had skipped town, heading for Las Vegas. Floy has a heart attack and dies, leaving the kids without a family. They don't want to be sent into the state foster care system, so they head for Vegas in Floy's old car to look for their father with underage Lutie behind the wheel.
There are predators on the lookout for homeless kids, and Lutie makes some bad decisions. A man with a good heart helps them, and brings them to stay with his large extended family. Lutie and Fate see that home is the place where you are loved.
I've read newspaper reports about kids that have been homeless or living in cars, and Lutie's and Fate's experiences seem very real. The story drew me in more than I expected, although the ending seemed almost too wonderful to be believable. 3.5 stars
There are predators on the lookout for homeless kids, and Lutie makes some bad decisions. A man with a good heart helps them, and brings them to stay with his large extended family. Lutie and Fate see that home is the place where you are loved.
I've read newspaper reports about kids that have been homeless or living in cars, and Lutie's and Fate's experiences seem very real. The story drew me in more than I expected, although the ending seemed almost too wonderful to be believable. 3.5 stars
February 23, 2009
This book hooked me from the first page. I had to keep reading to make sure everything turned out well for the two orphaned kids! The brother and sister, Lutie (15) and Fate (11), have seen their fair share of misery in their short lives. The book begins when their caretaker, who is the ex-girlfriend of their father, dies in WalMart of a heart attack and the children take her car rather than be put into foster care. First problem, Lutie is only 15, doesn't have her driver's license, and really doesn't know how to drive! They head for Las Vegas which is the last known address of their father who has been gone for a year with no contact. The book details the rough days ahead for them living homeless in Las Vegas until the good samaratin who has been secretly helping them once again comes to the rescue after a tragic incident. What follows is another trip across the country; this one filled with hope and only good things at the end. I recommend this book to all Billie Letts fans. It won't be listed as my favorite by her, but is certainly worth the time.
June 15, 2024
After the death of their stepmother, 15 year old Lutie and her 11 year old brother, Fate, take the car, and with the little money scraped up from inside their house, head to Las Vegas. They have no other relatives, and are terrified of having to go to foster care. Their biological father was last seen in Vegas, so the kids hope they will be able to find him.
I’m sure this book has its audience. I did keep reading until I finished, so there’s that. The writing is entertaining at times (when it’s not being overly explanatory and too descriptive of minor details). The whole thing was just “off” to me. The subject matter became very dark, and this did not balance well with the sometimes silly writing.
The characters are just too unbelievable, with names that are too quirky or too predictable. Fate’s real name was to be Fale, but someone accidentally crossed the L on his birth certificate, making him Fate instead. Cute. The drug dealer’s name was Viper. You get the idea.
The other characters remind me of one of those crime shows from the ‘70’s. The bad guys talk and act like they were cooked up by a writer who’s never even met a real criminal. Everything’s kind of corny. The plot is just plain unrealistic all the way to the euphoric ending.
The author “flew by the seat of her pants” on some small things that needed more editing, for example, one has to be a registered nurse BEFORE becoming a nurse practitioner. Another example was the Mexican to English language/speech difficulty was all wrong. Many errors like this, small but noticeable. Details like this are like nails on chalkboard to me.
Billie Letts has written some really popular books. This one… notsomuch. If this was a YA, maybe 3 stars, but for me, 2 stars.
I’m sure this book has its audience. I did keep reading until I finished, so there’s that. The writing is entertaining at times (when it’s not being overly explanatory and too descriptive of minor details). The whole thing was just “off” to me. The subject matter became very dark, and this did not balance well with the sometimes silly writing.
The characters are just too unbelievable, with names that are too quirky or too predictable. Fate’s real name was to be Fale, but someone accidentally crossed the L on his birth certificate, making him Fate instead. Cute. The drug dealer’s name was Viper. You get the idea.
The other characters remind me of one of those crime shows from the ‘70’s. The bad guys talk and act like they were cooked up by a writer who’s never even met a real criminal. Everything’s kind of corny. The plot is just plain unrealistic all the way to the euphoric ending.
The author “flew by the seat of her pants” on some small things that needed more editing, for example, one has to be a registered nurse BEFORE becoming a nurse practitioner. Another example was the Mexican to English language/speech difficulty was all wrong. Many errors like this, small but noticeable. Details like this are like nails on chalkboard to me.
Billie Letts has written some really popular books. This one… notsomuch. If this was a YA, maybe 3 stars, but for me, 2 stars.
June 24, 2009
I've only read one other book by Letts and it was Where the Heart Is. Unfortunately, the two are extremely similar. It was a quick, enjoyable read for the summer. It only took me two days to finish it. It was one of those stories where the main character keeps acting the way you don't want them to. Sometimes it's hard to root for this character when time and again they fail. I guess without these flaws there wouldn't be a story-line. However, I wish the viewpoint of the book was written by the 11 year old brother, Fate. His name was supposed to be Fale, but as fate would have it, the "l" was not crossed on the birth certificate. (This is so believable to me because my name was spelled differently on my birth certificate, and I didn't know until I went to get my driver's license.) Fate was so much more mature and believable than his sister. Letts gave the story a happy ending where Fate and his sister find a family where once again "fate" has brought them to a circus town where Lutie becomes the star that she has always dreamed of. You could tie this ending up with a nice little bow.
May 4, 2009
I had a very hard time deciding whether to give this book two or three stars, but the farther I get away from this book, the more I realize how dreadful it was.
I haven't read _The Honk & Holler Opening Soon_, but I've read all her others, and I really wish Billie Letts had stopped with _Where the Heart Is_. I loved that book and I still think it's an amazing read. Now Letts has reduced herself to sterotypical characters, incredibly predictable plots, and a storyline formula. Instead of a birth at Wal-Mart, there is a death as a story catalyst. Instead of a child raising her own child, a child is raising her younger brother. As usual, there are horrible men who take advantage of women. But then a good man comes along and changes the girl's trajectory, himself a broken man looking for redemption. It was original in _Where the Heart Is_, now it's just stale and played out.
Honestly, I can't think of anything off hand that I liked about the book. Well, I guess I liked Fate, the story's younger brother character. He was the most realistic and most honest, but in the end he wasn't enough to hold the book. Don't waste your time with this one.
I haven't read _The Honk & Holler Opening Soon_, but I've read all her others, and I really wish Billie Letts had stopped with _Where the Heart Is_. I loved that book and I still think it's an amazing read. Now Letts has reduced herself to sterotypical characters, incredibly predictable plots, and a storyline formula. Instead of a birth at Wal-Mart, there is a death as a story catalyst. Instead of a child raising her own child, a child is raising her younger brother. As usual, there are horrible men who take advantage of women. But then a good man comes along and changes the girl's trajectory, himself a broken man looking for redemption. It was original in _Where the Heart Is_, now it's just stale and played out.
Honestly, I can't think of anything off hand that I liked about the book. Well, I guess I liked Fate, the story's younger brother character. He was the most realistic and most honest, but in the end he wasn't enough to hold the book. Don't waste your time with this one.
December 27, 2009
I have been a fan of Billie Letts since I saw and later read "Where the Heart Is". Her stories are generally about very ordinary people who overcome adversity and touch each others' lives in special ways. I have yet to read one of her books without crying.
This book was probably the weakest of her books but I still am glad I read it. It was a bit uncomfortable in places due to the subject matter - a teen and a pre-teen alone on the streets of Las Vegas...do the math. But, like all of Letts' books there are characters with big hearts that give of themselves to help those who need it. I am trying not to give too much away so sorry for the vague details.
If you liked Where the Heart Is or any of her other books you'll want to read this too, even though as I said it isn't as great. Caveat - if you can't handle reading about drugs, rape, or other things that happen on the streets of Las Vegas you might want to skip it. Nothing is discussed graphically but even when implied toward a teenager, I found it particularly distressing. Sorry for the spoiler but I know some people will want to avoid it for containing such things.
This book was probably the weakest of her books but I still am glad I read it. It was a bit uncomfortable in places due to the subject matter - a teen and a pre-teen alone on the streets of Las Vegas...do the math. But, like all of Letts' books there are characters with big hearts that give of themselves to help those who need it. I am trying not to give too much away so sorry for the vague details.
If you liked Where the Heart Is or any of her other books you'll want to read this too, even though as I said it isn't as great. Caveat - if you can't handle reading about drugs, rape, or other things that happen on the streets of Las Vegas you might want to skip it. Nothing is discussed graphically but even when implied toward a teenager, I found it particularly distressing. Sorry for the spoiler but I know some people will want to avoid it for containing such things.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2008
Ms. Letts is a master at telling stories that will have you laughing out loud one minute and have your heart breaking the next. Filled with vivid descriptions and realistic characters, this book runs the gamut from sadness and horrific situations to hope, redemption and acceptance. Even though I found this hard to read at times, MADE IN THE U.S.A. is a wonderful story that touched my heart.
May 19, 2010
First off I was expecting southern fiction, which this wasn’t and it was much grittier than I expected it to be.
Lutie is not a very likeable character and it doesn’t get any better as things progress. Her brother Fate makes this book, he is precocious and adorable, wise beyond his years yet sweet and optimistic. I also liked the Vargas Family storyline.
This book is about two young children whose mother is dead their father has left them with a girlfriend who dies in Walmart (no spoilers its right in the book description) the kids take off to find their father in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas the two youngsters deal with homelessness, rape, child porn and drug addiction. This book can be disturbing at times. I was rooting for Fate to find a good family to live with and leave his sister by the curb. I’m sorry I know that’s mean but Lutie just annoyed me. Even in the end with its predictable ending I didn’t care because I still didn’t like her.
This book was ok but something about it just didn’t connect and it was pretty predictable.
3 Stars
April 29, 2025
enjoyed watching the characters grow and find love and acceptance and a true family.
August 19, 2011
Audio book -
Two discs in I thought to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those books ! " Those equals the author has taken it upon themself to prove that Murphy's Law really does happen . Those equals the author has written about the most wronged , accident prone , bad lucked, somebody keeps shitting in their lunchbox character/s and the worst case scenarios for said character/s . THOSE equals I think to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those books ! " , right before I close the cover on the unfinished book and place it on my stack to return to the library. If you are one of those books it equals you make me want to slam my head in the car door ! I really did think that two discs in and I saw it being returned unfinished , until ....
I looked around the car and didn't see another audio book anywhere , so...I continued to listen . Did I make it to the library that day for another ? The next day ? Nope , of course not - that would have made sense . I continued to listen . I became a little less convinced it was one of those books a few more discs in and .....I kept listening . Six discs in I figured I had invested so much time that I'd just finish the book which really equals I still had not picked up another audio book . I listened .
This morning I finished Made In The U.S.A - you know , the book I thought was one of those books ? I was so glad that there was not another audio book in the car when I thought I wanted one . I was so glad that I kept listening - Miss Letts didn't write one of those boooks ! She wrote a lovely story about resilient kids , coping skills and smarts , the meaning of family in every sense of the word and over-coming misunderstandings . You know ....one of " those " books !!!!!!!
Two discs in I thought to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those books ! " Those equals the author has taken it upon themself to prove that Murphy's Law really does happen . Those equals the author has written about the most wronged , accident prone , bad lucked, somebody keeps shitting in their lunchbox character/s and the worst case scenarios for said character/s . THOSE equals I think to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those books ! " , right before I close the cover on the unfinished book and place it on my stack to return to the library. If you are one of those books it equals you make me want to slam my head in the car door ! I really did think that two discs in and I saw it being returned unfinished , until ....
I looked around the car and didn't see another audio book anywhere , so...I continued to listen . Did I make it to the library that day for another ? The next day ? Nope , of course not - that would have made sense . I continued to listen . I became a little less convinced it was one of those books a few more discs in and .....I kept listening . Six discs in I figured I had invested so much time that I'd just finish the book which really equals I still had not picked up another audio book . I listened .
This morning I finished Made In The U.S.A - you know , the book I thought was one of those books ? I was so glad that there was not another audio book in the car when I thought I wanted one . I was so glad that I kept listening - Miss Letts didn't write one of those boooks ! She wrote a lovely story about resilient kids , coping skills and smarts , the meaning of family in every sense of the word and over-coming misunderstandings . You know ....one of " those " books !!!!!!!
May 26, 2010
Among the levels in this multi-level novel are a cautionary tale and a level of love and redemption. Lutie, 15, and her brother, Fate, 11 are cast off children. Fate is a particularly brilliant child who loves facts, books and school. Their mother is dead and their drunken father has abandoned them. Floy, his obese girlfriend is taking care of them but dies in a Wal-Mart checkout line. To avoid foster homes and possibly being split up Lutie and Fate flee in Floy's old Pontiac, Ultimately they end up in Las Vegas with little money, no home or relatives and innocent.
The cautionary tale concerns Lutie's corruption. She meets T. who ostensibly promises to help her but plans to manipulate her into dope addiction, pornography and prostitution. For several days the children live in the Pontiac. Fate learns about an excellent and caring city school that he desperately wants to attend. He can do so only by living in the school's district. At each step of the way a mysterious stranger provides food and other help.
In an effort to live in the district, Lutie bargains with T. In exchange for $600 for rent she agrees to make a pornographic movie. T introduces her to dope and she quickly becomes addicted. She is robbed, beaten and almost raped immediately leaving her with a concussion and a deep facial cut, worrisome for a teenage girl, and long term with depression, alienation, hostility and suspicion. A sad and cautionary tale depriving Lutie and Fate from their childhood.
Further description would only ruin readers' pleasure. Suffice it to say that Letts believes in redemption, small towns in Oklahoma and mysterious strangers.
The cautionary tale concerns Lutie's corruption. She meets T. who ostensibly promises to help her but plans to manipulate her into dope addiction, pornography and prostitution. For several days the children live in the Pontiac. Fate learns about an excellent and caring city school that he desperately wants to attend. He can do so only by living in the school's district. At each step of the way a mysterious stranger provides food and other help.
In an effort to live in the district, Lutie bargains with T. In exchange for $600 for rent she agrees to make a pornographic movie. T introduces her to dope and she quickly becomes addicted. She is robbed, beaten and almost raped immediately leaving her with a concussion and a deep facial cut, worrisome for a teenage girl, and long term with depression, alienation, hostility and suspicion. A sad and cautionary tale depriving Lutie and Fate from their childhood.
Further description would only ruin readers' pleasure. Suffice it to say that Letts believes in redemption, small towns in Oklahoma and mysterious strangers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 25, 2012How do I rate a book that I could not finish simply because the author dared to make me care so much for her characters that I couldn't bear to "watch" any more creulties befall them? How does one go about rating a book by an author who has proven her value to me with past works that have left me with a warm and feel good ending? Is it fair to rate a book I could not complete simply because I could not handle the dark subject matter? No, it isn't fair to give this one a rating at all.
Books I cannot finish (usually due to poor characterization or dry story telling) are an automatic 1 star rating. But as usual Letts writing was not dry, nor were her characters flat or colorless. Quite the reverse, actually. So this book I could not finish should theoretically get another star, if not two more. Yet there was a sense that there was an overkill of, as the cliche goes, "kicking them while they're down". I understand homeless runaway teens are a real life issue and more often than not they are left with little more choice than to eke out an existence in the sex trade but as someone who has read two other Billie Letts books to date, I had certain reader expectations going in. This book was far darker than I had anticipated.
In the end this book will forever teeter somewhere in between 2 and 3 stars for me. Billie Letts' story telling and characterization ability is certainly prevalent here but personally, I would recommend looking elsewhere, like The Honk And Holler Opening Soon, especially if you're looking for a book that will warm your heart instead of breaking it.
Books I cannot finish (usually due to poor characterization or dry story telling) are an automatic 1 star rating. But as usual Letts writing was not dry, nor were her characters flat or colorless. Quite the reverse, actually. So this book I could not finish should theoretically get another star, if not two more. Yet there was a sense that there was an overkill of, as the cliche goes, "kicking them while they're down". I understand homeless runaway teens are a real life issue and more often than not they are left with little more choice than to eke out an existence in the sex trade but as someone who has read two other Billie Letts books to date, I had certain reader expectations going in. This book was far darker than I had anticipated.
In the end this book will forever teeter somewhere in between 2 and 3 stars for me. Billie Letts' story telling and characterization ability is certainly prevalent here but personally, I would recommend looking elsewhere, like The Honk And Holler Opening Soon, especially if you're looking for a book that will warm your heart instead of breaking it.
January 22, 2020
I almost stopped reading this during part 2, it was SO sad. I couldn't bare for any more terrible things to happen to these poor children. But just in the nick of time, Billie Letts brings back the hope and the story turns around. Some ideas in part 3 seem a bit unbelievable, but I don't really know much about that sort of life, so it could be factual. Well written and easy to read, just not as good as Where the Heart is.
July 20, 2021
I’ve had this on my bookshelf for years meaning to read it and I finally got around to it and was quite disappointed. I was thinking this would be a fun summer read but I was wrong. The content was extremely disturbing in some parts. I didn’t like Lutie but what she had to do to survive and keep Fate safe was sickening. It did get better at the end but getting there was not easy. Trigger warnings for rape and child abuse.
July 7, 2020
4.5
An alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy siblings who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
Readers will immediately be drawn into the story by Lutie's feisty personality as well as the adventure, and ultimate hardship of living by your wits. I recommend this story to those who enjoy gutsy protagonists, gritty plotlines, and happy endings.
An alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy siblings who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
Readers will immediately be drawn into the story by Lutie's feisty personality as well as the adventure, and ultimate hardship of living by your wits. I recommend this story to those who enjoy gutsy protagonists, gritty plotlines, and happy endings.
October 27, 2022
I thought of giving this book a 3 but there were just too many things put in the book that I couldn't look past. She just skipped over or dismissed the issues of drug use, rape, and child pornography. She then approved of and condoned the abuse of wild animals in circuses. The character of Luttie was unlikable. Other than that it wasn't too bad.
August 19, 2024
There were some hard to read moments in this book, but Billie Letts' stories about the lost finding unexpected homes is always heart-warming.
August 29, 2014
I have loved every Billie Letts books I've read. I enjoy her sons plays just as much and am very glad she passed the writing "bug" on with her genes. This books, while told in the charming Letts way, left me unsatisfied.
The story opens with the death of 15 year old Lutie and 11 year old Fate's stepmother in a Wal-Mart. She's their stepmother in the broadest sense of the term since she has never married their father who left them with her and hasn't been heard from since. Fearing the foster system the children drive away in her old car and head for Las Vegas, dear old dad's last known address.
Their life in Vegas is probably realistic, but I've come to expect kindness and warmth from Letts books. Often found in the strangest and most unsought places and we do get that in this book, but we get the bad, seedy and downright evil as well which I really did not expect.
Lutie does her best to support her brother after a few selfish moves, but being young, fresh and pretty it's pretty easy to see how she ends up making money. Girls that use their body for cash often turn to drugs and Lutie is no exception. Poor Fate is just dragged along on Lutie's e-ticket ride.
When Lutie is robbed, beaten and almost left for dead a kind stranger steps in, gets her medical attention and then drives Lutie and Fate cross country to stay with his...wait for it...circus family. Once they encounter Juan's family things look up for the children, of course, but the entire premise just struck me as implausible. They don't find riches, but as close as kids like this are gonna get and I was too pulled out of the story by it's unlikelihood to enjoy it anymore.
I think the story here probably deserves between one and two stars, but Letts writing is warm and lovely regardless so I'm giving her three. I will still read whatever of hers I come across, but I will no longer go in with same anticipation I have in the past. Letts is not infallible.
The story opens with the death of 15 year old Lutie and 11 year old Fate's stepmother in a Wal-Mart. She's their stepmother in the broadest sense of the term since she has never married their father who left them with her and hasn't been heard from since. Fearing the foster system the children drive away in her old car and head for Las Vegas, dear old dad's last known address.
Their life in Vegas is probably realistic, but I've come to expect kindness and warmth from Letts books. Often found in the strangest and most unsought places and we do get that in this book, but we get the bad, seedy and downright evil as well which I really did not expect.
Lutie does her best to support her brother after a few selfish moves, but being young, fresh and pretty it's pretty easy to see how she ends up making money. Girls that use their body for cash often turn to drugs and Lutie is no exception. Poor Fate is just dragged along on Lutie's e-ticket ride.
When Lutie is robbed, beaten and almost left for dead a kind stranger steps in, gets her medical attention and then drives Lutie and Fate cross country to stay with his...wait for it...circus family. Once they encounter Juan's family things look up for the children, of course, but the entire premise just struck me as implausible. They don't find riches, but as close as kids like this are gonna get and I was too pulled out of the story by it's unlikelihood to enjoy it anymore.
I think the story here probably deserves between one and two stars, but Letts writing is warm and lovely regardless so I'm giving her three. I will still read whatever of hers I come across, but I will no longer go in with same anticipation I have in the past. Letts is not infallible.
April 10, 2009
I'll never forget Letts' first novel: "Where The Heart Is" and I doubt there are many people out there who haven't read it and fell in love with the characters. Well, Billie has returned with a heart tugging saga of two young children in search of a father and a place to call home.
Fifteen-year-old Lutie McFee and her twelve-year-old brother Fate, have been living with overweight 300 hundred pound Floy Satterfield, their father's ex-girlfriend, in her dumpy run-down home in the dead beat town of Spearfish, South Dakota. With their mother dead for years and their father now absent after taking off to Las Vegas a year ago and leaving them behind with Floy, Lutie has learned to avoid becoming attached to people, places, possessions and just about anything and everything else.
Fate is a bit of a weird kid who spends much of his time watching strange shows on television, worrying about global warming and reading. Lutie, on the other hand, has become adept at shoplifting for fun to pass her time. During a trip to the local Wal-Mart, Floy drops dead in the store!!! Lutie decides that she and Fate should not wait around for police or social services as she knows they'll stick them both in the foster care system and decides instead to get out of Spearfish, South Dakota altogether.
Stealing Floy's old beat-up Pontiac, Lutie and Fate head for Las Vegas in search of the father who abandoned them a year earlier. Running out of the little money they had and unable to find their father, they try to survive in the big gambling town as best they can. But some unknown good Samaritan is watching out for them and is leaving food and little notes on the Pontiac they are living in. Who is this good Smaritan and is there a different lesson for Lutie and Fate to learn other than the world can be a cruel and unfair place and does everyone really have a place to call home?
Fifteen-year-old Lutie McFee and her twelve-year-old brother Fate, have been living with overweight 300 hundred pound Floy Satterfield, their father's ex-girlfriend, in her dumpy run-down home in the dead beat town of Spearfish, South Dakota. With their mother dead for years and their father now absent after taking off to Las Vegas a year ago and leaving them behind with Floy, Lutie has learned to avoid becoming attached to people, places, possessions and just about anything and everything else.
Fate is a bit of a weird kid who spends much of his time watching strange shows on television, worrying about global warming and reading. Lutie, on the other hand, has become adept at shoplifting for fun to pass her time. During a trip to the local Wal-Mart, Floy drops dead in the store!!! Lutie decides that she and Fate should not wait around for police or social services as she knows they'll stick them both in the foster care system and decides instead to get out of Spearfish, South Dakota altogether.
Stealing Floy's old beat-up Pontiac, Lutie and Fate head for Las Vegas in search of the father who abandoned them a year earlier. Running out of the little money they had and unable to find their father, they try to survive in the big gambling town as best they can. But some unknown good Samaritan is watching out for them and is leaving food and little notes on the Pontiac they are living in. Who is this good Smaritan and is there a different lesson for Lutie and Fate to learn other than the world can be a cruel and unfair place and does everyone really have a place to call home?
June 16, 2009
Win a copy of Made in the USA on my blog: http://fibrofoggy.blogspot.com/2009/0...
Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts kept me up past my bedtime, which is a good indication for me of how good a book is. Lutie and her brother Fale pulled at my heartstrings with their tragic story of loss, sacrifice, and truly tough times. 11 year old Fale was my favorite character in this book. His quirky love of learning facts about everything under the sun made me laugh. Even though he is younger than his sister Lutie, he has a better sense of what they need to do to take care of themselves. It took me awhile to warm up to Lutie, especially since she was, at times, selfish and even cruel toward her younger brother. It seemed as though Lutie would never learn to make the right choices, but eventually she began to let her guard down, and reveal a young woman with hopes and dreams, and the determination to work hard to achieve them. I read this book quickly, because I just had to find out what would happen to these children! I highly recommend Made in the U.S.A.
Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts kept me up past my bedtime, which is a good indication for me of how good a book is. Lutie and her brother Fale pulled at my heartstrings with their tragic story of loss, sacrifice, and truly tough times. 11 year old Fale was my favorite character in this book. His quirky love of learning facts about everything under the sun made me laugh. Even though he is younger than his sister Lutie, he has a better sense of what they need to do to take care of themselves. It took me awhile to warm up to Lutie, especially since she was, at times, selfish and even cruel toward her younger brother. It seemed as though Lutie would never learn to make the right choices, but eventually she began to let her guard down, and reveal a young woman with hopes and dreams, and the determination to work hard to achieve them. I read this book quickly, because I just had to find out what would happen to these children! I highly recommend Made in the U.S.A.
December 9, 2010
I liked this one...I liked these two wounded kids...Lutie and Fate (he should have been named Fale, after their mother's family, but someone at the hospital crossed the "L") are essentially dumped with an ex-girlfriend of their father when he decides to run away to Las Vegas. After another Letts Walmart moment, they find themselves on the run, afraid if they stay in Spearfish SD, they'll be sent to foster care. A road trip to Las Vegas has moments of humor and terror.
As does their stay in Las Vegas. Letts shows us some of the dangers homeless children face...drugs, exploitation, hunger, hopelessness. Lutie with her hard crust and Fate with his book-smarts face this challenge in different ways.
We didn't come to Oklahoma until the last 100 pages -- Hugo, OK, home of circus people. The kids learn what they each need to learn: Lutie MUST open her heart and trust someone with her burdens and secrets; Fate must learn to be a friend.
Once again, good Oklahoma people open their hearts to people in need. The real Oklahoma people did that over 30 years ago, when I moved here with two children, and a husband still working in IA for two months. I know these people.
As does their stay in Las Vegas. Letts shows us some of the dangers homeless children face...drugs, exploitation, hunger, hopelessness. Lutie with her hard crust and Fate with his book-smarts face this challenge in different ways.
We didn't come to Oklahoma until the last 100 pages -- Hugo, OK, home of circus people. The kids learn what they each need to learn: Lutie MUST open her heart and trust someone with her burdens and secrets; Fate must learn to be a friend.
Once again, good Oklahoma people open their hearts to people in need. The real Oklahoma people did that over 30 years ago, when I moved here with two children, and a husband still working in IA for two months. I know these people.
March 22, 2011
Fifteen-year-old Lutie McFee and her eleven-year-old brother Fate have been raised by their father's 300-pound ex-girlfriend, Floy, ever since they were abandoned by him. In a split second, however, this changes when Floy drops dead in the local Wal-Mart. When presented with the option of ending up with social services, Lutie and Fate pack up and escape in Floy's truck in search of their father. Their destination: Las Vegas.
Once in Vegas, Lutie and Fate struggle to make ends meet and begin to look for the father they haven't seen or heard from in over a year. After falling into many precarious situations, Lutie begins to feel as though she and Fate are being followed - by someone who is mysteriously trying to protect the siblings.
The story focuses on permanence, stability and allowing oneself to trust other people; Letts works in some interesting backdrops, from Vegas to a circus community. The characters are likable and well-developed, and I think this book is a close second to her "Where the Heart Is."
Once in Vegas, Lutie and Fate struggle to make ends meet and begin to look for the father they haven't seen or heard from in over a year. After falling into many precarious situations, Lutie begins to feel as though she and Fate are being followed - by someone who is mysteriously trying to protect the siblings.
The story focuses on permanence, stability and allowing oneself to trust other people; Letts works in some interesting backdrops, from Vegas to a circus community. The characters are likable and well-developed, and I think this book is a close second to her "Where the Heart Is."
June 12, 2009
A quick read, but a regrettable read. In the wake of the death of the woman their father left (abandoned?) them with, Lutie (15) and Fate (11) decide to book it to Las Vegas instead of waiting around for CPS to put them in foster care. Calamity ensues. Harrowing, predictable calamity. And oh my, I had such a hard time understanding these protagonists. I don't recall being such a selfish monster at the age of 15. Spending money on coke and spray tan while your hungry baby brother waits around for you? I mean, really? And while I have met 11-year-olds wise beyond their years, I found Fate's character to be way over the top in this regard. Anyway, the story vacillates between two extremes. It goes from really freaking dire to a really freaking tidy kumbaya ending. Somehow I doubt that real homeless runaway children end up as incredibly lucky as these two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2017
This is an excellent story of what happens to a young teen and her little brother when their step-mother suddenly dies in a store, leaving them orphaned. They think their father may be alive in Las Vegas, so they go on a hair-raising trip there to find him, but sadly, they immediately find out that he has died on the same day as their step-mother. In order to stay alive, they have to resort to all kinds of unsavory activities, but there is a secret watcher, who is looking out for them. This is a story that seems sad but ultimately becomes a heart-warming tale.
August 20, 2008
This was a good but very sad book. It was hard to read about some of the choices the girl made as well as the danger she and her brother put themselves into. I am glad I read this book because it was well written about a difficult subject.
It reminds me of an older, more dangerous version of From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwalter by E.L. Konigsberg .
It reminds me of an older, more dangerous version of From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwalter by E.L. Konigsberg .
April 17, 2013
I liked this book, but not as much as some of Billie Letts other novels. I sort of found Luttie annoying, but it is a good coming of age story and about learning lessons the hard way. I did like the ending and the theme that just because you don't share blood doesn't not make you family.
August 30, 2023
Made in the USA is a story of two children from South Dakota who make their way to Las Vegas to find their father after having no caretaker. Their experiences with homelessness and trying to get by are quite heart-wrenching and quite mortifying. It really opened my eyes to the reality of this situation. Fate, the 11-year-old boy, is really the most loveable and bright character and he made my heart melt. His older sister is pretty unlikeable though. I tried to have grace for her because her situation is horrible, but it was hard to understand why she was genuinely such a bitch.
My favorite part of reading this was that it took place mostly in Las Vegas, my hometown. The descriptions were accurate and it was so cool to read about specific locations and streets in my city. I appreciate seeing a realistic side of Vegas in a book that’s not just about tourists going to party and do drugs. Homelessness is a real problem here.
The latter third of the book was super random and rushed, and all these characters were introduced at the end. I had trouble making sense of all that, and I barely knew these characters so it was hard to love them and root for them when they’re randomly thrown in at the end.
My favorite part of reading this was that it took place mostly in Las Vegas, my hometown. The descriptions were accurate and it was so cool to read about specific locations and streets in my city. I appreciate seeing a realistic side of Vegas in a book that’s not just about tourists going to party and do drugs. Homelessness is a real problem here.
The latter third of the book was super random and rushed, and all these characters were introduced at the end. I had trouble making sense of all that, and I barely knew these characters so it was hard to love them and root for them when they’re randomly thrown in at the end.
September 3, 2017
Another book I picked up in a give-away (this time, a friend's give-away). Letts' Where the Heart Is is a long-time favorite of mine, so I expected to love this book. However, the main character, Lutie, is extremely unlikeable. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, because she's a troubled 15-year-old, but it's difficult to warm up to her. Also, there is a very large portion of this book that is quite dark and disturbing, which I wasn't expecting. And I found the whole circus story line a little weird/implausible. The bright spot is Fate, Lutie's younger brother, who I not only loved as a character, but who reminded me a lot of myself when I was young. Definitely not the best book I've read lately, but it wasn't exactly terrible either.
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