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A review by jessicaxmaria
The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
It’s been a long time since I’ve read such propulsive and warm historical fiction. THE GREAT DIVIDE takes place during the construction of the Panama Canal, which was a time of great upheaval for the newly independent country. I found myself caring so deeply for these characters! They demonstrate the global magnetism of this project to join two oceans, and the myriad opportunities and obstacles it presented. As the beautifully written novel unfolds through several viewpoints and storylines, it began to feel like a tapestry to me; I could feel the weaving of the story and the characters much like the Panamanian mola textiles I grew up seeing on annual trips and in my home.
I am Panamanian on my mother’s side, and we go every year to visit family. I was ecstatic to be reading it when I caught the first glimpses of the canal outside the plane window as we descended into Panama City earlier this month. I kept talking about this book with my family during my week there. It will be out in Spanish in August according to the author!🇵🇦
The characters include a girl from Barbados who works in Panama to pay for her sister’s surgery, a married couple from the United States trying to reduce malaria cases, and a Panamanian father and son at odds about the building of the Canal. I was so invested and mesmerized by the fictional fates of these people! I spent the last twenty pages crying—probably in equal parts sadness and happiness.
The first time I read Henríquez was in 2009, with her debut COME TOGETHER FALL APART, and my GR review states in wonder at my love for it: “I’ve never read any stories or books with a Panamanian setting and revolve around Panamanian characters. ...I plan on keeping up with Henríquez.” I love when a plan comes to fruition. I’ve read all her works, and this is her best novel yet. I already have plans to reread it and revisit Ada and Francisco and Joaquín and Doña Ruiz and Omar and everyone.
I am Panamanian on my mother’s side, and we go every year to visit family. I was ecstatic to be reading it when I caught the first glimpses of the canal outside the plane window as we descended into Panama City earlier this month. I kept talking about this book with my family during my week there. It will be out in Spanish in August according to the author!🇵🇦
The characters include a girl from Barbados who works in Panama to pay for her sister’s surgery, a married couple from the United States trying to reduce malaria cases, and a Panamanian father and son at odds about the building of the Canal. I was so invested and mesmerized by the fictional fates of these people! I spent the last twenty pages crying—probably in equal parts sadness and happiness.
The first time I read Henríquez was in 2009, with her debut COME TOGETHER FALL APART, and my GR review states in wonder at my love for it: “I’ve never read any stories or books with a Panamanian setting and revolve around Panamanian characters. ...I plan on keeping up with Henríquez.” I love when a plan comes to fruition. I’ve read all her works, and this is her best novel yet. I already have plans to reread it and revisit Ada and Francisco and Joaquín and Doña Ruiz and Omar and everyone.