A review by ninaprime
The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez

4.0

Henriquez vividly captures the impact of the Panama Canal construction on the variety of people involved, from audacious and ignorant Americans to the Caribbean immigrants who strived and sometimes died for the chance of earning money to support their dreams to the local Panamanians who have mixed feelings about this ambitious undertaking. The relatively short length spread across multiple perspectives results in some characters lacking depth; however, I found each character to be distinct with clear emotional arcs and thought their stories tied up neatly. Henriquez's writing brings Panama to life with vibrant imagery and this book has interested me in learning more about it, which to me makes for compelling historical fiction.

GU Book Club selection, December 2024.