The Great Divide

Cristina Henríquez’s fourth novel, The Great Divide, is a historical epic set in Panama amid the construction of the famous canal and the deadly mosquito-borne disease that nearly derailed its completion. The sweeping tale takes place in 1907 and follows multiple interconnected characters across that year, which marked the height of the project. There’s Francisco Aquino, a heartbroken local fisherman who is estranged from his strong-willed teenage son over his decision to help the Americans build the controversial waterway. Francisco crosses paths with John Oswald, a hardened American scientist who is sent to Panama with his wife to eradicate malaria, but seems more interested in glory than in altruism. That is, until he meets Ada Bunting, a 16-year-old from Barbados who is willing to put her own life on the line in order to save her sister. Henríquez, whose father was born in Panama, weaves a captivating tale that shows the devastating toll the engineering project had on countless lives.

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