The Great Divide

(Paperback)

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A gorgeous, sweeping epic ANN NAPOLITANO'A master of prose' WASHINGTON POSTOne of my favourite writers' ROXANE GAYSpectacular JOANNE SEFTONI didnt want it to end SARA SHERIDAN

A breathtaking historical novel following the incredible construction of the Panama Canal and casting light on the unsung people who lived and laboured in its shadow by acclaimed author Cristina Henrquez.

It is said that the Canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built.

Ada Bunting, a bold sixteen-year-old from Barbados, arrives alone in Panama as a stowaway alongside thousands of other West Indians seeking work in the grand building project of the Canal. Francisco, a local fisherman, resents the foreign nations clamouring for a slice of his country, but nothing is more upsetting for him than his son Omars decision to work as a digger. For Omar, whose upbringing was quiet and lonely, this job offers a chance to finally find connection and independence. Scientist John Oswald has come from further afield. He has journeyed to Panama in pursuit of one goal: eliminating malaria. But everything hangs in the balance as his wife Marian falls ill herself.

When John witnesses an act of bravery and compassion from Ada one day, he hires her on the spot as a caregiver for his wife. This fateful decision sets in motion a sweeping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice.

Breathtaking and impossible to put down, The Great Divide explores the lives of the labourers, fishmongers, journalists, protesters, doctors and soothsayers who lived alongside the construction of the Canal those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course.

'Henrquez writes gorgeously, creating indelible characters whom youll never want to leave' Justin Torres, author of Blackouts

A masterful weaving together of different lives I can't stop thinking about it Hester Musson, author of The Beholders

Henrquez writes beautifully Stunning Haleh Agar, author of Out of Touch

Reviews

A gorgeous, sweeping epic that draws together a truly unforgettable cast of characters. I loved it Ann Napolitano, author of Hello Beautiful

One of my favourite writers Offers both intimacy and the expansiveness of a sprawling epic Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist

'Poignant Henriquez is a master of prose whose enchanting words capture the landscape' Washington Post

Henrquez gives us cause to celebrate with this sweeping novel A welcome return by one of our finest voices Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels

By turns macabre and also truly joyful, The Great Divide left me with a powerful ache for forgotten histories that will not soon leave me Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Olga Dies Dreaming

Masterful I can't stop thinking about it Hester Musson, author of The Beholders

A wonderful tapestry of interwoven character stories Karen Angelico, author of Everything We Are

Both sweepingpower and science, history and empireand incredibly precise in its rendering of the human soul Justin Torres, author of Blackouts

A gift for the reader A beautiful, memorable novel Kate Murray Browne, author of The Upstairs Room

Henrquez writes beautifully, giving a voice to those who have been overlooked by history Stunning Haleh Agar, author of Out of Touch

A spectacular achievement. I loved it Joanne Sefton, author of If They Knew

Exquisitely crafted powerful, rich and fascinating, and I loved every minute of it Katie Lumsden, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

'Henrquezs pitch-perfect novel has the feel of a classic' Publishers Weekly (starred review)

'[A] rich, evocative slice of life from a little-known chapter of history' Reader's Digest

'A compassionate and insightful historical epic' LitHub

Immersive, sweeping Bustle

Author Bio

Cristina Henrquez is the author of The Book of Unknown Americans. It was also longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Henrquez is also the author of The World In Half and Come Together, Fall Apart: A Novella and Stories. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Real Simple, The Oxford American, The American Scholar, and elsewhere. She earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She lives in Illinois.