Great Divide

<p>'A gorgeous, sweeping epic' ANN NAPOLITANO</p> <p>'A master of prose' WASHINGTON POST</p> <p>'One of my favourite writers' ROXANE GAY</p> <p>'Spectacular' JOANNE SEFTON</p> <p>'I didn't want it to end' SARA SHERIDAN</p> <br> <br> <p>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 Henríquez.</p> <p>It is said that the Canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built.</p> <p>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 Omar's 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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>'Henríquez writes gorgeously, creating indelible characters whom you'll never want to leave' Justin Torres, author of Blackouts</p> <p>'A masterful weaving together of different lives... I can't stop thinking about it' Hester Musson, author of The Beholders</p> <p>'Henríquez writes beautifully ... Stunning' Haleh Agar, author of Out of Touch</p>