Great Divide, The Entre dos aguas

by Cristina Henríquez, Martha Celis-Mendoza (Translator)

De la aclamada autora de El libro de los americanos desconocidos, llega la extraordinaria novela épica de Cristina Henríquez sobre la construcción del canal de Panamá: un hito histórico que partió en dos la historia del continente americano, así como las vidas de quienes lo hicieron posible. Dicen que la construcción del canal será la hazaña más grande en la historia de la ingeniería. Pero ¿quién va a construirlo? Para Francisco, un pescador lugareño que no tolera que las potencias extranjeras saqueen a pedazos su país, nada es más desagradable que la decisión de su hijo, Omar, de trabajar como excavador en la zona de perforación. Pero para Omar, cuya crianza fue tranquila y solitaria, este trabajo es la oportunidad de, por fin, encontrar una conexión. Ada Bunting, una audaz joven de dieciséis años proveniente de Barbados, llega a Panamá como polizonte junto con miles de antillanos en busca de trabajo. Sola y sin recursos, está decidida a encontrar una ocupación que le permita ganar suficiente dinero para la cirugía de su hermana enferma. Cuando ve que un joven —Omar— se desmaya después de una jornada agotadora, ella es la única que corre a su auxilio. John Oswald ha dedicado su vida a la investigación científica y se ha embarcado a Panamá con un solo propósito en erradicar la malaria. Pero Marian, su esposa, ha enfermado, y al ver la valentía y compasión de Ada, la contrata para que cuide de Marian. Esta decisión, que resulta funesta, desencadena una conmovedora historia de ambición, lealtad y sacrificio. Con agudeza y empatía, The Great Divide explora las vidas que se entrecruzaron en la construcción del canal. Con rigor y maestría, Henríquez exalta las vidas de a activistas, pescadores, trabajadores, periodistas, vecinos, médicos y adivinos, los verdaderos protagonistas de este hito, pero que rara vez han sido reconocidos por la historia, aunque hayan forjado su curso. 
An epic novel about the construction of the Panama Canal, casting light on the unsung people who lived, loved, and labored there, by Cristina Henríquez, acclaimed author of  The Book of Unknown Americans It is said that the canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built. For Francisco, a local fisherman who resents the foreign powers clamoring for a slice of his country, nothing is more upsetting than the decision of his son, Omar, to work as a digger in the excavation zone. But for Omar, whose upbringing was quiet and lonely, this job offers a chance to finally find a connection. Ada Bunting is a bold sixteen-year-old from Barbados who arrives in Panama as a stowaway alongside thousands of other West Indians seeking work. Alone and with no resources, she is determined to find a job that will earn enough money for her ailing sister’s surgery. When she sees a young man—Omar—who has collapsed after a grueling shift, she is the only one who rushes to his aid. John Oswald has dedicated his life to scientific research and has journeyed to Panama in single-minded pursuit of one eliminating malaria. But now, his wife, Marian, has fallen ill herself, and when he witnesses Ada’s bravery and compassion, he hires her on the spot as a caregiver. This fateful decision sets in motion a sweeping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice.  Searing and empathetic, The Great Divide  explores the intersecting lives of activists, fishmongers, laborers, journalists, neighbors, doctors, and soothsayers—those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Adult

432 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Cristina Henríquez is the author of four books, including, most recently, The Great Divide, a novel about the building of the Panama Canal that explores those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course.

Her novel The Book of Unknown Americans was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014 and one of Amazon’s Top 10 Books of the Year. It was the Daily Beast Novel of the Year, a Washington Post Notable Book, an NPR Great Read, a Target Book of the Month selection, and was chosen one of the best books of the year by BookPage, Oprah.com, and School Library Journal. It was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

Henriquez is also the author of The World In Half and Come Together, Fall Apart: A Novella and Stories.

Her work been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Real Simple, and more, as well as in the anthologies State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America and Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary: Women Writers Reflect on the Candidate and What Her Campaign Meant.

She has been a guest on National Public Radio, and is a recipient of the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation Award, a grant started by Sandra Cisneros in honor of her father.

Reviews

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories that take me to foreign countries where I’m able to become immersed in different cultures.Panama is one such country.

The history of the canal is fascinating. How America stormed in and offered Columbia $$ to give Panama its independence. It wasn’t a selfless gesture, however, America wanted a canal for their own economic needs.

This is a story of those who came to help build, resist the build and those to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. There are those who travelled from across the country and from across the sea.

As much as I loved the intent of this story and the characters, it fell short for me. Henriquez created such marvellous characters yet, she failed on developing any of them through. We have a young Ada who travelled from Barbados to get a job to pay for her sister’s surgery; Omar who was looking more from his life, takes a job working in the canal that mutes his father speechless as he is shamed by it; Valentina ready to lead the town to protest the dam required for the canal; and so many other fascinating characters.

The story did merge beautifully yet I was still left wanting: More of some characters, less of others; more of the impacts of the canal.
Overall a solid 4⭐️

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A literary fiction focussed on Panama during the time of the construction of the Panama Canal. Note that this isn’t a book directly about the canal or its construction, but about the people connected to the canal in some way or the other during that period. A great book if you go in with the right expectations and enjoy character-oriented fiction.

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Plot Preview:

1907, Panama.
Francisco, a Panamanian fisherman, hates the commercialisation of his country under the foreigners, and hence resents his son Omar’s joining the canal construction crew. Omar, however, wants to learn and earn more than his little village can offer him.
Sixteen-year-old Ada has heard about Panama having many jobs. She has stowed away to Panama, hoping to get some work and earn enough for her ailing sister’s surgery back in Barbados. Her mother Lucille, a tailor, doesn’t yet know of her running away from home, but when she finds out the reason, will she be forgiving?
John Oswald, an American medical expert, has only one goal for his work in Panama: to eradicate malaria. His wife Marian, not the same after a tragedy that changed their lives, also accompanies him to Panama, though there isn’t much left in their marriage.
These are just a few of the many characters you will meet over the course of this novel. Through their eyes, you will get a little glimpse what happened in Panama during the construction of the canal that runs till today.
The story comes from the third person perspectives of multiple characters.

I picked up this book because I thought it would tell me how and why the Panama Canal was built. But the story turned out to be so much more! As a literary fiction fan and as someone who loves character-oriented storylines, this revelation came as a pleasant surprise. Once I altered my reading expectations from historical to literary, I was fully absorbed by the storyline.

There is no overarching plot in the novel. So if you wish to read this book hoping to know the hows and whys of the construction of the Panama Canal, you won’t get *that* much information. This is not a novel ABOUT the canal construction but a novel DURING the canal construction. It is not about the place but about its people. Only a small part of the book deals with the American perspective. I applaud this decision of keeping the story of Panama focussed on the Panamanians and other coloured characters.

The title offers a clear idea of the core content. The “great divide” existed not just across the two oceans that the governments were trying to connect but also across the people of and in Panama, many of whose lives were upturned simply because they happened to live near the land taken over for the canal construction. Whenever we read of such larger-than-life projects in fiction, rarely do we get to see the picture of the manual blood and toil that went into the work. This book is one rare exception, and I respect the author for choosing to tell the story from their eyes.

The characters are the heart and soul of this book. I loved their diversity in terms of ethnicity, nationality, and social standing. We understand from local Panamanians how their life has been altered by this forced canal construction, we see the lives of the workers who migrated to Panama from the surrounding Caribbean nations and beyond to work on the canal, and we hear the supposedly superior perspective of the Americans and the French who have taken up the project and are willing to do anything they can to ensure its (and their) success. All the characters are represented realistically, with enough shades of grey to make them human rather than caricatures.

This book is clearly a labour of love by the author, but even its enjoyment will need to be a labour of love by the reader. The start of the book is somewhat episodic, so the progress is slow, and at times, frustrating. Each of the initial chapters focusses on one character, and every subsequent chapter brings a new, often unrelated character. This goes on till at least 30-35%, after which you begin to see hints of the connection across the characters. So, you need to have a lot of patience at the start as it feels more like a short story collection than a novel for the first one-third or so. But the patience is worth it. Once the connection across the characters began popping up, the book turns into a jigsaw puzzle with the stunning final picture coming into view.

Despite the plethora of characters, I was never once confused about who’s who. The chapters that introduce these people are well detailed, and establish their persona clearly before moving on to the next character. The elaborate backstories and plotting to keep all the character arcs in sync were impeccable.

The author has captured the pulse of the era and the location through her descriptions. It is so easy to visualise the place as well as the people, thanks to the lyrical writing. She even incorporates the beliefs and superstitions of the various cultures, while also capturing their solidarity, their resilience, their family values, and their independence of spirit. The plot feels like an ode to all those unsung heroes whose sacrifices made the canal possible.

I especially admire the story’s candour. The characters don’t mince words when it comes to declaring their opinions about the external influences ruining their lives. The selfishness, rudeness, racism, and even the ignorance of some Americans who were in Panama comes out clearly. It is refreshing to see the book not indulge in white glorification but stress on their flawed attitudes and their blind adherence to profits and personal success with no eye on the human cost. At the same time, not all the whites are painted as villains tarnished by greed. If Kristin Hannah had shown even half of this cultural sensitivity and sensibility while writing ‘The Women’, it would have been a winner for me.

Only two issues:

1. The ending left me wanting more. The character arcs do come to a satisfying end, and not even in a forced HEA. It was a genuine ‘Life Goes On’ kind of finish. But something still felt missing. I must also add that I have no idea how else the author could have ended this complicated story.

2. I was keen to read the author’s thoughts on her writing choices for this work, and also a small note on the background, the significance, the cost (financial and human) of construction, and the issues currently faced by the Panama Canal thanks to climate change. But my ARC had no elucidatory note at all. I hope there is some kind of add-on content with actual facts and an author’s note detailing her writing choices in the final book, because the story deserves it, maybe even needs it.


All in all, this is an intricately-sketched story focussing on the lives of varied people during the construction of the Panama Canal. It is not a story of the revolutionary waterway, but a story of some flawed humans and their lives against the background of this massive construction endeavour.

Much recommended to lovers of literary fiction who would love to see a historical story from the eyes of the characters who lived through it. From this character-oriented book, you will learn a bit about the Panama Canal, but you will learn much more about humans and what drives them.

This was my first book by this author, and I’d love to read more of her work. Such books show why good writing is a combination of art + craft. I hope that readers in this world of instant gratification will have the patience to see its beauty unfold.

4.25 stars.


My thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Great Divide”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1907 the Panama Canal was being built offering opportunities for jobs, for adventure, for a different life . This intriguing novel provides a view of this historic event, an enormous undertaking, which changed the world in many ways. Portraits of people going there from various places for various reasons as well as of some of the people of Panama and how their lives were impacted . A brave teenage girl leaves Barbados to go there to help earn money for her sister’s surgery. A man from the United States leaves with his wife to attain a scientific goal of eradicating malaria. A lonely teen age boy of Panama wants something of his own, to be with people to make connections. The story is in many ways about how these characters connect in ways that change their lives.

As a result of the focus on them and others, Cristina Henriquez gives us some great character studies, characters who I could easily connect with and feel for, as well as a great piece of historical fiction, a favorite genre. Although the novel was not as broad in scope, it was reminiscent of Paris by Edward Rutherford telling of the building of the Eiffel Tower, which similarly highlights the lives of ordinary people, who really are extraordinary.

I received a copy of this from Ecco through Edelweiss.

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What he saw as he stared across that vast chasm was not simply a canal, but a great divide that would sever Panama in two."

The descriptive writing in this book instantly transported me to Panama in 1907: sweltering heat and pouring rain, endless mud sucking at boots, humid air thick as soup, stinging mosquitos, crowded streets and vendors singing their wares, exotic fruits dripping with sweetness, the vibrant green jungle; men and machines shoveling and digging and hauling away dirt, clay, and rocks in such varied colors that they “flamed in the sun like a vast open wound”. I’m telling you, I was there.

The Great Divide is set amid construction of the Panama Canal, but it’s not a scathing look at the many lives lost (approximately 22,000) during its construction, as one might expect. Rather, it's an intimate study of the people who traveled from all around the world to make the Panama Canal a reality, as well as a snapshot of how its construction disrupted the lives of Panamanians.

Myriad characters are introduced, and most are given rich backstories. For some, their lives will intersect, while others will never cross paths, but they all have the canal in common. Most of the characters’ stories reach a robust conclusion, while a few taper off quietly.

Division is a central theme, and not just in terms of the earth being torn asunder to make way for the canal. This book explores class and race divisions, as well as divisions among family, neighbors, and lovers. Threaded throughout is a haunting story of loss and grief, and amid all of the separation is a constant longing for connection.

The Great Divide is a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit, and a beautiful reminder that what we can achieve on our own is nothing compared to what we can achieve together.

--

A massive thank you to Ecco for sending me this gorgeous ARC!

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great Divide is a story about the construction of the Panama Canal and the impact it had on the people of Panama. Some of the characters are native to Panama and others are transplants from other parts of the world - to include the US, West Indies and Europe. The Panamanians mostly feel encroached on by the United States and its determination to finally finish the canal. Many from outside of Panama see the canal as an opportunity.

I found the history in this novel, which was clearly well researched, interesting but I didn’t find the character or the story very engaging. The novel is just over 300 pages but it felt like a bit of a slog most of the time. The Great Divide is readable but not at all riveting.

[Andi (A Literal Hottie) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had crazy high hopes for this but it was so disappointing. A ton of characters but nothing exciting happened. We didn't even hear much about The Canal's construction, literally no drama. Blah

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE GREAT DIVIDE is a smart, moving, and wonderful novel. And while the title ostensibly refers to the Panama Canal, the real divide -- and this is the brilliance of Cristina Henriquez -- is between the Americans who want to build the canal and the people who are supposed to carve a passage through the isthmus. With meticulous care, Henriquez brings her characters to life, and reminds us of the human cost of the massive construction project.

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, exquisitely crafted book, and I just loved how Cristina Henríquez weaved together the stories of so many different characters.

[Andrea Gagne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up finding this book a bit disappointing, unfortunately.

This historical fiction takes place during the construction of the Panama Canal. We follow a huge cast of characters including local Panamanians, foreigners from the US and France who have created an upper echelon of society based on racism and colonialism, as well as foreign workers from countries like Barbados who came to earn money along the canal route through hard labor.

First, I loved the writing style itself. It was so immersive that you could close your eyes and feel yourself there in Panama's sticky humidity, with verdant fauna and constant rain. The quieter beauty of the rural areas where locals lived, and also the hustle and bustle of the towns, and of course the nightmarish conditions inside "the cut" -- the excavation site where the Canal digging itself took place.

I also liked the messaging about capitalism and colonialism, and I got to learn more about how the US essentially bought Panama and had greater control than the local government over what happened there due to their capitalist interests. There are lots ways that this theme intersects with the landscape of locals trying to live their lives, hoping to one day have agency over their country, and in some cases trying to take matters into their own hands.

With all that being said, though, there were so many characters that I didn't get attached to anyone, and there wasn't any central plot tying it together. In the blurb of the book we are told the story centers around Omar, Ada, and the Oswalds -- but we also have long stretches following Omar's father, Ada's mother, Ada's sister, Marian Oswald's doctor, the fish seller in the market, thr fish seller's wife, etc... it just got too broad for me and we spent such short snippets of time wirh each person that I struggled to get truly pulled into any one of their stories. This also meant lots of mini plots, but no one central arc pulling all of them together, which made the pacing feel off for me.

2.75 stars

[Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of the construction of the Panama Canal beginning in 1907, The Great Divide follows a diverse set of characters all seeking their own fortune in some capacity.

Ada Bunting is a stowaway on a mail ship from Barbados who has come to Panama for a job to send money back for her sick sister, Millicent.

Omar is a Panamanian youth who rebels against his fisherman father, Francisco, and helps in the construction of the canal that his father sees as marring the face of their homeland.

John Oswald, a scientist, has come with his wife, Marian, from the U.S. to help eliminate malaria.

These, along with many other side characters—some who are only introduced in a chapter or two—fill up the pages of this beautiful and compelling narrative.

As you can probably tell, it's a very character-driven work of fiction. I've seen complaints from other reviews that there is no plot, and that is true to some extent. But I didn't mind because the characters felt so richly imagined and I was invested in their individual journeys that that felt enough like a plot to keep me turning the pages.

You can also tell the author did a lot of research for this novel; the settings felt richly imagined (pulled, likely, from her own childhood experiences visiting extended family in Panama) and the historical setting was informational but never bogged down in facts. The time period only serves to give context for the characters she has created, never to be the sole focus of the story.

I simply enjoyed spending time in this world and with these characters. Henriquez is adept at introducing you to a lot of characters with ease; I never found it laborious to keep track of who was who or lose focus as we switched perspectives.

This is a book I can comfortably recommend to a lot of people and one that will be on my mind for quite some time!

[Fred Herlihy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. An especially simple writing style with too much back story written in to color the characters. Is the story about the younger characters? Or is the story about their parents? Or is it about Panama? Or is it about US imperialism? Or is it about Malaria? Or is it a love story? Or is it just a time piece character study? Too much going on for such a bland writing style. I was bored for 2/3 of the book.


2.6/5

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another donation to my Little Free Library Shed, and a ‘Read with Jenna’ book club pick, I thought it might be worthwhile to read this one, before I provided it to the neighborhood.

This is a historical fiction novel which explores the forgotten lives behind the construction of the Panama Canal. In an interview, the author wondered ‘whose lives, and deaths, lay behind a project so massive it redefined countries and redrew the world’s map?’ This gave the author incentive to create a historical fiction story that could possibly answer that question.

Her first page shows the Wanted poster which encourages people to want to be part of this massive job by offering a ‘2-year contract, free lodging and medical care’ and the best possibility being for people to, ‘work in paradise.’

But was it really paradise?

Taking 10 years to complete this novel, it is clear that it is truly character driven. There is a diverse cast of characters. And yet, her tale feels intimate. The characters we meet are memorable in the shaping of their lives for us to witness. As readers we gain many perspectives, capturing the breadth of lives touched by the construction and destruction that surrounds them. Every person here has a story to be told, even if history has forgotten them.

The story is captivating, informative and heart-wrenching even as it is achingly slow-paced, which could be discouraging to some readers. Even so, readers will no doubt be affected by the author’s viewpoint of history.

[Jesse On Youtube · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly told.

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Divide by Christine Henrique This novel had many characters the reader follows throughout. Francisco is a local fisherman. He is bitter over foreign powers moving into his country to build the Panama Canal. Omar is the son of Francisco. Omar is to work on the canal against his father’s wishes. Ada is 16 from Barbados. She comes to Panama looking for better employment opportunities than she could get in Barbados. Ada’s sister is very ill, she needs an expensive surgery to cure her. John Oswald is a scientist who arrived with one goal to find a cure for Malaria. This novel is about friendship, love, loyalty, and hard-work to get what these individuals need to meet their goals.
I enjoyed this novel greatly. I did get confused with all the characters and remembering if I am in Panama or Barbados. The author also write in present tense and would roll back to past tense. She definitely kept me on my toes!

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez was a very engaging book about both the construction of The Panama Canal and the effect it had on the Panamanian people and those that came from far and near to help build it. The people of Panama were divided about how they felt about the construction of the canal. For some it was an opportunity to find employment and earn some income. A great many saw the canal as an infringement of their rights and a way for the Americans to take advantage of their country’s future. Those who chose to work to build the canal were subjected to long and grueling hours of hard manual labor. Some of the American supervisors were unrelenting and demanded unrealistic expectations of the workers. Other supervisors were verbally abusive and cruel to the men who worked for them. Mosquitoes also posed a serious threat to spreading disease among the workers, especially malaria. Many local people living in Panama were ordered to move their homes to make way for the canal. This was a hardship for a great many of the people who were being forced to comply with the directive. Some of these people banned together and refused to move but ultimately they were forced to move anyway. Cristina Henríquez vividly portrayed the conflict, consequences, dangers and opportunities that the construction of the Panama Canal brought to the people of Panama and beyond through the lives of several different characters. She masterfully wove the lives of these characters together to create a truly unique glimpse into how the construction of the Panama Canal changed and altered the lives of the people that both helped build it and were living there at the time it was being built.

The Great Divide was beautifully written with much compassion and insight. I enjoyed the main characters and their stories and how they were flawlessly connected by the end. There were a lot of characters, though, and I did find that I got confused at times. Cristina Henriquez‘s impeccable research was extensive and well done. I listened to the audiobook of The Great Divide that was beautifully narrated by Robin Miles. Of all the characters in The Great Divide, Ada Bunting and Omar were my favorite characters. There was something about their innocence and yet insightful thoughts and actions that moved me. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez and highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction.

Thank you to Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Great Divide by Christina Henriquez through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana | LatinaWithABook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Add to your TBR! This one comes out March 5.
Am I the only one that didn’t know the full history of the Panama Canal or that malaria along with construction caused the death of over 20k people?
The last few years I have started to gravitate towards historical fiction books. I learn new to me details about history while diving into the author’s imagination of the setting and lives of those living out historical moments.
First off - so many characters!
I promise it’s not a bad thing at all. The characters are necessary to the story- seems hard to keep track for the first few chapters of the book then willcome together beautifully. The writing is incredible and so easy to get wrapped up in.
I received the audiobook version, narrated by Robin Miles. She has a perfect voice, and her narration of male voices blended perfectly into the story. If you’re drawing a blank she has narrated some other popular audiobooks such as, Caste, Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo, Hidden Figures, and so many more.
This was a 4.5-4.7 read for me. I would love to hear your thoughts when you read!
Thank you to Christina Henríquez, ECCO, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lory Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but then their stories started flowing together and wove into a rich tapestry of life in Panama at the time of the canal construction. In spite of some sad and violent events, some of the story threads that I expected to evolve in a dramatic way had rather a gentle ending; one might consider them a bit anticlimactic, but I appreciated the hopeful trajectory. At the same time, the book did not shy away from portraying f the abusive and exploitative behavior that took place in the course of the canal building, and that clearly is still an issue for all humans today.

"The great divide" is a metaphor for the divides between and within people, the gulf that we dig through being disconnected from our deeper selves and our longing for true communion with one another. In various ways, all the characters had to deal with such a divide, and came through it, usually to some degree of healing. It's a story that cannot be told often enough.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

"GESUCHT!
VON DER ISTHMISCHEN KANALKOMMISSION
4000 tüchtige Arbeitskräfte für Panama.
2-Jahres-Vertrag.
Kostenlose Fahrt in die Kanalzone und zurück.
Kostenlose Unterkunft und medizinische Versorgung.
Arbeit im Paradies!"

Als die USA um 1900 ins mittelamerikanische Panama einmarschierten und für dessen Unabhängigkeit von Kolumbien sorgten, wurde ein riesiges Kanalbauprojekt neu angestoßen: Der Bau des Panamakanals, 82 km lang und eine Verbindung zwischen dem Atlantik und Pazifik für die Schifffahrt. Dem obigen Aufruf folgten viele Menschen, darunter auch die junge Ada von der Insel Barbados, die unbedingt Geld für eine dringend notwendige Lungenoperation ihrer Schwester auftreiben muss, und Omar, für den der Kanalbau ein Stück Unabhängigkeit von seinem Vater bedeutet, der Omar am liebsten als Fischer sehen würde. Aber nicht nur Arbeiter*innen kommen nach Panama, auch Forschende wie John Oswald oder den Arzt Pierre zieht es zum Kanalbau, denn Malaria und Gelbfieber grassieren in der Gegend.

Am Ende überschneiden sich alle Lebenswege der verschiedenen Protagonist*innen für eine kurze Zeit in Christina Henríquez Roman "Der große Riss", der vor allem die Rolle der Frauen und Unterdrückten beim Bau des Panamakanals beleuchtet. Denn nicht nur durch Panama zieht sich ein Riss, auch die Bevölkerung ist gespalten in "Gold" und "Silber", reich und arm, weiß und Schwarz. Ich habe noch nie ein Buch über die Entstehung des Panamakanals gelesen oder mich näher mit dem Thema beschäftigt, weshalb mich Henríquez Roman sehr interessiert hat. Ich finde, die Autorin hat die schlechten Arbeitsbedingungen der Kanalarbeiter*innen und die gesellschaftlichen Missklänge in Panama auch sehr gut heraus gearbeitet, allerdings fehlte es mir im Buch doch an einer wirklich mitreißenden Geschichte oder Protagonist*innen, die mich nachhaltig berühren. Henríquez bemüht sich zwar um interessante, unabhängige Figuren, letztlich blieb das gesamte Personal im Buch aber trotzdem blass. Die im Klappentext versprochene "Liebesgeschichte" ist erst auf den letzten Seiten des Romans präsent und kommt nie richtig in Fahrt, der Versuch einer übernatürlichen Komponente in der Kennenlerngeschichte zwischen Omars Eltern scheiterte für mich. "Der große Riss" hatte damit in meinen Augen viel Potential, schöpft dieses im Hinblick auf die historischen Hintergründe auch gut aus, ansonsten mangelt es aber an der Vielschichtigkeit zwischenmenschlicher Beziehungen und einer packenden Story. Wer sich für den Bau des Panamakanals im speziellen begeistert, kann diesem Buch vielleicht trotzdem etwas mehr als ich abgewinnen. Schön fand ich bei der Ausgabe der Büchergilde den Schutzumschlag, der aufgefaltet den gesamten Panamakanal abbildet - wieder einmal eine äußerst raffinierte und passende Buchgestaltung!

Übersetzt von Maximilian Murmann.

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

After listening to this fantastic audiobook for many enjoyable hours (nearly straight through), I am not divided at all in my opinion of this; it's gripping. Henriquez's _The Book of Unknown Americans_ made a real impact on me, and while I tried to moderate my expectations coming into this one, it wasn't necessary. While this is a different feeling book in every way, it's riveting for entirely different reasons.

Reading historical fiction that features characters, events, and locations that are new or only vaguely familiar to me is an absolute gift, and I really got that here. On top of the engaging historical setting and framing, the characters are easy to get invested in, which is important, because there are several to track. Strikingly, it's not the long-term plot lines that really makes them standout, but the small, intimate moments, thoughts, and interactions readers get to observe. There is so much humanity packed into an extremely ambitious big picture.

This is my second Henriquez book, and I continue to find her writing expansive and meaningful. I can't wait to read more of anything she produces.

*Special thanks to NetGalley, ECCO, and HarperAudio for this arc and alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Book of Unknown Americans

[Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because my daughter in law is Panamanian, and I’ve spent time there and learned a lot from my new Panamanian family. This is a nicely written book that tells the stories of a variety of characters with the building of the Panama Canal as backdrop. There was very little history of the canal building, and the individual stories went nowhere. Lots of potential, very disappointing. The Path Between The Seas by David McCullough tells the real stories about the history and all those involved in the building of the Panama Canal - a fascinating story.

[Lindsey Bluher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was and am super interested in reading more historical fiction set outside of WWII so when I read this book’s description, I was excited to learn more about an event and place I didn’t know much about. When I first started this book, I assumed it would follow the POVs of the initial few characters we were intro’d to and they’d eventually converge. The book though had other ideas… and introduced what felt like a dozen other POVs into the mix, with varying degrees of integration and converging that take place. Overall, I loved the narrator and how vivid the storytelling was — the descriptions were immersive and very well done. But the pacing was too slow for me and in the end, the story didn’t have a payoff that was worth the ~14 hours spent listening to it. I wish this would have been a collection of short stories perhaps instead?

[Sandra The Old Woman in a Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got my first 5-star novel of 2024!

The Great Divide is a refreshing and original contribution to historical fiction. This story is NOT about the engineering and construction accomplishments of building the Panama Canal. Instead, it focuses on the people and communities surrounding the canal site. Reading the book made me think about the ordinary people - locals and immigrants - whose lives were forever altered by this massive construction project. Like all good books, I'm still thinking about the messages conveyed.

The novel's characters are likable and have well-developed storylines and complicated family relationships. Each character's story eventually converges with the others and resolves with satisfying conclusions. There is a relatively large cast of characters, though, and I frequently searched names with my Kindle to remind myself who was who. Your choice of format may depend on how well you keep track of names. The sense of place is also well-written, and I felt transported to the Panamanian jungle.

If you enjoy historical fiction and are looking for stories that take you to new eras and places, you've found a match. I predict this book will likely be short-listed for historical fiction awards this year.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

[Migdalia Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweeping historical novel set against the backdrop of the building of the monumental Panama Canal was such a great read!

I loved how many characters there were- and how we got to hear their very different points of view. I enjoyed seeing how all their different backgrounds nationality, gender, class, race and age informed their lives and fates.

There were so many heart-rending scenes but Henriquez wrote them all with a deep empathy and respect for the characters and the larger story.

This is historical fiction at it's best- using the backdrop of real life events to remind people of the humanity (and many times inhumanity) of those who lived it.

The breadth and depth of the storylines would makes this a perfect pick for a bookclub.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for providing me with a complimenatry advanced copy in return for an honest review.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this so well, I read in two formats. . .and am putting this on my re-read list, because I think there is more here than one can get in initial readings. A good ponder needs to be put on it, like warmth and a good quilt benefits that which it covers (which brings to mind Millicent and her wonderful snapping quilt in this book).

Building the Panama Canal involved 2 continents, a number of nations, centuries, unnumbered ideas, and then all the bodies that lived, bred, died, experienced that joy of life we all claim as humans - all those who had the unfortunate address before, that would become the parts and pieces of what was the Panama Canal after: a very BIG topic to take on. It is to our advantage that Ms. Henríquez took her pen to it, and the result is a bustling, well-researched, deftly-told tale. While arching narratives were necessary (after all, it is a canal being built over land and communities already long established, and cures for malaria being sought!) and took up pages to cover and educate a reader, she always comes back to her people, her characters and provides each a satisfactory way out or parting from their engaged readers.

This read is educative, wide-horizoned and broad-shouldered - you'll want to go see this earth-changing project, maybe get a Panama hat of your own (remember they come from Ecuador!), or at least pull up a map or two.

*A sincere thank you to Cristina Henriquez, Ecco, Harper Audio and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #TheGreatDivide #NetGalley

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a departure for this author whose other books were smaller and less sweeping, but another success for me. The title refers primarily to the Panama Canal and its construction provides the setting. She brings the time and place to vivid detail. In few words she is able to help me see, taste and smell the construction zone as well as the homes and the cities she describes.
The title also plainly captures the underlying tension between the privileged (white) and not (dark skinned laborers). This is not new territory for this author or for me, but I appreciate the way she illustrated the specific ways the canal created and reinforced that chasm, not just between classes but between countries. What was heralded as progress rested on the assumption that the culture and economy (not to mention the human labor) that already existed were of little or no value, easily expendable.
The title also refers to the divide between what its characters think life should be and what it is. This exploration was what was most powerful for me. Henriquez develops her characters with so much depth - even those who appear briefly. Admittedly, there are many of them and it took me 75 pages or so to catch the rhythm and style, but each was so interesting and complicated. I fell in love with many and cheered them on their road to self discovery.
Another winner for me.

[Kristine]

I am going to hear Cristina Henriquez speak in Greensboro, North Carolina next week. I am very excited I can go to this! Have rad lots of great reviews and am interested in this book. So, have he Book and Audio and write down some questions to ask. So, far Greensboro Annual Authors Event, have heard Percival Everett, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, and now Christina Henríquez. These events are Free. Definitely, going to support this event though. It is such a terrific cultural opportunity.

So, must get back to Reading. Have several books I need to Review This Week! 😊💙📚

🩵😊💙😊🩷😊🩵😊💙😊🩷😊 Cristina Enriquez Love This Opportunity. Authors, Librarians, Teachers, Indie Book Store Owners are the Best! They Change the World for The Better. Thank You.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talk about paint-by-numbers histfic... I was attracted to Cristina Henríquez's third novel, The Great Divide, because it promised a panoramic look at the building of the Panama Canal in the early twentieth century, skipping between the viewpoints of labourers, fishermen, local activists, a teenage girl from Barbados drawn to Panama in hope of good wages, and a doctor who is trying to eliminate malaria on the isthmus. But The Great Divide actually has precious little to say about the Panama Canal, preferring instead to give us a series of stock characters: the frail, silenced white middle-class wife, the 'bold' black girl who is trying to make a better life for her family, the grumpy Panamanian fisherman who wants to defend the way things have always been done, the brutal US overseer who believes in the march of progress. Because most of the novel switches between so many different sets of people, almost none of which have anything interesting about them (there's perhaps some potential in the doctor, John Oswald, and the fisherman, Francisco), it feels flat and slow; I love character-led fiction, but it does require... characters. There's also almost no sense of place, which surely should have been crucial here, because of the consistent vagueness of Henríquez's writing. Here's a description of a busy street, for example: 'Carriages led by horses clapped down the road, and carts led by mules in turn led by men rattled and clanked. Women walked about carrying baskets on their backs or their heads or in the crooks of their arms. Well-attired people stood on street corners and talked. Every building looked clean and brand new'. Anyway: I guess this is a reminder of why I rarely read straightforward historical fiction.

I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

Not the book I expected. I thought I would learn a bit about the building of the Panama Canal, so was looking forward to this book. I was disappointed.

Another book stuffed with characters - characters that you really could care less about. Bounces from one group to another, then back again. Nothing of any substance about the building of the Panama Canal - this novel could just as easily been based in any other location in the world.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader)]

DNF 17%