by Cristina Henriquez
Ecco, 2024. 321 pages. Historical Fiction
A novel about the construction of the Panama Canal in 1907, following the intersecting lives of the local families fighting to protect their homeland, the West Indian laborers recruited to dig the waterway, and the white Americans who gained profit and glory for themselves.
I love reading historical fiction that reveals the life experiences of people in diverse settings, so of course I was drawn to this account of the building of the Panama Canal. This novel covers a lot of ground, discussing themes such as colonialism and exploitation, and the history of Panama in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is all covered with a light touch, as Henriquez weaves multiple story lines together to give a wide view of events. Each story line intersects in interesting and intricate ways, with a wide cast of characters. With so many topics and voices covered, this book kept me reading and constantly finding something new.
If you like The Great Divide you might also like:
by Eleanor Shearer
Berkley, 2023. 322 pages. Historical Fiction
When Rachel learns of the Emancipation Act of 1834, she runs from the Barbados plantation she has been enslaved on, and sets out to find her five children who were sold. Are any of them still alive? Rachel has to know. The grueling, dangerous journey takes her from Barbados then, by river, deep into the forest of British Guiana and finally across the sea to Trinidad.
Silent Winds, Dry Seas
by Vinod Busjeet
Doubleday, 2021. 272 pages. Historical Fiction
In the 1950s, Vishnu Bhushan, a young descendant of Indian indentured laborers in Mauritius battles to experience the world beyond while he simultaneously deals with the cultural, political and familial turmoil that holds on to him.
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