The Great Divide

By: Cristina Henriquez

Narrated by: Robin Miles

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.

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 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.

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Cristina Henriquez (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

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

‘Powerful… Henríquez gives us unforgettable characters…whose resilience yields a most profound and unexpected kind of beauty.’ Ruth Ozeki, author of A Tale for the Time Being

‘Henriquez’s commanding and fearless prose conducts us through the very depth of the Panamanian jungle… 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