The Great Divide

 

The Great Divide written by author, Christina Henriquez.

Henriquez brings the history of the Panama Canal to life in this well developed story.  It focuses on the people  whose lives were affected by the building of a canal in Panama to link the shipping lanes together.  How the changes changed the lives of the people whose lived there, the workers who came there looking for wealth and power.  Following the personal lives of a variety of people we see the hard times, the struggles, the triumphs of the Panama Canal project.

We meet characters from the United States who go over as doctors, engineers and site bosses.  They come from a variety of backgrounds and are looking for fortune or  fame.  There are characters that come from the islands, Jamaica, Barbados and Panama looking to make money and go back to lead easier lives on their islands.

Ada is a young girl who leaves home to find work in Panama to help raise money for an operation the local doctor tells her family her sister needs. Living a very poor life she hopes to quickly raise the money needed and return.  John, a research sccientist who hope to find the cure for maleria, goes to study and treat maleria in Panama.  Bringing his wife along, he is also hoping to escape his own demons.  Also many young men who came to put in the hard work, hoping to return to their islands wealthy enough to find a wife and a home. 

Also there are characters who show the feelings of the Panamanians, those who did not welcome these outsiders coming to change their land and life in Panama.

The conditions are treacherous and the dangers are very real.  It is an amazing and personal look at how this new canal would change the landscape.