The Great Divide is a series of interconnected stories that, put together, paint quite a picture of what life was like for the many affected by the construction of the Panama Canal. A work of historical fiction, it was able to bring me a closer view into this period I’m history than I’ve ever had, and provided a stark reminder of the many peoples throughout history who’ve been adversely affected by colonialism and “progress.”

So much of the history that we’re taught focuses on great human achievement, with little to no mention of the even greater costs. I appreciate stories like these that bring us closer and pull up the rug to show us all that’s been swept under it.

Robin Miles did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Cristina Henriquez, Ecco, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.

I really love the writing style this author used. The storytelling method was very tapestry/mosaic like in nature and it was enjoyable to experience the wide range of perspectives during this time in history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of The Great Divide by Christine Heriquez. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this historical fiction about the building of the Panama Canal. It was well written and brought to life many different points of view about the building of the canal. It would have been a 5 star read, however, there were far too many characters to keep track of.

I do look forward to reading other book by Ms. Henriquez, as I enjoyed her writing style.

I had never read a book set in Panama, centered around the building of a Panama Canal so I was very excited to read. This book had everything I love- a diverse cast of characters, beautiful writing, character building, social commentary, etc. And while I enjoyed it overall, I feel that it had so much more potential. I so wish that this vast cast of characters had more overlap. I wish there was more dialogue. I wish the POV switching wasn't so sudden and jarring. I wish there was more focus on the canal itself. Again, despite these issues, I was invested in the book/audiobook, though I felt I was waiting for the shoe to drop and there to be more connection and it never happened.

This book is a gem! Beautiful with well crafted characters woven throughout. A story of journeys and life itself. Lovely book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

Great book about the building of the Panama Canal. Cristina Henriquez weaves a story about the canal through several different lenses: Omar, a local teen who signs up to be a digger, Ada Bunting a teen from Barbados coming to make enough money to help her sick sister, John Oswald and his wife Marian who came to eradicate malaria, plus others.

“The Great Divide” by Christina Henriques is a story about a group of people who were deeply affected by the creation of the Panama Canal. The threads of their connection immerses us into their sacrifices, human tragedy's and resilience as we travel through the time of its construction. This historical fiction is beautifully written, deeply researched and will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the story of America’s impact during construction and the aftermath that lingers today.

Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An enjoyable, beautifully written historical fiction novel about the early settlers in Panama before the great canal was completed. The bravery, perseverance and challenges are highlighted in this book with interwoven tales in this wild, unsettled land.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for the opportunity to read this ARC.

What an epic novel. Cristina Henríquez is a brilliant writer and with "The Great Divide", she has surpassed all high expectations leading up to its publication. This book takes the construction of the Panama Canal as its backdrop but goes well beyond in scope. Henríquez shows us how behind the Canal's construction lies a multitude of stories of human drama, sacrifice, and resilience. She explores the lives and struggles of the people involved in the project, from the engineers to the workers who labored under harsh conditions, from the politicians to the people that were deeply affected by its construction. The book is a vivid portrayal of the personal stories and emotions that shaped the time and the region.

A fantastic, gorgeously written and sweeping novel of the lives of a large cast of characters in Panama during the construction of the Panama Canal. I was completely immersed in the story and the characters throughout the entire book. I absolutely loved it! I will be recommending this book to many book clubs. Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for the opportunity to read this egalley!

As panoramic epics go, this one is something of a curate’s egg - good in parts. Henriquez writes with feeling and heart for the country, the invasion of the Americans, the political shift represented by the canal. She introduces a welter of characters and sets them against a rich, well researched background. And yet there’s a slenderness to the storytelling and relationships. A predictability or a romanticism is at work that softens and dilutes the individual dilemmas of the characters. The book can even some static although some events do take place. The result is affection but not quite enough impact.

I was so excited to read this book! I had just come back from Panama and couldn't wait to dive in to this story. It did not disappointed! I think there will be a lot of buzz about this leading up to the release date!

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.

This was a masterfully written book about a period in history that I think is often overlooked in fiction. That being said, it is clear that the book is well-researched and gives an accurate portrayal of the people and sentiments that surrounded the building of the Panama Canal.

The book does start off slow, and at first it seems that the amount of characters is overwhelming and I wasn’t looking forward to trying to keep track of all their stories. However, the author manages to tie all of their stories together seamlessly into one story that kept me eagerly turning the pages to find out what was next in their lives. I will definitely be purchasing this book for our library’s collection when it is published. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Fascinating read learning about the building of thePanama Canal was so well written so involving.I like the combination of history seen through the characters eyes.So well written a truly epic novel .Will be recommending.#netgalley #ecco

Author Cristina Henríquez has a gift for taking a Big Important Topic and zooming in on the personal details that help illuminate it in a new way. Her latest book, "The Great Divide," is ostensibly about the creation of the Panama Canal, but really it's several interwoven stories of the men and women whose lives were upended by the huge undertaking in the early 1900s. We meet a young American doctor who aims to eradicate malaria in the canal zone, several young people who journey to Panama in hopes of making their fortunes and longtime residents of Panama whose way of life is threatened by the canal. Their stories, whether they end in death, heartbreak or hope, are full of humanity.

I loved this book and the interweaving stories that take place around the construction of the Panal Canal (after the French tried and failed). The story humanizes just a section of the people who moved to Panama’ to build the canal or had already lived there and had their lives upended.

Really good! I liked getting to learn some history through the eyes of interesting and mostly likeable characters. It took a little while to get into because of the number of characters, but it wasn't hard to keep them straight, and it was ultimately good for the story to have a kaleidoscopic view.

Once the railroads finished crossing America, a new frontier was needed. Panama was that new frontier. The isthmus drew migratory workers from all over the Caribbean, the US, and Europe to this tiny new nation. The Panama Canal project brought a world together, and crisis as well. In order for an engineering exploit of such proportions to be successful, thousands of laborers are imported to dig and dig until the Atlantic and the Pacific are joined. But clash of classes and cultures reveal that this labor is not for Panamanians. Families are pushed off of their land, families are pitted against each other, and social stratification keeps Panamanians alienated from the wealth that the canal fosters.
The novel is rich in history, but the genre is historical fiction. The novel's stories circle the Caribbean, Ada who comes to Panama from Barbados to make money and send back home to save her ill sister's life. Clement who comes from Jamaica, to make money and provide for himself. Lie Jei, Beridis, Pierre, Miller, Oswald, one and all come for the dream that is attached to wealth, prestige, and upward mobility.
The Great Divide shows readers that it is not just the land that gets divided, but that divisions existed long before the canal was even conceptualized, and those divisions were imported into Panama. This marvel of engineering comes at a steep cost.
The canal lifts the lives of a few, but for many, that very canal is their grave.
The villains will raise the hair on your arms.
You will cheer for Omar and Francisco, son and father respectively, who love Panama with all their hearts.
You will be inspired by Joaquin's love for Valentina.
Through this divide, there is beauty to be appreciated.