The Great Divide depicts the building of the Panama Canal by the USA in the early twentieth century, but it isn't about the Panama Canal. Indeed only one of the central characters actually works on the project, the others are locals, drawn to the area by work, or even a secondary connection through marriage or working for those who work on around the construction. And the core set of characters aren't even in Panama initially, the Bunting family are in Barbados. But what the book is about is this confluence, patterns of migration, and what happens to the indigenous population when a project of this scale is put together, It is a book with a wide canvas, but is actually very tight, and I soon got the hanging of the various threads of the lead characters, all drawn well enough to want me to keep dipping in to each strand as they inevitably connect.

Each of the individual stories here are fascinating, from the fisherman father whose son does end up working on the canal, to the doctor trying to solve the malarial problems. Henriquez manages to get into many nooks and crannies of the newly independent Panama; independent from Colombia, but now in a weird symbiosis with the USA who they have leased the canal lands to. But this is broadly a bottom-up view, the book is interested in the workers, and those living in the margins, and when we touch the wealthy they are often sheltered and out of touch. Money is at the heart of everything here, the reason Ada Bunting goes to Panama, why the son is working on the canal, and there is a sense of living through poverty that Henriquez does not try to valorise, or pity, but just normalise for the time. It does not mean there is no pride, or honour, but it is a world where the smallest ownership of anything can make the difference in security.

None of the that should make you feel that The Great Divide is a polemic or dour. Instead its the best kind of story like this, opening up a world from 120 years ago and breathing life into it via these brief vignettes. Its also surprisingly short for the amount of characters and storylines it starts with, and with fifty pages to go I was concerned that it wasn't going to wrap up well (or be a PART 1), but Henriquez pulls everything together in a very satisfying manner for what turned out to be an impressively turn-paging bit of humane historical fiction.

This is not my usual genre of book, I requested based on the description and a desire to take myself out of my comfort zone and try something new.
This book was a great choice, the story is based around creation of the Panama Canal and the lives who were impacted by it, the diverse characters and descriptive prose made this book a great read, it’s by no means fast paced but I believe that to be part of why I enjoyed it so much.

The title of this book refers to the division of the country Panama, in South America, where the building of the Panama Canal practically split the country in half. This is a novel that has an unusual setting and one that I haven't come across before: the construction of one of the most significant canals in the world's history.

The cast of characters is diverse. They come from all kinds of backgrounds from the very poor to the very rich. Some arrive from other countries looking for work in this huge undertaking, some are local, one is a scientist looking into a cure for malaria. While the introductions to this broad list of people is fascinating, the exposition of their background makes the book quite slow in places. However, it does give an insight into the lives of people who were there, their motivations, expectations and ambitions.

​This historical fiction book uses the construction of the Panama Canal to highlight the other divisions between peoples in the nineteenth century: the wealthy and privileged Americans and the former slaves of the Caribbean, women and men, the healthy and the sick, the fishermen and the scientists, the colonials and the colonised, the boundary between life and death. The title, The Great Divide, is a thought provoking concept and a great title for this novel. Lovely book.

I loved The Great Divide and all its characters even the unlikable one had their own role in the story so I accept them for their role. And the fact that it was based on one of the most magnificent constructions of the modern days it adds on more point. With plenty of details about the country Panama I felt like I was there. Due to its details I feel like it's a story to savour in order to feel like you're there with all the characters. You can't rush it otherwise you'll feel a bit lost but it's worth it. It talks about the construction of the Canal and its impact on everyone's lives from the locals to some people you might not expect but are in search of something. I love how it talks in details some aspects of the ordinary people and I love how it shows what it means to belong to something, somewhere. I feel like it's an amazing story and I am really happy to have read it.

I enjoyed reading The Great Divide because it transported me to the time when the Panama Canal was being built. Unfortunately, I have very limited knowledge about this important part of world history, and I'm glad that this book made it possible for me to know more about it.

This book is a sweeping tale of interconnected characters whose lives were changed by the construction of the canal. I liked that the characters and their POVs are varied, which gave for a multi-faceted story. I also liked the setting and its description, it transported me to Panama in the beginning of the 20th century!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!

Thank you to Netgalley and 4th Estate for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers 4th Estate for this advance copy.

An inspirational subject: the building of the Panama Canal and the effects this wonder of the world made to linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The individuals came from different countries and different backgrounds, with the most memorable being Ada from Barbados arriving in Panama to find employment for medical care to help her sick sister back home, and Omar a Panamanian fisherman’s son who joins a labour team working on clearing the path for the canal. Despite all the hardships, the canal gets finished and the characters find happiness in the future.

The pace of the novel is slowed by descriptive detail and reminiscence, but even so it is a very readable book and contains historical references which are often overlooked.

I’m from the Caribbean and even as little girl in the 2000’s I remember friends of the family talking about the migration to work, live, and raise children in Panama during and after the construction of the Canal. It was a massive movement and to read about how ordinary people from different walks of life, nationalities, education and race may have formed and destroyed communities through struggle, love and sacrifice during the Canal’s construction was interesting to read. A sweeping, well researched epic.


*It was a pleasure to read the ARC for, The Great Divide. Thank you C. Henriquez and Fourth Estate.
— Amia Lort, Goodreads

I really enjoyed this new novel by Cristina Henríquez. Very well researched, it is a snapshot in time of a variety of characters who are directly linked with the building of the Panama Canal. Veering from backstory to instances where they interact with each other it is a gentle tale of a group of people whose lives were forever changed during this time.

Enjoyable slow-paced historical fiction novel, set during the construction of the Panama canal. A lot of interconnected characters keep the story flowing. Well written and well researched.