The Great Divide by Christina Henriques

1907 Panama saw promise of a brighter future. The United States was attempting to slice through Panama to join the two mighty oceans allowing ships to remove considerable miles to get their freight to destinations faster. They promised prosperity to those working the project and hire people from Europe, the U.S., the islands and Latin America. Everyone is excited except for the Panamanians who feel like the U.S. is just another country taking control of their country. We see life from a wide variety of viewpoints - the doctor who is eager to cure Malaria, the woman who becomes a spokesperson for her town that will be displaced, the young girl who leaves her island home to find work in Panama to pay for her sister's surgery, and the young Panamanian who doesn't want to become a fisherman. The result is riveting historical fiction that is more than the story of building the mighty canal and instead goes deep into the people and customs of Panama. I listened to the audio which amplified my enjoyment by hearing the myriad of dialects and variety of all the characters.   4 stars