by Daniel Mason
First published 2008
Isabel grows up in a remote village beside a sugarcane plantation, blessed and burdened with the ability to see beyond what others can perceive. When drought devastates their land and war threatens their home, her brother Isaias joins thousands fleeing south to what locals call simply "the city." At fourteen, Isabel abandons everything familiar to follow him, driven by her need to reunite with the brother she loves. She arrives in a sprawling, maze-like metropolis only to learn that Isaias has vanished without a trace. Weeks stretch into months as Isabel searches desperately through the urban chaos. Her village upbringing has not prepared her for this overwhelming place, yet she refuses to surrender hope. Armed with determination and her spiritual strength, she plunges deeper into the city's labyrinthine streets and hidden corners. Her quest becomes a test of loyalty, love, and the unbreakable bonds that tie families together across impossible distances.
Genres: literary-fiction, adventure, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Remote Village, Sugarcane Plantation, City
Period: 20th-century
290 pages · Kindle Edition