First published 2021
Talia sits in a correctional facility in the Colombian mountains after committing an act of violence. She needs to break out and reach Bogotá, where her father waits with a plane ticket to the United States. Missing this flight means losing her chance to reunite with her mother and siblings in America. The story reveals how this family became split between two countries. Mauro and Elena met as teenagers in a Bogotá market during civil war. They moved to the United States on temporary visas with their daughter Karina, seeking safety and opportunity. Two more children, Nando and Talia, were born on American soil. Poor decisions led to Mauro's deportation and the family's separation across borders. Patricia Engel gives voice to all five family members as they handle their divided lives. The clock runs down as Talia races toward her deadline. Even if she reaches Bogotá in time, she must choose between her father's concrete presence in Colombia and the distant promise of her mother's family in America.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: divided-loyalties, family-drama
Setting: Colombia, Bogotá, United States
Period: 21st-century
191 pages · Hardcover · Avid Reader Press
Content warnings: violence