Young lovers Héctor and Lilia dream of a brighter future in the United States, but their dream turns to a nightmare when their infant daughter vanishes during the crossing from Mexico. Four years later, back in their hometown of Oaxaca, the couple have a toddler son and another baby on the way when they receive a tip that might lead to their long-lost daughter. Héctor works illegal jobs to earn money for the journey north, and a bedridden Lilia awaits the birth of their third child while obsessively reliving the worst mistakes of her past. Michel Stone gives us a raw and heart-wrenching portrait of a family strained to the breaking point by the unexpected consequences of their hopes for a better life.
MICHEL STONE is the author of
The Iguana Tree, and has published more than a dozen stories and essays in various journals and magazines. Her work has appeared numerous times in the Raleigh
News & Observer's Emerging Southern Writers series. Stone is a 2011 recipient of the South Carolina Fiction Project Award. She lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“Reminiscent of Steinbeck. . . . Stone shows us the inner lives of characters who are the victims of an unjust world, spun and redirected by fates beyond their control.” —
San Francisco Chronicle“A poignant, action-packed read. . . . Stone deftly draws readers into the heart of her characters’ hopes and despairs, shining a humanizing light on the divisive subject of immigration.” —
Charleston Magazine“A gripping and politically savvy look at the human impact of current immigration policy and an honest examination of the perils facing desperate immigrants.” —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A compassionate, beautiful novel. . . . Michel Stone has written a deeply moving tale that delivers a hefty emotional punch.” —Ron Rash, author of
Serena
“Stone is a great storyteller. . . . There is never a dull moment in this lyrical, engrossing novel. . . . Particularly important reading in our current political climate.”
—Library Journal
