Synopses & Reviews
A riveting new novel of war and childhood, by the award-winning author of
Bitter Grounds.
Sandra Benitez has received international acclaim for her first two novels: A Place Where the Sea Remembers ("A quietly stunning work that leaves soft tracks in the heart." The Washington Post Book World) and Bitter Grounds ("The kind of book that fills your dreams for weeks." Isabel Allende). Now she returns with an unforgettable tale of life in war-torn El Salvador. The last time Nicolas saw his mother, she was slumped over him, mortally wounded by gunfire that erupted in a crowded plaza during a funeral for a martyred archbishop. Watching while her body is dragged away with other victims, Nicols believes that his mother is still alive. He vows to find her again, no matter what. Thus begins the young boy's harrowing journey through his war-ravaged country a journey that brings him face-to-face with the danger, cruelty, and violence inflicted today on so many parts of the world by terrorism and repression.
Inspired by real events, this gripping yet poignant novel will solidify Benitez's place in the pantheon of contemporary authors writing brilliantly about the realities of Latin American life.
Review
"In this graceful and unabashedly tender hearted novel, the politics behind the fighting is almost beside the point." New York Times
Review
"Benitez can move easily and fluidly from a graphic description of a field amputation to a sensual tribute to the joy of eating a tangerine." Chicago Tribune
Review
"Benitez spins a lyrically heart-rending tale of a 9 year-old-boy's confrontation with...the Salvadoran civil war." Washington Post
Synopsis
Now available in paperback--"Bentez's third novel seamlessly blends fact with imagination, evoking the trauma of war more vividly than any newspaper account . . . beautifully illuminating." (Publishers Weekly starred review)
Sandra Bentez received international acclaim for her first two novels: A Place Where the Sea Remembers ("A quietly stunning work that leaves soft tracks in the heart" --Washington Post Book World) and Bitter Grounds ("The kind of book that fills your dreams for weeks" --Isabel Allende). Now she returns with an unforgettable tale of life in war-torn El Salvador.
About the Author
Sandra Benitez's first novel was A Place Where the Sea Remembers. She grew up in El Salvador, attended high school and college in Missouri, and now divides her time between Edina, Minnesota, where she teaches creative writing, and Mexico.