Infinite Country

More about the book

For readers of Valeria Luiselli and Edwidge Danticat, this urgent and lyrical novel explores the experiences of a Colombian family fractured by deportation. Set at the dawn of the new millennium, Colombia is reeling from decades of violence. Teenagers Elena and Mauro find solace in their blossoming love amidst the brutality of Bogotá. With the birth of their first daughter and grim economic prospects, they set their sights on the United States, moving to Houston and sending money back to Elena’s mother while grappling with the decision to overstay their tourist visas or return home. As their family grows, their choice to ignore exit dates thrusts them into the precariousness of undocumented status, with the threat of discovery looming over their strained lives. When Mauro is deported, Elena faces a heart-wrenching decision to ease her burdens, further fracturing the family. Award-winning author Patricia Engel, a daughter of Colombian immigrants, gives voice to Mauro, Elena, and their children—Karina, Nando, and Talia—as they navigate their divided existence and weigh their loyalties to the past, future, and each other. Rich in Bogotá's urban life and steeped in Andean myth, this story reflects the realities of undocumented life in America, revealing how every triumph is stitched with regret and every dream pursued carries the weight of dreams deferred.