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A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK AND INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER

“A knockout of a novel…we predict [Infinite Country] will be viewed as one of 2021’s best.” (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 from Esquire, O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle, GMA, New York Post, Ms. Magazine, The Millions, Electric Literature, LitHub, AARP, Refinery29, BuzzFeed, Autostraddle, She Reads, Alma, and more.

I often wonder if we are living the wrong life in the wrong country.

Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and get back home to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she might also miss her chance to finally be reunited with her family in the north.

How this family came to occupy two different countries, two different worlds, comes into focus like twists of a kaleidoscope. We see Talia’s parents, Mauro and Elena, fall in love in a market stall as teenagers against a backdrop of civil war and social unrest. We see them leave Bogotá with their firstborn, Karina, in pursuit of safety and opportunity in the United States on a temporary visa, and we see the births of two more children, Nando and Talia, on American soil. We witness the decisions and indecisions that lead to Mauro’s deportation and the family’s splintering - the costs they’ve all been living with ever since.

Award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel, herself a dual citizen and the daughter of Colombian immigrants, gives voice to all five family members as they navigate the particulars of their respective circumstances. And all the while, the metronome ticks: Will Talia make it to Bogotá in time? And if she does, can she bring herself to trade the solid facts of her father and life in Colombia for the distant vision of her mother and siblings in America?

Rich with Bogotá urban life, steeped in Andean myth, and tense with the daily reality of the undocumented in America, Infinite Country is the story of two countries and one mixed-status family - for whom every triumph is stitched with regret, and every dream pursued bears the weight of a dream deferred.

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel is a poignant and evocative novel that explores the complex relationship between a Colombian immigrant mother and her American-born daughter.

The story follows Talia as she struggles to come to terms with her mother's sudden deportation. Left alone in the United States, Talia must navigate the challenges of life without her mother, while also grappling with the guilt and shame she feels about her mother's departure.

As Talia delves deeper into her mother's past, she begins to understand the sacrifices her mother made in order to give her a better life. Through flashbacks, we learn about Elena's journey from Colombia to the United States, and the hardships she faced along the way.

Infinite Country is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of love, loss, and the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. Engel's prose is lyrical and evocative, bringing to life the vibrant landscapes of Colombia and the struggles of the immigrant experience.

This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of the human experience. It is a powerful and moving story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Praise for Infinite Country:

• "A stunning debut novel that is both heartbreaking and hopeful." – Junot Diaz
• "A powerful and moving story about family, immigration, and the American dream." – Sandra Cisneros
• "A lyrical and evocative novel that explores the complex relationship between mothers and daughters." – The New York Times

About the Author:

Patricia Engel is a Colombian-American writer. She is the author of three novels, including Vida and The Veins of the Ocean. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Paris Review. She is a recipient of the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 Award and a Whiting Award.