Recent Press

“In her powerful first novel The World in Half, Cristina Henríquez delivers a heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful meditation on family, identity, love, and loss. She takes on the core issues of life with a sensitivity and relentlessness that very few writers can hope to match.”

— Ben Fountain, author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevara

“Cristina Henríquez writes with great gentleness and compassion about bittersweet moments and painful events, about unlikely friendships and family secrets, about the answers we go searching for and the questions we discover. The World in Half is a beautifully told story set against a lush and dazzling backdrop, a celebration of hope and forgiveness, a delicate examination of the power of memory, and an all-out great read.”

— Aryn Kyle, author of The God of Animals

“In The World in Half, Cristina Henríquez takes readers’ hands and leads them to a place where life-changing family secrets and memories are unearthed. This beautiful debut novel reminds us just how significant and powerful the stories of individuals—both those that unfold in the present and those rooted in the past—can be.”

— Yiyun Li, author of The Vagrants

“These stories, told in a direct and sparse style, are truly unforgettable. Cristina Henríquez’s young female protagonists are as haunting as the setting of Panama. I could not put aside this book.”

— Isabel Allende

“How does a young writer gather the wisdom, heart, and tenderness to write stories of such exquisite humanity? I can only guess she is an ancient soul, a zen master, a bruja, or all of the above. However it’s done, I bow deeply and welcome this first collection.”

— Sandra Cisneros

“This is no ordinary debut. In story after lyrical story, Cristina Henríquez challenges us to revisit the familiar terrain of love, family, and separation—and discover something new about ourselves. She writes with a rare delicacy and compassion. Her tales will lodge themselves deep in your heart.”

— Cristina Garcia

“This is a very finely-tuned collection of stories. What strikes me most is its bravery—both political and emotional. Henríquez is a ventriloquist for contemporary Panama, one who recognizes the plight of the dispossessed and the forgotten. The language is tamped down just enough to make their stories sing—and what they sing of feels heartfelt, original and true. A striking new voice, full of empathy, detail and imagination.”

— Colum McCann

“Cristina Henríquez writes stories of quiet violence and terrifying beauty. This is a truly exciting debut collection.”

— Daniel Alarcón

“There’s a restlessness to these rich and passionate stories. It’s clear that they each needed to be told, and now they need to be read. Cristina Henríquez’s voice feels as real as the world she writes about.”

— Oscar Casares