In keeping on with my intentions to read more books in Spanish and by Latin American authors, I was excited to read a slightly more contemporary novel. This book took me from the small-town atmosphere of my last read into the big city.

Overall, I thought it was a great depiction of the scale of violence that the era of Escobar and narcotrafico had on the metropolitan areas of Colombia and the violence's effect on an entire generation. The book is divided into two storylines - in the present and the past - and I loved how the author weaved both together, slowly uncovering how they were connected.

I really liked the Elaine Fritts and Ricardo Laverde storyline. Watching her time with the Peace Corps, her relationship with the country, and with Ricardo unfold is what kept me picking up the book and wanting to finish it. I had a little trouble with the book at the start, but I enjoyed how it all came together. I didn't necessarily like Antonio when we first met him, but by the end of it, I was thoroughly enjoying his storyline with Maya and the way the book ends.