I listened to the unabridged audio version of this adult novel and I was impressed, but I'm not sure if my students would be. This would be a great classroom novel to show what life is like in third world countries, but isn't something many students would pick up on their own.
Isabel was born in sugar cane country and grew up poor and hungry. She has a connection with her brother Isaias and is able to sense him in the cane and always find him. Then her brother runs away to the city to find work as a fiddler and Isabel follows. She watches her cousin's baby in the New Settlements (another word for slums) and has to learn the ways of the city. Finally, she finds him.
All in all, not much happens in the book, but the author is a truly gifted storyteller. It was a beautiful listen.
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