Irreconcilable Loss in Cristina Henríquez's The World in Half.

This article examines loss and (attempted) recovery in Cristina Henríquez's 2009 novel The World in Half. I explore how the work juxtaposes neurological decline with geological change through the narrator, Mira. The piece reads Mira's explorations into her family's past alongside Panamanian history and specifically US intervention in the isthmus. Arguing for the importance of irreconciliable loss, or peoples and histories that can never be recovered, the article calls on us to consider the significance and inevitability of ongoing loss and the necessity of dwelling in a state of impermanence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of MELUS is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)