"Stay away from the mangroves. You won't find your way home."
Tiaris's world turns upside down when she is flung back in time while exploring a mangrove swamp after moving to Panama. Trapped in 1906 during the building of the canal, she learns to survive with the help of a resourceful Barbadian labourer and a fearless Panamanian herbalist. Amid racial segregation and gender roles that clash with her modern beliefs, Tiaris discovers the wonders of the tropics and the stories of those who built the canal. But danger looms. Thwarted at every turn by a ruthless and embittered foreman, the trio must decipher the meaning of a century-old legend that holds the key to Tiaris's return home. But will they unravel its secrets in time?
If you love historical fiction and fantasy, don't miss this thrilling tale of adventure and self-discovery in a race against time.
Nina Munteanu, author of historical fantasy The Last Summoner. I found myself caught up in the intrigue of this time-travel thriller set in the exciting and turbulent time during the building of the Panama Canal. When Canadian teenager Tiara plummets back to turn-of-the-Century Panama, she must navigate the racism, gender differences, and native mysticism of a time and place very different from her Toronto suburban home before she can find her way back. Well researched and vividly recounted.
Aurora Mendelsohn: Feels like talking to your best friend-if your best friend were a time-travelling adventurer. There are many young adult novels that feel like they are meant to teach us something about a time period or particular biographies. This is not one of those books. The hero of this book draws us in with her relatable frustrations, sensitive observations and evolving perspectives. Tiaris's authentic voice compels us to root for her as she navigates challenges in a richly drawn world with her signature spunk and tenacity. Her open conversational tone and frank sharing her of confusion and self-doubt as well as her triumphs make reading this book makes it feel like talking to your best friend-if your best friend were a time-travelling adventurer. As Tiaris encounters the unsettling prejudices and injustices of the 1900s, she gives young adult readers a rare and needed gift. In ages of cynicism and despair her story provides hope - specifically hope in their own agency, that what they do can matter.
Josée Sigouin: Gripping coming-of-age fantasy novel by debut author Deborah M. Buehler.
In the year 2000, Tiaris learns that her parents plan to spend a year in Panama City. She wants to stay in Toronto, Canada, but they insist she come. Shortly after the family arrives, Tiaris is thrust into a defining moment in Panama's history. It is 1906; France has given up on the seemingly impossible task of building a canal between the Atlantic and the Pacific. The U.S. has taken over. Workers are still treated like expendable labour, barely human; racial tensions intensify. The rainforest, a source of strength and healing, is gobbled up by explosives and huge machinery. Tiaris must learn to clean, cook, care for a child, and 'manage up' her demanding boss to earn a living until she fulfills the requirements of The Legend to return to her time. Tensions ratchet up, only occasionally relieved by the beauty of the rainforest and the wisdom of the women who find healing herbs and sustenance amidst its rich vegetation. Will Tiaris find her way back or will she remain forever trapped in another time and place? This novel will suit every age except for the very young. I found it as absorbing as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In fact, when my children were tweens, they struggled with Hagrid's accented English. No such difficulty here. Most highly recommended!
