Where There Was Fire

Bilingual narrator Sananes brings to life John Manuel Arias’ debut novel, a lyrical multigenerational story set in Costa Rica that explores a family’s long-buried secrets rooted in a 1968 fire at a banana plantation. Spanning several decades, the novel delves into themes of love, loss, and reconciliation as a mother and daughter grapple with their past and search for understanding. Richly infused with elements of myth, spirits, and nature, the story paints a vivid portrait of familial and cultural tensions amid broader social upheaval.