The Weight of All Things Author:Sandra Benitez A riveting new novel of war and childhood, by the award-winning author of Bitter Grounds. Sandra Benitez has received international acclaim for her first two novels: A Place Where the Sea Remembers and Bitter Grounds. Now she returns with an unforgettable tale of life in war-torn El Salvador. The last time Nicolas saw his mother, ... more »she was slumped over him, mortally wounded by gunfire that erupted in a crowded plaza during a funeral for a martyred archbishop. Watching while her body is dragged away with other victims, Nicols believes that his mother is still alive. He vows to find her again, no matter what. Thus begins the young boy's harrowing journey through his war-ravaged country--a journey that brings him face-to-face with the danger, cruelty, and violence inflicted today on so many parts of the world by terrorism and repression. Inspired by real events, this gripping yet poignant novel will solidify Bentez's place in the pantheon of contemporary authors writing brilliantly about the realities of Latin American life.« less
"...a deeply affecting and startling portrait of a country [El Salvador] ravaged by warring factions and the innocent people caught, quite literally, in the crossfire." Book Magazine