When drought reduces her village to abject poverty, 14-year-old Isabel finds that her entire universe changes. It is not just that food is scarce and her world gets divided into “categories of things that could and could not be eaten”. The drought also drives her brother Isaias away from her. And for Isabel there is no greater loss. Born with a special gift, she can “see farther” and has the uncanny ability to feel her brother wherever he is. But when Isaias goes off into the city in search of a better life to follow his dream of being a musician, Isabel loses sight of him. The story of A Far Country is the story of the search Isabel undertakes. Her brother is more than just her brother, he is the most special person in her life, her mentor, her other half.

Soon war, drought and utter want force her to head into the city to join her brother. But once she gets to her cousin Manuela she finds that Isaias has been missing for several months. And for the first time her ability to “see farther” eludes her. It is not until she finds her bearing that she finds her brother. Her search for him runs parallel to her search for herself. She hides indoors, looks after her cousin’s baby, works weekends, wanders the city, encounters danger and willy nilly learns to fend for herself in a place where violence and corruption are the norm. She also makes friends. Finds the strength to scream — albeit internally — against cruelty. But most of all Isabel learns survival. And that’s when she finds her brother — her peace and her centre.

... contd.