Two families, linked by the Salvadoran Civil War, navigate love, loss, and generational trauma across alternate timelines—one shaped by a revolutionary victory, the other by government suppression—while an experimental device called the Defractor allows characters to glimpse the lives they might have lived. Blending historical fiction with speculative elements, the novel explores the enduring impact of war, the complexities of identity, and the longing to reconcile with the past.

Reader Review Summary

Set across two main timelines—Cambridge in 2018 and Havana/San Salvador in the late 1970s—this novel follows two families whose histories are shaped by the Salvadoran Civil War and its alternate outcomes. The contemporary storyline centers on Ana and Luis, Harvard students whose mothers fled El Salvador during the war. Their relationship is strained, and Ana turns to the Defractor, an experimental device that allows users to glimpse alternate versions of their lives, prompting a journey through Cuba and El Salvador to uncover family secrets. The historical thread follows Neto, a young revolutionary, and Rafael, whose forbidden romance unfolds amid revolutionary activism and is chronicled through a series of letters. The narrative explores two alternate endings to the war—one with a peace treaty, the other with a government victory—blending historical fiction, speculative elements, and themes of displacement, love, and generational trauma.

Readers frequently praised the depiction of Neto and Rafael’s relationship, highlighting the emotional impact of their love story and the use of letters as a narrative device. Many found the prose to be lyrical and the exploration of generational trauma, family silences, and the immigrant experience to be compelling. The novel’s handling of historical context, particularly the Salvadoran Civil War and its effects on subsequent generations, was appreciated by those interested in political revolutions and underrepresented histories. Some readers also noted the book’s ability to connect past and present, and valued its focus on both queer and familial love, as well as its attention to the consequences of war and the endurance of love across timelines.

A significant portion of readers expressed confusion or frustration with the novel’s structure, particularly the use of the Defractor device and the handling of alternate timelines. Many found the speculative element either underexplained or unnecessary, feeling it detracted from the historical and emotional core of the story. Some struggled to follow the overlapping timelines and shifting points of view, especially without a strong grounding in the history of El Salvador and Central American revolutions. Criticisms also included a lack of character development, especially for Ana and Luis, and a sense that the narrative was front-loaded with information, leading to a lack of suspense or narrative tension. Several readers felt the book would have been stronger if it focused solely on the historical romance, and some did not find the contemporary storyline or the speculative device compelling or well-integrated.

The book has received a mixed response, with an average rating of 3.36 out of 5 from 418 ratings and 123 full reviews. It is categorized as historical fiction, science fiction, magical realism, and literary fiction, and is the debut novel of Ruben Reyes Jr., following his short story collection. The novel has been compared to works by Gina María Balibrera and Colson Whitehead, and has been recommended for readers interested in alternate history, family dramas, and stories about political revolutions. Some reviewers noted that the book’s structure and themes might be more accessible to those with prior knowledge of Central American history, and several suggested that the story could benefit from additional explanatory material, such as a family tree or more background on the Defractor’s mechanics.