In the heart of Patricia Engel's "Infinite Country" lies the poignant tale of a Colombian family ensnared by the harrowing tendrils of deportation, its narrative a delicate tapestry woven from the threads of hope, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of a better life. As the new millennium dawns over a Colombia ravaged by decades of violence, young lovers Elena and Mauro dream of transcending the confines of their turbulent homeland for the promise of the United States. Their journey from the cobbled streets of Bogotá to the sprawling expanse of Houston marks the beginning of a profound odyssey, one that tests the bounds of love, the weight of familial duty, and the unyielding grip of undocumented existence. With each move, with every hard-won triumph, their choices draw the map of a life fraught with precariousness, their family's unity tested by the stark realities of an uncertain future. Engel, through a narrative imbued with the rich vibrancy of Andean myth and the stark realities of immigrant life, crafts a story that is at once universally resonant and deeply personal. Told through the alternating perspectives of Elena, Mauro, and their children—each navigating the bifurcated existence of allegiance to both the land of their ancestry and the reality of their present—"Infinite Country" transcends the simple narrative of immigration to delve into the complex realms of identity, belonging, and the indefatigable spirit of the human heart. Engel, drawing from her own heritage as the daughter of Colombian immigrants, presents an intimate exploration of what it means to straddle two worlds, to fight for a dream while grappling with the specter of a dream deferred. This is a story not just of one family, but of the infinite country that lies within us all, the boundless landscape of hope, longing, and the relentless pursuit of a place to call home.