The Red Earth
A Novel
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 28 Jul 2026
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- 139,00 kr
Publisher Description
Three women find themselves caught in the crossfire in this pulse-pounding saga of a Brazilian community in crisis and the environmental tragedy that threatens to engulf it.
On the lush Brazil-Argentina border, greed runs deep. A proposed hydroelectric dam spells doom for both the vibrant ecosystems of the Turvo State Park and the people who call it home. Park ranger Chaya refuses to stand by while her beloved land is razed. Her estranged cousin, Preta, a hardened leader, fights her own battle, walking a thin line between survival and poaching traditions. Then there’s Olga, the prodigal journalist, burdened by guilt and the secrets she left behind. Their paths collide as the encroaching threat pulls them into a fierce battle against corrupt politicians, shadowy smugglers, and the ghosts of their shared past.
Loyalties are tested, old rivalries flare, and alliances arise in the unlikeliest places. And at the heart of it all, a family legacy, shrouded in myth and trauma, surfaces with devastating consequences. Echoing recent episodes in Brazilian history, The Red Earth is a whirling torrent of drama, sisterhood, and sacrifice, revealing the real-life stakes and cost of protecting the rainforest and its inhabitants.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The climate politics of Turvo State Park, a densely forested wilderness reserve in southern Brazil, take center stage in Kretzmann's action-packed English-language debut. It begins with a shoot-out between park rangers and a poacher, who dies at the scene. It turns out the poacher was the lover of park ranger Chaya Sarampião's estranged cousin, Preta, who leads a guerrilla community that has lived in the park and hunted wild game for generations. Chaya and Preta are both descended from this community, but their paths have wildly diverged. Now, Chaya pays Preta a visit to admonish her for breaking the law ("You know the park has rules, Preta!"), and insists Preta claim the poacher's body from the morgue. An intersecting story line follows Chaya's childhood classmate Olga Befreien, who dreams of becoming a journalist but flounders in a PR role for her crooked politician boss, whose planned hydroelectric dam—which would put a portion of the park underwater—Chaya opposes. The story moves at a breakneck pace through multiple points of view, weaving in glimpses of Chaya and Preta's ancestors to inform their present-day rivalry. Unfortunately, the characters are flat and the writing is stilted. It's an entertaining but bumpy ride.
