Fiction. Latino/Latina Studies. "When 59-year-old Zacarias Torres dies of a massive heart attack while in Brazil on business, the news shatters the veneer of complacency surrounding his family back home in Miami. In the interim between his death and burial, various members of his family come to terms with the turbulent emotions they had previously chosen to ignore. Empty lives, unfulfilled dreams, failed marriages, alcoholism, and depression all come to light as the family attempts to deal with the crisis. Suarez, a critically acclaimed author, tells the story of the Torres family in brief chapters in which the characters reveal their hopes, dreams, and secrets. Ultimately a message of hopefulness, Suarez's rich, mesmerizing novel, though it dissects their dissolution, celebrates the ties that bind families together"--Kathleen Hughes, Booklist.