Deeper Than the Ocean

A moving multigenerational novel about the enduring power of a mother's love, the ripple effect of secrets, and the strength of family bonds from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

One hundred years after the shipwreck of the Valbanera, known to history as the "poor man's Titanic," Mara Denis gets an assignment to report on the Canary Islands, where her ancestors lived before they moved to Cuba. Unexpectedly, she discovers that the grandmother her mother cherished was listed among the dead of the Valbanera, years before Mara's mother was even born. This fateful twist changes everything Mara thought she knew about her family and herself, and sends her on a quest to find the truth. If her great grandmother is a ghost, who is she and where did she come from?

In spare, beautiful writing, the author transports the reader to the Canary Islands and Cuba in the early part of the twentieth century and New York and Key West in the present. This is an epic tale of a young woman's passion for her beloved, as well as the redeeming power of family secrets at last uncovered.

This moving, sweeping novel is perfect for fans of Isabel Allende, Julia Alvarez, and Kristin Hannah.

Author: Mirta Ojito
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Published: 11/04/2025
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781454961901


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 09/01/2025 pg. 3
Publishers Weekly 09/29/2025

About the Author
Born in Havana, Mirta Ojito is a journalist, professor, and author who has worked at the Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald, and the New York Times. The recipient of an Emmy for the documentary Harvest of Misery as well as a shared Pulitzer for national reporting in 2001 for a series of articles about race in America for the New York Times, Ojito was an assistant professor of journalism at Columbia University for almost nine years. She is the author of two award-winning nonfiction books: Finding Mañana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus and Hunting Season: Immigration and Murder in an All-American Town. Currently, Ojito is a senior director on the NBC News Standards team working at Telemundo Network. Deeper than the Ocean is her debut novel.