The novel alternates between Adelina’s story and Juana’s story, but by the end of the novel, the reader discovers that they are effectively the same person. Why did the author choose to structure the novel this way, and what effect was achieved?

Many characters experience the loss of loved ones throughout the novel. How do various characters experience and cope with grief?

Juana becomes a prostitute in order to talk to the coyotes about her father, and even tries to cross the border into the United States illegally. What lengths will characters go to get answers, and what do these choices represent about Juana’s character in particular?