In the Peruvian highlands, a master craftsman oversees a 300-year-old bridge-weaving tradition, ensuring that the last surviving footbridge of the Incan empire continues to connect the Arisapana family’s past to its future. As Victoriano’s three children grow into adulthood, he struggles to maintain this ancient landmark and all it represents, as his sons and daughter hear the call of the city and a different kind of life. Just two weeks before her first day of high school, Victoriano learns that his daughter Ruth Laurita has disappeared. Though once a dedicated student and bold young trailblazer, she’s fallen in love and run away with her older boyfriend.
Victoriano’s emotional search for her takes him from the sweeping mountains of the Andean highlands to the bustling streets of the city and back again, even as his quest to safeguard the ancient tradition of his people against the threats of globalization gains worldwide attention. The Bridge Master’s Daughter is a story as intricately woven as the ropes of the Incan bridge itself, as Ruth Laurita’s journey toward self-empowerment becomes mired in the unfortunate cycle of patriarchal oppression; Victoriano’s ability to balance his obligations to his people and his family is tested; and they each face the inherent conflict of a culture both threatened by change and eager for it.