The Ombu Tree

A former dancer with the New York City Ballet and her English husband, an engineer, start up a farm in 1960s Argentina in this atmospheric tale by Dallemagne-Cookson (The Bearded Lion Who Roars). Unfortunately, the emotional and psychological life of this young family is not nearly as memorable as the land to which they emigrate and about which they know so little. After a 36-day ocean voyage from London, Diana, Michael and two-year-old Philip, who was born with a cleft lip and palate, arrive in Buenos Aires in the spring of 1962, only to be greeted by revolution. Immediately, government chicanery depletes the couple's savings, raising the stakes of their venture. Uninhabited for more than 20 years, their farm is rumored to be haunted; dealing with the unforeseen rigors of rural life--and with neighbors who turn out to be Nazis--takes its toll on them until the question becomes whether their marriage can survive their South American stay. Precise geographical details intensify a tale otherwise marred by flat characters, awkward exposition and stilted dialogue. Wood-cut illustrations complement the novel's strong sense of place. (Nov.)