Reviews with content warning for Incest - La isla bajo el mar

I don't often pick up historical fiction based on slavery because of the work I do as a historian for my day job. This book was recommended to me whilst on an archival research trip years ago. It is very well researched and quite historically accurate. I appreciated the author's emphasis on the close relationship between Saint-Domingue and Louisiana. I would have been interested to have the story better anchor Canada within the history of transatlantic slavery as there is a connection there as well but I also understand that isn't what the story is about. I was very happy with how Zarité's story ended especially her ultimate decision at the very end regarding Valmorain's request. :

I loved that Zarité refused him and that she decided not to carry on actively hating him as it was not serving her. I was concerned the author would decide to make Zarité "be the bigger person" and forgive his ass thus falling into the harmful trope of the Mammy figure who is always there to kiss away white people's booboos but thankfully she gave Zarité an ending which honoured the harm she survived while also giving her closure without it being about redemption with the white man. I was not into the whole incest part - it is however historically accurate to have incestuous interracial relationships, that's not my issue. I think my issue was the decision to fold a love story into it. That made me uncomfortable because it implied that consent between Rosette and Maurice was possible when I don't believe is was because of the inherent racial and social power imbalance between them free wealthy white man vs unfree quadroon woman. Anyway, this isn't a Uni lecture it is a book review so I'm going to stop.

Overall a great great piece of literature.

Content Warnings

sofipitch's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I really enjoyed this book till the end half. In some parts it can be unclear what Allende's position on things are. She dedicates so much time to Valmorian I thought she was going to have Tete forgive him (she didn't) and she includes the half-siblings getting married which I can see as a symbolic consequence of Valmorian never claiming Rosette but she doesn't seem to outright condemn them. Like in some parts she's heavy handed on how racism and slavery are bad and some parts it's not so it made me feel worried.
Another criticism is that while Tete is the main character, it doesn't really feel like it. I've read some of Allende's novels so I know she never focuses on the perspective of one character but like I said, giving so much time to the slave owner is exhausting because I only care about what goes on in his life as it affects Tete.
I also wouldn't file this book under magical realism. Just because Allende is known for that genre it doesn't mean all her books are. This is historical fiction.

Content Warnings

gbushong's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

More...