Isabel Allende is a prolific Chilean writer. She had many commercially successful novels to her name. A few of those profound novels from the author are A Long Petal of the Sea and The House of the Spirits. She is regarded as the most read Spanish language author. Many of her novels were translated in English and other foreign languages as well.
Zarit was born as a slave in Saint-Domingue Island. She was known as Tt. She was a daughter of an African mother. She never knew her mother after birth and was brought into bondage by a white sailor. Her entire childhood was full of fear and brutality. She used to find solace in the conventional African drums rhythm and also in the voodoo loas. This is what she discovered through her fellow slaves.
When Toulouse Valmorian, a 20 years old arrives in the island in the year 1770, it was all the powdered wigs and financial success dreams in his mind. But running Saint Lazare, his father’s plantation was never a glamorous or an easy job.
It will be about 8 years before he brings home his wife. However, even marriage proved for him a lot more difficult to handle than he could have ever imagines. On the other side, the Valmorian remains completely dependent over the teenage slave services.
The story in this chapter span 4 long decades. It is a tale about the determination of a woman in order to find love in her life, amid loss.
The narration of Island Beneath the Sea is done by S. Epatha Merkerson. It was a good attempt for the quality of expression and stern tone.
