Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

Island Beneath the Sea is a fictional journey of historical magnitude. Allende’s talent is to be admired. Her words put the reader into the hearts and souls of the characters of African descent, the Haitians. She shreds any misunderstandings or misconceptions of the institution of slavery; she confronts any denial of the cruel sexual manipulation of black women; Allende names the criminal activity of the slave trade and the slave owners. The rape, the pedophilia, and the multiple attempts to dismember body, soul and mind cannot be ignored or forgotten.

But, do not be fooled. This is not a story of victims. As the reader interprets the story, it is immediately apparent that the women of the story are remarkably strong. They resist; they move heaven and earth to protect their kin. The love of family and culture is seen in the various relationships nutured and the many risks taken to preserve them.

Allende’s story builds from the intertwined personal stories that stand up to the brutality of colonization and culminates in the inevitable result of rebellion. The Haitians take control of their destiny. Alongside the stories of resistance, the story reflects the results of rebellion, the scattering of people, the eventual migration that accompanies the turmoil, fear, and poverty that is often the results of the transition from captivity to freedom.