This novel returns to the folk beliefs that were expressed so well in the best known of Montero's works, In the Palm of Darkness. This novel is based on an actual event which occurs during the annual pilgrimage during the Triduum (last three days of Holy Week). The tale follows the life of a young girl through her life as the head of a religious society, as a "voodoo priestess" (my term not Montero's). Montero assumes that the reader has little knowledge of the life and beliefs of Dominican/Haitian suger cane workers. Therefore, she provides rich detail setting the scene for the reader, remarkably so given the length of the book. While the book centers on the love triangle of Zule, her teacher's son and a rival priest, there are many memorable figures presented in the book. Montero's ability to make characters memorable is a major asset. While the (tragic)outcome is apparent early in the story, the means of the outcome is not. This allows Montero to establish a foreboding atmosphere without disclosing the story's climax. The foreboding verges on heavyhanded oppression; readers may quarrel whether Montero crossed the line. Even if one considers the foreboding heavyhanded, this book is enjoyable reading and educational regarding life in Haiti/Dominican Republic.
