Pauline Melville stands as a leading Caribbean writer, whose works are defined by a unique blend of European and Amerindian heritage. Her writing masterfully fuses Western philosophy with Amerindian creation myths, all touched with a sardonic, iconoclastic wit. A former professional actress in Europe, Melville infuses her fiction with her cosmopolitan knowledge and deep understanding of a mixed cultural legacy. Her distinctive voice and literary talent mark her as a significant voice on the modern literary scene.
Pauline Melville conjures pictures of the savannah, forest and city life in South America where love is often trumped by disaster. This novel embraces nearly a century, when laughter is never far from tragedy. It is a parable of miscegenation and racial exclusiveness, of nature defying culture.