ISLAND BENEATH THE SEA

FROM THE SUGAR PLANTATIONS OF SAINT-DOMINGUE TO THE LAVISH PARLORS OF NEW ORLEANS AT THE TURN OF THE 19TH CENTURY, ISABEL ALLENDE'S LATEST NOVEL TELLS THE STORY OF A MULATTA WOMAN, A SLAVE AND CONCUBINE, DETERMINED TO TAKE CONTROL OF HER OWN DESTINY IN A SOCIETY WHERE THAT WOULD SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. BORN A SLAVE ON THE ISLAND OF SAINT-DOMINGUE, ZARITE - KNOWN AS TETE - IS THE DAUGHTER OF AN AFRICAN MOTHER SHE NEVER KNEW AND ONE OF THE WHITE SAILORS WHO BROUGHT HER INTO BONDAGE. THOUGH HER CHILDHOOD IS ONE OF BRUTALITY AND FEAR, TETE FINDS SOLACE IN THE TRADITIONAL RHYTHMS OF AFRICAN DRUMS AND THE VOODOO LOAS SHE DISCOVERS THROUGH HER FELLOW SLAVES. WHEN TWENTY-YEAR-OLD TOULOUSE VALMORAIN ARRIVES ON THE ISLAND IN 1770, IT'S WITH POWDERED WIGS IN HIS TRUNKS AND DREAMS OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN HIS MIND. BUT RUNNING HIS FATHER'S PLANTATION, SAINT LAZARE, IS NEITHER GLAMOROUS NOR EASY. AGAINST THE MERCILESS BACKDROP OF SUGAR CANE FIELDS, THE LIVES OF TETE AND VALMORAIN GROW EVER MORE INTERTWI