Isabel Allende's comprehensive knowledge of Latin America comes to the fore in her latest novel, In the Midst of Winter, as it has in many of her previous works.
Her connection to Chilean president Salvador Allende (her father's cousin) also features, as his term in office in the early 1970s forms part of the story.
Allende brings three cultures together in her lead characters - Richard, Evelyn and Lucia - whose lives intersect during a severe snowstorm in New York in the winter of 2016.
When university lecturer Richard crashes his car into the back of a vehicle driven by Evelyn, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, a chain of events is set in motion that binds their lives together with that of Chilean woman Lucia, a colleague of Richard's who lives in the basement flat of his home.
Richard considers the collision to be a minor inconvenience, but when Evelyn later turns up on his doorstep in a state, he is forced to ask Lucia for help as the girl can hardly speak. What he thinks is a translation problem is actually a speech impediment caused by past trauma and Evelyn's fear of her boss, who owns the car damaged in the crash.
When it transpires the vehicle is also linked to a serious crime, Richard and Lucia feel obliged to help the frightened girl, Richard against his better judgement and timid instincts. Lucia, up for adventure, convinces him to come up with a plan to dump the car and secure Evelyn's safety.
Their time together, under duress and very trying conditions given the weather, affords an opportunity for the three characters to learn more about themselves and each other and forms a useful plot device to explore their back stories.
They are all carrying baggage and distress from their past: Lucia's brother, a political activist, ``disappeared'' in Chile, a loss the family has never got over; Richard suffered a multiple tragedy arising from his marriage in Brazil; and Evelyn had to escape Guatemala to avoid being murdered by a gang. Their backgrounds give Allende the chance to spell out some of the tragic circumstances that have blighted the lives of millions of South Americans and to put a spotlight on the human trafficking trade into the United States.
She is an expert storyteller because she is able to educate without seeming to do so and without losing any momentum. Her characterisation is also adept - I felt I got to know her protagonists well and understood not only why they were damaged, but why they would, against the odds, bond the way they did.
Allende is a much decorated writer and international citizen, lauded for her political activism, English-Spanish translation skills and in-depth knowledge of South American social and political history. The fact she is an accomplished writer means she can bring her considerable expertise to bear on storylines that are engaging and thought-provoking. In the Midst of Winter is no exception.
Caroline Hunter is an ODT subeditor
