The Inhabited Woman

Over several decades, Central American countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua struggled to overthrow dictatorships in favor of some form of democratic government. In The Inhabited Woman, the first novel by poet Gioconda Belli, we're exposed to this struggle personally and intimately through the experiences of Lavinia Alarcon.

The novel's heroine, Lavinia, could have escaped the complications of a social revolution--she is born to money, educated in Europe, is single social revolution--she is born to money, educated in Europe, is single, and gainfully employed as an architect. She could have turned away, even after driving to a construction site and discovering entire neighborhoods with families living in shanties, sheds, or cardboard boxes, or even after having incredible sex with Felipe Iturbe, a leader of the underground movement. But Belli presents us with a worthy heroine who's too bright to ignore these signs of injustice and too passionate to resist a man who will inevitably immerse her in her country's struggle for freedom. Belli has created a heroine we sympathize with, and this is no small task considering how difficult it is to feel sorry for the rich. Yet, we can relate to Lavinia's struggle to choose between sinking into a safe, comfortable lifestyle or putting her convictions and her life on the line.

The author adds even more resonance to this bittersweet story with the character Itza, an Indian warrior woman who has been reincarnated as an orange tree in Lavinia's backyard and who "inhabits" Lavinia after she drinks orange juice made from the tree. Itza instills the courage in Lavinia that she needs to make a choice, and because Itza, in her time proud and dauntless, forgives and finds compassion for Lavinia, so can we. The story has a ring o f truth, but that's not coincidence. Like Lavinia, Belli was born into a privileged family; specifically, in Nicaragua during General Somoza's dictatorship. After receiving a European private-school education, she returned to Nicaragua to begin a predestined life as a wife, mother, and career woman. Belli must have experienced the same struggle that she puts Lavinia through because in 1970, Belli joined the Sandinista underground.

A well-written page turner, The Inhabited Woman not only establishes Belli as an effective storyteller, it also takes us on a fascinating journey through monumental human experiences like the continuing struggle for freedom, the excitement of passion, and the challenges of love.

Hispanic Magazine.January/February, 1995 By Valerie Menard