History Literature / IslandBeneathTheSea

''Island Beneath the Sea'' (Spanish: ''La isla bajo el mar'') is a 2009 novel by Creator/IsabelAllende. The novel is quite different from Allende's most famous works and owes more to Historical Fiction than to MagicalRealism.

* WickedStepmother: Horténse Guizot marries Valmorain and spends years trying to conceive a son that would steal the right to inherit from Maurice, to no avail because Valmorain is too attached to his son, and because [[{{Irony}} she keeps giving birth to daughters]].[[spoiler: Also is that to Rosette; she even tries to pressure Valmorain into selling her at age 7 (Valmorain refuses) and much later, instigates Rosette's imprisonment and eventual death.]]

* ButNotTooBlack: In 18th-century Creole society, having darker or fairer skin could literally change your life:
** Zarité is a slave-born mulatto but she looks specifically black. Madame Violette and [[spoiler: Tété's daughter Rosette]] are free quadroons (born of a white father and mulatto mother) and are able to pass themselves as white, if not of Hispanic heritage.

''Island Beneath the Sea'' (Spanish: ''La isla bajo el mar'') is a 2009 novel by Creator/IsabelAllende. The novel is quite different from Allende's most famous works and ows more to Historical Fiction than to MagicalRealism.

* MarriageAtSea: How Rosette and Maurice finally marry. The captain marries them on waters out of government jurisdiction that would nullify an interracial marriage or one between half-siblings.

* BrotherSisterIncest: A tragically sympathetic example. [[spoiler: Maurice and Rosette are not allowed to be together, not only because they're half-siblings but also because of Rosette's race.]]

* BeautifulSlaveGirl: Averted with Zarit&eacute herself; a lifetime of work wears down her looks. Rosette is a subversion. [[ChildByRape She was conceived as a result of Valmorain raping Teté]]. Teté lives in fear because while Rosette lives a privileged life as playmate to Valmorain's son (her fair complexion helps) she can be sold or given away, as she is property of Valmorain. [[spoiler: Horténse even proposes to do so, unsuccessfully. This fear ends when Valmorain is coerced into granting Teté and Rosette their freedom.]]

* ChildByRape: As a result of Valmorain raping the enslaved Teté, [[spoiler: Jean-Claude (later adopted by Violette and Étienne Relais)]] and Rosette.

The story is set in late 18th-century Haiti from the POV of Zarité "Teté" Sedella, an Haitian-born slave and her lifelong struggle to obtain freedom for her and her children. Her story is entangled with History, as she happens to live during the tough times of the [[SlaveRevolt Haitian Revolution]], which is quite faithfully described. The second focus is on her master, the French planter [[ObliviouslyEvil Toulouse Valmorain]], along with his Spanish brother-in-law [[DashingHispanic Sancho Garc&iacutea Del Solar]], Madame [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold Violette Relais]], as they live through the revolution and eventually settle in Louisiana as it is about to be sold to the United States of America.

** [[spoiler: Tété saves his neck during the slave revolt in exchange for her and Rosette's freedom. He then takes credit for their escape and frees them only when shamed by Father Antoine into doing so and never learns to treat Tété as a person.]]

* BrotherSisterIncest: A tragically sympathetic example. [[spoiler: Maurice and Rosette are not allowed to be together not only because they're half-siblings but also because of Rosette's race.]]

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian Revolution appears in a few chapters. Gambo, Zarité's FirstLove, eventually become his right-hand man.

The story is set in late 18th-century Haiti from the POV of Zarité "Teté" Sedella, an Haitian-born slave and her lifelong struggle to obtain freedom for her and her children. Her story is entangled with History, as she happens to live during the tough times of the [[SlaveRevolt Haitian Revolution]], which is quite faithfully described. The second focus is on her master, the French planter [[ObliviouslyEvil Toulouse Valmorain]], along with his Spanish brother-in-law [[DashingHispanic Sancho]], Madame [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold Violette Relais]], as they live through the revolution and eventually settle in Louisiana as it is about to be sold to the United States of America.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Zarité lives free and so do her husband and children, but Rosette is dead. A grieving Maurice leaves their son in Zarité's care and goes away. He rarely sees his child, has abandoned his abolitionism ideas, and never repairs his relationship with his father.]]

* RichSuitorPoorSuitor: Violette initially found herself with two lovers who treat their relationship as exclusive: rich planter Valmorain and military officer Étienne Relais, who has a rather modest income. Eventually the love triangle resolves itself peacefully, as Valmorain's intentions were never serious, and Violette ends up happily married to Relais.

* WickedStepmother: Horténse Guizot marries Valmorain and spends years trying to conceive a son that would steal the right to inherit from Maurice, to no avail because Valmorain is too attached to his son, and because [[{{Irony}} she keeps giving birth to daughters]].[[spoiler: Also is that to Rosette, she tries to pressure Valmorain into selling her at age 7 (but she couldn't because Rosette was already technically free) and instigates Rosette's imprisonment and eventual death.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Zarité lives free and so do her husband and children, but Rosette is dead. A grieving Maurice leaves their son in Zarité's care and goes away. He rarely sees his child, has abandoned his abolitionist ideas, and never repairs his relationship with his father.]]

* ChildByRape: As a result of Valmorain raping the enslaved Tet&eacute, [[spoiler: Jean-Claude (later adopted by Violette and Étienne Relais)]] and Rosette.

** Antonio de Sedella, better known as P&egrave Antoine, helps Teté finally become a freewoman.

* SlaveLiberation: Saint Domingue slaves free themselves from their French master. [[TheDogBitesBack Bloodily]].
** [[spoiler: Teté spends the other half of the book and the rest of her life as a free woman.]]
* SlaveRevolt: The only [[TruthInTelevision successful one in human history]]. The book correctly displays what made the rebel slave win: the instability of revolutionary France and the slave/master ratio in the island (one master for ten slaves). It was really a now-or-never situation.

''Island Beneath the Sea'' (Spanish: ''La Isla Bajo el Mar'') is a 2009 novel by Creator/IsabelAllende. The novel is quite different from Allende's most famous works and ows more to Historical Fiction than to MagicalRealism.

** [[spoiler: Tété; saves his neck during the slave revolt in exchange of her and Rosette's freedom. He then takes credit for their escape and frees them only when shamed by Father Antoine into doing so and never learns to treat Tété; as a person.]]
** His grossly rude treatment of Tété; and Rosette, [[spoiler: their daughter, eventually costs him the relationship with his son, but never manages to grow out of his racism.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Zarité; lives free and so her husband and children, but Rosette is dead and Maurice is still grieving her and deserting their child, also he never repairs his relationship with his father.]]

** Zarité; is a slave-born mulatto but she looks specifically black. Madame Violette and [[spoiler: Tété;'s daughter Rosette]] are free quadroons (born of a white father and mulatto mother) and are able to pass themselves as white, if not of Hispanic heritage.

* MadwomanInTheAttic: Valmorain's first wife Eugenia slowly loses her mind in Saint Domingue, due to her family history of mental illness (among women, her brother is sane if quite eccentric) and the increasing paranoia about a possible SlaveRevolt.

** Étienne Relais couldn't care less about social and racial prejudices and marries the mixed-race HookerWithAHeartOfGold Violette out in the open. His reputation as TheDreaded helps keeping unwanted attentions at bay.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Several slaves loose their children due to the their unbearable conditions.

* RichSuitorPoorSuitor: Violette initially founded herself with two lovers who treat their relationship as exclusive: rich planter Valmorain and military officer Étienne Relais, who has a rather modest income. Eventually the love triangle resolves itself peacefully, as Valmorain intentions were never serious, and Violette ends up happily married to Relais.

** After being widowed, Violette Relais fonds a new love in Sancho Garcia del Solar, Valmorain's eccentric brother-in-law.

* WickedStepmother: Hortense Guizot marries Valmorain and spends years trying to conceive a son that would steal the right to inherit from Maurice, to no avail because Valmorain is too attached to his son, and because [[{{Irony}} she keeps giving birth to daughters]].[[spoiler: Also is that to Rosette, she tried to pressure Valmorain into selling her at age 7 (but she couldn't because Rosette was already technically free) and instigates Rosette's imprisonment and eventual death.]]

Island Beneath the Sea (Spanish: La Isla Bajo el Mar) is a 2009 novel by Creator/IsabelAllende. The novel is quite different from Allende's most famous works and ows more to Historical Fiction than to MagicalRealism.

** [[spoiler: Teté saves his neck during the slave revolt in exchange of her and Rosette's freedom. He then takes credit for their escape and frees them only when shamed by Father Antoine into doing so and never learns to treat Teté as a person.]]
** His grossly rude treatment of Teté and Rosette, [[spoiler: their daughter, eventually costs him the relationship with his son, but never manages to grow out of his racism.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Zarité lives free and so her husband and children, but Rosette is dead and Maurice is still grieving her and deserting their child, also he never repairs his relationship with his father.]]

** Zarité is a slave-born mulatto but she looks specifically black. Madame Violette and [[spoiler: Teté's daughter Rosette]] are free quadroons (born of a white father and mulatto mother) and are able to pass themselves as white, if not of Hispanic heritage.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian Revolution appears in a few chapters. Gambo, Zaritè's FirstLove, eventually become his right-hand man.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Toussaint Louverture, leader of the Haitian Revolution appears in a few chapters. Gambo, Zaritè's FirstLove, eventually become Shia right-hand man.

* MalignantMixedMarriage:

** His grossly rude treatment of Teté and Rosette, [[spoiler: their daughter, costs eventually his relationship with his son, but never manages to grow out his racism.]]

* BrotherSisterIncest: A tragically sympathetic example. [[spoiler: Maurice and Rosette are half-siblings and in love in a society who doesn't allow them to treat each other like siblings because of Rosette's race but also reprimand their blooming romance.]]

* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Violette Relais made a Carrer out of her beauty, but she is one of the most compassionate and good-hearted characters.

* SurpriseIncest: [[spoiler: {{Subverted}}. Maurice and Rosette are revealed to be siblings when they declare their intention of getting married. It's subverted because they always knew they were siblings, but weren't allowed to behave as such and the distance put between them and puberty made sure that their feelings for each other turned out romantic.]]

* SlaveRevolt: The only [[TruthInTelevision successful one in human history]]. The book correctly displays what made the rebel slave win: the instability of revolutionary France and the slave/master ratio in the island (one master for ten slaves). It was really a now-or-never situation.

* SlaveLiberstion: Saint Domingue slaves free themselves from their French master. [[TheDogBitesBack Bloodily]].

* SlaveRevolt: The only [[TruthInTelevision successful one in ''human history'']]. The book correctly displays what made the rebel slave win: the instability of revolutionary France and the slave/master ratio in the island (one master for ten slaves). It was really a now-or-never situation.

* BrotherSisterIncest: A tragically sympathetic example. [[spoiler: Maurice and Rosette are half-siblings and in love in a society who doesn't allow them to treat each other like siblings because of Rosette's race but also reprimand their blooming romance.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Zarité lives free and so her husband and children, but Rosette is dead and Maurice is still grieving her and deserting their child, also he never repairs his relationship with his father.

The story is set in late 18th-century Haiti from the POV of Zarité "Teté" Sedella, an Haitian-born slave and her lifelong struggle to obtain freedom for her and her children. Her story is entangled with History, as she happens to live during the tough times of the [[SlaveRevolt Haitian Revolution]], which is quite faithfully described. The second focus is on her master, the French planter [[ObliviouslyEvil Toulouse Valmorain]], along with his Spanish brother-in-law [[Dashing Hispanic Sancho]], Madame [[HookerWithAnHeartOfGold Violette Relais]], as they live through the revolution and eventually settle in Louisiana as it is about to be sold to the United States of America.

* AesopAmnesia: Toulouse Valmorain goes through multiple BrrakTheHaughty experiences, but never learns anything from them:
** [[spoiler: Teté saves his neck