The Messenger A Novel
The Messenger A Novel by Mayra Montero, published by HarperFlamingo in 1999, is a historical fiction work that explores a dramatic love story set in Cuba. The narrative centers on the world-renowned tenor Enrico Caruso and his Chinese-Cuban mistress, Aida Cheng, against the backdrop of a tumultuous event in June 1920 when a bomb exploded at the Teatro Nacional in Havana. As Caruso flees the chaos, the story delves into his passionate relationship with Aida, intertwining their lives with themes of love and danger.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of emotions and cultural elements as the tale unfolds through the perspectives of Enriqueta, their daughter, and Aida, who reflects on her life while nearing death. The novel intricately weaves together the influences of African santería and Chinese folk magic, creating a compelling narrative that examines the complexities of love and the shadows of fate. With 218 pages, this first edition invites readers to immerse themselves in a world where history and personal stories collide.
Official synopsis Publisher
Set in Cuba, “The Messenger” tells the story of a pair of doomed lovers-world-famous tenor Enrico Caruso and his Chinese-Cuban mullatta mistress. In June 1920 a bomb exploded at the Teatro Nacional in Havana at the very moment that Enrico Caruso was singing RadamEs in the opera “AIda.” In a panic, he fled the theater and disappeared into the streets of Havana. What happened to him is the story imagined by Mayra Montero. As Caruso tries to escape the murderous agents of the Black Hand, he is drawn into a passionate love affair with Aida Cheng, a woman whose godfather is the powerful Afro-Cuban santero JosE de CalazAn. Told by Enriqueta, the daughter born of the love affair, and by Aida herself as she lies dying many years later, “The Messenger” unfolds its mysteries against the rhythms of African santerIa and Chinese folk magic and weaves a brooding, compelling tale of love and death.
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