The Search for Love

The two leading characters in the novel, the girl Sierva, and the priest, Father Cayetano, are both people who are isolated, until they meet each other and fall in love. The girl Sierva is neglected by her parents and raised by slaves. Though Sierva identifies with the slaves, because she is white, or white and part-Indian, she cannot be a full member of the slave world. Since she cannot read or write, among other things, she cannot join white society. The girl spends long periods in total silence. Sierva does not have enough interest in society to learn music or much of anything else. When Sierva is sent to the convent to be exorcised of demons, she is in a hopeless situation. She is destined to soon die. Then, precisely there in the convent, for the first time, Sierva finds love with Father Cayetano. Likewise...