Olga Acevedo

Olga Acevedo is the main character of the novel. Her parents are Blanca and Johnny Acevedo, and her older brother is Prieto Acevedo. Olga grew up with her family in Sunset Park, a neighborhood in South Brooklyn. They lived in her grandmother's house and were nominally happy for a time. Then, when Olga was almost 13, her mother left the family to pursue illicit revolutionary activities. Blanca's departure deeply impacted Olga. However, she did her best to hide her feelings. She relied upon her relationships with her brother and grandmother in particular to quell her sadness.

After graduation, Olga attended an Ivy League university, believing that if she followed the American model for success, she might surpass her humble family roots. In the narrative present, she runs her own business, working as a wedding planner. She is not only rich, but famous. Despite these exterior signs of accomplishment...