Told in the voice of a young woman in search of her roots in 19th-century Chile, Isabel Allende's novel about family secrets continues the story begun in Daughter of Fortune. Aurora del Valle suffers a brutal trauma that shapes her character and erases her memories of the first five years of her life. Raised by her iron-willed grandmother Paulina del Valle, she grows up in a privileged environment, yet is tormented by nightmares. Betrayed by the man she loves, Aurora finally dares to explore the mystery of her past.