Title: La mucama de Omicunlé
Author: Rita Indiana
First published April 1, 2015
181 pages, Paperback
ISBN: (ISBN10: 9788416291)
Rating: 3.59
Overview
Rita Indiana’s La mucama de Omicunlé is a multi-layered masterpiece that defies synopsis. The story begins in the apartment of Esther Escudero, a santera and advisor to the Dominican President who is also known as Omicunlé, the servant of the sea goddess Yemayá.
Her young maid, Alcide Figueroa, rescued from prostitution with the help of Eric Vitier, is about to embark on a dizzying journey through past, present, and future. With Afro-Caribbean deities, traditional and electronic music, sex in all its forms, and historical figures like buccaneers and Goya engravings, this novel is full of intrigue and desire, with political interests that are anything but superficial.
Few fictions speak with such precision about contemporary art or ocean pollution, and yet Indiana’s approach is subtle, avoiding dogma or postmodern cynicism to stay true to the essentials of life. In short, La mucama de Omicunlé is an overwhelming triumph.
About the Author
Meet Rita Indiana Hernández Sánchez, a multi-talented Dominican artist born on June 11, 1977. Rita is not just a writer, but also a singer-songwriter and model.
In 2011, the prestigious newspaper El País recognized her as one of the 100 most influential Latin personalities. Her creativity and versatility have made her an icon in the arts industry.
Editoral Review
La mucama de Omicunlé by Rita Indiana is a must-read for anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story, especially with magical realist elements. This is the second novel from the acclaimed Dominican author, known for her groundbreaking representation of LGBTQ+ and Afro-Caribbean identities in literature.
Set in Santo Domingo, the novel tells the story of an orphaned young woman named Alcide, who works as a maid for a wealthy family while dreaming of becoming a famous singer. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she starts experiencing supernatural visions and discovers her connection to the African goddess Omicunlé.
The novel deals with themes of identity, trauma, spirituality, and social inequality, all framed within a rich cultural context that explores the intersections of African, Spanish, and indigenous influences in Dominican society. Through Alcide’s journey, the reader is taken on a poetic, sometimes surreal, but always emotionally resonant ride that exposes the complexities of life in the Caribbean.
The novel’s strengths lie in its vivid, sensual prose, its dynamic and engaging characters, and its inventive use of magical realism to explore real-world issues. Indiana’s writing is full of poetic flourishes and musical references that add to the novel’s dreamlike quality, while her ability to switch between different narrative perspectives and timelines keeps the reader on their toes.
However, the novel’s pacing can be uneven at times, with certain scenes feeling rushed or abrupt, which can be distracting from the overall flow of the story. Also, some of the political and social commentary can feel heavy-handed or didactic, although this is mostly balanced by the novel’s emotional depth and focus on character development.
Overall, La mucama de Omicunlé is a stunningly beautiful, thought-provoking novel that deserves a wide readership. It offers a fresh perspective on a region often marginalized in literature, while also grappling with universal themes that will resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
Fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Toni Morrison, and Junot Diaz will find much to love here.
I give La mucama de Omicunle a rating of 4 out of 5, based on its ambitious scope, poetic writing, and emotionally resonant characters.
