Malinche

Laura Esquivel tells the story of Malinalli, known as La Malinche, the Nahua woman given to Hernán Cortés and who became his interpreter and companion during the conquest of Mexico. The novel imagines her life from childhood, when she was sold into slavery, through her role in the encounter with the Aztec empire, to her relationship with Cortés and their son. Esquivel gives her a voice, treating her as both a participant and a victim of events, and weaves in the beliefs of the indigenous world.

It suits readers of historical fiction and those curious about the conquest from the viewpoint of a woman usually cast as a traitor in Mexican history.

Balanced in tone; a moderate read.

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