Isabel Allende’s latest novel set in the present day (a new departure for the author) tells the story of a 19-year-old American girl who finds refuge on a remote island off the coast of Chile after falling into a life of drugs crime and prostitution. There in the company of a torture survivor a lame dog and other unforgettable characters Maya Vidal writes her story which includes pursuit by a gang of assassins the police the FBI and Interpol. In the process she unveils a terrible family secret comes to understand the meaning of love and loyalty and initiates the greatest adventure of her life: the journey into her own soul.