The Disappearance of Irene Dos Santos

By Margaret Mascarenhas

Book Overview

Irene dos Santos disappeared at age 15. Believed to have drowned while on holiday with her best friend, Lily Martinez, her body was never found. Now, years later, she appears ghostlike in Lily's dreams, prompting a quest for the truth behind her disappearance. Mysteriously, Lily, eight-months pregnant with her first child, slips and falls on the same day that the statue of Maria Lionza, Patron Saint of their Venezuelan town, cracks in two. Confined to her bed, Lily is surrounded by her family and closest friends, who agree that a Novena to Maria Lionza will guide the baby's spirit safely into the world. Together, through their nine nights of prayer, each offers a story to entertain Lily and her baby. What emerges is a vivid picture of Venezuela during a time of revolution and uncertainty-and the unraveling of the mystery behind Irene dos Santos.

"The Disappearance of Irene Dos Santos is an intricately woven tale of love and memory from a deeply talented writer." -- Laila Lalami, author of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits and Secret Son

"Mascarenhas uses a 15-year-old girl's disappearance to spin a multilayered history of a Venezuelan family, incorporating folklore, political intrigue and magical realism...This family epic is immersive; no character or event is left unexplored from multiple perspectives. Indeed, the conclusion is like the final piece of an intricate puzzle." --Publishers Weekly

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446541109
• ISBN13: 9780446541107
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

wonderful read

My husband picked this book up at the airport, and insisted that I read it. I'm so glad I did. What a wonderful read. The writing is lyrical and the story is a rich blend of magic and reality, that I was lost in the maze of this fantastic journey and experiencing a whole range of emotions: joy, sadness, wonder and awe. Approaching the conclusion I experienced dread because I didn't want it to end. Lovely.

Woah: what just happened?! This book blew me away.

Between the ideal structure--nine sections centered around different characters to symbolize the nine Novenas for Maria Lionza--and the mind-bogglingly intense weaving of characters into one another's lives, this story had it all. While I actually had to make a character web to follow along, each little revelation of the relationships between the characters--hidden or otherwise, in reality or the dream world, in the present day or long ago, loving or vengeful--was a shock. As unlikely as it is that virtually every character of this large cast was connected in some way, that's one of the enchanting aspects of this story: magical realism. I have always been a huge fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and other Latino storytellers who manage to conceivably include fantastical elements in their stories, and Mascarenhas has followed in that delightful tradition. There was so much symbolism embedded in the story, and it was all up for interpretation The culture was so rich and the mythical elements truly brought the magic in the story and the lives of its inhabitants to live. The political backdrop of revolution and uncertainty leant both an edge and passion to this love story. That's what it really is, love between mother and child, husband and wife, friends, and the complications that can arise from those loves. I was completely shocked by the way the ending left me; it could not have been a more perfect conclusion (or lack thereof) for this story. Ending an entire book with the sudden realization that everything that just happened in the lives of these complex characters might be the fabrication of a crazy woman's imaginings creates a whole new layer in this dense story.

Thought-provoking Novel

I have to admit that I have been procrastinating the writing of my review for THE DISAPPEARANCE OF IRENE DOS SANTOS by Margaret Mascarenhas. It was, without a doubt, a beautiful novel that I really enjoyed reading; however, I'm a little intimidated to be writing my thoughts down. I found the story to be quite interesting and the writing was fabulous, but I have a feeling that some of the nuances were lost on me. That's not to say that I didn't understand the book (or at least I think I did) but I'm not sure that I fully appreciate the blend of myth, dreams and reality that occur in some South American literature. The minute that I finished this novel, I wanted to discuss it with someone. I wasn't sure that I totally "got it" and I had a few questions. I immediately started tweeting with Kathy (aka Bermudaonion) about her impressions, and I admit that I felt a little better after "talking" with her. Some parts of the book were very ambiguous to me, and I had my own ideas of what happened and why -- I was a little worried that I just wasn't smart enough to understand this book. After reflecting on this book for a few weeks, I realize that I did "get it" in my own way, and this book was actually written for a great deal of interpretation on the reader's part. I found myself thinking about this book for a very long time and I really do recommend it as an ideal book for discussion! I always like it when I'm able to learn something about a book, and THE DISAPPEARANCE OF IRENE DOS SANTOS introduced a lot of new things to me. I do not have a strong background on South American history or literature, so please keep that in mind. I was not at all familiar with the icon of Maria Lionza and her cult-like status with some people in Venezuela. Maria Lionza is a mythogical Indian princess/goddess who has hundreds of thousands of followers. She is a symbol of national identity and her cult has been officially recognized by the democratic governments of Venezuela. She usually is depicted in two forms: Yara, a naked woman who is riding a tapir and holding a human pelvis or Maria, a Virgin Mary type character. I found the entire myth surrounding her and all the conflicting things she represents to be fascinating; and I thought the author did an amazing job of incorporating her as a recurring symbol throughout the novel. I also really enjoyed learning more about the culture of Venezuela including the radio and television novellas that are so popular there. I found it very interesting that they use these basically soap operas as ways to educate and inform the viewers on topics such as health issues and social change. Again, I thought the author did a wonderful job of working these novellas into the novel; and I loved how she was able to blur the lines between reality and these stories. If your book club enjoys reading literary fiction or South American literature, then you might want to consider choosing THE DISAPPEARANCE OF IRENE DOS SANTOS for a future meeting.

a transporting book

A beautiful, captivating, haunting read.... When Lily is in the last stage of pregnancy, she begins dreaming about her childhood friend, Irene, who disappeared when they were teenagers. She decides that she must revisit the past to figure out what really happened to Irene all those years ago. Mascarenhas is a poetic writer - the story unfolds through narratives from Irene and Lily's friends and family in such an engrossing way. I loved this book.

a great read

I picked up this book just based on the great title, and I'm so glad I did. It is a gorgeously written story that blends social history with personal narrative. I was totally engrossed by this novel. I hope to read more by this author!