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The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana

The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana

Contemporary LiteratureLiterary Fiction
Pages
368
Published
2017
Language
English

Synopsis

Born in Guadeloupe, twins Ivan and Ivana grow up immersed in a world of women and music, shaped by the absence of their Malian father. Ivan's intense love for his sister gradually twists into anger and violence, while Ivana's gentle nature hardens into something dangerous. Their intertwined lives lead to a dramatic confrontation, forcing them to confront their shared legacy of both profound love and fierce hatred. This novel explores their journey from Antillean adolescence to the complexities of modern globalization.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

EmotionalDarkComplexMelancholic
Family SagaComing of AgeBetrayal

Genres

Contemporary Literature Literary Fiction

About the author

M
Maryse Condé

Maryse Condé was a Guadeloupean author of historical fiction, best known for her novels [Segu](/works/OL470774W) & [Moi, Tituba, Sorcière... Noire de Salem](/works/OL470774W). She was born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, youngest of eight children. In 1953, her parents sent her to study at Lycée Fénelon and Sorbonne in Paris, where she majored in English. In 1959, she married Mamadou Condé, a Guinean actor. After graduating, she taught in Guinea, Ghana, and Senegal. In 1981, she divorced, bu...

Characters

Prince IvanProtagonist
IvanaProtagonist
All characters in The Wondrous and Tragic Life of Ivan and Ivana