The Marriage of Opposites
Inspired by a true story, The Marriage of Opposites is a sweeping romance that follows the course of one woman's dramatic life, beginning in her early years with her difficult mother, a pillar of their small Jewish refugee community who could never forgive Rachel for not being a boy. Growing up, Rachel dreams of life in faraway Paris. Her only friend is the freed slave girl, Jestine, whom she loves like a sister--one night every year they sneak out to the beach to watch the turtle hatchlings make their way to the sea. The daughter of a merchant, Rachel is married off as a teenager to a local widower whose business will help her father’s; she finds herself suddenly running a household and stepmother to three young children. When her husband dies unexpectedly, his 22-year-old nephew, Frederick, arrives from France to settle the estate, only to fall passionately in love with both Rachel and the glorious island of her birth. Rachel and Frederick’s love sparks a scandal in the little town--one that has reverberations halfway across the globe. One of the children of this defiant, passionate union is Jacobo Camille Pizzarro, a serious and stubborn little boy who, inspired by his mother’s iron will and faith in her own heart, will grow up to become the Father of Impressionism.
Building on the triumphs of The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things, set in a world of almost unimaginable beauty, The Marriage of Opposites showcases the beloved, bestselling Hoffman at the height of her considerable powers. Once forgotten to history, these are sympathetic, fiery women who will linger forever in our hearts, and whose passions--romantic, artistic, political, and personal--refuse to be ignored.
Alice Hoffman (Author), Gloria Reuben, Santino Fontana, Tina Benko (Narrator)
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