Who Is Maryse Conde's Desirada?

Desirada by Maryse Condé, is a three part novel that takes place in various locations. The main characters in Desirada are Marie-Noelle, Reynalda, Nina, Ludovic, and Marie-Noelle's “adopted” mother Ranélise. The story begins when Marie-Noelle’s mother abandons her to be raised by Ranelise. Growing up Marie-Noelle feels neglected because she doesn’t really have a true mother figure around, which led her to trying to find love somewhere else. 12 Years later, her mother forces Ranelise to send her to live in Paris with her. Eventually she moves to Boston and gets married. Her spouse eventually dies, so after that she takes a step forward and investigates her family history. She tries to find out why Reynalda never gave her the affection she craved.