The Heathcliff and Son of Heathcliff
The novel is a reimagining of Wuthering Heights set in the Caribbean. The character of Razye is the Heathcliff and Razye II his son. Here, it is the father who is the object of the son's powerful glare.
“Razyé II looked him straight in the eye, without a blink of defiance or fright. At the back of his black eyes lapped a lake of tranquility.”
The Street of Merchants
Figurative imagery is called upon throughout the novel to convey a sense of place. This is important since the story itself will be familiar to many readers while the setting will be strange and exotic:
“In the calle de Mercaderes the silence was as heavy as a bundle of wet washing. The only lighted window displayed rows of motionless fans, like butterflies poised for flight. Two streets over, however, the gambling houses and dens were swarming with life.”
Voodoo
What would a dark novel set in the Caribbean be without at least one allusion to voodoo?
"She walked over to Etiennise who, thank goodness, had stopped screaming, but stood standing like a zombie, and shook her like a sweet plum tree in season."
Darknesss
Yes, the favorite metaphor of post-19th writers appears in the novel. More than once, in fact:
“While darkness tightened its grip around his shoulders, Razyé remained in solitude, locked in smoke and silence…”
“Darkness had stolen down from the mountain slopes and crept over the carpet in the living room in a layer of black.”
“Darkness was hanging over us, about to fall. For the moment it was still hesitating and hovering, spreading its great wings above the mountain.”
Death
Death is another favorite word of authors when it comes to metaphorical imagery. Unlike darkness which is usually the metaphor itself, death is usually found within the comparison structure of a simple simile. But not in this case; here death is the star, shining twice:
“You must realize we shall never see each other again, for death is nothing but the night. It is a migration of no return.”
It’s me, Cathy
Heathcliff is Razye, but Cathy remains Cathy; a character not lost in translation:
“As for Cathy, she was the color of hot syrup left to cool in the open air, with black hair like threads of night and green eyes.”
