A finalist for the National Book Award for her 1995 novel, La casa de la laguna, Rosario Ferre is one of Latin America's most original andimportant writers. In the four stories that make up Maldito amor Ferre explores the history of political and cultural struggle in her native Puerto Rico through one family, the aristocratic and contentious De la Valles.

The title story tells of the piratical Don Julio; his son, Nino Ubaldino, patriot and politician; andUbaldino's two sons, who are locked in a fight to the death over control of the Diamond Dust sugar mill andof the woman both men love. The other three stories follow the lives of later generations of the De la Valles, together creating a drama in four parts that raises fascinating issues of independence, religion, and race, imbued with all of Ferre's characteristic wit and verve.

"Marvelous, spellbinding". -- Chicago Tribune

"A superb storyteller". -- Library Journal