Isabela Mir has been cast to play the role of Camille Calix (the main character from the book of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas), an aristocratic wife and mother of the throne, who is taken prisoner and executed during the Spanish Republican War. She is condemned to death, but instead, her husband, General Albert de las Cases takes her to Murcia on his private yacht. There, Mir develops a strong bond with her new partner, Bartolome, whom she adores. Although both are fervent Catholic believers, there is a great deal of passion between them, which eventually leads to their marriage and the formation of a family. In the end, it becomes apparent that Mir is the true age of consent for her husband, and they have a son together named Carlos, born out of a liaison involving Mir and her friend Flora de la Pasion.
The relationship between Mir and Calix is a fascinating one, especially because Mir is played by an Australian model known as Kaya Scodelario. The novel is written in first person, which gives a lot of insight into Mir’s mind and character. I especially like the fact that Mir’s description of her marriage to Albert is written almost like a memoir, as she describes the trials and tribulations of her marriage, and how much she craves for normal life in the beginning of the story. However, when the book shifts to the period just before her marriage, and we find ourselves following the rise of the dictatorship in Spain, it is then that we start to read about the dark side of the Spanish regime, with the ugly beating and imprisonment of political opponents, the systematic repressions of artists and other citizens, and the complete suppression of free speech and political activity.
All this brings us to the subject of height. The novel concentrates on the relationships between Mir and her friend Flora, as well as between Mir and Calix. The novel opens with the premise that Mir, now a Countess, is seeking happiness and prosperity in her marriage with Albert, whom she had only recently met. It then follows her rise to power, where she discovers the corruption and injustices behind the Spanish regime, and fights against it, assisted by a former Spanish officer who is herself deeply involved in politics and the struggle for social justice.