When Shadows Fall

When Shadows Fall is a novel timeless in its appeal, involving, as any great novel does, our deepest passions. Set in New York, the Philippines and Los Angeles in the 1960s, the three main characters - Denis, a well-known opera singer and movie actor living in Los Angeles, Laura, an architect, and Joe, her cousin - each compel our attention both as individuals and as people intertwined in one another's lives. The loving bond that forms between Denis and Laura is the focal point of the book. The ties between them are, from the beginning, unbreakable, and it is Denis who knows this even amidst the turbulence of their lives. Perhaps it is because he is so much more experienced in the ways of the world that he recognizes how impervious true love is to human weakness. As in all strong fiction, and in everyday life, real tribulations find their way into even the most pure love stories, and small, seemingly innocuous decisions sometimes have dire consequences. There is a great deal of genuine romance in this book, not the dime-store variety, but the Shakespearian. In these pages, wit and wariness intermingle with deep devotion; powerful desire is counterbalanced by concern and compassion. Though our pulses may race as we read Aberásturi's descriptions of lovemaking, our excitement brings to mind our most loving, intricate embraces, not our brief flirtations or quick trysts of lust. Familial relationships in all their complexities make up the fiber of When Shadows Fall. Beyond the triangulated love story of Denis, Laura and Joe, there are depictions of interactions between various family members. These relationships are filled with emotional power; affection, lust, pride, resentment and acceptance all come into play. For Aberásturi, the extended family is a microcosm of the world, complete with the world's tensions, interconnections, misunderstandings, and even violence, but always, at its core, grounded in abiding love.