Why a Booktrail?
Modern – An underprivileged family in an Andean mountain village in Ecuador. Society is divided sharply between the working native Indian people and the governing descendants of Spanish conquerors.
The Queen of Water
What you need to know before your trail
Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, mud hut.
She works in the fields all day as a child and is called a longa tonta—stupid Indian—by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.
Based on a true story – this is a girl’s unforgettable journey to self-discovery.
Travel Guide
The story is based on the true story of a young girl called María Virginia who the author got to know in her native town of Colorado USA. She had an interesting tale to tell – that of poor families sending their daughters to live with wealthier ones.
The village in the novel – Yana Urku village is fictional yet is based on Otavalo where Maria Virginia lived and where the author did much of her research.
Maria Virginia Farinango was born in a small Quichua community near the town of Otavalo in the Ecuadorian Andes.
What happens next to María Virginia? Find out here – lauraresau.com/virginia
Must try is the Ecuadorian shrimp cerviche recipe also on Laura’s website above
Where Next?
