I know that Barbara is about to fall because of the arrival of the last rapists, but I want her to fall, but to overcome. I want her and Santos to be together. I don't feel Santos and Marisela should be together, for two main reasons: 1) they are second cousins and 2)he slept with her mother first. In other words, double incest. How do others feel about this relationship?
shareFrom the very beginning I felt that Santos would eventually stay with Maricela. I had a problem with that because Barbara is her mother. However, I now feel that it is alright for him to stay with Maricela because Barbara is her mother in name only. Barbara is her main enemy--she stole from Maricela's father, kicked her out of the hacienda when she was a little girl, allowed her to grow up wild and ignorant, and has used her in order to get Santos. Some people might say that she actually cares for her daughter because she tried to save her from Melendez. That is only one thing she has done for her and even then she allowed Maricela to believe that she killed Melendez. A true mother will give her 100%, but Barbara only remembers that she is Maricela's mother when it is convenient. As to the cousin part, in some Latin American countries marrying your second cousin is not a big deal especially if you did not grow up together.
Santos should not stay with Barbara because he is a good person while she is a murderer, a liar, and a thief. He has tried giving her the benefit of the doubt but she does not change. We can not expect him to continue his relationship with her because he will end up like Lorenzo Barquero. Yes, Lorenzo was already a drinker when he met Barbara but she pushed him over the top and stole from him. Santos has already started drinking and we know that Barbara wants to get Altamira for herself. Sometimes I feel for Barbara because of what happened to her when she was young, but she is not a good person and definitely not someone for Santos to live with the rest of his life.
As I predicted in another thread, Barbara finally made Santos sick with her ways, clinginess, constantly badgering him where he was and what not. What man is not going to get sick of that no matter how hot, beautiful or good a woman is in bed. He seemed to have lost some ground as his own man as Barbara seems to make milquetoasts of the men who fall in her prey.
Maricela is the woman for Santos as she is clean of heart and soul. Barbara has too much garbage and unnecessary luggage that she constantly carries. What she needs is not Santos but a good psychiatrist.
"Any girl can look glamorous. Stand still and look stupid."
--Hedy Lamarr
Good psychiatrists were in very short supply when this book was published.
I wish they had made it in the correct historical period. And I also think that this is a case where the actors need to be closer to the characters' ages. Santos should be played by an actor in his late 20s. Not young enough to be Edith Gonzales' son, but young enough to have graduated law school within the previous 2 years.
The Fabio Principle: Puffy shirts look best on men who look even better without them.