"Roman à clef narrative relates encounter of the Brazilian musician Alberto Nepomuceno, the Mann family (parents and children, two of them who would become renowned authors), and Ana, their maid, a former Afro-Brazilian slave who accompanied the Brazilian-born Mrs. Mann. Mingling historical events with the musician's personal interpretation of the European scene, novel reveals intense research in areas of European and Brazilian music. A dense psychological analysis of the meaning of exile for the musician, the maid, and her employer is a strong component of the narrative"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 58.