The incredible and sad fate of Ivan and Ivana

This book is a fairy tale about modern times, where everyone chooses their own destiny at the crossroads. Twins Ivan and Ivana were born in Guadeloupe and were named after Ivan the Terrible. Their mother is poor, and their father returned to his homeland in Mali even before their birth. Throughout their lives, they feel an exceptional emotional connection, too strong even for twins. Eventually, their fairy-tale and tragic fate will lead them to Mali and then to Paris, where the paths of the brother and sister will forever diverge. Maryse Condé addresses the most contemporary issues: racism, terrorism, political corruption and violence, economic inequality, and immigration - as if all of this is happening in a dream, as if it were all just a dream.