Being near death, having forgotten her role in the risky outposts that gave the triumph to the troops of Hernán Cortés, Malintzin (Malinche) remembers her life. Offered as a tribute when she was almost a child, her ability to serve as an interpreter and her instinct for survival made her an indispensable part of the conquering army. In his exploration of the character and his motivations, José Luis Trueba has produced a fast-paced and provocative historical novel about the fall of the Aztec empire and the dawn of the New Spain.