Moreover, as Richard experienced insomnia following the increased thought about his past, his coping strategy was memorizing poems and plays the piano (Allende 16). Therefore, anxieties and fear due to past challenges cause stress that affects their mental health. Similarly to individuals and families of those who were infected by COVID-19 are afraid of stigmatization. Allende depicts the scene in the novel as the characters are afraid of following their past criminal activities. People are more prone to experience anxiety about being sick or dying, and stigmatization at the individual level. Individuals, communities, countries, and the world experienced a broad range of psychological effects as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Although Lucia recounts Chile’s past and Evelyn depicts Guatemala’s present, the situation’s trends, risks, and realities are all made crystal clear. While growing Latin American countries of prosperity and democracy, both Lucia and Evelyn demonstrate they are a front for abject poverty and horrible atrocities, (Allende 17). The stories of terrible violence and agony that each participant tells are a stark contrast to the lovely, slowly blossoming romance between Richard and Lucia. Therefore, the situations of Guatemalan, Kathryn, and Leroys are the center of the novel.

However, Allende examines each character’s actions with compassion hence, the novel shows that the unusual occurrence of characters brought them together and was their strength. One recluse landowner, one stoic Chilean refugee, and one terrified Guatemalan illegal immigrant all bear the scars of tragic events in their past. The story’s plot revolves around the characters’ clumsy attempts to remove in secret the dead body that belongs to Kathryn Brown in Leroys’ car.

Allende in the midst of winter