 Readers are shown the regime 's downward spiral , Trujillo 's assassination , and its aftermath through the eyes of insiders , conspirators , and a middle @-@ aged woman looking back . The novel is therefore a kaleidoscopic portrait of dictatorial power , including its psychological effects , and its long @-@ term impact . The novel 's themes include the nature of power and corruption , and their relationship to machismo and sexual perversion in a rigidly hierarchical society with strongly gendered roles . Memory , and the process of remembering , is also an important theme , especially in Urania 's narrative as she recalls her youth in the Dominican Republic . Her story ( and the book as a whole ) ends when she recounts the terrible events that led to her leaving the country at the age of 14 . The book itself serves as a reminder of the atrocities of dictatorship , to ensure that the dangers of absolute power will be remembered by a new generation . 
 Readers are shown the regime <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>downward spiral , Trujillo <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>assassination , and its aftermath through the eyes of insiders , conspirators , and a middle @-@ aged woman looking back . The novel <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>therefore a kaleidoscopic portrait of dictatorial power , including its psychological effects , and its long @-@ term impact . The novel <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>themes include the nature of power and corruption , and their relationship to machismo and sexual perversion in a rigidly hierarchical society with strongly gendered roles . Memory , and the process of remembering , <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>also an important theme , especially in Urania <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>narrative as she <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>recalls</mark></a> her youth in the Dominican Republic . Her story ( and the book as a whole ) <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>ends</mark></a> when she <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>recounts</mark></a> the terrible events <a href='null_relcl' title='10'><mark>that</mark></a>led to her leaving the country at the age of 14 . The book itself <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>serves</mark></a> as a reminder of the atrocities of dictatorship , to ensure that the dangers of absolute power will be remembered by a new generation . 
Readers are shown the regime  downward spiral , Trujillo  assassination , and its aftermath through da eyes of insiders , conspirators , and a middle @-@ aged woman looking back . The novel therefore a kaleidoscopic portrait of dictatorial power , including its psychological effects , and its long @-@ term impact . The novel  themes include tdanature of power and corruption , and their relationship to machismo and sexual perversion in a rigidly hierarchical society with strongly gendered roles . Memory , and thdarocess of remembering , also an important theme , especially in Urania  narrative as she recall her youth in the Dominican Republic . Her story ( and thedaok as a whole ) end when she recount the darible events led to her leaving the country at the age of 14 . The book itself serve as a reminder of the adacities of dictatorship , to ensure that the dangers of absolute power will be remembered by a new generation .