Set in the 1920s and 1930s, The Flamboyant tells the life story of Lenora Demarest, an American beauty intent on achieving fulfillment as the first aviatrix in her adopted country of Puerto Rico.
Born in 1900, on the cusp of sweeping change in American society, Lenora grows up in a quaint lakeside village in western New York State in the company of her adoring parents and their intellectual friends. After her mother's sudden death, she accompanies her grief-stricken father, Dr. Henry Demarest, to a lush hacienda on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. Over the next decade, they turn their tropical estate into a successful grapefruit plantation, and Henry remarries.
Lenora is courted by both a dashing American aviator, who awakens in her a passion for flying, and a gentle, wealthy Puerto Rican entrepreneur, who stops at little to win her affection. In love with both men, Lenora nevertheless confounds her family and friends by her reactions to these very different suitors.
Inspired by the life of a historical figure and set against the vibrant backdrop of colonial politics, The Flamboyant traces the inner life of a quintessential modern woman, spirited and determined to live out her dreams. In language that captures the great natural splendor of rural New York as well as the Caribbean, it also evokes the magic of early aviation and pays tribute to an American heroine ahead of her time.
"The best reason for listening to The Flamboyant is the narrator, Anna Fields. She has a warm and friendly voice that's nevertheless elegant and refined. She reads with grace and enthusiasm. Something in her tone suggests that what she's reading is not only fun but also worthwhile." -- |
