If you love your historical fiction to have a cast of quirky characters, this book is definitely for you! 16 year old Mona comes from a dysfunctional family and detests her single mother, who drinks too much and has a string of boyfriends. When her mother wants to send her as an au pair to a wealthy female acquaintance, Liliana Gutierrez, in Argentina, Mona reluctantly agrees. Maybe her decision wasn't so bad after all, when Mona cons a new expensive designer dress. Liliana, who works for Evita Peron, wife of the President of Argentina, is having an affair with Evita's brother, Juan. After meeting Evita, Mona falls under her spell. When Evita tries to use the young Mona as a distraction for her brother, Mona becomes entangled in Juan's seedy affairs and later in the plot to hide Evita's jewels and money in a Swiss bank account.
Mona is definitely a character unto herself, a jaded 16 year old grifter going on 46 or more! This book is a coming of age story for her. What a way to learn about life and finding your sexual orientation! Most of the other characters set such a bad example, her mother and Juan to name just two. And then there's the tragic figure of Evita Peron, who came from a similar poor background and became the First Lady of Argentina, adored by her people, who considered her a saint, just to lose her life at an early age to cancer. After reading this book, I definitely want to learn more about Eva Peron and Argentina's history and culture. ( )