Several different ideas are raised by Allende in this novel, often called a picaresque novel, with regard to the protagonist and heroine, Eva. Her ability to tell stories and concoct tales is one of her gifts and it is through this ability that Eva is able to cope with the oppressive atmosphere in Latin America, directly following World War II. Eva's stories intertwine Magical realism, that is the amalgamation of supernatural elements and realistic themes. Through this means, Eva is able to 'escape' her reality and construct her own view of society that she is better able to deal with. Described as a modern Scheherazade, Eva's ability to induce others with her stories is her gift to the world, helping her deal with the difficulties that many women, like herself, faced in a tyrannical and explosive political environment.
Allende critiques on the gender imbalance that was and still is present in most Latin American countries. Generally, women were regarded as objects, entities that were subjugated in a male hegemony. Through the protagonist Eva, Allende has found a character that reflects on all the characteristics that all women trying to survive in the harsh conditions of Latin America, should embody. Eva's name is itself symbolic. Luna is Spanish for "moon" – a symbol of the matriarchal power that women possess. In many ways the character Eva reflects Allende herself and the struggle that she went through after her father's cousin, Salvador Allende, was overthrown as Chilean President on September 11, 1973.
