5The Divine Recluse, Sor Juana de Maldonado y Paz: A Novel of Colonial Guatemala, is the English translation of Guatemalan author Máximo Soto Hall's La Divina Reclusa. Based on the life of Sor Juana de Maldonado y Paz, a Conceptionist nun, The Divine Recluse presents an imaginative portrayal of a Central American colonial city with its family secrets, class warfare, unrequited loves, and power struggles. The novel is preceded by a critical essay that provides historical context and why we know about this enigmatic woman.