Although the novel's character's and events may be fictional, what was astonishing to find out that the sort of events that happen in the novel-- shoot outs in clubs, drug exchange -- would have been entirely plausible in the setting the novel was written. The Medellín Cartel and the setting in Colombia in the time frame [although never explicitly said] of late 80's, early 90s sadly, make this story possible.
It was sort of refreshing, however, to have an unconventional female lead in the story, or at least through Antonio's eyes. Rosario was everything to him, consumed by infatuation and love, but she was clearly damaged as a result of her surroundings. Since she was young, had experienced hurt and violence-- so it was not surprising to see how she unravels throughout the course of the novel, namely in the sporadic killing of men. She does possess a sort of power through her sexuality, which is evident by the way men are captivated by her [Emilio, Antonio etc]. Since the second time she was raped and later killed her rapist, Rosario used her feminine sexuality to get what she wanted (revenge or otherwise) seeing as how it was the only thing in her unstable world she had any control over. Her modus operandi of killing her victims with a kiss beforehand symbolizes the double edged sword, or the fine line between affection [whether genuine or otherwise] and death.
The relationships between the three main characters is a tangled web of emotions. Although Rosario is in a relationship with Emilio, and may love him, in her own way, it seems she is more in love with her relationship with Antonio they have together-- she is able to trust him in a way she cannot trust her own boyfriend. The novel seems to question the intention of love and the implications that being in a relationship require (although Emilio is her so called boyfriend, Rosario indulges in relationships with other men, possibly drug lords? && Emilio never shows up to the hospital after Rosario is shot, something someone should do if they care for another person)
It will be curious to see how the adaptation stays true to Antonio's account of events and depiction of Rosario and whether the Emilio/Rosario relationship will be expanded instead.
The fact that the protagonist of the book and film is a woman is in some ways surprising. After all, if Latin America and Colombia are patriarchal societies, the machismo of the underworld heightens these traits. However, as Xochitl Shuru's article points out there is a strong element of voyeurism in the novel that reintroduces patriarchal gender roles and positions in the text.
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