You nailed it! The reason I am drawn to historical fiction is also the reason I'm allergic to it (so painful to read).

This is a generational saga, full of magical, supernatural and superstitious elements, inspired by native legends. It also explicitly shows the cruelty and abuse experienced by mestizo women, descendants of a family of Dutch landowners, during and after the breakup of colonialism, which occurred under the effects of World War II and the Japanese occupation.

Nice, thoughtful review, with insightful comparisons to Hundred Years of Solitude, which (I saw the TV show but didn't read the book) is filled with violence and tragedy. I read to escape that stuff - or, I used to - anymore, the only escape from it seems to be Hallmark romance (sorry, no, but let me know if you find any worth reading).