The protagonists of Alvarez's and Garcia's novels are in a constant search for their true identity. The political events of their homelands, and the subsequent exile, all the chaos caused by the history, hugely influenced the way of life and the shape of self of each of the Garcia and del Pino women. Collecting and putting together the pieces of memories resembles the putting together a jigsaw of their identity. Both Yolanda and Pilar have the need to go back to their fatherland, to all the memories and stories connected to each island - and to each family's own history - in order to displace themselves from America and to see whether they can find their true selves by way of this process.