Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
A 17th century Mexican nun, poet, scholar and playwright who was a child prodigy and one of the most acclaimed writers of the Spanish Golden Age. She entered a convent at age 19 and later faced persecution from the Inquisition for her writings and ideas. A significant portion of the novel focuses on her life story.

Beulah Limosneros
A brilliant but troubled modern-day graduate student obsessed with Sor Juana. She travels to Mexico to retrace Sor Juana's life but disappears under mysterious circumstances, ending up in a coma after a vicious attack.

Donald Gregory
Beulah's former professor and lover. After Beulah's attack, he comes into possession of her papers related to Sor Juana and tries to piece together what happened to her.

Other notable characters include Antonia, Sor Juana's friend and scribe, and Don Carlos, Sor Juana's friend and supporter at the Mexican court.

At the time of her death in 1695, Juana Inés de la Cruz was arguably the greatest writer working in any European tongue, yet she had never set foot in Europe. Instead she was born in the shadow of the mountain pass Cortés and his troops descended on their advance to Montezuma's capital. A child prodigy from a barbarous wilderness, her beauty and wit provoked a sensation at the viceregal court in Mexico City. But at the age of nineteen, still a favourite of the court, Juana entered a convent, and from that point her life unfolded between the mystery of her sudden flight from palace to cloister, and the enigma of her final silence, following a vow of contrition signed in blood. After a quarter-century of graceful, often sensuous poetry, plays and theological argument, Sor Juana chose silence, which she maintained until she died of plague at the age of forty-six.
Alongside her story, "Hunger's Brides" weaves in various other narratives, including those of modern-day academics and researchers uncovering Sor Juana's legacy.

Feminism and Gender Roles
Juana Inés de la Cruz was an early feminist voice who challenged patriarchal norms and advocated for women's rights to education and intellectual pursuits. The novel delves into her feminist ideals and critiques of misogyny prevalent in her era.

Religion and Spirituality
As a nun in New Spain (colonial Mexico), Juana's spiritual life and relationship with the Catholic Church are central themes. The novel explores the tensions between her religious vows and devotion with her intellectual curiosity and writings.

Love and Desire
Juana's poems and writings often grappled with themes of romantic love, desire, and sexuality from a female perspective, which was highly unconventional for the time.

Mexican/Colonial Identity
Set in 17th century New Spain, the novel examines Mexican cultural identity, indigenous influences, and the impacts of Spanish colonialism through Juana's life experiences.

Intellectual Freedom
Juana faced opposition and censorship from religious authorities for her scholarly pursuits as a woman. The novel highlights her advocacy for intellectual freedom and the right to knowledge.

By immersing readers in Juana Inés de la Cruz's world over its epic length, "Hunger's Brides" provides a comprehensive fictionalized portrayal of this pioneering Mexican writer, nun, and feminist thinker while exploring a range of profound themes.