Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

This beautiful, sweeping historical saga begins mid 1700's on the Caribbean island of Saint-Domingue (modern day Haiti).  Upon his father's death, Toulouse Valmorain reluctantly leaves his bon vivant bachelor life in Paris to manage the family sugar plantation in Haiti. Planning to get his affairs in order quickly & return to Paris, he faces a brutal overseer and rebellious slaves, & quickly realizes that as an only son, he must stay to provide the income for his family to continue living their opulent Parisian lifestyle.  Procuring a suitable wife, he then buys a 9 year-old slave girl to care for her. The rest of the story involves the relationship between these 2 figures & many colorful ancillary characters.  From Toussaint Louverture leading the infamous slave rebellion, to Napoleon's army dessimated by yellow fever, to Voodoo, to pirates & political intrigue & the mercantile trade of slaves, rum & sugar - the narrative moves from Haiti to Cuba & finally the wild & wonderful Creole town of New Orleans pre Louisiana Purchase, where beautiful light-skinned mulattos are auctioned off at debutante balls to wealthy single patrons.  Engrossing, enlightening, thoroughly enjoyable.