In 1849 Mauritius is not so much an island trying to re-invent itself, but two islands: one trying to stoke the fires of its fortunes, the other struggling to escape the misery these riches created. The Magic of Tiega is a tale of hope and tribulation, of a young storyteller, a plantation mistress and a past that refuses to remain forgotten.

Liberte's world would be small if not for Ma-Jo's stories, tales that to him are more than just folklore. They bring to life the parents he never knew and let him visit lands far beyond the shores of l'ile Maurice. Mme Lousteau has travelled to Mahebourg to inspect a coffin, an errand that provides time for reflection. She imagines a world without the burden of her plantation, a life beyond the preservation of her husband's legacy. It is chance that brings the two together, but what follows is governed by anything but good luck. For Mme Lousteau a new threat to her fortune has emerged and for Liberte the world of Ma-Jo's stories has taken a step into the real.