Ana M Rodríguez-Rodríguez, who teaches early modern Spanish literature at the University of Iowa, described Sister Juana as “the voice of an early but already determined feminism”. She said the author’s decision to write about topics that were not considered appropriate for her as a nun and a woman—such as philosophy and theology—often “exposed her to the cruel scrutiny of a cultural universe that was not ready to embrace her as a new member”.