Scan barcode
leandrathetbrzero's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My favorite characters to follow were the story’s original matriarch, Clara del Valle, and her granddaughter, Alba. These women captivated me in very different ways. Clara’s clairvoyance, her reading of the tarot cards, and her constant connection to the spirits that roam her halls fascinated me to death, especially when she would experience one of her premonitions. Oppositely, her granddaughter is fiercely defiant and grounded in her reality at least until she falls in love with Miguel, a young man whose call for a violent revolution prevents her family from ever accepting him as a suitable match. While I thoroughly enjoyed following these women’s lives, there was another character who I despised. The man I speak of is Esteban Trueba, Clara’s husband. Early in the narrative, prior to their marriage, he commits horrible acts of violence, including but not limited to numerous acts of explicit sexual assault and violence toward animals. I was disgusted by these moments, particularly because Esteban acts as the novel’s narrator at times when the story is not being described in a third-person omniscient voice. As much as I enjoyed the narrative, I just could not get over the atrocities he committed that other characters seem to forgive or disregard. [Hence why it is not a 5-star read]
With that said, this first experience with Allende's writing was beyond impressive. I admire her ability to interweave the stories of multiple family members are once. She also foreshadows certain events without ruining the tension or giving too much away. I cried at the death of Barrabas, Clara's faithful dog companion, I felt shock and horror many times, and I experienced the destruction of a nation as if it were my own. I appreciated the authenticity of the volatile political climate that becomes more pressing and dangerous with each generation. The tension in the air is palpable, and I was on the edge of my seat even as Allende prepared me many times for the violence and deaths that were to come when the country’s government finally fell. A turbulent story of family and country, of love and survival, Allende's first novel of many is an epic that rivals The Odyssey.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Torture, and Rape
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, Incest, Excrement, and Drug abuse
evenstarwen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
amandabcook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Torture, War, and Violence
nhg's review against another edition
A heavy book (the content warnings should not be taken lightly), love the women and feel for them. Not a satisfying ending.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Incest and Pedophilia
menomica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
PS: El peor personaje de todo este libro es sin duda, Esteban Trueba. La mejor fue Clara Del Valle
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Abortion, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Car accident, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Stalking, Vomit, and Ableism
chrisljm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and Animal death
Moderate: Abortion and Domestic abuse
caitlinjewel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Incest, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, and Violence
qingyigeshu's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence