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ryann_400'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: Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Blood, War, Violence, Rape, Police brutality, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Gun violence, Incest, Blood, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
fa_108's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Overall my biggest takeaway is seeing the patterns in history repeating themselves and just the ups and downs through a family’s time and throughout a person’s life. There’s some really raw, cruel and honestly intense parts, I wouldn’t say it’s always enjoyable because that’s not the point and that makes me enjoy it. Not gonna lie, left me a little nervous in terms of relating some of the things that happen in the book (specially in later chapters) with real life events. It’s definitely and emotional ride.
It’s also so beautifully written, and I absolutely loved the ending callback.
Giving it a 4.25 because I sometimes found it jarring the switch perspectives, not in a “I don’t understand what’s going on” way, more in a “huh” way, it fits the book, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not a huge fan of it, but I dont hate it. Plus some personal bias ( I don’t tend to like the use of local idioms, I like the feeling of atemporality). I took a long time to read the book (since January) because of course life got in the way, but sometimes it does feel long. But by the last chapters you really can’t put it down.
Overall, really good book, must read for people interested in literature and world events and things like that, but I wouldn’t say a must read for everyone. I liked it a lot, but it’s not a book that really sticks hard with me as some others have.
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Classism, Death, and Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Miscarriage
So basically, Isabel Allende wrote this in the context of civil war in South America. You’ll see a lot of what you can imagine going from a capitalist “democratic, good for all” system, to a marxist communist one, to a dictatorship regime. Not pretty.erinwolf1997's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Abortion, Classism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Rape, and Torture
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Blood, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Murder, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
shonaberu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Racism, Rape, and Classism
Minor: Car accident
mirireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Torture and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Confinement, Murder, Abortion, Car accident, Classism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Excrement, Death of parent, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia
marenvgl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Abortion, Rape, War, and Violence
mengzhenreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was just a strange, flavorful, and at times horrifying read that I wasn't expecting at all. The characters are all so interesting in their own way and the generational saga worked extremely well for me. It was funny, it was sad, it was horrifying, and it was super weird and it's definitely a book I'll be thinking about a lot more in the future.
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Misogyny, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Car accident, Drug abuse, and Religious bigotry
cozylifewithabby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Car accident, Death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Abandonment, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Police brutality, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Homophobia
chlorentine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
That history is going on in the background of a simple family dynamic, but the writing and the rich imagery throughout keeps you engaged until the politics come into play in the final act. I think the Del Valle/Trueba family is best summarized in the moment Clara tells Alba that all families have at least one member infected with madness, meanwhile their family has the madness spread out evenly amongst them all. Every striking image from the first chapter returns by the end, and so much has happened between the first and last chapter that you feel nostalgia for kinder times alongside the characters. Truly haunting.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Death, Confinement, Colonisation, Classism, Torture, Violence, War, Child abuse, and Abortion
Moderate: Car accident, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Police brutality
Minor: Ableism
writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
At the beginning I felt so disgusted and revolted with the rapes and violence of the man of the family, Esteban Trueba, I almost wanted to quit, but I didn’t because I soon realised this is mostly the story of the strong women of his family, the women that survived him and the evil that he festered with his deeds, and how they tended and healed and suffered. How in a family ruled by this conservative moralist patriot every family member was not, how they diverged, maybe because of their mother, the patriarchs wife, Clara, a clairvoyant, a mystic, a beautiful woman who brought even to the horribly tempered husband a light and hope he did not deserved. But, such is the story of this family that pays for the mistakes of the father, for their bravery, for their giving and romantic hearts, not made for a world like that of their patriarch, and worse even.
A family saga in Chile spanning almost a century, and ending during the violent fascist dictatorship. A hard historical fiction and magical realism tale, but so worth the read due to its writing, and the hope that is born of ashes and love.
I can’t believe this was the debut of one of my fave authors. She was destined to be great from the very beginning.
Graphic: Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and War