Reviews

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

danib11's review

I have to be honest...I didn't actually get through this....it started slow, picked up in the middle, and then we had book club. The ending was revealed and it left me with little desire to finish...

The writing is good and very unique. It just wasn't for me.

apriless's review

adventurous emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

cozylittlebrownhouse's review against another edition

5.0

The summer of 2005...the year I fell in love with my husband and this incredible book by Isabel Allende of Chile. If you like sweeping family sagas, this book will quickly become one of your favorites. I would travel to my now-husband's home (long distance) and read the day away while I waited for him to arrive home from work. I spent one rainy day reading this book, and it was awesome.

joannac224's review against another edition

5.0

It took me forever to finish this book, simply because I did not want it to end. I will never get to read this book for the first time again. A brilliant book, written so well and I am so privileged to have been able to read it in Spanish. Definitely one of my favorites.

gabiota's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

honkytonkwitch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.0

pshah5473's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• 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

4.75

emma_vb's review against another edition

Made it halfway and still wasn’t invested in the characters and story. 

anawalt's review

4.0

It has some darker themes and was difficult at times. I also was confused every time “Indian” was used. My brain always defaults to India, not Native or Indigenous folks. Is this still used?

While certain activities and attitudes felt like a naked truth, I also hated reading the internal justifications for these acts. I desperately wanted to punch a certain promenant character in the face no less than every single time it was his turn to be the narrator. Dash in nearly every time he was brought up, too.

All that said, it’s a well told story. I am grateful for how it lead you up to certain things, but it did not force you to linger in the actions themselves.

I’m not sure I’d be able to make the journey again any time soon, but overall a great read.

edgar_allans_hoe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0