Reviews - Mein Name ist Emilia del Valle

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413 reviews for:

Mein Name ist Emilia del Valle

Isabel Allende

3.73 AVERAGE

egonz15's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is surprisingly my first Isabel Allende novel. It was given to me for a book club. I expected her writing to be heavy and classical in style, but what I found instead was a nice flow and beautiful prose.

I enjoyed this story of a woman trying to establish her identity as an independent person during the Chilean civil war. Seeing the world through Emilia’s eyes was interesting. I liked watching her find herself in surprising ways — ways I don’t think I’d be brave enough to pursue.

milbelmama's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 0%

I don’t have space for this beautiful book right now, gotta get to work, but I will def be back when I have the time to enjoy her writing!

tiffany_the_free's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous informative tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Thr first half was engaging enough, but the entire last half was boring. I skipped a few chapters.

maliha_reads's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Emilia del Valle is the kind of heroine who kicks down doors, writes under a fake name, and covers civil wars like it’s just another Tuesday. Isabel Allende gives us a whirlwind of historical fiction, feminist rebellion, and romantic tension but sometimes it feels like she’s trying to fit three novels into one corset.

The good? Emilia’s voice is fierce, the prose is lush, and the backdrop of 19th-century Chile is gorgeously chaotic. The bad? The character development occasionally takes a backseat to the plot’s need for speed. It’s giving “girlboss in a war zone” with a side of “wait, what just happened?”

Still, the emotional payoff lands. Emilia’s journey of self-discovery, her complicated family legacy, and her slow-burn romance with Eric Whelan all add depth to the drama. It’s not perfect, but it’s bold and sometimes bold is enough.

westcarmen's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

The plot, like most Allende novels, feels like it’s going nowhere but weave together a beautiful story. Unfortunately the last portion of this book doesn’t do it for me. The ending is vague.