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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow
Hace años leí por primera vez a Isabel Allende en “La ciudad de las bestias” sin llegar a comprender el alcance y la fama de la obra de esta autora. Ahora, unos 8 años después, me dispuse a plantarle cara a su opus magna, y ha sido sin duda una gran decisión.
La historia de esta familia te atrapa, sientes a los personajes tan vivos y familiares (seguramente debido a que se basan en la propia familia de la autora) que los hechos pasan vertiginosamente sin que te des cuenta. Aún así el libro no se siente apresurado ni le faltan partes, todo está tratado a su tiempo y las generaciones se suceden unas a otras, pasándose el foco de manera muy sutil.
Además, los fast forwards que da advirtiendo de hechos que sucederán mucho más a adelante en el libro me recuerdan a las habilidades sobrenaturales de Clara.
Sin duda una de las mejores lecturas de este año, no puedo ponerle ninguna falta. Estoy deseando hincarle los dientes a “Paula”.
Hace años leí por primera vez a Isabel Allende en “La ciudad de las bestias” sin llegar a comprender el alcance y la fama de la obra de esta autora. Ahora, unos 8 años después, me dispuse a plantarle cara a su opus magna, y ha sido sin duda una gran decisión.
La historia de esta familia te atrapa, sientes a los personajes tan vivos y familiares (seguramente debido a que se basan en la propia familia de la autora) que los hechos pasan vertiginosamente sin que te des cuenta. Aún así el libro no se siente apresurado ni le faltan partes, todo está tratado a su tiempo y las generaciones se suceden unas a otras, pasándose el foco de manera muy sutil.
Además, los fast forwards que da advirtiendo de hechos que sucederán mucho más a adelante en el libro me recuerdan a las habilidades sobrenaturales de Clara.
Sin duda una de las mejores lecturas de este año, no puedo ponerle ninguna falta. Estoy deseando hincarle los dientes a “Paula”.
slow-paced
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
I have Anne Lamott to thank here, as she's the one who pushed me to finally pick up one of Allende's novels. In Bird by Bird, she mentions Isabel Allende and speaks of her work in such high praise that I had to get my hands on one of these novels right away. I own a copy of Violeta, but I wanted to start with the author's first book, also considered one of her best. So I went out and bought The House of the Spirits, and I am a changed reader because of it.
I began this novel halfheartedly. I'll admit I was a little skeptical, not entirely sure that I would enjoy this kind of story. Usually I don't go for long, multigenerational sagas, although there's one exception I can think of—Pachinko. Also, I quickly noticed that there is very little dialogue in the novel, and usually I like a decent amount of dialogue in the fiction I read. Needless to say, I'll never doubt the power of this genre (subgenre?) again, and I'll think twice before attributing value to how much or how little dialogue there is in a novel again.
I effortlessly read through the first thirty pages, and figured that I seemed to be enjoying this well enough, so why not keep going. The more I read, the more immersed in the world I became, until I felt like I had landed within the pages and I was really there with the Truebas. Every character, every scene left a memorable imprint on my mind. Allende somehow makes every character—and there are at least ten important ones, all coming in and out of the story—stand on their own, convincing me that each figure in this story, every minor and major player, could be the protagonist of their own novels and each would be a brilliant story. I can't remember the last time I have been in the hands of a writer whose skill in developing characters matched Allende's. What's more, the world is immersive and riveting precisely because it is built around the novel's characters, constructed to complement who and what they are—not the other way around.
After finishing the novel I reflected a bit on who the protagonist of The House of the Spirits is, and I concluded that simply based on who had the largest presence in the book, it must be Esteban Trueba, the most detestable character in this story (tied with another minor character). He is the only one who is with us from beginning to end, and the only one with a clear arc. Although there were times when I truly hated Esteban (obviously intentional on Allende's part), I really admired Allende's choice to stay so close to this man throughout the story, highlighting his flaws more than his virtues while also focusing in on his humanity. He represents the worst of our species, and yet we feel for him anyway, especially at the end of the novel. Allende takes a big risk here, but it plays out beautifully and tragically.
Despite the protagonist being a violent and brutish man, The House of the Spirits is a uniquely feminine novel. This is hard to explain. My perception of the novel's inherent femininity exists on a subliminal level; in short, it's an intuition. The focus on spirits, the two houses, intuition as a magical experience, and love as nurterer and nurtured combined to form a feminine aura. Additionally, the novel's strongest characters are three women of three generations: Clara, Blanca, and Alba. Together, they stand as the backbone of this magnificent novel.
I am planning to read either The Japanese Lover or Eva Luna next. The House of the Spirits has blasted the bar up to the sky, but I don't doubt Allende's ability to blow me away yet again.
I began this novel halfheartedly. I'll admit I was a little skeptical, not entirely sure that I would enjoy this kind of story. Usually I don't go for long, multigenerational sagas, although there's one exception I can think of—Pachinko. Also, I quickly noticed that there is very little dialogue in the novel, and usually I like a decent amount of dialogue in the fiction I read. Needless to say, I'll never doubt the power of this genre (subgenre?) again, and I'll think twice before attributing value to how much or how little dialogue there is in a novel again.
I effortlessly read through the first thirty pages, and figured that I seemed to be enjoying this well enough, so why not keep going. The more I read, the more immersed in the world I became, until I felt like I had landed within the pages and I was really there with the Truebas. Every character, every scene left a memorable imprint on my mind. Allende somehow makes every character—and there are at least ten important ones, all coming in and out of the story—stand on their own, convincing me that each figure in this story, every minor and major player, could be the protagonist of their own novels and each would be a brilliant story. I can't remember the last time I have been in the hands of a writer whose skill in developing characters matched Allende's. What's more, the world is immersive and riveting precisely because it is built around the novel's characters, constructed to complement who and what they are—not the other way around.
After finishing the novel I reflected a bit on who the protagonist of The House of the Spirits is, and I concluded that simply based on who had the largest presence in the book, it must be Esteban Trueba, the most detestable character in this story (tied with another minor character). He is the only one who is with us from beginning to end, and the only one with a clear arc. Although there were times when I truly hated Esteban (obviously intentional on Allende's part), I really admired Allende's choice to stay so close to this man throughout the story, highlighting his flaws more than his virtues while also focusing in on his humanity. He represents the worst of our species, and yet we feel for him anyway, especially at the end of the novel. Allende takes a big risk here, but it plays out beautifully and tragically.
Despite the protagonist being a violent and brutish man, The House of the Spirits is a uniquely feminine novel. This is hard to explain. My perception of the novel's inherent femininity exists on a subliminal level; in short, it's an intuition. The focus on spirits, the two houses, intuition as a magical experience, and love as nurterer and nurtured combined to form a feminine aura. Additionally, the novel's strongest characters are three women of three generations: Clara, Blanca, and Alba. Together, they stand as the backbone of this magnificent novel.
I am planning to read either The Japanese Lover or Eva Luna next. The House of the Spirits has blasted the bar up to the sky, but I don't doubt Allende's ability to blow me away yet again.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Alba sentía que las cosas eran de vidrio, frágiles como suspiros, y que la metralla y las bombas de aquel martes inolvidable, destrozaron una buena parte de lo conocido, y el resto quedó hecho trizas y salpicado de sangre."
This sweeping family drama, spread over 3-4 generations of an upper crust family in Chile is partly fictional, but apparently partly autobiographical. It is suffuses with some magical realism, but gives you a good flavor for the history of Chile into the dictatorship of Pinochet (not specifically named in the story). I found the political perspectives interesting, with the rabidly anti-Communist Senator Esteban Trueba and his many liberal, socialist children and grandchildren. The abuse of the peasants, mosly of indigenous origin, is made clear in different stages of society, along with the allure of a socialist government after all that abuse of the wealthy in power. The characters are all very distinct, and some very kookie: A grandmother who would rather make things levitate than do housework, a grandfather with such a bad temper that he estranges almost everyone he loves, a daughter who lives in poverty while her father is wealthy, and cannot leave her origins to be with the humble man she loves... a granddaughter who is involved with the socialists out of love, not conviction and a dog, Barabus, who may not even have been a dog, but some exotic animal brought back from an adventure by a great uncle. There are bad guys, somewhat bad guys and good guys who give their lives for others. There are many more, and it is enjoyable to read and hear a voice from a country that is not well represented in Engish literature.