Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

28 reviews

theskyboi's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

What can my review possibly add to a book that is celebrating its 40th anniversary? The House of the Spirits fits snugly into the moniker of "debut novel," given the old adage to "write what you know." As a patchwork history of Chile in the 20th century, as well as a saga of the purportedly fictional Trueba family's women, this book weaves magical realism and historical fiction into an unforgettable read that any author would feel lucky to consider their first foray into fiction.

Having read the novel in Spanish, I feel both blessed and cursed to have had access to the original text; I was enchanted and haunted in equal measure. While the book deals largely in political and historical themes, the legacies of the women within the Trueba family are at the crux of the story. From Clara's clairvoyance to Blanca's indecision and to Alba's tenacity, this book illustrates the power that comes with sharing the stories that are most personal to us.

Often taking a circuitous path between past and present, the prose of this novel is what enchants the reader most of all. From the moment that Clara has her first premonition until the narrator utters that final phrase, reading this book is a challenge rewarded with mischief, absurdity, solemnity, and satisfaction. However, that flowery language Allende seems predisposed to include in her story did result in a rather slow-paced read, so consider yourself warned.

In light of warnings, the content of this novel, while fictionalized, does align with the true struggles of the life of 20th-century Chileans. The violence perpetuated across lines of gender, class, and race is far too prevalent in this book for me not to warn any potential readers. While typically dealt with in ways that I find historically accurate to the spirit of many lived experiences, I do note the very graphic nature of this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, War, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape

ryann_400's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This is MUST READ, no book has challenged my concept of time, family and politics like this book. 

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Content Warnings

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

erinwolf1997's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

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Content Warnings

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

mirireads's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

chlorentine's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

I can say nothing about House of the Spirits that Latin American reviewers haven't said better. Although I was familiar with the basics of some history in South America, I learned an astonishing amount about Chilean 20th century history specifically. Socialism is inseparable from a history of Latinoamerica and the genre of magical realism itself.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

perseffable's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Murder

thewordsdevourer's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

the house of the spirits is a sprawling and gripping family epic of the trueba family, whose triumphs and trials mirror those of their own nation. quite unbelievable that it's a debut work. it's filled to the brim w/ details of everyday life in both the household and the hacienda, of the characters' persona--and, consequently, their fears, desires, and motives behind their actions--of the city and the chilean countryside, all of which bring the characters and the story to remarkable life.

however, i do find certain details a bit too gory, too many details felt overwhelming and disjointed at times, and estreban has the honor of being one of most detested male literary characters ever--everyone but the stubborn old crone ends up paying for the consequences of his actions, blerggghhh. the political stuff can be both exciting and stressful, and i learned so much abt chilean history that i'll prolly go down a wiki rabbithole after this. this is what i love abt reading translated works: u learn so much abt other places and cultures. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Confinement, Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Car accident, Body horror, and Death of parent

kittykaz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This is probably what young kids have in mind when they think about adult fiction books. A lot of political talk, lots of classism and talk about rules and the consequences of ones actions. Definitely not a light read, and meant to make you think about the bigger picture and put your problems into perspective. 

I took a gamble with this - just randomly pulled it out of my parents’ bookshelf - and I think I might have to do that more often. Though I do recommend you try and inform yourself about it before reading this book, so you won’t get blindsided by all the rapeing and violence that is going on. It might take a certain type of person to enjoy this, is all i’ll say. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Grief, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Vomit

They use a LOT of slurs of all kinds, mostly racial ones

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and War

rieviolet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

3.5

I cannot say bad things about Isabel Allende's writing style but I had to trudge a bit to get through the book. Personally, it was hard for me to feel much connected to the characters and also to digest some of the crudest passages. 

I have to say that it's been a long time since I've despised a character as much as Esteban Trueba and I cannot emphasise enough how much I disliked the sections with him as a narrator. I listened to the audiobook and I think that I managed to finish the book only because I really liked the voice actress, otherwise I would have given up after the umpteenth of his capitalist rants or descriptions of his male prowess and insatiable desires, they made me want to scream.

I liked much better the final chapters that focused more on the social and political commentary and also the  epilogue with Alba as narrator (honestly I would have preferred her as the main point of view).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Antisemitism, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, and Suicide