Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The House of the Spirits

A contender for my favorite book of the year. Allende wrote such a complex story with complicated characters. All the characters are well rounded and portrayed in many different lights, even characters who do awful things are given moments of redemption. I also adored!!! the romance in this novel, both Blanca and Alba’s romantic encounters were written so tenderly. I really
enjoyed

how the story progressed after the coup and Allende’s writing was even more powerful.

Her commentary on politics, class and colorism are as applicable now as they were then. Allende was able to cover various topics, decades, generations, and different classes of people without losing the thread of the story. The epilogue was probably my favorite section. Best book ending I’ve read this year, hands down.

Content Warnings

emmagiverny's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

Content Warnings

ag_berry's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

anahisa's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.75

FUCK ESTEBAN TRUEBA, BABY IM A HATER TO MY BONESSSSSSSSSS

now, I experienced such a disconnect with this book largely in part because of its characters. they were flawed and real, true! also true is that I did not care for a single one of them!! for a family drama spanning multiple generations, very few of the emotional beats landed for me (🤨😐😔) sadly.

in a shocking turn of events, I was drawn more towards the politics + history that informed the background of this saga. the novel’s attention to women’s rights, unionization, revolution, and the west’s presence in foreign governments were its saving grace for me.

and one thing this book tackles brilliantly is the violence of men + power. so so so many terrible ways in which these individuals + institutions possess, demean, and violate others. while earlier I mentioned that many of the story’s emotional beats were a miss for me, it never failed to make me absolutely livid! the anger I felt when reading some of these scenes! every man in my line of sight should be afraid! rage enough to burn the world I think!!!

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