Reviews tagging 'War'

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

39 reviews

gvstyris's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

Hay que estar tranquilas. No estamos perdidas. El viento conoce mi nombre y también el tuyo. Todos saben dónde estamos. Yo estoy aquí con vos, sé dónde estás y vos sabés dónde estoy yo. ¿Viste? No hay que tener miedo. 

Esta novela subraya lo importante que es contar historias para la empatía. En El Viento Conoce Mi Nombre, Allende presenta varios momentos históricos a través de los ojos de tres niños perseguidos. Es sombrío y difícil de leer, pero a la vez infinitamente relevante. 

Los capítulos (y historia, supongo) de Anita fueron sin duda los más destacados para mí. El cambio a la segunda perspectiva reflejaba la voz de una niña tan vulnerable, y su prosa sencilla me hizo llorar repetidamente. 

Sí, la escritura de Allende es didáctica, y el romance entre el abogado y la trabajadora social es innecesario. Pero me alegra mucho haberlo leído por fin y no puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente. 

Hay una estrella donde toda la gente y los animales están contentos y es mejor que el cielo, porque no hay que morirse para ir allí.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Antisemitism, and Deportation

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Death of parent

boekentrol's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Vomit, and Car accident

alyssagj's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Murder, and War

gris_zorra's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

san_dra's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

lovelyoutliers's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

A beautiful, empathetic story weaving together experiences of family separation and tragedy separated by half a century - a young boy (Samuel) sent on the kinder transport after Kristallnacht on the kindertransport trains and a young girl (Anita) who was separated from her mother at the US-Mexico border. 

Sensitively weaving stories of loss, the obstacles people will face to find safe places, and how families can be built in many different ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and War

notsogabbygabby's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Racism, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, War, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lilcubana31's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Minor: Child death and Trafficking

bendercath's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

4.0

I have read several of Isabel Allende’s books and I always finish having learned something new — often about humans’ capacity for violence and humans’ capacity for healing. This did not disappoint. Before reading this, I did not recognize the parallels between the Kindertransport and children separated from their parents at the US border. I was aware of both. But this novel has intertwined the two in the form of Samuel and Anita … and I will not forget them. While overwhelming at times, this book presents people whose courage and compassion help to heal “the holes in the hearts” of Samuel and Anita. There is hope in this book. 
I was very grateful for a little magical realism sprinkled in with Anita’s narration to her younger sister and the world she created to cope with unimaginable pain. This book will stay in my heart for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

sharonxx's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Abandonment, and War