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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
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
adventurous
emotional
informative
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:
Complicated
A woman of independent spirit forges the life she chooses to have
Emilia del Valle Claro was born in 1866 to Molly Walsh, a naive young novitiate raised by the nuns with whom her widower father had left her as a child. Her dreams of becoming a nun were shattered when she was seduced and abandoned by a wealthy Chilean, Gonzalo Andrês del Valle, who subsequently refused to acknowledge that he was the father of Molly's baby. Francisco Claro, the scholar who founded the school where Molly had been teaching the poor children of the Mission District at his side, had feelings for the beautiful Molly and offered to marry her and raise her child as his own. For Emilia Francisco was her father, and a loving and supportive one; her mother regularly spoke of her birth father and the inheritance that surely would be Emilia's one day, but Emilia dismissed the tales and focused on her life as it was. She dreamed of becoming a writer, a path not generally available to women at that time, but by first writing pulp novels under a male pseudonym and later convincing a newspaper editor to hire her she was able to pursue her passion. She was someone who was happiest when pushing her boundaries and exploring new places, so when the editor offered to send her and the reporter with whom she had been paired, Eric Whelan, to cover the civil war that had broken out in Chile she quickly accepted the challenge. Not only would this help satisfy her wanderlust and give her the opportunity to do serious reporting, but she would also be able to search out her father and discover more about her Chilean roots. The unrest in Chile was far worse than she had anticipated and even as her relationship with Eric developed into a romantic one the danger to the two of them escalated. Her quest to discover who she was and what her roots were wouldhave consequences that she could not have anticipated.
Author Isabel Allende has written a powerful historical novel featuring a female protagonist who is unafraid to challenge the societal constraints that limit her ability to follow her passions and achieve her goals. The settings in which the story unfold, both the bustling San Francisco (from the Mission District to Nob Hill )and Chile (full of natural beauty but ripped apart by the brutalities of war), come fully to life with Allende's eloquent prose. Weaving together issues of a woman's lot in life during this period especially in a society that values men far more than women, what constitutes a family, and the search for roots and identity, Allende invites the reader along on Emilia's journey to self-discovery. Allende, herself both Chilean by birth and a journalist like Emilia, has created a powerful tale whose portrayal of historical events is honest even in the face of intense and brutal actions. Readers of the author's previous novels will enjoy discovering more about the del Valle family, while those who may not be as familiar with her works will still readily engage with Emilia and her life. Fans of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Laura Esquivel and Julia Alvarez should also move this to the top of their TBR pile. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this beautifully told story of a remarkable woman's life in exchange for my honest review.
Emilia del Valle Claro was born in 1866 to Molly Walsh, a naive young novitiate raised by the nuns with whom her widower father had left her as a child. Her dreams of becoming a nun were shattered when she was seduced and abandoned by a wealthy Chilean, Gonzalo Andrês del Valle, who subsequently refused to acknowledge that he was the father of Molly's baby. Francisco Claro, the scholar who founded the school where Molly had been teaching the poor children of the Mission District at his side, had feelings for the beautiful Molly and offered to marry her and raise her child as his own. For Emilia Francisco was her father, and a loving and supportive one; her mother regularly spoke of her birth father and the inheritance that surely would be Emilia's one day, but Emilia dismissed the tales and focused on her life as it was. She dreamed of becoming a writer, a path not generally available to women at that time, but by first writing pulp novels under a male pseudonym and later convincing a newspaper editor to hire her she was able to pursue her passion. She was someone who was happiest when pushing her boundaries and exploring new places, so when the editor offered to send her and the reporter with whom she had been paired, Eric Whelan, to cover the civil war that had broken out in Chile she quickly accepted the challenge. Not only would this help satisfy her wanderlust and give her the opportunity to do serious reporting, but she would also be able to search out her father and discover more about her Chilean roots. The unrest in Chile was far worse than she had anticipated and even as her relationship with Eric developed into a romantic one the danger to the two of them escalated. Her quest to discover who she was and what her roots were wouldhave consequences that she could not have anticipated.
Author Isabel Allende has written a powerful historical novel featuring a female protagonist who is unafraid to challenge the societal constraints that limit her ability to follow her passions and achieve her goals. The settings in which the story unfold, both the bustling San Francisco (from the Mission District to Nob Hill )and Chile (full of natural beauty but ripped apart by the brutalities of war), come fully to life with Allende's eloquent prose. Weaving together issues of a woman's lot in life during this period especially in a society that values men far more than women, what constitutes a family, and the search for roots and identity, Allende invites the reader along on Emilia's journey to self-discovery. Allende, herself both Chilean by birth and a journalist like Emilia, has created a powerful tale whose portrayal of historical events is honest even in the face of intense and brutal actions. Readers of the author's previous novels will enjoy discovering more about the del Valle family, while those who may not be as familiar with her works will still readily engage with Emilia and her life. Fans of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Laura Esquivel and Julia Alvarez should also move this to the top of their TBR pile. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this beautifully told story of a remarkable woman's life in exchange for my honest review.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another HF gem by Allende. She has such a gift for writing female protagonists in sweeping epic tales that take place in South America. Emilia DeValle is just the newest in the list. I enjoyed the writing in this book more than Violeta. The story telling felt more connected. You also can’t help but fall in love with young Emilia and routing for her coming of age, in a time and place where being a woman doesn’t mean much. Especially when she resists the roles of traditional women of the time. Be warned, some of the war scenes were a bit gruesome but this is a testament to her great writing.
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
I always enjoy Isabel Allende's books. She has such a magic touch with creating emotional and colorful historical pieces. This one is quite a sweeping journey with a very strong female protagonist...something of a Chilean American Nellie Bly.
I chose this out of my TBR pile as part of a first chapter challenge. I read the first chapter of three separate books and chose the one I found most intriguing. Allende's atmospheric writing and tangible historical style sucked me right in. My choice of which book to read was an easy one.
The first person POV was powerful and really immersed me in the story. Everything was presented so realistically. Many historical considerations were made that made it obvious that Allende has done her homework. Speaking of history, the presentation of the Chilean Civil War was intense and really well written. It was a part of world history I was unfamiliar with but it was constructed in the narrative in such a thorough and understandable way that it felt as if it was something I knew quite a bit about by the time I had finished my read.
My only complaint about this novel is the ending. I know, I know...I'm always too picky about endings. I just didn't like how open ended it left things. And the lead up to the last bit felt somewhat off kilter from the rest of the book. In a sense it felt as if Allende was sick of writing the tale and just wrapped it up where it stood. It wasn't awful, but it did not suit my tastes and I might be a teensy bit bitter about it. Still...it will not stop me from reading another Allende novel. She has me hooked.
I chose this out of my TBR pile as part of a first chapter challenge. I read the first chapter of three separate books and chose the one I found most intriguing. Allende's atmospheric writing and tangible historical style sucked me right in. My choice of which book to read was an easy one.
The first person POV was powerful and really immersed me in the story. Everything was presented so realistically. Many historical considerations were made that made it obvious that Allende has done her homework. Speaking of history, the presentation of the Chilean Civil War was intense and really well written. It was a part of world history I was unfamiliar with but it was constructed in the narrative in such a thorough and understandable way that it felt as if it was something I knew quite a bit about by the time I had finished my read.
My only complaint about this novel is the ending. I know, I know...I'm always too picky about endings. I just didn't like how open ended it left things. And the lead up to the last bit felt somewhat off kilter from the rest of the book. In a sense it felt as if Allende was sick of writing the tale and just wrapped it up where it stood. It wasn't awful, but it did not suit my tastes and I might be a teensy bit bitter about it. Still...it will not stop me from reading another Allende novel. She has me hooked.
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've only read one other Isabel Allende book and I loved it. Her writing is fantastic and in that other book of hers, the characters were incredibly well developed. In this book, however, it's more a history lesson on the Chilean civil war. Allende's writing is still wonderful but this book was bogged down by the detailed text on the civil war and details around the events that were happening. Though the book was told through Emilia's voice, her character (and all others) were really lacking. The beginning of the book was promising...and the end of the book, though a bit far-fetched, was character focused...but the vast middle of the book was just war stuff. Emilia is a really plucky, ambitious, and independent main character and I'm really sad I didn't get to really know her. I was grateful this book was under 300 pages long. This one is a bit of a miss for me, but if you like historical fiction that focuses more on the history than the characters, you'd probably enjoy this! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
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
Isabel Allende's latest book is set in 19th century San Francisco and Chile and follows the titular Emilia del Valle. Born out of wedlock to a novice nun, Emilia is a strong independent woman who writes novels under a male pseudonym and eventually becomes a journalist covering the Chilean civil war.
As with the author's other works, the human element is presented through masterful storytelling and meticulous research. I went from knowing nothing about the war in Chile to having a good grasp of the situation from diverse perspectives, all while following the story of the people caught up in the conflict. The facts never come across as dry as they are infused with the emotion of the main characters.
A recommended read for fans of Isabel Allende and well-researched historical fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As with the author's other works, the human element is presented through masterful storytelling and meticulous research. I went from knowing nothing about the war in Chile to having a good grasp of the situation from diverse perspectives, all while following the story of the people caught up in the conflict. The facts never come across as dry as they are infused with the emotion of the main characters.
A recommended read for fans of Isabel Allende and well-researched historical fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
sad
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:
Complicated
4 stars for a historical fiction book about a civil war in Chile in 1891. The author was born in Peru and raised in Chile. She now lives in the US. I have read and enjoyed two of her previous books. The protagonist is Emilia del Valle Claro. She establishes herself as an author under the pen name Brandon J. Price, first writing dime novels and then getting hired as a newspaper columnist. The editor agrees to send her and 1 other reporter, Eric Whelan, to Chile, to cover the civil war.
There was an actual civil war in Chile in 1891 and many of the events and persons in the book are actual historical figures, including the Chilean President, José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández.
The war arose out of a dispute between the Chilean Congress and Balmaceda over who he could appoint to his cabinet. The army sided with the President and the navy supported the Congress.
The forces supporting the Congress won and there was a massacre of the President's supporters. Emilia participates in one of the battles as a nurse, while writing articles critical of the rebels from the Congress.
There are descriptions of people being killed in battles and in the massacre, but not overly graphic.
One quote by Emilia: "I no longer know what I witnessed and how much I only imagined; it is all a jumbled confusion of horror in my memory. I had never seen violence and death up close--nothing in my twenty-five years of existence had prepared me for so much barbarism, so much suffering."
The translation was excellent.
Thank you Amy Jackson at Random House Publishing Group for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#MyNameIsEmiliadelValle #NetGalley
Pub Date May 06 2025
There was an actual civil war in Chile in 1891 and many of the events and persons in the book are actual historical figures, including the Chilean President, José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández.
The war arose out of a dispute between the Chilean Congress and Balmaceda over who he could appoint to his cabinet. The army sided with the President and the navy supported the Congress.
The forces supporting the Congress won and there was a massacre of the President's supporters. Emilia participates in one of the battles as a nurse, while writing articles critical of the rebels from the Congress.
There are descriptions of people being killed in battles and in the massacre, but not overly graphic.
One quote by Emilia: "I no longer know what I witnessed and how much I only imagined; it is all a jumbled confusion of horror in my memory. I had never seen violence and death up close--nothing in my twenty-five years of existence had prepared me for so much barbarism, so much suffering."
The translation was excellent.
Thank you Amy Jackson at Random House Publishing Group for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#MyNameIsEmiliadelValle #NetGalley
Pub Date May 06 2025
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Publication date 6th May 2025: thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the early copy!
It's been a while since I read a book by Isabelle Allende (pre-GoodReads come to think of it!), and it took a little while for me to settle into the style of this, but I ended up loving it.
My Name is Emilia del Valle is the story of Emilia, a girl brought up in San Fransisco in the 1890s after her wealthy Chilean father abandons her mother Molly Walsh, a nun, before Emilia is even born. Molly is filled with bitterness and wants revenge, giving her daughter her true father's name in the hope of some inheritance to come... However, she remarries and Emilia is brought up by the man she regards as her true father, Don Pancho Claro: an enlightened, optimistic scholar who encourages Emilia to look beyond the confines of her gender and station, to pursue her true goals in life.
She begins by writing 'dime novels' at seventeen - formulaic, sensationalist, cheap novels published in both Spanish and English - under the pseudonym of Brandon J Price, as a woman writing such melodrama was deemed inappropriate. From this starting point, she becomes a journalist, first travelling to New York, and eventually to Chile, where the novel really begins.
I found it quite a slow read up to this point, but in Chile, Allende writes with simultaneous ease and intense emotion of her home country. Emilia is sent to cover the civil war in Chile, where at least 10,000 men were killed; her longing for adventure is over sated, as she places herself at the centre of the action. The conditions are harsh, merciless - it makes for quite difficult reading. Details are not spared. Emilia, once squeamish about the sight of blood, is changed utterly. She travels with the other foreign correspondent for the newspaper, Eric Whelan, and their relationship evolves as the brutality of war surrounds them. By the age of twenty-five, Emilia experiences so much pain, sees the depravity of human nature, and experiences it it first hand. She is no longer the girl brought up looking after her younger brothers and teaching at her father's school, and her adventurous spirit won't let her stop travelling...
The characters feel very real, although some points are quite detached. The Chilean Civil War is not something I knew about before, but I found myself looking up the places, the dates, the people... it's all real. It really reads like a memoir; some people have criticised it for this, but I found apt for the story Allende wanted to tell.
A fascinating history lesson, an unconventional romance, a coming-of-age story, an examination of ways women can push at the boundaries of expectations - this novel is beautiful. The ending wasn't quite satisfying for me (I might have preferred a more open ending), and the beginning was slow, but it's definitely worth reading. 4.5 stars.
It's been a while since I read a book by Isabelle Allende (pre-GoodReads come to think of it!), and it took a little while for me to settle into the style of this, but I ended up loving it.
My Name is Emilia del Valle is the story of Emilia, a girl brought up in San Fransisco in the 1890s after her wealthy Chilean father abandons her mother Molly Walsh, a nun, before Emilia is even born. Molly is filled with bitterness and wants revenge, giving her daughter her true father's name in the hope of some inheritance to come... However, she remarries and Emilia is brought up by the man she regards as her true father, Don Pancho Claro: an enlightened, optimistic scholar who encourages Emilia to look beyond the confines of her gender and station, to pursue her true goals in life.
She begins by writing 'dime novels' at seventeen - formulaic, sensationalist, cheap novels published in both Spanish and English - under the pseudonym of Brandon J Price, as a woman writing such melodrama was deemed inappropriate. From this starting point, she becomes a journalist, first travelling to New York, and eventually to Chile, where the novel really begins.
I found it quite a slow read up to this point, but in Chile, Allende writes with simultaneous ease and intense emotion of her home country. Emilia is sent to cover the civil war in Chile, where at least 10,000 men were killed; her longing for adventure is over sated, as she places herself at the centre of the action. The conditions are harsh, merciless - it makes for quite difficult reading. Details are not spared. Emilia, once squeamish about the sight of blood, is changed utterly. She travels with the other foreign correspondent for the newspaper, Eric Whelan, and their relationship evolves as the brutality of war surrounds them. By the age of twenty-five, Emilia experiences so much pain, sees the depravity of human nature, and experiences it it first hand. She is no longer the girl brought up looking after her younger brothers and teaching at her father's school, and her adventurous spirit won't let her stop travelling...
The characters feel very real, although some points are quite detached. The Chilean Civil War is not something I knew about before, but I found myself looking up the places, the dates, the people... it's all real. It really reads like a memoir; some people have criticised it for this, but I found apt for the story Allende wanted to tell.
A fascinating history lesson, an unconventional romance, a coming-of-age story, an examination of ways women can push at the boundaries of expectations - this novel is beautiful. The ending wasn't quite satisfying for me (I might have preferred a more open ending), and the beginning was slow, but it's definitely worth reading. 4.5 stars.