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coleanne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Rape, Confinement, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cursing, Pregnancy, Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual violence, War, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
mschat12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
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
4.5
tormentalidad's review against another edition
4.0
《Escribo, ella escribió, que la memoria es frágil y el transcurso de una vida es muy breve y sucede todo tan deprisa, que no alcanzamos a ver la relación entre los acontecimientos, no podemos medir la consecuencia de los actos, creemos en la ficción del tiempo, en el presente el pasado y el futuro, pero puede ser también que todo ocurre simultáneamente, como decían las tres hermanas Mora, que eran capaces de ver en el espacio los espíritus de todas las épocas. Por eso mi abuela Clara escribía en sus cuadernos, para ver las cosas en su dimensión real y para burlar a la mala memoria. Y ahora yo busco mi odio y no puedo encontrarlo.》
damsisdistressed's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
slawler's review against another edition
3.0
Allende is a very talented writer and a brave female-role model, but this book is just not for me.
The characters were all described very beautifully and lyrically, but a lot of telling instead of showing for character development left me feeling estranged from the characters. There was very little dialogue, so the relationships were explained rather than witnessed.
The entire novel gets darker and more tragic as it goes on. The last part is entirely about rape and torture during the Penichot Era of Chilean politics. I understand that this is a story that needs to be told, but the end didn't finalize this for me. It just ended.
In the final pages of the book Alba claims that she understands the cruelties of her father and the bastard cousin that raped and tortured her as necessary actions in a predestined fate that had to be played out. She goes on to speculate that her future grandchild might rape her rapists grandchild in a never ending cycle of violence. Perhaps the telling of the tale will break the cycle of violence, but it seems a small concession to end such a long and tragic story.
The characters were all described very beautifully and lyrically, but a lot of telling instead of showing for character development left me feeling estranged from the characters. There was very little dialogue, so the relationships were explained rather than witnessed.
The entire novel gets darker and more tragic as it goes on. The last part is entirely about rape and torture during the Penichot Era of Chilean politics. I understand that this is a story that needs to be told, but the end didn't finalize this for me. It just ended.
In the final pages of the book Alba claims that she understands the cruelties of her father and the bastard cousin that raped and tortured her as necessary actions in a predestined fate that had to be played out. She goes on to speculate that her future grandchild might rape her rapists grandchild in a never ending cycle of violence. Perhaps the telling of the tale will break the cycle of violence, but it seems a small concession to end such a long and tragic story.
notesurfer's review against another edition
The House of the Spirits reads like a pale imitation of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Certainly this book is a lot less grotesque, but it is by no means beautiful. The prose is serviceable, but the images lack the engrossing quality of Marquez' work. The most damning omission is the lack of poetic continuity. The plot feels apathetically capricious, without meaning or anti-meaning. Reading this book feels like reading a checklist for magical realism: an endless litany of arbitrary and unexciting events.
introvertisa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
muita coisa acontece em quase 100 anos de livro
_atlas_'s review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0