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leonor_mozo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
anemonima's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Rape, Torture, Abortion, and War
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual content
fa_108's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Overall my biggest takeaway is seeing the patterns in history repeating themselves and just the ups and downs through a family’s time and throughout a person’s life. There’s some really raw, cruel and honestly intense parts, I wouldn’t say it’s always enjoyable because that’s not the point and that makes me enjoy it. Not gonna lie, left me a little nervous in terms of relating some of the things that happen in the book (specially in later chapters) with real life events. It’s definitely and emotional ride.
It’s also so beautifully written, and I absolutely loved the ending callback.
Giving it a 4.25 because I sometimes found it jarring the switch perspectives, not in a “I don’t understand what’s going on” way, more in a “huh” way, it fits the book, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not a huge fan of it, but I dont hate it. Plus some personal bias ( I don’t tend to like the use of local idioms, I like the feeling of atemporality). I took a long time to read the book (since January) because of course life got in the way, but sometimes it does feel long. But by the last chapters you really can’t put it down.
Overall, really good book, must read for people interested in literature and world events and things like that, but I wouldn’t say a must read for everyone. I liked it a lot, but it’s not a book that really sticks hard with me as some others have.
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Miscarriage, Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
So basically, Isabel Allende wrote this in the context of civil war in South America. You’ll see a lot of what you can imagine going from a capitalist “democratic, good for all” system, to a marxist communist one, to a dictatorship regime. Not pretty.erinwolf1997's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, War, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
chiaraaaa's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death
mirireads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Torture
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
cozylifewithabby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War
perseffable's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
notmyselfimareplica's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, and Animal cruelty
dgdrgn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Besides that, this fictional story is very insightful as it depicts Chilean history, politics, and feminism through the lives and struggles of the Trueba family, in particular through the three generations of women and the patriarch Esteban Trueba. Overall, it was a relatively heavy read with some lightness that came from the magical realism depicted through some of the family members as well as the absurdities of Esteban Trueba. Allende does a great job of writing the story in an almost playful method, using timelines and character POVs to tell an engaging story. Would recommend - just make sure to review the content/trigger warnings ahead of time.
Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail