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deborahisreading's review against another edition
4.0
A rich medley of strong, larger than life characters that nonetheless draw you in to what feels like a real life family history
dogncatluver21's review against another edition
2.0
Wow so absurdly dull. I’m so disappointed and yet I didn’t have high expectations to start with. Meandering, confusing, pointless non-plot. The only thing I got out of this was a bit of interesting Chilean history and culture I didn’t know about.
amandacanniff's review against another edition
5.0
Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende is the sequel to Daughter of Fortune. Both books are prequels to The House of the Spirits book which is the first book I bought not knowing it was part of a trilogy. The first book, Daughter of Fortune, I liked well enough (3stars) but oh my this book was soooo good! This story is a fictional memoir of Aurora who is the daughter of Lynn who was the daughter of Eliza (main character of book 1 Daughter of Fortune).
The story takes place in San Fran, England, and chile. I especially love the parts in Chile since the author is from there and really makes the country come alive for you. This book really checks all my boxes in that I love historical fiction and it covers the time period of 1862 to 1880 and I felt like I just learned so much about that era. The characters seem so real and fleshed out I feel like the author probably based them off of real life people.
My favorite quote is: “I try desperately to conquer the transitory nature of my existence, to trap moments before they evanescence, to untangle the confusion of my past. Every instant disappears in a breath and immediately becomes the past; reality is emphereal and changing, pure longing.” This resonated so much with my own life and the way I view my past and present.
The story takes place in San Fran, England, and chile. I especially love the parts in Chile since the author is from there and really makes the country come alive for you. This book really checks all my boxes in that I love historical fiction and it covers the time period of 1862 to 1880 and I felt like I just learned so much about that era. The characters seem so real and fleshed out I feel like the author probably based them off of real life people.
My favorite quote is: “I try desperately to conquer the transitory nature of my existence, to trap moments before they evanescence, to untangle the confusion of my past. Every instant disappears in a breath and immediately becomes the past; reality is emphereal and changing, pure longing.” This resonated so much with my own life and the way I view my past and present.
alexajsbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Isabel Allende is undoubtedly my favorite author. While this book was not my favorite by her, I remain amazed by her ability to completely drop me into a character’s life (to the point where they feel like real people!). I loved Daughter of Fortune, and I really enjoyed revisiting some of the characters from that book and following Eliza’s granddaughter, Aurora Del Valle. I do think my favorite character of the book was Nívea. After reading House of the Spirits a long time ago, I loooved learning more about her earlier life.
I need a full Del Valle family tree and to reread every Isabel Allende book I’ve read and every one I haven’t yet read ASAP.
I need a full Del Valle family tree and to reread every Isabel Allende book I’ve read and every one I haven’t yet read ASAP.
alicecj's review against another edition
4.0
Giving 4 despite some questionable parts. Not sure what is her trying to be of the era and what is just… yikes. Anyway - I did enjoy it even tho I don’t normally like historical fiction. Like how the narrators voice got stronger throughout, and the final significance of the title was nice.
Maybe I will reread this in Spanish in the future.
Maybe I will reread this in Spanish in the future.
pelicanfreak's review against another edition
Borrowed the audiobook and ended up DNF’ing due to the awful narrator. Will try again w/ ebook or print and update with a real review.
Audio:
I listened to the audiobook, courtesy of my local library … the narrator sounded about a notch about a robot, not my favorite and I had to struggle to keep awake and force myself to pay attention to her. A good narrator can make all the difference, and this book was definitely lacking in that. 2-star performance.
Audio:
I listened to the audiobook, courtesy of my local library … the narrator sounded about a notch about a robot, not my favorite and I had to struggle to keep awake and force myself to pay attention to her. A good narrator can make all the difference, and this book was definitely lacking in that. 2-star performance.
sewwriter's review against another edition
5.0
I love Isabel Allende and I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps because the protagonist is a writer and photographer, a maker of art and a documented of life. Her meditations on memory and truth got me thinking about which is he truer form: the written word altered by memory, or the photograph that is also in its way selective history?
The story, too, is a good one, about several generations of a Chilean family (that also for a time lived in San Francisco) enduring perhaps more than its fair share of misplaced love, loss and war. Strong women are everywhere in this tale, doing whatever they have to do to hold their families -- and themselves -- together.
The story, too, is a good one, about several generations of a Chilean family (that also for a time lived in San Francisco) enduring perhaps more than its fair share of misplaced love, loss and war. Strong women are everywhere in this tale, doing whatever they have to do to hold their families -- and themselves -- together.
kamilkostogrys's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastyczna trylogia! Chyba nikt inny nie opowiada historii tak pięknie jak Isabel Allende.